Battery module

• US 20100151312A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: AHN, Byung-Kyu, KIM, Yong-Sam, BYUN, Sang-Won
• Granted Patent: US 8,329,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/158
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/566 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module includes a plurality of unit batteries, each including a positive terminal and a negative terminal which protrude outside of each unit battery and which have bent terminal portions, and a connection member which electrically connects the unit batteries with each other and which includes a fixing plate fixed to the bent terminal portions of adjacent unit batteries by welding so as to improve productivity and provide high stability.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of unit batteries, each unit battery including a positive terminal and a negative terminal which protrude outside said each unit battery and which have bent terminal portions; and

a connection member for electrically connecting the unit batteries with each other, and including a fixing plate fixed to the bent terminal portions of adjacent unit batteries by welding.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the bent terminal portion formed in the positive terminal and the bent terminal portion formed in the negative terminal are bent in different directions.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the bent terminal portion formed in the positive terminal and the bent terminal portion formed in the negative terminal are positioned on the same plane.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein each of the positive and negative terminals includes a protruding terminal portion, the bent terminal portion being bent from the protruding terminal portion.

5. The battery module of claim 4, wherein grooves are formed at a bent edge of each of the positive and negative terminals such that the bent terminal portion is easily bent.

6. The battery module of claim 4, wherein the fixing plate comprises a fixing portion fixed to the bent terminal portions of the positive and negative terminals by welding, and a supporting portion which is bent from the fixing portion and is in contact with the protruding terminal portion.

7. The battery module of claim 6, wherein a projection portion, which is in contact with a top surface of said each of the positive and negative terminals, is formed in the supporting portion.

8. The battery module of claim 6, wherein a projection portion, which is in contact with a top surface of said each of the positive and negative terminals, is formed in the fixing portion.

9. The battery module of claim 1, wherein a welding plate having greater electrical resistance than the connection member is installed between the connection member and the bent terminal portions.

10. The battery module of claim 9, wherein the welding plate has a lower melting point than the connection member.

11. The battery module of claim 9, wherein the connection member is fixed to said each of the positive and negative terminals by resistance welding.

12. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the connection member is made of a hetero-junction metal (clad metal).

13. The battery module of claim 12, wherein a metal disposed on a surface of the connection member which faces the bent terminal portions has greater electrical resistance than a metal disposed on a surface of the connection member which faces a direction opposite to a direction of the bent terminal portions.

14. The battery module of claim 12, wherein a metal disposed on a surface of the connection member which faces the bent terminal portions has a lower melting point than a metal disposed on a surface of the connection member which faces a direction opposite to a direction of the bent terminal portions.