KR100897179B1 - Frame Member for Preparation of Middle or Large-sized Battery Module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention consists of a pair of frame members which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower ends of a series of unit cells arranged in a dense form, each of the unit cells can be arranged and fixed at predetermined intervals on the inner surface of the frame In order to provide a frame member having a structure in which a plurality of spacers are formed and a high output large-capacity battery module including the same.

Description

Frame member for manufacturing medium and large battery modules {Frame Member for Preparation of Middle or Large-sized Battery Module}

1 is a perspective view of a typical pouch type battery;

2 is a perspective view of a lower frame of a frame member according to one embodiment of the present invention;

3 and 4 are partial cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a process of inserting a pouch-type battery cell between adjacent spacers according to embodiments of the present invention;

5 is a perspective view showing the coupled state of the frame member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a partial perspective perspective view of a unit cell having a structure in which two battery cells are combined as another example of a unit cell that may be used in the battery module of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a frame member for manufacturing a medium-large battery module, and more particularly, a pair of frame members respectively mounted at upper and lower ends thereof surrounding a series of unit cells arranged in a dense form, wherein the upper frame An inner surface of a member or a lower frame member relates to a frame member having a structure in which a plurality of spacers on which unit cells are mounted at predetermined intervals and a medium and large battery module including the same.

Recently, secondary batteries capable of charging and discharging have been widely used as energy sources of 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. .

One or two or four battery cells are used for small mobile devices, whereas medium and large battery modules, which are electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells, are used in medium and large devices such as automobiles due to the necessity of high output capacity.

Since the medium-large battery module is preferably manufactured in a small size and weight, the rectangular battery, the pouch-type battery, etc., which can be charged with high integration and have a small weight to capacity, are mainly used as battery cells of the medium-large battery module. In particular, a pouch type battery using an aluminum laminate sheet or the like as an exterior member has recently attracted much attention due to its advantages such as low weight, low manufacturing cost, and relatively free form deformation.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a typical structure of a general pouch-type battery.

The pouch-type battery 100 of FIG. 1 has a structure in which two electrode leads 110 and 120 protrude from each other to protrude from an upper end and a lower end of the battery main body 130. Exterior member 140 is composed of two upper and lower units, both sides 141 and the upper and lower ends 142, which are mutually contacting portions, with the electrode assembly (not shown) mounted on the receiving portion formed on the inner surface thereof. The cell 100 is made by attaching 143.

The exterior member 140 has a laminate structure of a resin layer / metal foil layer / resin layer, and can be attached by mutually fusion bonding the resin layer by applying heat and pressure to both side surfaces 141 and upper and lower ends 142 and 143 which are in contact with each other. In some cases, the adhesive may be attached using an adhesive. Both side surfaces 141 are in direct contact with the same resin layer of the upper and lower exterior members 140, thereby enabling uniform sealing by melting. On the other hand, since the electrode leads 110 and 120 protrude from the upper end 142 and the lower end 143, the sealing property is improved in consideration of the thickness of the electrode leads 110 and 120 and the heterogeneity with the material of the exterior member 140. Heat-sealed in the state of interposing the film-like sealing member 16 between the electrode leads (110, 120) so as to be able to.

However, in the case of battery cells, in particular, the pouch-type battery, since the mechanical strength of the exterior member 140 itself is not excellent, in order to construct a medium-large battery module using a plurality of battery cells, battery cells (unit cells) ), It is necessary to attach the pack case to the mechanical strength.

In this regard, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-69075 discloses a technology related to a lithium battery pack of a hybrid electric vehicle composed of an external tray, a tray assembly, a cooling fan, and a phase change material.

In addition, Japanese Patent No. 3283796 discloses a technique for a battery pack consisting of fixing a plurality of unit cells having a structure in which spacers are interposed between adjacent unit cells by using frame plates and horizontal frame members at both ends. Is disclosed.

According to the prior arts, basically, two or more end plates padding on both side surfaces of the unit battery cells are stacked, and a means for binding for binding and fixing them is required. .

