KR20130108692A - Battery module assembly with novel structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A battery module assembly has a compact structure by having a structure mounting an assembly cover and an assembly type module cover to an accommodation part containing a base plate and to increase self-rigidity while preventing volume increase. CONSTITUTION: A battery module assembly comprises two or more battery modules (100) having two or more plate-like battery cells and terminal parts; a base plate accommodating a module accommodation part whereby the side wall structure is bent upwardly on the outer surface; an upper cover plate including a downwardly bent side wall and forming an upper side of a module assembly; a plate-like assembly cover coupled to the battery modules and fixing a cable; and an electrically insulating module cover (200) which is fixed to the base plate and an assembly cover.

Description

Battery Module Assembly with Novel Structure

The present invention relates to a battery module assembly having a novel structure, and more particularly, at least two batteries including two or more plate-shaped battery cells vertically stacked so that the electrode leads are aligned in one direction, and a terminal portion connected to the outside is formed. Modules; A base plate including module accommodating parts on which battery modules are mounted on an upper surface thereof with electrode terminals aligned in one direction, and having a sidewall of an upwardly bent structure formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof; An upper cover plate including sidewalls bent downward on both sides of the electrode terminal of the battery module and fixed on the base plate to form an upper surface of the module assembly; A plate-shaped assembly cover mounted on the top of the battery modules and fastened to the battery modules to fix the cable; And an electrically insulating module cover mounted on the electrode leads of the battery cell and fastened and fixed to the base plate and the assembly cover.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] In recent years, rechargeable secondary batteries have been widely used as energy sources for wireless mobile devices. Secondary batteries are also attracting attention as a power source for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which are proposed as a way to solve air pollution in conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles that use fossil fuels. have.

In a small mobile device, one or two or more battery cells are used per device, while a middle- or large-sized battery module such as an automobile is used as a middle- or large-sized battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected due to the necessity of a large-

Since the middle- or large-sized battery module is preferably manufactured in a small size and weight, a prismatic battery, a pouch-shaped battery, and the like, which can be charged with a high degree of integration and have a small weight to capacity ratio, are mainly used as the battery cells of the middle- or large-sized battery modules. Particularly, a pouch-shaped battery using an aluminum laminate sheet or the like as an exterior member has recently attracted a great deal of attention due to its advantages such as a small weight and a low manufacturing cost.

For example, small mobile devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, digital cameras, notebook computers, and the like are used with one or two or four small and light battery cells per device according to the miniaturization tendency of the products. On the other hand, medium and large devices such as electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, due to the need for high output capacity, a battery module (or sometimes referred to as a "medium and large battery pack") that electrically connects a plurality of battery cells is used. Since the size and weight of R are directly related to the accommodation space and output of the medium and large devices, manufacturers are trying to manufacture battery modules that are as small and lightweight as possible.

To this end, conventionally, a method of stacking a plurality of battery modules and applying a fixing plate up and down to complete fixing between battery modules and then fixing them separately inside the frame is used. It causes the increase in volume. In addition, the conventional battery module cover is composed of a structure that is dependent on other fixing members than the function of fixing the battery module assembly itself, not only a separate fixing device is required, but also simply protects or insulates the terminal portion on which electrode leads are formed from the outside. The disadvantage is that it is limited to providing functionality.

Therefore, there is a very high need for a technology that can fundamentally solve these problems.

The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art and the technical problems that have been requested from the past.

An object of the present invention, by configuring a specific structure for mounting the battery module, the assembly cover and the top cover plate to the base plate including the housing, thereby suppressing the increase in volume of the battery module assembly, while increasing its own rigidity, It was intended to develop a battery module assembly of a novel structure in which the battery module and the cables stored therein can be fastened and fixed stably.

