KR101039517B1 - Electrical Connecting Member for Battery Cell - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, wherein the battery cells in the side direction are connected in parallel while connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction (connection member). A pair of series connection terminals for electrically connecting the battery cells by a physical contact method, and one parallel connection terminal for electrically connecting the series connection terminals arranged in a lateral direction. A lower contact portion contacting the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell with a width of the lower contact portion; An upward contact portion protruding upward from the bottom contact portion to a predetermined height; And an elastic contact portion which is indented in a predetermined depth from the center of the upward contact portion to the lower contact portion.

Description

Battery connecting member {Electrical Connecting Member for Battery Cell}

The present invention relates to a battery cell connecting member, and more particularly, in a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, a member for connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction in series while connecting the battery cells in the side direction in parallel As a connection member, the connection member includes a pair of series connection ends for electrically connecting battery cells in a longitudinal direction by physical contact, and a parallel connection for electrically connecting the series connection ends arranged in a lateral direction. It consists of a connection end, The said series connection end relates to the battery cell connection member comprised from the lower contact part, the upward contact part, and the elastic contact part.

As technology development and demand for mobile devices increase, the demand for secondary batteries as energy sources is rapidly increasing.

The secondary battery may be used in the form of a single battery, or in the form of a battery pack in which a plurality of unit cells are electrically connected, depending on the type of external device in which the secondary battery is used. For example, a small device such as a mobile phone can operate for a predetermined period of time with the output and capacity of one battery, while a medium or large size such as a notebook computer, a portable DVD, a small PC, an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or the like. Large devices require the use of battery packs due to power and capacity issues.

Such a battery pack is manufactured by connecting a protection circuit or the like to a core pack in which a plurality of unit cells (secondary batteries) are arranged in series and / or in parallel. In the case of using a square or pouch type battery as a unit cell, the electrodes may be connected by connecting members such as bus bars after stacking the wide surfaces to face each other. Accordingly, in the case of manufacturing a three-dimensional secondary battery pack having a hexahedral structure, a square or pouch type secondary battery is advantageous as a unit cell.

On the other hand, the cylindrical secondary battery generally has a larger capacitance than the square and pouch type secondary battery, but due to the external characteristics of the cylindrical secondary battery is not easy to arrange in a stacked structure. However, when the shape of the secondary battery pack has a linear or plate-like structure as a whole, there is a structural advantage over the square or pouch type.

Therefore, in the case of a notebook computer, a portable DVD, a small PC, etc., a battery pack in which a plurality of cylindrical secondary batteries are connected in series or in parallel and in series is used. As the structure of the core pack used in such a battery pack, for example, a linear structure of 2P (parallel) -3S (serial), a plate structure of 2P-3S, a linear structure of 2P-4S, a plate structure of 2P-4S, Linear structures of 1P-3S and plate-like structures of 1P-3S are used.

The parallel connection structure is achieved by arranging two or more cylindrical secondary batteries adjacently in their lateral directions with the electrode terminals oriented in the same direction, and welding them to the connecting member. Cylindrical secondary batteries of such a parallel manner are also referred to as "banks".

In series connection structure, two or more cylindrical secondary batteries are arranged to have two or more cylindrical secondary batteries arranged long so that electrode terminals of opposite polarity are continuous, or the electrode terminals are arranged to face in opposite directions. Arranged adjacently in the lateral direction, this is achieved by welding with a connecting member.

In the electrical connection of such cylindrical secondary batteries, spot welding is generally performed by using a thin connection member (for example, a metal plate) such as a nickel plate.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a battery pack having a plate-like structure of 2P-3S in a state in which electrical connection work by spot welding is completed. Figure 1 shows the coupling relationship of the battery pack of the plate-like structure of such 2P-3S for convenience of understanding as an exploded view.

As shown in FIG. 1, three battery pairs of secondary batteries 20 and 21 connected in parallel are connected in series through a metal plate 30 to form a core pack 10.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the battery module 50 connecting the protection circuit module to the core pack of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the secondary batteries 20 and 21 is provided with a protection circuit module through a positive electrode wire 60, a negative electrode wire 70, and a temperature detection member 80 connected to the metal plate 30. 90). The electrical connection of the protective circuit module 90 to the metal plate 30 is mainly by soldering.

