KR101256057B1 - Secondary battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery assembly in which a plurality of unit cells and battery partitions are alternately stacked and arranged so as to more easily form a flow path of a heat transfer medium, and an end positioned at the outermost side of the battery assembly to fix the battery assembly. Comprising a plate, the end plate provides a secondary battery module including a contact portion in contact with the battery assembly, and a fastening portion protruding outward from the front end of the contact portion.

Battery assembly, end plate, contact, fastener, area

Description

Secondary Battery Module {SECONDARY BATTERY MODULE}

1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an assembled state of a rechargeable battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled state of a battery assembly in a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a front view illustrating a battery assembly in a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a perspective view illustrating a battery assembly of a secondary battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an assembled state of a secondary battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a front view illustrating a battery assembly in a secondary battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a secondary battery module configured by stacking a plurality of unit cells. More specifically, the present invention relates to a secondary battery module that can more easily form a flow path of a heat transfer medium.

In general, a secondary battery is a battery that can be charged and discharged unlike a primary battery that is not rechargeable.

Low-capacity batteries, in which one battery cell is packaged in packs, are used in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and camcorders. In addition, a large capacity battery in which dozens of battery cells are connected is widely used as a motor driving power source for a hybrid electric vehicle.

The secondary battery is manufactured in various shapes. Representative shapes of the secondary battery include cylindrical and rectangular shapes.

The high-output secondary batteries described above may be connected in series to constitute a large capacity secondary battery so that they can be used for driving a motor such as an electric vehicle.

As described above, one large capacity secondary battery (hereinafter, referred to as a battery module for convenience of description throughout) is composed of a plurality of secondary batteries (hereinafter, referred to as unit cells for convenience of explanation throughout) in series.

Each of the unit cells includes an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are positioned with a separator interposed therebetween, a case having a space part in which the electrode assembly is embedded, and a cap assembly coupled to the case and sealing the same.

Each unit cell is stacked and arranged in a plurality to constitute a battery module. Normally, cell partitions are installed between stacked unit cells, and the stacked unit cells are assembled into one battery module by being tightened with an appropriate fastening pressure through an end plate positioned at the outermost side.

In the case of a rectangular battery, each unit cell is usually electrically connected to a cathode terminal and a cathode terminal protruding from the top of the cap assembly by connecting a conductor to a cathode terminal and a cathode terminal of a neighboring unit cell through a nut. Connected.

Here, the battery module is connected to several to many dozens of unit cells, one

The battery module should be able to easily dissipate heat generated in each unit battery by configuring one battery module by connecting several to many dozen unit cells. In general, the unit cells are installed in a housing through which a heat transfer medium is distributed.

When heat is not released properly, for example, the heat generated from each unit cell causes an increase in the temperature of the battery module, resulting in a malfunction of the device to which the battery module is applied.

In particular, since the HEV battery module used for a vehicle is charged and discharged with a large current, heat is generated by the internal reaction of the secondary battery according to the use state, and the temperature rises to a considerable temperature. This increase in temperature affects the inherent characteristics of the battery, thereby lowering the inherent performance of the battery.

Therefore, the inlet and the outlet of the heat transfer medium for inducing the flow of the heat transfer medium between the unit cells should be properly designed in the housing.

However, in the related art, many components are mounted in the housing to form the inlet and the outlet, which increases the manufacturing cost, and above all, there is a problem that the productivity increases due to the increase in the manufacturing process.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a secondary battery module which can more easily form a distribution path of a heat transfer medium by improving the structure of the end plate.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of battery assemblies including a battery partition wall disposed between the plurality of unit cells and the unit cells to form a flow path of the heat transfer medium, and located at the outermost side of the battery assembly. And an end plate for fixing the battery assembly, wherein the end plate may include a contact portion contacting the battery assembly and a fastening portion protruding outward from a tip of the contact portion.

Accordingly, an open space formed between the front end of the contact portion and the fastening portion forms a passage of the heat transfer medium.

Here, the end plate is fixed by tightening the battery assembly by a connecting rod passing through the end plate and a nut fastened to the end of the connecting rod. For this purpose, the fastening part may have a hole through which the connecting rod passes. have.

