Battery module

• US 20060093899A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Jeon, Yoon-Cheol, Lee, Gun-Goo, Kim, Tae-Yong
• Granted Patent: US 7,989,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0472 Vertically superposed cells with vertically disposed plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module includes a case with at least one face which is opened, a plurality of partition walls fixedly installed at predetermined intervals in the case, and a plurality of unit batteries which are separated from each other with the partition walls therebetween to be inserted into the case. The battery module may include a battery fixing structure which is installed between the case and the unit batteries to fix the unit batteries so as to prevent positional movement of the unit batteries in the case. The battery fixing structure may be a concavo-convex engaging structure including fixing projections and projection receiving portions.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising:

a case having a pair of opposing side plates, a pair of opposing supporting plates, and at least one open face;

a plurality of partition walls fixedly installed at predetermined intervals in the case; and

a plurality of unit batteries insertable into the case through the at least one open face,

wherein adjacent unit batteries are separated from each other by a partition wall.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein an interval between adjacent partition walls is equal to the thickness of each of the unit batteries.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein:

the pair of opposing supporting plates face each other at opposite sides of the case and are arranged parallel to the partition walls, and

the pair of opposing side plates are connected with the opposing supporting plates to integrally fix opposite edges of each of the partition walls, and are arranged perpendicular to the partition walls.

4. The battery module of claim 3, further comprising:

a fixing portion protruding at the at least one open face from one edge of each of the opposing supporting plates; and

a fixing rod connecting the fixing portions of both of the opposing supporting plates to support each other.

5. The battery module of claim 3, wherein the partition walls are integrally formed with the opposing side plates.

6. The battery module of claim 3, further comprising partition wall fixing grooves formed at predetermined intervals on inner surfaces of the opposing side plates such that the partition walls are insertable into respective partition wall fixing grooves.

7. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the thickness of a partition wall is smaller than the external width of a partition wall fixing groove.

8. The battery module of claim 3, further comprising battery fixing grooves formed at predetermined intervals on inner surfaces of the opposing side plates, such that the unit batteries are insertable into respective battery fixing grooves.

9. The battery module of claim 1, wherein a plurality of projections are formed on the partition walls to maintain predetermined gaps between the unit batteries.

10. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the battery module drives a motor.

11. A battery module comprising:

a case having a pair of opposing side plates and a pair of opposing supporting plates;

a plurality of partition walls fixedly installed at predetermined intervals in the case;

a plurality of unit batteries insertable into the case, adjacent unit batteries being separated from each other by a partition wall; and

a battery fixing structure installed between the case and respective unit batteries and adapted to prevent positional movement of the unit batteries.

12. The battery module of claim 11, wherein the battery fixing structure is a concavo-convex engaging structure having fixing projections insertable into respective projection receiving portions.

13. The battery module of claim 12, wherein:

the pair of opposing supporting plates face each other at opposite sides of the case and are arranged parallel to the partition walls, and

the pair of opposing side plates are connected with the opposing supporting plates to integrally fix opposite edges of each of the partition walls, and are arranged perpendicular to the partition walls.

14. The battery module of claim 13, wherein the fixing projections protrude from side faces of the unit batteries facing cutouts in the case formed at positions of the opposing side plates corresponding to the fixing projections, the fixing projections being insertable into respective cutouts.

15. The battery module of claim 13, wherein the fixing projections protrude from the side faces of the unit batteries facing fixing grooves formed at positions of the opposing side plates corresponding to the fixing projections, the fixing projections being insertable into respective fixing grooves.

16. The battery module of claim 13, wherein the battery fixing structure has fixing grooves formed on the side faces of the unit batteries facing fixing projections protruding at positions of the opposing side plates of the case corresponding to the fixing projections, the fixing projections being insertable into respective fixing grooves.

17. The battery module of claim 12, wherein faces of the fixing projections in an insertion direction include inclined surfaces.

18. The battery module of claim 12, wherein at least two fixing projections and at least two projection receiving portions are formed for every unit battery.

19. The battery module of claim 11, wherein the battery module drives a motor.

20. A battery module comprising:

a case having a pair of opposing side plates and a pair of opposing supporting plates;

a plurality of partition walls fixedly installed at predetermined intervals in the case;

a plurality of unit batteries insertable into the case, adjacent unit batteries being separated from each other by a partition wall; and

a battery fixing structure installed between the partition walls and the unit batteries to prevent positional movement of the unit batteries.

21. The battery module of claim 20, further comprising:

fixing grooves formed on side faces of the unit batteries facing the partition walls; and

fixing projections protruding at positions of the partition walls corresponding to the fixing grooves.

22. The battery module of claim 20, further comprising fixing projections protruding from side faces of the unit batteries facing the partition walls and fixing grooves formed at positions of the partition walls corresponding to the fixing projections, the fixing projections being insertable into the fixing grooves.

23. The battery module of claim 20, wherein the battery module drives a motor.