Battery module with novel structure

• US 10,020,549 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Bum Hyun, Kang, Dal Mo, Choi, Yong Seok, Lee, Jaemin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohaddes, Ladan
• Application Number:
  US14/266,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20140234691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• 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 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/276 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a battery module including chargeable and dischargeable battery cells mounted in a module case, wherein the battery cells are mounted in the module case in a state in which the battery cells are stacked in a lateral direction in which electrode terminals are not located, the module case is configured to have a frame structure open at one or more surfaces thereof, the module case including a receiving part to mount the battery cells, and a heat dissipation support member to dissipate heat from the battery cells through thermal conduction based on direct or indirect contact with the battery cells is mounted in the receiving part, in which the battery cells are mounted.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising chargeable and dischargeable battery cells mounted in a module case, wherein

the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are mounted in the module case in a state in which the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are stacked in a lateral direction in which electrode terminals are not located,

the module case is configured to have a frame structure open at one or more surfaces thereof, the module case comprising a receiving part to mount the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells, the receiving part defining a lower portion of the module case, and

a heat dissipation support member to dissipate heat from the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells through thermal conduction based on direct or indirect contact with the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells is mounted in the receiving part, in which the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are mounted such that the heat dissipation support member is located between the lower portion of the module case and the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells, the heat dissipation support member including a mount having a concavo-convex structure located in the receiving part defining the lower portion of the module case, and the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are fitted into the concave portions of the concavo-convex structure.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells is a plate-shaped battery cell having electrode terminals formed at one end or opposite ends thereof.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the plate-shaped battery cell is a pouch-shaped battery cell configured to have a structure in which an electrode assembly is mounted in a pouch-shaped case formed of a laminate sheet comprising a metal layer and a resin layer.

4. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein

at least one plate-shaped battery cell is mounted in a cell case to constitute a unit module, and

the cell case comprises a cover having an inner surface directly contacting the plate-shaped battery cell and an outer surface directly contacting the heat dissipation support member of the module case, the cover being made of a metal material.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the cell case comprises a cartridge in which the at least one plate-shaped battery cell is mounted in a state in which one surface or both surfaces of the at least one plate-shaped battery cell are exposed, and a cover fastened to the cartridge such that the cover surrounds the at least one plate-shaped battery cell excluding electrode terminals of the at least one plate-shaped battery cell.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge is configured to have a frame structure, open at a middle thereof, to fix an outer edge of the at least one plate-shaped battery cell.

7. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the cover is provided at opposite ends thereof with bent fastening parts bent downward or upward so as to be fastened to the cartridge, and the bent fastening parts of the cover and the cartridge are coupled to each other using an assembly fastening method.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein coupling between the bent fastening parts of the cover and the cartridge using the assembly fastening method is achieved by fastening protrusions or fastening grooves formed at the bent fastening parts of the cover and fastening grooves or fastening protrusions formed at the cartridge, the fastening grooves or fastening protrusions of the cartridge corresponding to the fastening protrusions or fastening grooves of the bent fastening parts of the cover.

9. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the unit module comprises two or more chargeable and dischargeable battery cells connected to each other in series.

10. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

each of the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells is a plate-shaped battery cell having electrode terminals formed at opposite ends thereof,

the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are stacked in the lateral direction such that the electrode terminals of the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells are directed to a front and a rear of the module case to constitute a battery cell stack, and

a main body of the module case comprises side support parts extending upward to support side edges of the battery cell stack in a state in which a top and opposite sides of the main body are exposed.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, wherein each of the side support parts is provided at an outer surface thereof with a groove vertically extending to fix the battery cell stack and fasten another battery module or a device.

12. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation support member is mounted in a main body of the module case by insert injection molding such that a top of the heat dissipation support member is exposed to the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells and a bottom of the heat dissipation support member is exposed outside.

13. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation support member is formed of a metal sheet.

14. The battery module according to claim 13, wherein the heat dissipation support member has opposite side ends bent upward to surround a lower end of the battery cell stack and to at least partially surround opposite side surfaces of the battery cell stack.

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

an air-cooled or water-cooled heat exchange member mounted at a lower end of the heat dissipation support member, wherein

heat generated from the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells during charge and discharge of the chargeable and dischargeable battery cells is removed by thermal conduction through the heat exchange member via the heat dissipation support member.

16. A battery pack comprising one or more battery modules according to claim 1 mounted in a pack case.

17. A device comprising a battery pack according to claim 16 as a power source.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the device is an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a power storage device.