In addition, the fastening portion of the end plate is preferably formed in the corner portion of the contact portion.

In addition, the protruding direction of the fastening portion is preferably formed toward the distal end of the heat transfer medium for each distal end of the contact portion, it is not particularly limited.

In addition, the end plate may have a structure in which wrinkles are formed on the contact surface.

In addition, the end plate may have a structure in which one end of the end plate is bent to form a reinforcement part.

Meanwhile, the battery module may include a housing in which a plurality of battery assemblies fixed by the end plate are embedded and provided with an inlet and an outlet of a heat transfer medium.

Preferably, the housing has an inlet or outlet formed at a position corresponding to the open area of the end plate.

Here, the secondary battery module is an energy source for driving a motor of the device in a device that operates by using a motor such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), an electric vehicle (EV), a wireless cleaner, an electric bicycle, an electric scooter, and the like. Can be used.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

In the following description, a case where air is used as the heat transfer medium of the battery module will be described as an example. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the cooling method by air, and cooling water or other fluid may be used as the heat transfer medium.

1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment is a large-capacity battery module, and includes a plurality of unit cells 11 continuously arranged at a predetermined interval.

In the following embodiment, a case where a rectangular unit cell is used as the unit cell 11 will be described.

Each of the unit cells 11 is a secondary battery having a conventional structure that charges and discharges a predetermined amount of electric power by providing an electrode assembly in a rectangular case having a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed on both sides thereof with a separator interposed therebetween. It is composed. The battery partition wall 12 is provided between the unit cells 11 to maintain a gap between the unit cells 11 and to distribute cooling air between the unit cells 11.

Therefore, the battery module 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment is arranged in a battery assembly by being spaced apart at regular intervals by a battery partition wall 20 in which a plurality of unit cells 11 are stacked and disposed between the unit cells.

As shown in FIG. 1, the battery assembly is connected to a pair of end plates 20 which are in close contact with an outer surface of the battery partition wall 12 positioned at the outermost side of the battery assembly among the unit cells 11 constituting the battery assembly. By the connecting rod 30 connecting each end plate 20 and the nut 31 fastened to the tip of the connecting rod 30.

In addition, the housing 40 in which the battery assembly is installed has an inlet 41 through which temperature control air is introduced to control the temperature of the unit cell 11 at one end thereof, and passes through the unit cell 11 at the opposite side end thereof. It has a structure in which an air outlet 42 through which air is discharged is formed.

Accordingly, the temperature control air flows into the housing 40 through the inlet 41 and passes through the battery partition wall 12 between the unit cells 11, in which heat generated in the unit cells 11 is exchanged. The heat-exchanged air is discharged through the outlet 42 of the housing 40 installed on the opposite side.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the battery partition wall 12 has a structure in which channels 13 through which cooling air flows are formed at intervals.

The battery partition wall 12 may have a structure in which a plate is bent in a zigzag form to form a channel form or a plurality of protrusions protruding from the front surface in addition to the above structure. The battery partition wall is not particularly limited in structure as long as the intervals between the unit cells can be maintained and the air for cooling can flow.

In addition, the end plate 20 is sized to cover the entire surface of the unit cell 11, the contact portion 21 in contact with the front surface of the unit cell 11, and both sides of the contact portion 21 It includes a fastening portion 22 protruding to the outside on the top and bottom of the tip, respectively.

Accordingly, between the end of the side of the contact portion 21 and the fastening portion 22 protruding from the upper end and the lower end of the contact portion 21 is an open area as if the end plate is partially cut out, and for cooling through the open area. Air can flow in or out.

The center portion of the contact portion 21 is formed in a circular arc-shaped corrugation is continuously formed for strength reinforcement, the upper and lower sides in which the fastening portion 22 is formed is a planar state.

The fastening part 22 has a structure in which a hole 23 through which the connection rod 30 penetrates is formed.

In addition, the upper end and the lower end of the contact portion 21 are bent at right angles to the outside to form a reinforcement part 24. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the contact portion 21 and the fastening portion 22 from being deformed by the fastening force in the process of pressing the end plate 20 to the side of the unit battery.

Here, looking at the formation structure of the contact portion 21 and the fastening portion 22 in more detail, the fastening portion 22 is formed in the corner portion of the contact portion (21).