Another object of the present invention, the battery module assembly can be assembled in a compact (compact) structure, it is possible to stably fix the inner receiving members, and in addition to the terminal portion including the electrode leads fixed and fixed By protecting, to provide a battery module assembly of a novel structure that can achieve the effect of increasing the safety and efficiency of the production process.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery module assembly comprising:

Two or more battery modules including two or more plate-shaped battery cells vertically stacked so that the electrode leads are aligned in one direction and having a terminal portion connected to the outside;

A base plate including module accommodating parts in which the battery modules are mounted on an upper surface thereof with electrode terminals aligned in one direction, and having a sidewall of an upwardly bent structure formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof;

An upper cover plate including sidewalls bent downward on both sides of the electrode terminal of the battery module and fixed on the base plate to form an upper surface of the module assembly;

A plate-shaped assembly cover mounted on the top of the battery modules and fastened to the battery modules to fix the cable; And

An electrically insulating module cover mounted on the electrode leads of the battery cell and fastened to the base plate and the assembly cover;

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Accordingly, since the battery module assembly according to the present invention includes a base plate, an upper cover plate, an assembly cover, and a module cover of a specific structure, the battery module assembly provides a compact structure as a whole, while the battery module is placed inside the base plate. Can be fixedly mounted on In addition, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the entire battery module assembly, and also to securely fasten and fix the cables stored in the base plate.

In addition, the battery module assembly according to the present invention, in the assembly process of the battery module assembly, it is not necessary to configure additional components, it is possible to achieve the effect of increasing the efficiency of the production process with the provision of the compact structure. Moreover, the stable fixing of the battery module and the mounting fixing of the component parts such as the upper cover plate including the cables can be easily made by the module cover.

In one preferred embodiment, the battery cell may be a rectangular secondary battery or a pouch secondary battery.

The rectangular secondary battery may have a structure in which an electrode assembly is sealed in a rectangular metal case, and the pouch type secondary battery may specifically have a structure in which an electrode assembly is sealed in a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer.

The secondary battery may preferably be a lithium secondary battery having high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability. Other components of such a lithium secondary battery will be described in detail below.

Generally, a lithium secondary battery is composed of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, and the like.

The positive electrode is prepared, for example, by applying a mixture of a positive electrode active material, a conductive material and a binder on a positive electrode current collector, followed by drying, and if necessary, a filler is further added. The negative electrode is also manufactured by coating and drying a mixture of a negative electrode active material and a binder on a negative electrode current collector, and if necessary, the components as described above may be further included.

The separation membrane is interposed between the cathode and the anode, and an insulating thin film having high ion permeability and mechanical strength is used.

The lithium salt-containing nonaqueous electrolyte solution is composed of a nonaqueous electrolyte and a lithium salt. As the nonaqueous electrolyte solution, a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte, a solid electrolyte, and an inorganic solid electrolyte are used.

The collector, the electrode active material, the conductive material, the binder, the filler, the separator, the electrolyte, and the lithium salt are well known in the art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

Such lithium secondary batteries may be prepared by conventional methods known in the art. That is, a porous separator may be inserted between the anode and the cathode, and an electrolyte may be injected into the separator.

The positive electrode may be manufactured by, for example, applying a slurry containing the lithium transition metal oxide active material, the conductive material, and the binder described above onto a current collector, followed by drying. Likewise, the negative electrode can be produced, for example, by applying a slurry containing the above-described carbon active material, a conductive material and a binder on a thin current collector and then drying it.

In one preferred example, the battery cells in the battery module may be a structure that is connected in parallel to each other.

Specifically, the parallel connection may be a structure achieved by a 'b' shaped or 'c' shaped bus bar.

The battery cells are preferably fixed to a cartridge frame, and the battery module may have a laminated structure of the cartridge frames.

This cartridge frame is a member having a predetermined rigidity, which protects the battery cells from external shocks and ensures stable mounting of the battery cells. In addition, by the cartridge frame, the battery cells are arranged so that the electrode leads face one side, thereby making it easier to achieve the electrical parallel connection by the bus bar.

In addition, the battery cell electrode leads making an electrical parallel connection by the bus bar may be connected to an electrode terminal, and the electrode terminal may be preferably formed on the same side as one side where the electrode leads are arranged. Accordingly, the battery module in which the battery cells are fixed by the cartridge frame and assembled by lamination of the cartridge frame facilitates a detection member for measuring voltage as well as electrical connection between the battery modules by electrode terminals formed on one side thereof. Can be installed.

The module cover preferably includes a first hook for fixing a cable connected to an electrode terminal of the battery module, a position fixing protrusion fixed to and engaged with the assembly cover, and a second hook mounted and fixed to the battery module. It may include.