In general, a battery pack using a secondary battery as a unit cell repeatedly performs numerous charges and discharges during use, and is a lithium secondary battery having safety problems under conditions such as external shock, dropping, needle penetration, overcharge, and overcurrent. Since the back light is used as the unit cell, a safety device such as a protection circuit module for solving such a safety problem is added. The safety device secures the safety of the battery pack by acquiring information such as voltage at a corresponding terminal connection portion of the battery pack and performing a predetermined safety process. Therefore, when the connection state of the site is variable, for example, when the resistance value of the terminal connection part is changed by vibration or the like, due to the inaccuracy of the detection information, the safety device cannot perform the desired process. Therefore, in general, the electrical connection between the battery cell and the protection circuit in the battery pack is made by soldering or the like.

In addition, in order to configure a high-power, large-capacity battery pack, it is necessary to connect a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel, and in order to maintain the performance of the battery pack uniformly, a stable coupling method for minimizing the resistance change in the terminal connection region. Is required. The electrical connection between these battery cells is typically made through soldering or welding, preferably spot welding.

However, a welding or soldering process between battery cells has the following problems.

Specifically, the welding or soldering process requires the skilled skill and know-how of the operator, and the management of the parameters for determining the strength of the welding must be continuously performed, which leads to complicated production process and increased cost. It acts as a factor that hinders efficiency. In addition, in the process of directly welding or soldering to the battery cell, the short circuit (short) of the welding portion may occur due to the vibration or external impact of the battery pack, and electrical or thermal damage is applied between the battery cell and the connection member, It threatens battery safety and increases the defective rate of the product. Moreover, when some battery cell (s) are defective during manufacturing or use, there is a problem that all battery cells constituting the battery pack should be discarded.

Therefore, it is possible to replace the connection method through welding, soldering, etc., which threatens the stability of the battery and requires a complicated work process, and at the same time ensures a stable connection structure between the battery cells, while remaining batteries in case of failure of some battery cell (s). There is a high need for a technology capable of reusing cells.

Meanwhile, in the field of battery packs using primary batteries, various attempts have been made to the electrical connection structure of the connection method. For example, Korean Patent No. 0413381 discloses a technology for forming conductive coils at both ends of left and right sides of a battery case for electrical connection of a battery, and US Patent No. 525037 describes elasticity at both ends of a battery pack. Disclosed is a technical content of making an electrical connection by installing a metal plate bent to have.

However, the above technologies have a problem in that the connection member must have sufficient elasticity to fix the battery cell and to make stable connection with the electrode terminal. In particular, the technique using the conductive coil has a large electric resistance because the cross-sectional area of the wire constituting the coil and the connection length is relatively long, and the increased resistance causes power loss and increases the amount of heat generated, thus ensuring stable connection of the battery. May inhibit.

In addition, the technique using the metal plate bent to have elasticity, due to excessive force or repeated use in the process of inserting the battery cell into the pack case, the metal plate loses its elasticity or is destroyed, the external impact on the battery cell Since the phenomenon of detachment or disconnection of the electrical connection may occur, the connection member as described above may be limited to the secondary battery pack as described above due to the variable connection state at the corresponding site.

In addition, in order to achieve electrical connection by mechanical contact without welding or soldering or the like, it is generally required that a partition wall between the battery cells is disposed between the battery cells for mounting the connection member to the pack case as in the above-mentioned prior arts. . However, the presence of the partition wall causes an increase in the size of the battery pack, which is not preferable to the recent tendency to become small and thin. In addition, a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells is preferably placed on uniform operating conditions in terms of operating efficiency. However, the partition wall tends to make operating conditions of the battery cells mounted in the respective compartments partitioned by the partition wall different from each compartment.

In this respect, a method of mounting a mechanical contact type connection member with a very high elastic pressing force between battery cells in the absence of a partition wall may be considered. In the process of use, a phenomenon that is gradually deformed by stress, that is, a creep phenomenon occurs. Therefore, an excessively high elastic pressing force of the connection member causes stress in the pack case, resulting in a creep phenomenon, and as a result, the electrical connection state becomes unstable as the gap between the battery cells gradually opens. Since this phenomenon can be particularly serious in devices requiring long-term use, the primary battery-based connection method cannot be applied to a secondary battery-based battery pack that requires long-term use by repeated charging and discharging. .