In addition, the fastening portion 22 is formed to protrude toward the front end of the cooling air flow in each side of the contact portion 21. That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the fastening portion 22 protrudes laterally from both ends of the contact portion 21.

In the following description, the lateral direction refers to a direction that the side faces in a state in which the battery assembly is disposed so that the terminals of the unit cell face upwards, and the upward and downward directions refer to directions pointing upward and downward. define.

This is because the channel 13 formed in the battery partition 12 is disposed to face the side of the contact portion 21. Unlike the present embodiment, when the channel of the battery partition is disposed to face upward, the fastening part 22 will naturally protrude upward and downward from the top and bottom of the contact portion 21.

As mentioned above, since the fastening part 22 protrudes from the contact part 21, the fastening part 22 formed at the upper part and the lower part of the contact part 21 and the contact part 21 is opened as shown in FIG. 4. To create a defined area (S).

Accordingly, the open area S formed in the end plate 20 serves to flow or discharge the cooling air.

Therefore, the cooling air flows into the side of the battery assembly through the open area S and flows through the channel 13 of the battery partition 12 disposed on the side of the battery assembly and exits to the side of the opposite battery assembly. .

On the other hand, the end plate 20 is described with respect to the structure coupled to the housing 40 as follows.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 40 includes an enclosure structure having a size corresponding substantially to that of the battery assembly in which the end plate 20 is assembled.

The lower reinforcing portion 24 of the end plate 20 is formed with a bolt through hole 25 for assembly with the housing 40, and the bolt through hole 25 and the bottom surface of the housing 40. The bolt fastening hole 43 is formed at a corresponding position, and the end plate 20 is assembled to the bottom surface of the housing 40 via the bolt 44.

Therefore, the battery assembly assembled by the end plate 20 can be fixed to the housing 40.

The cover 45 is installed at an open upper portion of the housing 40 to seal the housing 40.

An inlet 41 is formed at one side of the housing 40 to introduce cooling air into the housing, and the inlet 41 is formed at one end of the end plate 20 assembled inside the housing 40. It is formed at a position corresponding to the open area (S).

That is, the end plate 20 has an open area S formed by the contact portion 21 and the fastening part 22 in the lateral direction as mentioned above, so that the housing 40 corresponds to the area. Inlet 41 is to be formed on the phase.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the cooling air flowing through the inlet 41 of the housing 40 is directly formed through the region S formed in the end plate 20 without the help of a separate structure. It can be introduced to the side.

In addition, the housing 40 has a discharge port 42 through which cooling air is discharged from a surface opposite the surface on which the inlet port 41 is formed.

The outlet 42 is formed at a position corresponding to the open area S formed at the other end of the end plate 20 assembled inside the housing 40.

That is, the end plate 20 has an open area S on both sides, as mentioned above, so that the outlet 42 is formed on the housing 40 so as to correspond to the other area S. Will be.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the cooling air introduced into the housing 40 passes through the cell partition wall 12 between the unit cells 11 and exits to the opposite side of the battery assembly and immediately ends without the aid of a separate structure. It can be discharged to the discharge port 42 formed in the housing 40 through the open area (S) formed in the plate 20.

Reference numeral 46, which is not described herein, is a blocking film that is installed on the inner surface of the housing 40 to block between the contact portion 21 of the end plate 20 and the inner surface of the housing 40.

The blocking film 46 prevents cooling air from escaping between the contact portion 21 of the end plate 20 and the inner surface of the housing 40 immediately in addition to the open area S of the end plate 20. .

Meanwhile, FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate a battery module provided with two battery assemblies as another embodiment of the present invention.

In the following description, the structure of each battery assembly and end plate 20 is the same as above, and the same reference numerals are used, and description thereof will be omitted.

According to the above drawings, the two battery assemblies are arranged laterally.

The end plates 20 installed in the battery assemblies are arranged in contact with the fastening portions 22 facing each other.

Therefore, in the center of the two battery assemblies, the contact portion 21 and the upper and lower fastening portions 22 of the two end plates are formed in a rectangular open area S.

In addition, the areas S opened by the contact portions 21 and the fastening portions 22 of the end plates 20 are also formed on the left and right sides of the two battery assemblies.