The first hook may further include one or more protrusions for preventing separation and rotation of the terminal portion.

In such a structure, the module cover can protect a portion where the electrode leads of the battery cell are formed from an external impact, and is formed of an electrically insulating material, thereby achieving an effect of electrically separating from the outside.

Specifically, since the first hook includes a terminal portion and one or more protrusions capable of holding and fixing the cable, when the electrical connection between the cable terminal and the cable is performed, the cable terminal and the cable tie portion are separated from the outside, or the cable terminal is The effect of preventing rotation in place can be achieved. In addition, due to this effect, in the battery module assembly assembly process, it is possible to perform a faster assembly of the battery module, it is possible to ensure a safer production process.

Furthermore, the module cover includes a battery module and a second hook which is easily removable, and thus, the assembly cover can be performed more quickly in assembling the battery module.

Since the module cover is made of a material having a predetermined rigidity, the plate-shaped battery cells stacked inside the battery module may be integrated into one, and at the same time, an effect of protecting from an external shock may be achieved. In addition, the module cover includes a protrusion that can be fixed at a predetermined position of the assembly cover, so that the battery module integrated by the module cover may be seated and fixed integrally with the assembly cover.

In one preferred embodiment, the module cover may further include an insulating protective cover for electrically blocking the electrode terminal of the battery module from the outside.

Specifically, since the portion where the terminal portion and the cable are bound is electrically exposed from the outside, an electrically insulating protective cover may perform this function.

The insulating protective cover may include one or more third hooks to be easily detachable from the module cover, which may be preferably a binding portion of a hook structure, but is not limited thereto.

Thus, the module cover and the insulating protective cover, together with the aspect of increasing the efficiency of the assembly process, can ensure an electrically safer assembly process.

In one preferred example, the module cover may further comprise a bushing insert for mounting and fixing to the base plate.

Specifically, the module cover further includes a bushing insert for fastening and fastening together with the upper cover plate, the cover assembly, and the base plate. The module cover is fastened and fastened by the bushing and the fastening member inserted into the bushing insert. The fastening member may preferably be a bolt, but is not limited thereto.

Accordingly, the battery module integrated with the module cover is stably mounted and fixed to the base plate by the bushing insertion hole, thereby achieving a stable and desired level of self rigidity of the battery module assembly.

The present invention also provides a device comprising the battery module assembly as a power source, the device specifically, emergency power supply, computer room power supply, portable power supply, medical equipment power supply, fire extinguishing equipment power supply, alarm equipment It may be a power supply device or an evacuation facility power supply device, but is not limited thereto.

Since the structure and fabrication method of such a device are known in the art, detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

As described above, the battery module assembly according to the present invention has a structure in which a battery module, an assembly cover, and a prefabricated module cover are mounted on a base plate including an accommodating portion, whereby the battery module assembly can be assembled in a compact structure. In addition, it is possible to suppress the increase in the volume of the battery module assembly and increase its rigidity.

In addition, by one electrically insulating module cover to stably fasten and secure the battery module and the cable and the receiving members stored therein, and to prevent the separation, rotation, etc. of the battery module terminal portion, It can be safely protected from impact, etc., and at the same time, the effect of increasing the safety and efficiency of the production process can be achieved.

1 is a plan view of a battery cell according to one embodiment used in the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the battery cells of FIG. 1 mounted to a cartridge frame according to an embodiment; FIG.
3 is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 and 5 are perspective views showing a series of processes for mounting the module cover according to an embodiment in the battery module of Figure 3;
6 is a perspective view illustrating a cable and an assembly cover mounted on tops of battery modules mounted on a base plate;
7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper cover plate is mounted on the base plate;
8 is a perspective view of a module cover according to one embodiment of the present invention;
9 is a front view of a module cover according to one embodiment of the present invention;
10 is a bottom view of the module cover according to one embodiment of the present invention;
11 is a side view of a module cover according to one embodiment of the present invention;
12 is an enlarged front view showing an electrode terminal portion of a module cover according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is an enlarged front view illustrating a state in which an insulating protective cover is mounted on the module cover of FIG. 12.

