BATTERY COMPRESSION INHIBITOR AND BATTERY MODULE COMPRISING SAME

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery compression inhibitor and a battery module comprising the same, the battery compression inhibitor being suitable for preventing at least one battery assembly from being compressed by repeated application of an external force between end plates. The battery compression inhibitor according to the present invention comprises, in order to protect a battery assembly inside a battery module: a barrier positioned on the periphery of the battery assembly and exposed from the battery assembly; and a base plate exposed from the battery assembly and from the barrier below the battery assembly and below the barrier.

Claims

1. A battery compression inhibitor for protecting at least one battery assembly within a battery module, comprising: a partition positioned on a periphery of the battery assembly; and a base plate positioned under the battery assembly and the partition, while being in a vertical relation with the partition, wherein the partition is extended toward side portions of the battery assembly so as to be exposed from the battery assembly, and the base plate is exposed from the battery assembly and the partition so as to have the battery assembly and the partition seated thereon.

2. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition is in contact with the battery assembly.

3. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition is positioned in parallel with the battery assembly, and extended past an edge of the battery assembly, and toward both side portions and an upper side portion of the battery assembly.

4. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition defines hollow portions extended therein from one end to another end and stacked sequentially on one another.

5. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition is formed in a panel shape, and has a greater width at an upper side than at a lower side.

6. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition is formed in a panel shape, and has a same width at the lower side and the upper side.

7. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the base plate is extended in all directions from the battery assembly and the partition.

8. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein, in the battery module, the base plate is coupled with the battery assembly and the partition through end plates.

9. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the partition and the base plate are comprised of a metal.

10. A battery module, comprising: battery assemblies; partitions positioned between the battery assemblies; end plates configured to surround the battery assemblies and the partitions in a sandwich structure; and base plates positioned under the battery assemblies, the partitions, and the end plates, wherein the partition has a greater size than the battery assembly or the end plate, and a bottom of the base plate has a greater area than an area occupied by the battery assembly, the partition, and the end plates.

11. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 10, wherein the battery assembly comprises battery cells and cartridges arranged along one direction while being in contact with the partitions, and the battery cells are received in the cartridges.

12. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 10, wherein the partitions are positioned in parallel with the battery assemblies, respectively protruded from regions between the battery assemblies, and exposed from the battery assemblies.

13. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 10, wherein the partitions define hollow portions extended therein from one end to another end and stacked sequentially on one another.

14. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 11, wherein, in the one direction, a thickness of the partition is less than a thickness of the cartridge.

15. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 11, wherein the partitions are respectively exposed from both ends of the cartridges in different sizes at a lower side and an upper side of the cartridges, in a direction vertical to the one direction.

16. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 11, wherein the partitions are exposed from both ends of the cartridges in a same size at the lower side and the upper side of the cartridges, in a direction vertical to the one direction.

17. The battery compression inhibitor of claim 10, wherein each of the end plates comprises a flange on an edge, the base plate is screw-coupled with the flange through at least one screw member on the lower side of the end plate, and the end plates are screw-coupled with the battery assemblies and the partitions by long bolts on the upper side.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and together with the foregoing disclosure, serve to provide further understanding of the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and thus, the present disclosure is not construed as being limited to the drawing.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view magnifying and illustrating the partition of FIG. 1 in greater detail.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view provided to explain a modified example of the partition of FIG. 2.

[0036] FIGS. 4 to 6 are brief views provided to explain a preparation method and an operating mechanism of the battery module of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE

[0037] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings, but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to define terms appropriately for the best explanation. Therefore, the description proposed herein is just a preferable example for the purpose of illustrations only, and not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0038] In the embodiments disclosed hereinafter, a battery cell refers to a lithium secondary battery. The “lithium secondary battery” as used herein encompasses a secondary battery in which lithium ions act as operating ions and thereby inducing electrochemical reaction in a positive electrode and a negative electrode during charging and discharging. However, the present disclosure is obviously not limited to the types of batteries.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, the battery module 90 according to an embodiment includes a base plate 10, end plates 20, battery assemblies 40 and partitions 63, 66, 69. The base plate 10 may be positioned under the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40 and the partitions 63, 66, 69, to have the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40, and the partitions 63, 66, 69 seated thereon.

[0041] Preferably, a bottom 4 of the base plate 10 may be in contact with the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40 and the partitions 63, 66, 69. The bottom 4 of the base plate 10 may have a greater area than an area occupied by the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40 and the partitions 63, 66, 69 on the base plate 10. Preferably, the base plate 10 may be exposed from the battery assemblies 40, the end plates 20 and the partitions 63, 66, 69.