On the other hand, a cylindrical secondary battery generally has a structure in which a jelly-roll is embedded in a metal can, a protruding positive electrode terminal is formed at one end, and a flat negative electrode terminal is formed at the other end. The positive terminal portion shows a predetermined structural stability against external force because the cap assembly is mounted in a cuffing manner on top of the jelly-roll. On the other hand, in the negative terminal region, since the jelly roll is directly facing the bottom of the inner surface of the can, the negative terminal (ie, the bottom surface of the can) is deformed by external force, causing short circuit between the plates of the jelly roll. There is a tendency.

In a battery pack equipped with a plurality of battery cells, such a short circuit causes a serious problem in terms of safety. As a result of the inventors' experimental confirmation, it has been confirmed that the above short circuit occurs in a structure in which a connecting member such as a nickel plate is bonded to a battery cell electrode terminal by welding.

Therefore, there is a need for a battery cell connection member for a secondary battery that can replace a connection method through welding and soldering, and can secure a stable connection structure between battery cells and battery safety without causing an increase in the size of the battery pack. This is very high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems of the prior art and the technical problems required from the past.

That is, an object of the present invention, the upper contact is projected upward from the bottom contact, the elastic contact is upward, so that the elasticity is easily provided to the entire connecting member and the elastic grounding force on the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, It is to provide a battery cell connecting member consisting of a structure that is indented from the center of the contact portion toward the lower contact portion.

In addition, it is possible to reliably connect two or more secondary battery cells without performing soldering or welding, which requires a complicated work process, and to connect a battery cell having a specific structure in which an electrical connection is possible, an assembling process is easy, and a detachable structure is free to be detached as necessary. To provide a member.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a battery cell connecting member capable of maintaining a stable connection state and ensuring safety against external force even in prolonged use without causing an increase in the size of the battery pack.

Battery cell connecting member according to the present invention for achieving this object,

In a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, the member (connection member) for connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction in series while connecting the battery cells in the side direction in parallel,

The connection member is composed of a pair of series connection ends for electrically connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction by a physical contact method, and a parallel connection end for electrically connecting the series connection ends arranged in the lateral direction,

The series connection end,

(a) a lower contact portion having a concentric circle structure corresponding to the outer surface shape of the battery cell (lower battery cell) electrode terminal positioned below the series connection terminal and contacting the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell with a predetermined width;

(b) contacting an electrode terminal of a battery cell (upper battery cell) or a center portion of a battery pack sidewall positioned above the connection member, and mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack sidewall; An upward contact portion protruding upward from the lower contact portion to a predetermined height to provide an elastic contact force to the entire connection member; And

(c) In the state in which the connection member is mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack side wall, the center of the upper contact portion to provide a resilient ground force to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell An elastic contact portion which is indented to a predetermined depth from the lower contact portion direction;

It is configured to include.

Accordingly, the battery cell connecting member according to the present invention has a structure in which the upward contact portion protrudes upward from the lower contact portion, and the elastic contact portion is indented to a predetermined depth from the center of the upward contact portion to the lower contact portion, so that the entire connection member is provided. It is possible to provide a resilient contact force and a resilient grounding force on the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, which can ensure a stable connection between the battery cells located in the upper and lower parts of the connection member.

In addition, the battery cell connection member does not require a soldering and welding process for electrical connection between the battery cell electrode terminals, and maintains a stable connection structure only by mounting the connection member, which may occur during soldering or welding. The possibility of a short circuit can be prevented, and the resistance change of the connection part can be prevented from leaving the reliability level even by an external impact, etc., can facilitate the assembly process of the battery pack, and can provide a stable coupling force between the battery cell electrode terminals.