Hereinafter, although described with reference to the drawings of the battery module assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, this is for easier understanding of the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a plate-shaped battery cell 10 in which electrode leads 11 and 12 are formed at one end thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1, the battery cell 10 is a plate-shaped battery cell in which electrode leads 11 and 12 are formed at one end thereof. Specifically, the plate-shaped battery cell 10 is a sealing portion after the electrode assembly (not shown) is embedded in the pouch-type case 13 of the laminate sheet including a metal layer (not shown) and a resin layer (not shown). It is a structure sealed by 14), commonly referred to as a pouch-type battery cell (10).

2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the battery cells 10, 20 are mounted to the cartridge frame 31, Figure 3 is a view of the battery module 100 assembled by the cartridge frames (31-38) A perspective view is shown.

Referring to these figures, the battery cells 10 and 20 are mounted in the cartridge frame 31, and these cartridge frames 31-38 are mounted on the cartridge frame top cover 111 and the cartridge frame bottom cover 112. By bolt fastening (not shown) is fixed to form a single battery module 100. In addition, the electrode leads 11 and 12 of the battery cells 10 and 20 mounted inside the cartridge frames 31 to 38 are aligned with one side of the battery module 100, and the 'c' shaped bus bars 131 and 141 are electrically connected in parallel. The electrode leads 11 and 12 electrically connected in parallel are connected to the positive terminal 130 and the negative terminal 140, respectively.

4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating a state in which the module cover 200 is mounted on the battery module 100 of FIG. 3.

Referring to these drawings, protrusions 151 and 152 having hook structures are formed at both edges of one side of the battery module 100 on which the module cover 200 is mounted. In addition, at the corresponding position, the second hooks 211 and 212 having sizes that fit the protrusions 151 and 152 are formed in the module cover 200.

Since the hook structure is very easy to attach and detach, the assembly efficiency of the battery module 100 can be improved, and the structure thereof will be described in more detail below.

6 is a perspective view illustrating a cable and an assembly cover 500 mounted on the top of the battery modules 101, 102, 103, and 104 seated on the base plate 300, and FIG. 7 is a base plate. A perspective view showing a state in which the upper cover plate 800 is mounted at 300 is shown.

Referring to these drawings, the assembly cover 500 is formed with a plurality of fastening fasteners 521 to be fixed to the module cover 200, the power cables 610, 620, the voltage detection cable 640 And the communication cable 630 are fixed to the assembly cover 500 by band clips (not shown), respectively.

The voltage detecting cable 640 and the communication cable 630 are respectively fixed by band clips (not shown), and the band clips are fixed by being mounted to the assembly cover 500.

The temperature sensor 660 is separated on the voltage detecting cable 640 and fixed to the assembly cover 500.

The rear center portion 340 of the base plate 300 is equipped with a BMS (not shown), the connection terminal 642 of the voltage detection cable 640 and the communication cable 630 to the terminal portion (not shown) of the BMS The connecting terminal 632 of is connected.

In addition, a plug-in connector 700 of a housing structure in which an end portion of a power cable 610 and a communication cable 630 is collected is mounted at the center of the front portion of the base plate 300.

The plug-in connector 700 of the housing structure can be assembled into a single fixed structure to reduce the number of parts, it is possible to facilitate the assembly work and management and efficient use of internal space.

The upper cover plate 800 includes downwardly bent sidewalls 810, and the sidewalls 330 of the upwardly bent structure are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the base plate 300, so that they are welded to each other by the bracket 400. Are combined.

8 is a perspective view of a module cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 9 and 10 are shown a front view and a bottom view of the module cover 200, Figure 11 is a side view of the module cover Is shown.

6 to 7, the module cover 200 includes a bushing insertion hole 220 for fixing to the base plate 300, and a second hook coupled to the protrusions 151 and 152 of the battery module, respectively. First hooks 231 are provided to fix the cable ends, including 211 and 212 and protrusions 232 and 233 to fix the cable terminals.

On the upper surface of the module cover 200, upward protrusions 251 and 252 which are engaged with and fixed to the fastener 521 of the assembly cover 500 are formed. These fastening fasteners 521 allow the battery module to be mounted in place of the assembly cover 500.