[0042] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the base plate 10 may be extended in all directions from the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40 and the partitions 63, 66, 69. The base plate 10 may have upper screw members 8 on both edges facing each other. The base plate 10 may be comprised of a metal material. The end plates 20 may surround the battery assemblies in a sandwich structure.

[0043] Preferably, the end plate 20 may be comprised of a metal material. Each of the end plates 20 may have a flange 13 on an edge. Preferably, the flange 13 may be protruded from both ends and a lower end of the end plate 20. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the flange 13 may have a curved shape on the lower side of the end plate 20.

[0044] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the flange 13 may be screw-coupled with the base plate 10 by being inserted into upper screw members 8 of the base plate 10 on the lower side of the end plate 20. Each of the battery assemblies 40 may include battery cells 34 and cartridges 38 which are arranged along one direction. Preferably, the cartridge 38 may be configured to receive the battery cells 34.

[0045] Each of the outermost cartridges 38 among the cartridges 38 may have a coupling plate 36 of FIG. 5 under the flange 13 on the lower side of the end plate 20. Preferably, the coupling plate 36 may be extended from the outermost cartridge 38 to an end of the flange 13. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the coupling plate 36 may be screw-coupled with the flange 13 through the upper screw members 19.

[0046] As illustrated, three cartridges 38 as one unit of cartridges may construct one battery assembly 40. However, the battery assembly 40 may be constructed with a unit of less than three cartridges or a unit of four or more cartridges 38. Meanwhile, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be positioned between the battery assemblies 40. Preferably, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may have a greater size than the end plate 20 or the battery assembly 40.

[0047] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be extended toward side portions of the battery assembly 40 to be exposed from the battery assembly 40. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be positioned in parallel with the battery assembly 40 and extended past an edge of the battery assembly 40, toward both side portions and an upper side portion of the battery assembly 40.

[0048] More specifically, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be positioned in parallel with the battery assemblies 40 and exposed from the battery assemblies by respectively protruded from regions between the battery assemblies 40. In this example, the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be comprised of a metal material. The partitions 63, 66, 69 together with the base plate 10 may construct a battery compression inhibitor 70.

[0049] On the base plate 10, the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40, and the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be screw-coupled with an upper side of the end plates 20 by the long blots 80.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a perspective view magnifying and illustrating the partition of FIG. 1 in greater detail.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, the partition 63 may be formed in a panel shape having sidewalls 52 parallel to each other. Preferably, the sidewall 52 may have a flat surface. The partition 63 may have a greater width at an upper side than at a lower side. In this example, the partition 63 may define therein hollow portions 53 for example, which are extended therein from one end to the other end between the sidewalls 52 and stacked sequentially on one another.

[0052] Preferably, the hollow portions 53 of the partition 63 may reinforce the structure strength of the partition 63 and thus achieve light-weight of the partition 63 by serving a similar role as in an example of corrugated cardboard. The partition 63 may have a -shape roughly. Preferably, the partition 63 may have projecting portions 59 defining a groove G on the upper side. The projecting portion 59 may have a certain width W, and may be protruded from regions between the cartridges of FIG. 1 on the upper side of the partition 63.

[0053] The projecting portion 59 may have a through hole 58 for inserting the long bolt 80 of FIG. 1. The partition 63 may be exposed on the lower side and the upper side of the cartridge 38, respectively in different sizes from both ends of the cartridge 38. More specifically, the partition 63 may be exposed on the lower side and the upper side of the cartridge 38, with different lengths L1, L2 from a dash and single dot line 51 of an end of the cartridge 38 in a direction vertical to one direction of FIG. 1 (arrangement direction of the battery cells 34 and the cartridges 38).

[0054] A thickness the partition 63 may be less than a thickness of the cartridge 38 in one direction. Meanwhile, a shape of the partition 63 may also be applied in the partitions 66, 69 of FIG. 1.

[0055] FIG. 3 is a perspective view provided to explain a modified example of the partition of FIG. 2.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 3, the partition 63A according to the modified example of the present disclosure may have a similar shape to the partition 63 of FIG. 2. However, the partition 63A may have differences from the partition 63 as follows. That is, the partition 63A may have a -shape. The partition 63A may be formed in a panel shape having the sidewalls 56 parallel to each other. The partition 63A may have the same width at the lower side and the upper side.

[0057] The partition 63A may define hollow portions 57 for example, which are extended therein from one end to the other end between the sidewalls 56 and stacked sequentially on one another. The partition 63A may be exposed in the same size from both ends of the cartridge 38, at the lower side and the upper side of the cartridge 38.