As the number of members required to join and fix unit cells increases, the process of assembling these members becomes relatively complicated and difficult to obtain satisfactory mechanical strength. In particular, when the outer frame member is coupled while wrapping the battery cells in a stacked state, there is a risk that the battery cells may be damaged due to an impact on the battery cells during assembly.

In addition, space is required for joining, welding, soldering, etc., a plurality of members for mechanical fastening and electrical connection, which inevitably increases the size of the entire system. Such increase in size is not desirable, and there is a high need for a medium-large battery module having more compact and excellent structural stability.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above and the technical problems that have been requested from the past.

Specifically, the object of the present invention is to reduce the overall manufacturing cost by manufacturing by a simple assembly method without using a plurality of members for mechanical fastening and electrical connection while effectively reinforcing the low mechanical rigidity of the battery cell, during operation or operation It is to provide a frame member that can reduce the risk of short circuit or damage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a medium-large battery module manufactured with a desired output and capacity through the frame member.

The frame member for manufacturing a medium-large battery module according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a pair of frame members respectively mounted at upper and lower ends thereof while surrounding a series of unit cells arranged in a dense form, and the upper frame member Alternatively, the inner surface of the lower frame member may include a plurality of spacers in close contact with the top or bottom of the unit cell so that the unit cells may be arranged and fixed at predetermined intervals.

The frame member according to the invention, as defined above, consists of a combination of a pair of upper and lower frame members. Therefore, it is not necessary to complexly combine a large number of members, so that the assembly process is simple, which greatly simplifies the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the battery module in the assembled state is significantly increased because the unit cell is mounted inside the box-shaped frame member rather than the support member is attached to both sides of the existing unit cells. Mechanical stiffness.

The spacer serves as an insulating member between adjacent unit cells and at the same time serves as a supporting member for fixing the unit cells. In other words, the spacer has a shape in which the upper end or the lower end of the unit cell is in close contact with the length of the side cell of the unit cell. Therefore, by mounting the unit cells between the adjacent spacers to protect the battery cells with low mechanical rigidity, while at the same time to suppress the repeated changes in expansion and contraction during charging and discharging, it is possible to prevent the sealing portion of the battery cells to be separated Can be.

The unit cell mounted on the frame member may be one battery cell or a structure for combining or combining two or more battery cells. The battery cell is preferably a secondary battery having a plate-like structure, and typical examples thereof include a rectangular secondary battery and a pouch secondary battery.

The secondary battery has a structure in which the electrode assembly capable of charging and discharging is embedded in the battery case in the state of being impregnated with an ion-containing electrolyte solution. In one preferred embodiment, the secondary battery may be a lithium secondary battery.

In particular, the battery case may have a low mechanical rigidity and may be preferably used in a secondary battery using a sheet-shaped battery case in which deformation may easily occur upon application of a drop or an external impact, and such a representative example may be a laminate sheet including a metal layer and a resin layer. Pouch type secondary battery.

The pouch type secondary battery may preferably be a pouch type secondary battery of an aluminum laminate sheet in which a sealing portion formed by heat fusion is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the battery case. In the case of the pouch type secondary battery of the aluminum laminate sheet, the outer circumferential surface of the battery case in which the sealing portion is formed by heat fusion is particularly inferior in mechanical strength. Therefore, the safety of the secondary battery can be further improved by forming a groove into which the sealing portion of the battery cell can be inserted on the frame member between adjacent spacers.

Examples of unit cells by combining or combining two or more battery cells include unit cells of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-12303 and Korean Patent Application No. 2006-12306. The unit cell of the above application, after mounting the two battery cells in a specific form in one cell frame, it consists of a structure to surround the outer surface of them with a metal exterior material. An example of a unit cell of such a structure is shown in FIG. 6. The above applications are incorporated by reference in the context of the present invention.

The upper end and the lower end of the unit cell may have a structure in which the entire front end thereof is in close contact with the spacer, but in some cases, only one side of the end may be in close contact with the spacer and the other end of the end may be open. For example, the spacer is formed on the inner surface of the frame member to closely contact only the upper left side and the lower left side of the unit cell, so that the upper right side and the lower right side of the unit cell may have an open structure without a spacer.

