Secondary battery of novel structure and battery pack having the same

• US 20060286450A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Namgoong, John E., Yoon, Junill, Yang, Heekook, Yu, Jisang
• Granted Patent: US 8,252,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/180
• 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 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/178 for pouch or flexible bag cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a secondary battery including an electrode assembly for charging and discharging mounted in a sheathing member including a metal layer and a resin layer, wherein the secondary battery further includes a secondary battery having a molding part of a predetermined thickness at least partially formed at the outside of a sheathing member, preferably, at a sealing region of the sheathing member, and a medium- or large-sized battery pack including the same. The molding part is formed at the outside of the sheathing member of the secondary battery. Consequently, the secondary battery according to the present invention has high mechanical strength, and therefore, it is possible to construct a battery pack without using addition members, such as cartridges. When the molding part is formed at the sealing region, which is weak, the molding part increases the mechanical strength and the sealing force of the secondary battery. Consequently, a battery pack including the secondary batteries as unit cells can be manufactured generally in a compact structure and with relatively small weight, and the assembly process of the battery pack is greatly simplified. The battery pack according to the present invention has high structural stability. Consequently, the battery pack can be preferably used as a power source for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, and electric bicycles.

Claims

1. A secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly for charging and discharging mounted in a sheathing member including a metal layer and a resin layer, wherein the secondary battery further comprises:

a molding part, having a predetermined thickness, at least partially formed at the outside of the sheathing member.

2. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the molding part is at least partially formed at an outside sealing region of the sheathing member.

3. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the secondary battery is a pouch-shaped battery, the sheathing member of which is made of a laminate sheet consisting of aluminum and resin.

4. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the sheathing member is constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly is received in a receiving part formed at the upper inner surface and/or the lower inner surface of a one-unit folding type member, and the upper and lower contact regions are sealed, or in a structure in which an electrode assembly is received in a receiving part formed at the upper inner surface and/or the lower inner surface of a two-unit member, and the upper and lower contact regions are sealed.

5. The secondary battery according to claim 2, wherein the molding part is formed at the opposite side sealing regions of the sheathing member.

6. The secondary battery according to claim 2, wherein the molding part is formed at the opposite side sealing regions, the upper end sealing region, and/or the lower end sealing region of the sheathing member.

7. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the molding part has a thickness greater than that of the battery cell.

8. The secondary battery according to claim 2, wherein the molding part is formed along the entireties of the opposite side sealing regions of the sheathing member.

9. The secondary battery according to claim 2, wherein the molding part is formed along the entireties of the opposite side sealing regions of the sheathing member, and an additional member, which corresponds to the molding part, is coupled to the upper end part and/or the lower end part of the sheathing member.

10. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the molding part is formed by sealing the contact regions of upper and lower sheathing parts of the sheathing member, placing the corresponding outside of the sheathing member in a mold, and injecting a molten material, a thermosetting and/or ultraviolet-setting material, or a dehydration-setting material such that the molten material, the thermosetting and/or ultraviolet-setting material, or the dehydration-setting material can be integrally formed at the corresponding outside of the sheathing member while the molten material, the thermosetting and/or ultraviolet-setting material, or the dehydration-setting material has a predetermined thickness.

11. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the molding part is provided with at least one depression having relatively small thickness, by which at least one uniform coolant flow channel is formed when a plurality of batteries are stacked one on another so as to manufacture a medium- or large-sized battery pack.

12. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the molding part is provided with one or more coupling parts, which are selected from a group consisting of coupling steps, coupling grooves, and through-holes, such that, when a plurality of secondary batteries are stacked one on another so as to manufacture a battery pack, the coupling between the stacked batteries is more easily accomplished and/or the stacked batteries can be securely mounted to an interior member for the battery pack.

13. A medium- or large-sized battery pack including a plurality of secondary batteries according to claim 1 as unit cells.

14. The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the battery pack is manufactured by directly contacting the unit cells, such that the unit cells face each other, without using additional members.

15. The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the battery pack is manufactured by placing the unit cells in a mold, while the unit cells are arranged at a predetermined interval, and integrally forming a molding part at at least a portion of the outside of each unit cell.

16. The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the battery pack is used as a power source for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, or electric bicycles.