Furthermore, when a defect occurs during the assembly or use of the battery pack, the battery cell can be easily separated, and thus, the battery cell constituting the battery pack has to be discarded due to the defective part of the battery cell or the connection member. It is possible to solve the problem, and in the manufacture of the battery pack, since the partition wall for mounting the connection member is not required between the battery cells, even though the connection member is connected to the electrode terminal of the battery cell without welding, soldering or the like, It does not cause an increase in the size of the battery pack.

In addition, since the connection member is elastically connected to the electrode terminal of the battery cell in a somewhat pressurized state, even if an external impact or the like is applied to the battery pack, the resistance change of the connection portion does not depart from the desired reliability level. That is, the above structure allows a control member such as a battery management unit (BMU) to enable accurate sensing of temperature, voltage, and the like of the battery cell, thereby ensuring a normal operating state of the battery. On the other hand, the elastic pressing state of the connection member mounted on the site is not large enough to cause the creep phenomenon of the pack case as described above.

As one preferred example, some of the series connection ends are interconnected to form a connecting structure as a whole, the connection portion may be a structure forming a parallel connection end.

Specifically, the connection member has a structure in which the upper battery cell and the lower battery cell are connected by a series connection end, and in order to achieve parallel connection at the same time as the series connection of the battery cells, the electrode terminals of the battery cells arranged in the lateral direction Two series connection stages are formed at positions corresponding to, and by connecting these connection stages in parallel connection stages, serial and parallel connection of battery cells can be simultaneously performed. The structure in which the series connection ends are connected to the parallel connection ends may be implemented by various methods, for example, may be formed as an integral structure manufactured integrally by pressing and deforming one plate.

As mentioned above, the upward contact portion protrudes upward from the lower contact portion at a predetermined height, and for example, the upward contact portion gently protrudes from the lower contact portion at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees in the direction of the central axis. It can further improve the elastic contact force to.

On the other hand, the elastic contact is a structure that is indented to a predetermined depth from the center of the upper contact to the lower contact as mentioned above, for example, to further improve the resilient grounding force for the lower battery cell It may have a structure that is gently indented at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees in the direction of the central axis from the upward contact.

As another example, the elastic contact portion is indented to a depth in contact with the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell while the connection member is elastically pressed between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack side wall. With the structure, it is possible to supplement the elasticity of the connection member and to more stably secure the electrical connection state with the lower battery cell.

In the above structure, when the depth of the elastic contact portion is formed larger than the projecting height of the upward contact portion, in the process of elastically pressing the elastic contact portion as described above, the elastic contact portion is irreversibly deformed or to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell It may be difficult to secure the connection of the bottom contact to the. Accordingly, the elastic contact portion preferably has a structure indented to a depth not greater than the projecting height of the upward contact portion.

In this case, in order to more stably ensure the connection of the lower contact portion to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, the elastic contact portion may be made of a structure indented to the same depth as the projecting height of the upward contact portion.

The connection member may be used not only in a structure of connecting the upper battery cell and the lower battery cell in series, but in some cases, the connection member may also be used in a structure supported on the sidewall of the battery pack while being connected to the lower battery cell.

For example, in the structure in which the upper battery cell and the lower battery cell are connected in series, the lower contact portion of the connection member is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the lower battery cell, and the upward contact portion is connected to the positive terminal of the upper battery cell. It may be made of a structure. In this case, the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell may be a negative electrode and the electrode terminal of the upper battery cell may be made of a positive electrode.

In addition, in the structure in which the connection member is positioned between the battery cell and the side wall, the bottom contact portion of the connection member is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the lower battery cell, and the upward contact portion of the connection member is elastically supported on the side wall of the battery pack. Can be. In this case, the connection member may be connected to the electrode terminals of the lower battery cells in a physical contact manner, and may have a structure supported on the sidewall of the battery pack.

The connection member according to the present invention can be particularly preferably used for a cylindrical battery cell. In this case, the upward contact portion and the lower contact portion of the connection member are concentric circles, and thus the shape corresponds to the outer surface of the electrode terminal of the cylindrical battery cell. The contact surface can be maximized.

