Member of connecting electrode in battery module

• US 7,976,978 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ha, Jin Woong, Shin, Yongshik, Kim, Jeeho
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener; Jennifer K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mekhlin; Eli S
• Application Number:
  US12/446,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20100009251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,382 Days
• Field of Search: 429/149, 429/156, 429/163, 429/100, 429/96, 429/209, 429/211, 429/159, 429/123, 429/122, 429/148, 429/151, 429/152, 429/208, 296231-6235, 292/49, 297/45, 439754-774
• US Class Current: 429/149
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• 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: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electrode terminal connecting member for electrically interconnecting plate-shaped secondary battery cells (‘battery cells’) constituting a battery module, wherein the electrode terminal connecting member includes a coupling part (‘bent coupling part’) bent to form a groove at the rear of the electrode terminal connecting member such that a plate-shaped electrode terminal (‘battery cell electrode terminal’) of each battery cell is inserted into the groove, an external input and output terminal protruding toward the front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent, and a voltage detection terminal protruding toward the front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent.

Claims

1. An electrode terminal connecting member for electrically interconnecting plate-shaped secondary battery cells (‘

battery cells’

) constituting a battery module, wherein the electrode terminal connecting member includes

a monolithic structure comprising

plural bent coupling parts, each bent coupling part bent to form a groove at a rear of the electrode terminal connecting member such that a plate-shaped electrode terminal of each battery cell is inserted into the groove,

an external input and output terminal protruding toward a front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent, and

a voltage detection terminal protruding toward the front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent,

wherein a number of the plural bent coupling parts and a number of the external input and output terminals corresponds to a number of the battery cells such that at least two battery cells are electrically connected to each other and wherein the external input and output terminal and the voltage detection terminal are bent in parallel to the front of the electrode terminal connecting member.

2. The electrode terminal connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the external input and output terminal is provided with a coupling hole.

3. The electrode terminal connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the plural bent coupling parts have different heights.

4. The electrode terminal connecting member according to claim 3, wherein the plural bent coupling parts include two bent coupling parts formed such that a height difference between the plural bent coupling parts is equivalent to a thickness of each battery cell, the external input and output terminals are located at opposite ends of the electrode terminal connecting member, and the voltage detection terminal is located approximately at a middle of the electrode terminal connecting member.

5. A battery module constructed in a structure in which electrode terminal connecting members according to claim 1 are coupled to corresponding electrode terminals of battery cells.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the battery module is formed by stacking a plurality of cell modules, each cell module having a battery cell mounted in a cartridge.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein the cartridge includes

a cartridge body constructed in a rectangular structure corresponding to each battery cell such that the battery cell is mounted to the cartridge body, the cartridge body being open at a top thereof, and a top cover mounted to the top of the battery cell while the battery cell is mounted to the cartridge body, and wherein

the cartridge body is provided at a bottom thereof with a plurality of through-holes,

the cartridge body is provided at one side of an upper end of each side wall thereof with a coupling protrusion, by which the cartridge body is coupled to another cartridge body, while the cartridge body is provided at one side of a lower end of each side wall thereof with a coupling groove corresponding to the coupling protrusion, and

the cartridge body is provided at a front thereof with a coupling part, to which an additional member for mounting the electrode terminal connecting member is coupled in an assembly fashion, such that the electrode terminal connecting member is stably connected to the corresponding electrode terminal of the corresponding battery cell.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the battery cell is mounted to the cartridge body of each cell module, the cartridge bodies are stacked, and the top cover is coupled to the uppermost cartridge body.

9. A battery module assembly including a plurality of battery modules according to claim 7.

10. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein each battery cell is a pouch-shaped battery cell constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, wherein

the mounting insulation member is constructed approximately in a rectangular parallelepiped structure having a size approximately corresponding to the front of the cartridge body,

the mounting insulation member is provided at a rear thereof with a groove, in which the front end of each cartridge body is inserted,

the mounting insulation member is provided at a front thereof with a pair of holes, through which electrode terminals of each battery cell, introduced through the coupling groove, are exposed, and

the mounting insulation member is provided at a top thereof, above the electrode terminal through-holes, with a coupling upper end, which is inserted into the rear groove of the bent coupling part of the electrode terminal connecting member.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein the mounting insulation member is provided at a front thereof with a location part, in which the external input and output terminal and the voltage detection terminal of the electrode terminal connecting member are stably located.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein the mounting insulation member is provided at a location part thereof, in which the external input and output terminal of the electrode terminal connecting member is stably located, with a coupling depression.

14. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein the electrode terminals of each battery cell, exposed outward through the electrode terminal through-holes, are bent upward and brought into tight contact with the coupling upper end of the mounting insulation member to surround the coupling upper end of the mounting insulation member, and the coupling upper end of the mounting insulation member is inserted into the rear groove of the bent coupling part of the electrode terminal connecting member.

15. An electrode terminal connecting member for electrically interconnecting plate-shaped secondary battery cells (‘

battery cells’

) constituting a battery module, wherein the electrode terminal connecting member includes

plural bent coupling parts, each bent coupling part bent to form a groove at a rear of the electrode terminal connecting member such that a plate-shaped electrode terminal of each battery cell is inserted into the groove,

an external input and output terminal protruding toward a front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent, and

a voltage detection terminal protruding toward the front of the electrode terminal connecting member while being bent,

wherein a number of the plural bent coupling parts and a number of the external input and output terminals corresponds to a number of the battery cells such that at least two battery cells are electrically connected to each other, and

wherein the external input and output terminal and the voltage detection terminal are bent in parallel to the front of the electrode terminal connecting member.