Compact safety device for a pouch-type secondary battery unit having many individual batteries

• US 20040119442A1
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kang, Byoung-Hyun, Lee, Hyung-Bok
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery unit having at least two pouch type secondary battery cells and a single safety device serving each cell in the battery unit. Each individual battery or cell body fits into a space within a casing. The battery unit may use one or more casings. The battery cells are arranged such that the terminals of different battery cells are located near the terminals of other battery cells within the unit. These terminals are connected to the safety device. The safety device may be a safety circuit board that is positioned in a space within the battery unit so that the battery unit does not consume any more space than when no safety circuit board is used.

Claims

1. A pouch-type secondary battery unit, comprising:

a first secondary battery cell comprising a first secondary battery body and a first case, the first secondary battery body being disposed inside the first case, the first secondary battery cell further comprising a first positive electrode terminal and a first negative electrode terminal perforating out from said first case;

a second secondary battery cell comprising a second secondary battery body and a second case, the second secondary battery body being disposed within the second case, the second secondary battery cell further comprising a second positive electrode terminal and a second negative electrode terminal perforating out from said second case; and

a safety circuit board disposed in an external void within said battery unit, said external void being defined as being between the first and second secondary battery cells, the safety circuit being electrically connected to the first and second positive electrode terminals and to the first and second negative electrode terminals.

2. The battery unit of claim 1, wherein the first and second cases each comprise:

a case body having a space for accommodating one of the first and the second battery bodies; and

case cover coupled to the case body to seal the battery body contained within the case body.

3. The battery unit of claim 2, wherein each case body comprises a flanged portion, the positive and negative electrode terminals perforating the respective case at the flanged portion of the case body.

4. The battery unit of claim 1, wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell are positioned so that the first positive electrode terminal is disposed near the second positive electrode terminal and the first negative electrode terminal is disposed near the second negative electrode terminal.

5. The battery unit of claim 1, wherein the first and second battery bodies being helically wound positive and negative electrode plates.

6. A pouch-type secondary battery unit, comprising:

a case comprising a case body having a plurality of spaces, each one of said plurality of spaces being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, said case further comprising a case cover extending from a side of the case body and coupled with the case body to seal all the plurality of spaces, wherein the case cover is folded such that the spaces are stacked on top of each other;

a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell having a battery body and two electrode terminals, each battery body being disposed in respective ones of said plurality of spaces, each of said battery bodies having positive and negative electrode terminals extending outward through the case; and

a safety circuit board, disposed in a external void defined by the folding of the case cover, the safety circuit board being connected to each of said positive electrode terminals and the negative electrode terminals of each of said plurality of battery cells.

7. The battery unit of claim 6, wherein the case body comprises a flanged portion, the positive and negative electrode terminals extending through the flanged portion.

8. The battery unit of claim 6, wherein the positive electrode terminals of different battery cells in the battery unit are all aligned with each other and the negative electrode terminals of the different battery cells in the battery unit are all aligned with each other.

9. The battery unit of claim 6, wherein each of the battery bodies being helically wound positive and negative electrode plates.

10. A pouch type battery unit, comprising:

a case comprising a case body and a cover, the case body being attached to the cover, said case body comprising a plurality of spaces;

a plurality of battery bodies, each one being disposed in corresponding ones of said plurality of spaces, each of said battery bodies having two electrode terminals perforating said case body; and

a safety device electrically connected to said terminals of said battery bodies in such a way as not to add bulk to said battery unit, said safety device being external to said case.

11. The battery unit of claim 10, said cover of said case being folded onto itself so that each of said plurality of battery bodies are stacked on top of each other.

12. The battery unit of claim 10, said case body having a flanged portion that mates with said cover, said safety device being disposed between two separate sections of said flanged portion when said case is folded onto itself so that each of said plurality of battery bodies are stacked on top of each other.

13. The battery unit of claim 10, each of said plurality of battery bodies being comprised of electrode plates stacked on top of each other and not being wound.

14. The battery unit of claim 10, each of said plurality of battery bodies being comprised of electrode plates being helically wound.

15. The battery unit of claim 10, each of said plurality of battery bodies being electrically connected to each other in seriatim.

16. The battery unit of claim 10, each of said plurality of battery bodies being electrically connected to each other in parallel.

17. A pouch type secondary battery unit, comprising:

a plurality of secondary battery cells, each battery cell comprising a battery body disposed in a sealed case, each battery cell further comprising a pair of electrode terminals of opposite electrical polarity electrically connected to said battery body and perforating said case; and

a safety circuit board being electrically connected to the terminals of each of said plurality of battery cells, said safety device being disposed in such a way as to not add to the size of the battery unit.

18. The battery unit of claim 17, each of said plurality of secondary battery cells being stacked on top of each other, each of said cases having a flanged portion protruding outward from the battery body, wherein a void is formed between flanged portions of adjacent stacked battery cells, said void being external to said sealed case, said safety device being disposed within said void.

19. The battery unit of claim 17, each of said plurality of battery cells being electrically connected to each other in parallel.

20. The battery unit of claim 17, said safety circuit board being any one of or both of a positive temperature coefficient device and a safety vent.