In the above structure, the bottom contact portion preferably forms a contact interface of 20% to 90% with respect to the surface area of the lower battery cell electrode terminal, and if the contact interface is too small, the resistance of the contact portion is increased by a small contact area or If it is difficult to achieve a stable connection structure and, on the contrary, the contact interface is too large, it is not preferable because the size of the elastic contact portion and the upward contact portion is relatively small and it is difficult to exert a predetermined elastic force. More preferably, the lower contact portion may have a structure forming a contact interface of 30% to 60% with respect to the surface area of the lower battery cell electrode terminal.

On the other hand, one side of the connection member may be formed with a side extension portion in which a circuit connection terminal portion for connecting to an external circuit such as a protection circuit. In this case, the side extension portion, for example, may be made of a structure extending from a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the lower contact portion.

As mentioned above, the connection member according to the present invention may be manufactured as an integral part by pressing and deforming one conductive plate. That is, one conductive plate is punched and rolled to suit the shape of the connecting member, and the lower contact part contacts the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, the upper contact part projecting upward from the lower contact part to a predetermined height, and the lower battery cell. Elastic contacts and the like, which provide a resilient traction against the wire, can be manufactured in an easy and simple manner.

In the present invention, the connecting members are not particularly limited as long as they have a material having electrical conductivity and elastic force, and it is preferable to use a metal plate in consideration of ease of processing. Among them, it may be made of one material selected from the group consisting of nickel, brass, aluminum, copper and optional alloys thereof.

The present invention also provides a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, the side (battery member) for connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction in series while connecting the battery cells in parallel, the connection member is a length A pair of series connection terminals for electrically connecting the battery cells in a direction by physical contact, and one parallel connection terminal for electrically connecting the series connection terminals arranged laterally,

The series connection terminal has a concentric circle structure corresponding to the outer surface of the battery cell (lower battery cell) electrode terminal positioned below the series connection terminal, and has a lower contact portion contacting the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell with a predetermined width. ; And a connection member contacting the electrode terminal of the battery cell (upper battery cell) positioned at the upper part of the connection member or the center portion of the battery pack sidewall and mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack sidewall. It provides a battery cell connecting member comprising a; upwardly projecting portion projecting upward from the bottom contact portion to a predetermined height to provide a resilient contact force to the whole, and is cut to a predetermined width relative to the central axis of the series connection end; do.

Therefore, in the battery cell connecting member having the above structure, since the upward contact portion is protruded upward from the lower contact portion at a predetermined height with the upper contact portion cut to a predetermined width with respect to the central axis of the series connection end, the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrodes The elastic contact force may be easily provided to the entire connecting member mounted between the terminal and the sidewall of the battery pack.

The present invention also provides a battery pack characterized in that the battery cell connecting member according to the present invention is mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack sidewall to make electrical connection of the battery cells.

The battery pack may be used as a power source for home electronic devices such as a portable DVD, a small PC, etc., which require high output and large capacity, and may be preferably used as a power source for a notebook computer.

Accordingly, the present invention also provides a notebook computer including the battery pack as a power source.

Since the general structure of the notebook computer and its manufacturing method and the like are known in the art, further description thereof will be omitted herein.

Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

3 is a schematic view of a battery cell connection member according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional schematic diagram according to AA of Figure 3, Figure 5 uses the connection member of Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the structure connecting the battery cells is shown.

Referring to these drawings, the battery cell connecting member 100 includes a pair of series connection terminals 110 and 120 electrically connecting the battery cells 210, 220, 212, and 222 in the longitudinal direction, respectively, by a physical contact method. ), And one parallel connection terminal 140 electrically connecting the serial connection terminals 110 and 120 arranged laterally.

The series connection terminal 110 has a width r having a size of 30% based on the radius R of the series connection terminal 110 corresponding to the outer surface shape of the electrode terminal 224 of the battery cell 220 disposed below. Based on the thickness of the connection member 100 from the bottom contact portion 112 to provide a resilient contact force to the entire bottom contact portion 112, the connection member 100 in contact with the electrode terminal 224 of the lower battery cell 220 In order to provide a resilient grounding force to the upper contact 114 and the electrode terminal 224 of the lower battery cell 220 protruding upward at approximately three times the height (h) to the lower end from the center of the upper contact 114 It consists of the elastic contact part 116 which is indented to the depth same as the height h of the upward contact part 114 in the contact part 112 direction.

