Battery Module, Battery Pack Including Battery Module, And Vehicle Including Battery Pack

• US 20190319232A1
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ryu, Jae-Uk, Yoon, Ji-Su, Kang, Dal-Mo, Mun, Jeong-O
• Granted Patent: US 11,374,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0422 Cells or battery with cylindrical casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/282 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/526 having a layered structure
• 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

Disclosed is a battery module, which includes: a plurality of battery cells stacked on one another; a cell housing configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells; and a cover bus bar configured to cover an entire upper side of the cell housing and including electrode connection layers. The cover bus bar may be electrically connected to electrodes of the plurality of battery cells through the electrode connection layers. The electrode connection layers may be arranged in a layered structure.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of battery cells stacked on one another;

a cell housing configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells; and

a cover bus bar configured to cover an entire upper side of the cell housing and including electrode connection layers, wherein the cover bus bar is electrically connected to electrodes of the plurality of battery cells through the electrode connection layers, and wherein the electrode connection layers are arranged in a layered structure.

2. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the cover bus bar further includes insulation layers for insulating the electrode connection layers, wherein the insulation layers and the electrode connection layers are arranged in a layered structure.

3. The battery module according to claim 2,

wherein the electrode connection layers are disposed between the insulation layers, respectively.

4. The battery module according to claim 3,

wherein the cover bus bar includes:

a first insulation layer configured to form a lower side of the cover bus bar and provided to face the plurality of battery cells;

a first electrode connection layer disposed at an upper side of the first insulation layer and electrically connected to one of positive electrodes or negative electrodes of the plurality of battery cells;

a second insulation layer disposed at an upper side of the first electrode connection layer;

a second electrode connection layer disposed at an upper side of the second insulation layer and electrically connected to the other of the positive electrodes or the negative electrodes of the plurality of battery cells; and

a third insulation layer disposed at an upper side of the second electrode connection layer to form an upper side of the cover bus bar.

5. The battery module according to claim 4,

wherein the first electrode connection layer and the second electrode connection layer are provided as a flexible printed circuit board.

6. The battery module according to claim 5,

wherein an insulation pattern is provided to a rim of at least one of the first electrode connection layer or the second electrode connection layer.

7. The battery module according to claim 6,

wherein a rim of the cover bus bar is bonded to a rim of the cell housing by seaming.

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

a phase change material filled in the cell housing to guide cooling of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the plurality of battery cells are partially immersed in the phase change material.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, further comprising:

a heatsink mounted to at least one of the cell housing or the cover bus bar to cool the plurality of battery cells.

10. The battery module according to claim 9,

wherein the phase change material is a material that, when a temperature of the plurality of battery cells is raised, evaporates and moves toward the cover bus bar, and then is liquefied by the heatsink and moves to a lower side of the cell housing.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, further comprising:

a guide rib provided at an upper side of an inner wall of the cell housing to guide movement of the liquefied phase change material to a lower side of the cell housing.

12. The battery module according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of battery cells are cylindrical secondary batteries.

13. A battery pack, comprising:

at least one battery module defined in claim 1; and

a pack case configured to package the at least one battery module.

14. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one battery pack defined in claim 13.