The one side open structure acts as a coolant flow path for discharging heat generated during operation of the unit cell, thereby improving the cooling effect on the unit cell. Preferably, the upper and lower spacers may be formed in left and right alternating orientations with respect to the unit cell so that the cooling effect may be improved while maintaining the mounting strength of the unit cell.

In one preferred embodiment, the spacer may have a structure in which a flow path is formed in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the unit cell. Free flow of the coolant is possible through the flow path, thereby increasing the cooling effect on the unit cell. The unit cell may be a structure in which the unit cell is completely inserted into and closely contacted with the spacer, or the spacer may extend in the cross-sectional length direction of the unit cell so that the flow passage may be opened even when the unit cell is inserted.

The upper and lower frame members are coupled in such a manner that the unit cells are mounted on one member (eg, the lower frame member) and then the other members (eg, the upper frame member) are fastened and assembled. Such fastening methods of the frame members may vary, such as welding, mechanical fastening, etc. Preferably, a hook is formed in one member and corresponding to the hook in the other member so that it can be mutually coupled without using a separate member. It may be a structure in which a fastener is formed.

A through groove for protruding the electrode terminals may be formed at a position corresponding to the electrode terminal of the unit cell to be mounted on the frame member. By protruding the electrode terminal through the through groove, the electrical insulation effect between the body portion of the unit cell and the electrode terminal is improved, and it is easy to electrically connect the battery module portion and the external load.

In addition, it is preferable to form a plurality of openings in the frame member in a vertical or horizontal direction in communication with the internal space in which the unit cells are mounted. Through this, it is possible to improve the high temperature safety of the battery by increasing the cooling effect on the unit cell without lowering the mechanical bond strength.

The material of the frame member is not particularly limited so long as it exhibits insulation against electricity and has a predetermined mechanical strength. Examples thereof include metals coated with insulating materials, insulating polymers, or resin composites thereof, but are not limited thereto. no.

The present invention also provides a medium-large battery module including the frame member.

The medium-large battery module according to the present invention may be manufactured by, for example, mounting unit cells between adjacent spaces on the lower frame member and then fastening the upper frame member. In one preferred embodiment, a through hole is formed on the side of the frame so that the electrode terminal protrudes, and the electrode terminals protruding through the through hole are electrically connected to provide high output power and power of contents.

The medium-large battery module may be manufactured by combining unit cells according to a desired output and capacity. In consideration of the mounting efficiency and structural stability as described above, the medium and large battery module has a limited mounting space and is exposed to frequent vibration and strong impact. It can be preferably used for automobiles, hybrid electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, electric bicycles and the like.

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

First, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lower frame of a frame member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a spacer 220 having a partition shape is installed on an inner surface of the lower frame 200 so that a battery cell may be mounted as a unit cell. In FIG. 2, the spacer 220 is formed at a height corresponding to the height of the lower frame 200, but may be formed at a low height surrounding only a part of the battery cell (not shown). In addition, a flow passage 221 is punctured on the spacer 220 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the battery cell. Through the flow path 221, the flow of the refrigerant is smooth, thereby improving the cooling effect on the battery cell.

The outer surface 210 of the frame 200 has a through groove 211 is formed at a position corresponding to the electrode terminal portion thereof when the battery cell is inserted, through which the electrode terminal portion protrudes. In addition, the hook 230 is installed on one side or both sides of the lower frame 200 so as to be coupled to the upper frame (not shown), so that a stable mounting state may be maintained even if vibration, shock, or the like is applied.

3 and 4 are partial cross-sectional views illustrating a process of mounting a pouch-type battery cell between adjacent spacers on a frame member according to embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to these drawings, the pouch-type battery cell 400 is characterized in that the sealing portion 410 by heat fusion is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the battery case. The battery cell 400 is mounted in close contact between adjacent spacers 220, thereby protecting the battery cell 400 with low mechanical rigidity, and at the same time suppressing repeated expansion and contraction changes during charging and discharging. The sealing portion 410 of the battery cell is prevented from being separated.