The lower contact portion 112 has a concentric shape to correspond to the outer surface shape of the electrode terminals 214, 224, 216, and 226 of the cylindrical battery cells 210, 220, 212, and 222, and the electrodes of the lower battery cell 220. The predetermined contact interface is formed on the basis of the surface area of the terminal 224. In addition, the lower contact portion 112 is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal 224 of the lower battery cell 220, and the upper contact portion 114 is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal 214 of the upper battery cell 210, respectively.

On the other hand, the upward contact portion 114 protrudes upward at an angle of approximately 50 degrees from the lower contact portion 112 toward the center of the series connection end 110, and the elastic contact portion 116 extends from the upward contact portion 114 in series. Since it is indented downward at an angle of approximately 50 degrees toward the center of 110, the two upward contact portions 114 have a symmetrical structure.

In addition, the elastic contact portion 116 is indented toward the lower contact portion 112 from the center of the upward contact portion 114 to the same depth as the projecting height h of the upward contact portion 114, the connection member 100 is a battery cell In the process of being elastically pressed between the electrode terminals it is possible to more securely secure the connection of the bottom contact portion 112 to the electrode terminal 224 of the lower battery cell 220.

The side extension part 150 extends from a part of the outer circumferential surface of the bottom contact part 112, and a circuit connection terminal part 152 for connecting with an external circuit is located at the end of the side extension part 150. The terminal for external circuit connection may be an input / output terminal, a detection terminal for sensing a voltage, or the like, or may be a parallel terminal thereof.

6 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which the connection member of the present invention is located between the battery cell and the side wall.

Referring to FIG. 6 together with FIG. 4, two battery cells 230 in the lateral direction are electrically connected to the lower contact portion 112 of the connection member 100 in a physical contact manner with the negative terminal of the lower battery cell 230. 232 are electrically connected in parallel to each other, and the upward contact portion 114 of the connection member 100 is formed in a structure that is elastically supported by the sidewall 310 of the battery pack 300.

In the connecting member 100 of FIG. 6, in the connecting member structure of FIG. 4, the upward contact portion 114 protrudes upward from the lower contact portion 112 to a predetermined height and is cut to a predetermined width based on the central axis of the series connection end. It may be made of a deformed structure.

7 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery pack manufactured using the connection member of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the battery pack 400 has a structure in which a plurality of cylindrical battery cells 210, 212, 220, and 222 are electrically connected by the connection members 100. Specifically, the battery pack 400 is mounted while the two cylindrical battery cells (210, 212) in contact with the side direction, at the same time two cylindrical battery cells (210, 220) are mounted, Overall, the plate-like structure of 2P-2S is formed. Only the connection member 100 is positioned between the battery cells in the longitudinal direction, and a separate partition wall does not exist.

8 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a battery cell connecting member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8 together with FIG. 5, the elastic contact portion 118 is indented to a depth d smaller than the projecting height D of the upward contact portion 114, such that the connection member 100 is interposed between the battery cell electrode terminals. In the process of being elastically pressed in the electrode terminal 224 of the lower battery cell 220 can be easily contacted.

As described above, the battery cell connection member according to the present invention has a structure in which the upward contact portion projects upward from the bottom contact portion, and the elastic contact portion is indented in the direction of the bottom contact portion from the center of the upward contact portion, thereby providing elasticity to the entire connection member. It is possible to easily provide, and to provide a resilient grounding force to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, which can ensure a stable connection between the battery cell located in the upper and lower portion of the connection member.

In addition, since welding and soldering processes are not required for the electrical connection of the battery cell electrode terminals, it is possible to prevent a short circuit of the battery that may occur during the welding process and to greatly reduce a failure rate. The stable coupling structure can minimize the resistance change at the connection part.

Furthermore, even when an external force such as a drop or vibration is applied to the battery pack, the battery cell does not cause a short circuit and the battery pack does not cause an increase in the size of the battery pack even though it is made of an electrical connection method that does not use welding. It can maintain a stable connection even in long term use.

Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to perform various applications and modifications within the scope of the present invention based on the above contents.

