BATTERY MODULE AND BATTERY PACK COMPRISING SAME

• US 20160268652A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: EOM, Young-Sop, SEONG, Jun-Yeob, KIM, Ki-Youn, YU, Sung-Chun, KANG, Dal-Mo
• Granted Patent: US 10,181,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery module having a new voltage detection structure with respect to a plurality of secondary batteries included in a cell assembly. The battery module includes a cell assembly in which a plurality of secondary batteries, each having a plate-shaped electrode lead protruding in a horizontally laid state, are stacked in a vertical direction; and a sensing assembly for sensing voltages of the secondary batteries, the sensing assembly including a plurality of sensing plates made of an electrical conductive material with a horizontally laid plate shape and having one end welded in face-to-face contact with the electrode lead, and a connector electrically connected to the other end of the sensing plates to transmit a sensed voltage.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a cell assembly in which a plurality of secondary batteries, each having a plate-shaped electrode lead protruding in a horizontally laid state, are stacked in a vertical direction; and

a sensing assembly for sensing voltages of the secondary batteries, the sensing assembly including a plurality of sensing plates made of an electrical conductive material with a horizontally laid plate shape and having one end welded in face-to-face contact with the electrode lead, and a connector electrically connected to the other end of the sensing plates to transmit a sensed voltage.

2. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the sensing plate is welded to the electrode lead by means of ultrasonic welding.

3. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the sensing plate is welded to two electrode leads.

4. The battery module according to claim 3,

wherein the sensing plate is welded in contact with a portion of the surfaces of the two electrode leads.

5. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the connector is connected to the other end of the sensing plate by means of a wire.

6. The battery module according to claim 5,

wherein the sensing assembly further includes a connection member provided between the sensing plate and the wire and having a plurality of plate coupling units to which the other end of the sensing plate is coupled and fixed and a plurality of wire connectors to which one end of the wire is connected, which are arranged in a vertical direction.

7. The battery module according to claim 6,

wherein both ends of the plate coupling unit are bent by at least 180 degrees, and the other end of the sensing plate is inserted into the bent portion and fixed thereto.

8. The battery module according to claim 6,

wherein some of the plurality of sensing plates are provided to protrude in a left direction on the basis of the connection member, and the other sensing plates are provided to protrude in a right direction on the basis of the connection member.

9. The battery module according to claim 6,

wherein a coupling hole is formed at the other end of the sensing plate, and a protrusion is formed at the plate coupling unit of the connection member so as to be inserted into the coupling hole and coupled thereto.

10. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the sensing assembly further includes a support plate with a vertically erect plate shape having a through hole through which the electrode lead is provided and by which the electrode lead is supported.

11. The battery module according to claim 10,

wherein the sensing plate has a bent portion formed by bending a portion thereof vertically, and the bent portion is coupled and fixed to the support plate.

12. The battery module according to claim 11,

wherein an engagement hole is formed in the bent portion of the sensing plate, and a protrusion is formed at the support plate to be inserted into the engagement hole and coupled thereto.

13. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the sensing assembly further includes an electrode terminal formed to protrude outwards, and a bus bar for electrically connecting the electrode terminal to a sensing plate provided at an uppermost or lowermost portion.

14. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensing cover configured to cover the sensing assembly at a side opposite to the cell assembly.

15. A battery pack, comprising the battery module according to claim 1.

16. A vehicle, comprising the battery module according to any claim 1.

17. A sensing assembly, which is connected to a cell assembly in which a plurality of secondary batteries, each having a plate-shaped electrode lead protruding in a horizontally laid state, are stacked in a vertical direction, for sensing voltages of the secondary batteries, the sensing assembly comprising:

a plurality of sensing plates made of an electrical conductive material with a horizontally laid plate shape and having one end welded in face-to-face contact with the electrode lead; and

a connector electrically connected to the other end of the sensing plates to transmit the sensed voltages of the secondary batteries.

18. A method for manufacturing a battery module, which includes a cell assembly in which a plurality of secondary batteries, each having a plate-shaped electrode lead protruding in a horizontally laid state, are stacked in a vertical direction, and a sensing assembly having a sensing plate and a connector, the method comprising:

overlapping two electrode leads among the electrode leads and allowing the overlapped two electrode leads to come into surface contact with the sensing plate; and

performing ultrasonic welding to the two overlapped electrode leads and the sensing plate.