In the present embodiment, the open area S formed at the center is for introducing the cooling air, and the open area S at both sides is for discharging the cooling air.

The housing 40 ′ in which the battery assembly is built is composed of an enclosure structure that encloses a space to the extent that two battery assemblies are placed in the lateral direction. The housing 40 'is formed with an inlet 41' corresponding to a central open area S formed between the battery assemblies at a center of one side thereof, and opposite sides of the battery assembly are opened at left and right sides opposite to each other. Discharge openings 42 'are formed at positions corresponding to the regions S, respectively.

FIG. 6 illustrates a state in which the battery assembly is coupled to the housing, each battery assembly including the bolt 44 through a bolt through hole 25 formed in the reinforcing portion 24 of the end plate 20. 40 ') is assembled to the housing 40' by fastening to the bottom bolting hole.

The pair of battery assemblies are regions that serve as passages through which air flows to the left and right sides and the center without a separate structure as mentioned in the form of the contact portion 21 and the fastening portion 22 forming the end plate 20 ( S) is formed.

Therefore, the cooling air introduced through the inlet 41 'of the housing 40' can be introduced into the battery assembly through the open area S made by the end plate 20 without the help of a separate structure. It can be.

Cooling air introduced between the battery assemblies cools the unit cells 11 while passing through the battery partition walls 12 of the respective battery assemblies.

And the cooling air exited to the opposite side of the battery assembly through the battery partition 12 between the unit cells through the open area (S) formed in the end plate 20 directly without the help of a separate structure ( 40 'may be discharged to the outlet 42'.

As such, it is possible to improve the distribution structure of the cooling air by simply improving the shape of the end plate.

Reference numeral 46 ′, which is not described herein, is a blocking film installed on the inner surface of the housing 40 ′ to block the contact 21 between the end plate 20 and the inner surface of the housing 40 ′.

The above-described battery module of the present invention can be effectively used as a battery for HEV requiring high output / large capacity, but its use is not necessarily limited to HEV.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, Of course.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to distribute the heat transfer medium with a simpler and smaller component configuration.

This reduces the assembly process of the battery module and can increase the productivity. In addition, it is possible to increase the product competitiveness by reducing the production cost by reducing the manufacturing parts.

In addition, the assembly structure between the housing and the battery assembly is improved to prevent the loss of the heat transfer medium to increase the cooling efficiency.

Claims (14)

A battery assembly in which a plurality of unit cells and battery partitions are alternately stacked and arranged; An end plate positioned at an outermost side of the battery assembly to fix the battery assembly; A housing having a plurality of battery assemblies fixed to the end plate and having an inlet and an outlet of a heat transfer medium; / RTI > The end plate is in contact with the battery assembly, and a fastening portion protruding outward from the tip of the contact portion. / RTI > The fastening part is a secondary battery module protruding toward the flow path through which the heat transfer medium passes for each of the front end of the contact portion. The method according to claim 1, The fastening part is a secondary battery module formed with a hole through which the connecting rod for fixing the end plate. The method according to claim 1, The fastening part is a secondary battery module is formed on the edge portion of the contact portion. delete The method according to claim 1, The contact portion is a secondary battery module having a wrinkled structure formed on the surface. The method according to claim 1, The end plate is a secondary battery module of which one end is bent to form a reinforcement. The method according to claim 1, The contact part is a secondary battery module having a size corresponding to the unit battery. delete The method according to claim 1, The housing is a secondary battery module to form the inlet in a position corresponding to the area between the contact portion and the fastening portion of the end plate. The method according to claim 1, The housing is a secondary battery module to form the outlet in a position corresponding to the area between the contact portion and the fastening portion of the end plate. The method according to claim 1, The battery assembly is two adjacent to each other, the secondary battery module of the open area formed in the center and the open area formed on both sides by the contact portion and the fastening portion of the neighboring end plate forms the flow path of the heat transfer medium. delete  12. The method of claim 11, The housing is a secondary battery module to form the inlet in a position corresponding to the open area in the center of the end plate and the outlet in a position corresponding to the open area on both sides. The method according to claim 1, The battery module is a secondary battery module for driving a motor.

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