1 is an exploded view showing a coupling manner of batteries electrically connected by a metal plate which is a conventional connecting member;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a battery module connecting a protection circuit module to the core pack of FIG. 1; FIG.

3 is a schematic view of a battery cell connection member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a vertical cross-sectional schematic diagram along A-A of FIG. 3;

5 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which battery cells are connected using the connection member of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which the connection member of FIG. 3 is located between a battery cell and a side wall; FIG.

7 is a perspective view of a battery pack manufactured using the connecting member of the present invention;

8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery cell connecting member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (17)

In a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, the member (connection member) for connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction in series while connecting the battery cells in the side direction in parallel, The connection member is composed of a pair of series connection ends for electrically connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction by a physical contact method, and a parallel connection end for electrically connecting the series connection ends arranged in the lateral direction, The series connection end, (a) a lower contact portion having a concentric circle structure corresponding to the outer shape of a battery cell (lower battery cell) electrode terminal positioned below the series connection terminal and contacting the lower battery cell electrode terminal with a predetermined width; (b) contacting an electrode terminal of a battery cell (upper battery cell) or a center portion of a battery pack sidewall positioned above the connection member, and mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack sidewall; An upward contact portion protruding upward from the lower contact portion to a predetermined height to provide an elastic contact force to the entire connection member; And (c) In the state in which the connection member is mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack side wall, the center of the upper contact portion to provide a resilient ground force to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell An elastic contact portion which is indented to a predetermined depth from the lower contact portion direction; Battery cell connection member characterized in that it comprises a. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein a part of the series connection ends are interconnected to form a connecting structure as a whole, and the connection portion forms a parallel connection end. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the upward contact portion gently protrudes from the lower contact portion at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees in the direction of the central axis. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the elastic contact portion is gently indented at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees in the direction of the central axis from the upward contact portion. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic contact portion, the connection member is indented to a depth in contact with the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell in the process of being elastically pressed between the battery cell electrode terminal or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack side wall Battery cell connection member characterized in that. 6. The battery cell connection member according to claim 5, wherein the elastic contact portion is indented to a depth no greater than the projecting height of the upward contact portion. 7. The battery cell connection member according to claim 6, wherein the elastic contact portion is indented to the same depth as the projecting height of the upward contact portion. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the lower contact portion is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the lower battery cell, and the upward contact portion is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the upper battery cell. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the lower contact portion is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the lower battery cell, and the upward contact portion is supported on the sidewall of the battery pack. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the lower contact portion forms a contact interface of 20% to 90% with respect to the surface area of the lower battery cell electrode terminal. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein a side extension part is formed at one side of the connection member, the circuit connecting terminal portion for connecting to an external circuit. 12. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 11, wherein the lateral extension extends from a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the lower contact portion. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is manufactured as a single body by pressing and deforming one conductive plate. The battery cell connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is made of one material selected from the group consisting of nickel, brass, aluminum, copper, and an optional alloy thereof. In a battery pack including a plurality of cylindrical secondary battery cells, a member (connection member) for connecting the battery cells in the longitudinal direction in series while connecting the battery cells in the side direction in parallel, the connection member is a battery cell in the longitudinal direction A pair of series connection terminals electrically connected by a physical contact method, and one parallel connection terminal electrically connecting the serial connection terminals arranged laterally, The series connection terminal has a concentric circle structure corresponding to the outer surface of the battery cell (lower battery cell) electrode terminal positioned below the series connection terminal, and has a lower contact portion contacting the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell with a predetermined width. ; And a connection member contacting the electrode terminal of the battery cell (upper battery cell) positioned at the upper part of the connection member or the center portion of the battery pack sidewall and mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the battery pack sidewall. And an upward contact portion projecting upward from the lower contact portion to a predetermined height so as to provide elastic contact force to the whole, and cut out at a predetermined width with respect to the central axis of the series connection end. Battery cell connection member. The secondary battery connecting member according to claim 1 is mounted between the battery cell electrode terminals or between the battery cell electrode terminal and the side wall of the battery pack to form an electrical connection of the battery cells. A notebook computer comprising the battery pack according to claim 16 as a power source.

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