The battery modules 101, 102, 103, and 104 seated and fixed in position by the above method may include a bushing mounted in the hole-shaped bushing insert 220 and the bushing insert 220 formed in the module cover 200. It is fixed again by fastening the bolt through (not shown).

Specifically, the bolt (not shown) passing through the fastener 521 of the assembly cover 500 and the bushing insertion hole 220 of the module cover 200 is fixed to the base plate 300, thereby providing the module cover 200. The battery modules fixed to the will be more firmly fixed.

12 is an enlarged front view illustrating an electrode terminal of the module cover 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 includes an insulating protective cover 260 mounted on the module cover 200 of FIG. 12. An enlarged front view showing one aspect is shown.

8 to 10, the module cover 200 includes protrusions 232 and 233 for fixing cable terminals, and includes first hooks 231 for fixing cable ends. The cable terminal 651 is mounted to the electrode terminal 130, and the cable binding portion 652 of the cable terminal 651 is fixed by protrusions 232 and 233 which fix the cable terminal of the module cover 200.

End portions 653 and 654 of the voltage detecting cable 640 are fixed by the first hook 231 of the module cover 200. Since the fixed cable binding unit 652 and the cable end 653 can prevent the cable binding unit 652 or the cable end portion 653 from outside or rotate during the mutual electrical binding process. As a result, efficiency gains in the assembly process can be achieved.

In addition, the module cover 200 further includes an insulating protective cover 260 to protect the electrical connection between the electrode terminal 130 and the voltage detecting cable 640 from the outside.

The insulating protective cover 260 of the structure includes the third hooks 261, 262, and 263 of the hook structure, and in the corresponding position, the module cover 200 also includes the binding portions of the shape corresponding to the hook structure. 241, 242, and 243 are formed and configured to interlock with each other, thereby facilitating attachment and detachment of the insulating protective cover 260.

Accordingly, the module cover 200 and the insulating protective cover 260 may secure an electrically safer assembly process as well as an efficiency increase aspect of the assembly process.

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.

Claims (13)

Two or more battery modules including two or more plate-shaped battery cells vertically stacked so that the electrode leads are aligned in one direction and having a terminal portion connected to the outside;
A base plate including module accommodating parts in which the battery modules are mounted on an upper surface thereof with electrode terminals aligned in one direction, and having a sidewall of an upwardly bent structure formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof;
An upper cover plate including sidewalls bent downward on both sides of the electrode terminal of the battery module and fixed on the base plate to form an upper surface of the module assembly;
A plate-shaped assembly cover mounted on the top of the battery modules and fastened to the battery modules to fix the cable; And
An electrically insulating module cover mounted on the electrode leads of the battery cell and fastened to the base plate and the assembly cover;
Battery module assembly comprising a. The battery module assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery cell is a rectangular secondary battery or a pouch secondary battery. The battery module assembly according to claim 2, wherein the pouch type secondary battery has a structure in which an electrode assembly is sealed in a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer. The battery module assembly according to claim 1, wherein the battery cells in the battery module are connected in parallel. The battery module assembly according to claim 4, wherein the parallel connection is achieved by a 'B' shaped or a 'B' shaped bus bar. The battery module assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery cells are fixed to a cartridge frame, and the battery module has a stacked structure of cartridge frames. The method of claim 1, wherein the module cover, the first hook (hook) for fixing the cable connected to the electrode terminal of the battery module (hook), the position fixing projection to be fixed to the assembly cover, and the first fixed to the battery module Battery module assembly comprising a hook. The battery module assembly of claim 7, wherein the first hook further comprises one or more protrusions for preventing separation and rotation of the terminal part. The battery module assembly of claim 1, wherein the module cover further comprises an insulating protective cover that electrically blocks the electrode terminal of the battery module from the outside. The battery module assembly according to claim 9, wherein the protective cover has at least one third hook for fixing the module cover. The battery module assembly of claim 1, wherein the module cover further comprises a bushing insertion hole to be fixed to the base plate. A device comprising a battery module assembly according to claim 1 as a power source. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is an emergency power supply, a computer room power supply, a portable power supply, a medical power supply, a fire extinguishing power supply, an alarm power supply, or an evacuation power supply.

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