Battery module and method for assembling the battery module

• US 9,306,199 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Arena, Anthony, Beltz, David, Phillips, Greg, Garascia, Michael, Yang, Heekook
• Primary Examiner(s): Leong, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US13/587,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20140050966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 429/163
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A battery module and a method for assembling the battery module are provided. The battery module includes a first end plate, a second end plate, a frame member, a first battery cell disposed between the first end plate and the frame member, and a second battery cell disposed between the second end plate and the frame member. The battery module further includes a first shoulder bolt having a first head portion, a first shaft portion, a first shoulder portion, and a first threaded portion. The first shoulder bolt is disposed such that the first head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the first shaft portion extends through a first aperture of the first end plate and a first aperture of the frame member, and the first shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a first end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

a frame member having first, second, third, and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

a first battery cell disposed between the first end plate and the frame member;

a second end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough, the second end plate further having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side;

a second battery cell disposed between the second end plate and the frame member;

a first shoulder bolt having a first head portion, a first shaft portion, a first shoulder portion, and a first threaded portion;

the first shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first shaft portion extending from the first head portion, the first shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the first shaft portion, the first threaded portion extending from the second end of the first shaft portion; and

the first shoulder bolt being disposed such that the first head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the first shaft portion extends through the first aperture of the first end plate and the first aperture of the frame member, and the first shoulder portion being disposed directly against and contacting the first side of the second end plate and the first threaded portion extending through the first aperture of the second end plate and being threadably received in a first nut, and the first nut being disposed directly against and contacting the second side of the second end plate.

2. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second shoulder bolt having a second head portion, a second shaft portion, a second shoulder portion, and a second threaded portion;

the second shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second shaft portion extending from the second head portion, the second shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the second shaft portion, the second threaded portion extending from the second end of the second shaft portion; and

the second shoulder bolt being disposed such that the second head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the second shaft portion extends through the second aperture of the first end plate and the second aperture of the frame member, and the second shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the second threaded portion extends through the second aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a second nut disposed against the second end plate.

3. The battery module of claim 2, further comprising:

a third shoulder bolt having a third head portion, a third shaft portion, a third shoulder portion, and a third threaded portion;

the third shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third shaft portion extending from the third head portion, the third shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the third shaft portion, the third threaded portion extending from the second end of the third shaft portion; and

the third shoulder bolt being disposed such that the third head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the third shaft portion extends through the third aperture of the first end plate and the third aperture of the frame member, and the third shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the third threaded portion extends through the third aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a third nut disposed against the second end plate.

4. The battery module of claim 3, further comprising:

a fourth shoulder bolt having a fourth head portion, a fourth shaft portion, a fourth shoulder portion, and a fourth threaded portion;

the fourth shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth shaft portion extending from the fourth head portion, the fourth shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the fourth shaft portion, the fourth threaded portion extending from the second end of the fourth shaft portion; and

the fourth shoulder bolt being disposed such that the fourth head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the fourth shaft portion extends through the fourth aperture of the first end plate and the fourth aperture of the frame member, and the fourth shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the fourth threaded portion extends through the fourth aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a fourth nut disposed against the second end plate.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first and second end plates are constructed of steel.

6. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the frame member is constructed at least partially of plastic.

7. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first end plate has first, second, third, and fourth peripheral corner regions, the first, second, third, and fourth apertures of the first end plate extending through the first, second, third, and fourth peripheral corner regions, respectively, of the first end plate.

8. The battery module of claim 7, wherein the frame member has first, second, third, and fourth peripheral corner regions, the first, second, third, and fourth apertures of the frame member extending through the first, second, third, and fourth peripheral corner regions, respectively, of the frame member.

9. The battery module of claim 7, wherein a distance between the first and second end plates is equal to a longitudinal distance from the first head portion to the first shoulder portion.

10. A method of assembling a battery module, comprising:

providing a first end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

providing a frame member having first, second, third, and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

providing first and second battery cells;

providing a second end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough, the second end plate further having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side;

providing a first shoulder bolt having a first head portion, a first shaft portion, a first shoulder portion, and a first threaded portion;

the first shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first shaft portion extending from the first head portion, the first shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the first shaft portion, the first threaded portion extending from the second end of the first shaft portion;

disposing the first battery cell between the first end plate and the frame member;

disposing the second battery cell between the second end plate and the frame member; and

positioning the first shoulder bolt such that the first head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the first shaft portion extends through the first aperture of the first end plate and the first aperture of the frame member, and the first shoulder portion is disposed directly against and contacts the first side of the second end plate and the first threaded portion extends through the first aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a first nut, and the first nut is disposed directly against and contacts the second side of the second end plate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a second shoulder bolt having a second head portion, a second shaft portion, a second shoulder portion, and a second threaded portion;

the second shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second shaft portion extending from the second head portion, the second shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the second shaft portion, the second threaded portion extending from the second end of the second shaft portion; and

positioning the second shoulder bolt such that the second head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the second shaft portion extends through the second aperture of the first end plate and the second aperture of the frame member, and the second shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the second threaded portion extends through the second aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a second nut disposed against the second end plate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a third shoulder bolt having a third head portion, a third shaft portion, a third shoulder portion, and a third threaded portion;

the third shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third shaft portion extending from the third head portion, the third shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the third shaft portion, the third threaded portion extending from the second end of the third shaft portion; and

positioning the third shoulder bolt such that the third head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the third shaft portion extends through the third aperture of the first end plate and the third aperture of the frame member, and the third shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the third threaded portion extends through the third aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a third nut disposed against the second end plate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a fourth shoulder bolt having a fourth head portion, a fourth shaft portion, a fourth shoulder portion, and a fourth threaded portion;

the fourth shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth shaft portion extending from the fourth head portion, the fourth shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the fourth shaft portion, the fourth threaded portion extending from the second end of the fourth shaft portion; and

positioning the fourth shoulder bolt such that the fourth head portion is disposed against the first end plate and the fourth shaft portion extends through the fourth aperture of the first end plate and the fourth aperture of the frame member, and the fourth shoulder portion is disposed against the second end plate and the fourth threaded portion extends through the fourth aperture of the second end plate and is threadably received in a fourth nut disposed against the second end plate.

14. A battery module, comprising:

a first metal end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

a plastic frame member having first, second, third, and fourth apertures extending therethrough;

a first battery cell disposed between the first metal end plate and the plastic frame member;

a second metal end plate having first, second, third and fourth apertures extending therethrough, the second metal end plate further having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side;

a second battery cell disposed between the second metal end plate and the plastic frame member;

a first shoulder bolt having a first head portion, a first shaft portion, a first shoulder portion, and a first threaded portion;

the first shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first shaft portion extending from the first head portion, the first shoulder portion being disposed at the second end of the first shaft portion, the first threaded portion extending from the second end of the first shaft portion; and

the first shoulder bolt being disposed such that the first head portion is disposed against the first metal end plate and the first shaft portion extends through the first aperture of the first metal end plate and the first aperture of the plastic frame member, and the first shoulder portion being disposed directly against and contacting the first side of the second metal end plate, and the first threaded portion extending through the first aperture of the second metal end plate and being threadably received in a first nut.

15. The battery module of claim 14, wherein the first nut being disposed directly against and contacting the second side of the second metal end plate.