The sealing portion 410 of the pouch-type battery cell 400 may be mounted between the spacers 200 in a bent state to be in close contact with the main body of the battery cell 400, but as shown in the drawing, Slit-shaped grooves 241 are formed on the inner surface thereof and may be mounted to insert the sealing portion 410 into the grooves 241.

Moreover, such a groove may be made of a groove 242 in the form of communicating with the outside through the frame member 210, as shown in Figure 4, thereby increasing the stability of the mounting state of the battery cell 400 Cooling efficiency can be further increased.

5 is a perspective view of the coupled state of the frame member in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the frame member 300 has an upper portion by a fastening structure 330, with battery cells (not shown) mounted between spacers (not shown) formed on an inner surface thereof. The frame 320 may be firmly coupled to the lower frame 310 to form a medium-large battery module.

On the outer surface of the frame member 300, the electrode terminals 340 of the battery cells mounted therein protrude through the through-holes in the lateral direction of the frame member. Through-holes 321 communicating with the outside are formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the frame member 300, and flow passages are formed on the cross-sections of the spacers (not shown). Therefore, the flow of the refrigerant is secured in the vertical and horizontal directions of the frame member 300, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency for the battery cells mounted therein.

6 is a partially perspective view of a unit cell combining two battery cells as another example of a unit cell that may be used in the battery module of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the unit cell 500 is a structure in which two plate-shaped battery cells 400 and 401 are closely contacted with their electrode terminals connected to each other, and the outer surface of the unit cell 500 is surrounded by the metal exterior member 510. Consists of A positive electrode terminal 510 and a negative electrode terminal 520 electrically connected to the battery cells 400 and 410 are protruded from the upper end of the unit cell 500.

The detailed structure of the unit cell 500 can be found in the contents of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-12303 and Korean Patent Application No. 2006-12306 as described above.

The unit cell 500 may be mounted in place of the battery cell in the frame member as shown in FIG. 2 to form the battery module as shown in FIG. 5.

Although described above with reference to the drawings of the frame member according to an embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains to various applications and modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention based on the above contents. will be.

As described above, the frame member for manufacturing a medium-large module according to the present invention may be manufactured by a simple assembly method without using a plurality of members for mechanical fastening and electrical connection while effectively reinforcing the low mechanical rigidity of the battery cell. Lower overall manufacturing costs and reduce the risk of short circuits and breaks during operation or operation. In addition, it is possible to provide a medium-large battery module manufactured with a desired output and capacity by adjusting the battery cell mounted on the frame member.

Claims (13)

A pair of frame members, each of which is mounted on the upper and lower ends thereof while enclosing a series of unit cells arranged in a dense form, wherein unit cells are arranged and fixed at predetermined intervals on an inner surface of the upper frame member or the lower frame member. A plurality of spacers are formed in close contact with the top or bottom of the unit cell so that the unit cell is composed of one battery cell or a structure in which two or more battery cells are combined or combined. A frame member comprising a structure in which an electrode assembly is built in a pouch type case of a laminate sheet including a silver metal layer and a resin layer. The frame member of claim 1, wherein the spacer is extended to a length capable of covering a part of the side surface of the unit cell while being closely attached to the top or bottom of the unit cell. delete delete The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the pouch type case is made of an aluminum laminate sheet, and a sealing portion formed by heat fusion is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the pouch type case. 6. The frame member according to claim 5, wherein a slit-shaped groove in which the sealing portion of the battery cell is inserted is formed on the frame member between adjacent spacers. 7. The frame member according to claim 6, wherein the groove communicates with the outside through the frame member. The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the upper frame member and the lower frame member are joined to each other by welding or mechanical fastening. The frame member of claim 1, wherein a through groove for protruding the electrode terminals is formed on the frame member at a position corresponding to the electrode terminals of the unit cells. The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is perforated vertically with a flow path for the flow of the refrigerant. The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the frame member has a plurality of openings communicating with an inside in which the unit cells are mounted. The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the frame member is made of a metal coated with an insulating material, an insulating polymer, or a resin composite thereof. A battery module comprising a frame member according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 5 to 12.

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