[0058] More specifically, the partition 63A may be exposed with the same length L3 at the lower side and the upper side of the cartridge 38, in a direction vertical to one direction of FIG. 1 (arrangement direction of the battery cells 34 and the cartridges 38) from the dash and single dot line 51 of the end of the cartridge 38. The length L3 may be equal to, or different from the length L2 of FIG. 2. Meanwhile, the partition 63A may substitute the partitions 63, 66, 69 of FIG. 1.

[0059] FIGS. 4 to 6 are brief views provided to explain a preparation method and an operating mechanism of the battery module of FIG. 1.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 4, the base plate 10 may be prepared. The base plate 10 may have a rectangular-bottom 4 and a buffer 9 surrounding the bottom 4. The bottom 4 may have a plurality of beads 6 between the lower screw members 8. Preferably, the bead 6 may have a groove on the bottom 4 and may be protruded to an outer circumference from the bottom 4.

[0061] The buffer 9 on the bottom 4 may surround the bottom 4 in a fence shape so as to protect the entire shape of the base plate 10. Further, the base plates 10 may include the lower screw members 8 on the bottom 4 on both edges. On the base plate 10, the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40, and the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be disposed as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0062] In this example, the base plate 10 and the partitions 63, 66, 69 may construct the battery compression inhibitor 70 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Preferably, in the battery compression inhibitor 70, the buffer 9 of the base plate 10 may sufficiently surround the partitions 63, 66, 69.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 5, the end plates 20 and the battery assemblies 40 may be overlapped on the periphery of the lower screw members 8 of the base plate 10. More specifically, each of the end plates 20 may have the flange 13 extended toward the lower screw members 8 of the base plate 10 from the lower side of the end plate 20. In the battery assemblies 40, each of the outermost cartridges 38 of FIG. 1 may have the coupling plate 36 extended toward the lower screw members 8 of the base plate 10 from the lower side of the cartridge 38.

[0064] Preferably, the coupling plate 36 may be positioned under the flange 13 on the periphery of the lower screw members 8. More preferably, the coupling plate 36 may be in contact with the flange 13 on a central region of the flange 13. In one aspect, the coupling plate 36 may have the same shape as the flange 13 at a central region of the flange 13. In this example, the flange 13 may have connection holes 11, and the coupling plate 36 may have coupling holes 37.

[0065] The connection holes 11 at both edges of the flange 13 may be aligned with the lower screw members 8 of the base plates 10. The flange 13 and the coupling plate 36 may be screw-coupled by inserting the upper screw members 19 into the connection holes 11 and the coupling holes 37 at the central region of the flange 13.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 6, the flange 13 and the coupling plate 36 may be screw-coupled by inserting the lower screw members 8 into the connection holes 11 at both edges of the flange 13. Next, the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40, and the partitions 63, 66, 69 may be screw-coupled by the long bolts 80. As a result, the base plates 10, the end plates 20, the battery assemblies 40 and the partitions 63, 66, 69 may construct the battery module 90.

[0067] Next, the battery module 90 may be surrounded by a housing 100. In this example, the housing 100 is partially illustrated in order to briefly explain embodiments. Subsequently, when the housing 100 is repeatedly applied with the external force F from the upper side, the external force F may be delivered to a region between the end plates 20, and absorbed onto the housing 100, deforming the housing 100.

[0068] When the partitions 63, 66, 69 are not formed between the battery assemblies 40, the external force F may cause the housing 100 in the shape deformed from the initial shape to directly contact the battery assembly 40. More specifically, the deformed shape of the housing 100 may be brought into contact with the battery assemblies 40, thus causing the battery assemblies 40 to be moved relatively to the base plate 10 and the end plates 20.

[0069] Accordingly, the battery assemblies 40 may be repeatedly compressed and deformed between the end plates 20 correspondingly to the deformed shape of the housing 100. However, according to the present disclosure, the battery module 90 may have the partitions 63, 66, 69 between the battery assemblies 40 and between the end plates 20. The partitions 63, 66, 69 may protrude from the regions between the battery assemblies 40, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and/or disclosed herein.

[0070] The partitions 63, 66, 69 may prevent the deformed shape of the housing 100 from a direct contact with the battery assemblies 40. Further, when the housing 100 is applied with the external force F from the lower side (not illustrated), since the base plate 10 is protruded from the end plates 20 and the partitions 63, 66, 69, the base plate 10 with the buffer 9 may prevent the deformed shape of the housing 100 from a direct contact with the battery assemblies 40.

[0071] The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, and various changes and modifications within the scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.