Battery module to which battery cell pressing-type end plate and expandable sensing housing structure are applied

{
  "publication_number": "US2020176745A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Battery module to which battery cell pressing-type end plate and expandable sensing housing structure are applied",
  "abstract": "A battery module includes a cell assembly having a plurality of pouch-type battery cells whose wide surfaces stand to be stacked in one direction. The battery module includes a pair of buffer pads disposed at both side surfaces of the cell assembly, a top plate and a bottom plate configured to cover a top portion and a bottom portion of the cell assembly, respectively, and a pair of side plates coupled to both ends of the top plate and the bottom plate by clinching or fitting so that the pair of buffer pads and the cell assembly are interposed there between.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A battery module, comprising: a cell assembly comprising a plurality of pouch-type battery cells having side surfaces stacked in one direction; a pair of buffer pads, one of the pair of buffer pads disposed at side surface of the cell assembly; a top plate and a bottom plate configured to cover a top and a bottom of the cell assembly, respectively; and a pair of side plates coupled to both ends of the top plate and the bottom plate by clinching or fitting so that the pair of buffer pads and the cell assembly are interposed between the pair of side plates. 2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of side plates includes a bead portion depressed by a predetermined depth, and wherein each of the pair of buffer pads has one surface with a shape corresponding to the bead portion. 3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the bead portion includes a first bead portion provided at a center region of the side plate and a second bead portion separately provided at a left side region and a right side region of the side plate with respect to the first bead portion and having a smaller area and a smaller depth than the first bead portion. 4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the top plate and the bottom plate includes a horizontal portion forming a horizontal surface and vertical portions bent vertically at both side of the horizontal portion, and wherein an edge region of a top end and an edge region of a bottom end of each of the pair of side plates are coupled to the vertical portion of the top plate and the vertical portion of the bottom plate by clinching, respectively. 5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein each of the pair of side plates have clinching protrusions protruding at the edge region of the top end and the edge region of the bottom end, and the top plate and the bottom plate each have clinching holes formed at the vertical portions coupled with the clinching protrusions by fitting. 6. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the edge region of the top end and the edge region of the bottom end of each of the pair of side plates are disposed to overlap at an inner side of the vertical portion of the top plate and the vertical portion of the bottom plate, respectively. 7. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensing assembly disposed to at least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the cell assembly to electrically connect electrode leads protruding at each of the pouch-type battery cells, wherein the sensing assembly includes: a bus bar electrically connected to the electrode leads; and a sensing housing having a front surface to which the bus bar is mounted, the sensing housing including a plurality of sensing housing parts that are detachable from each other and successively assembled in one direction and allow the electrode leads to pass through a body of the sensing housing toward the bus bar. 8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensing housing parts are provided in a number corresponding to a number of the pouch-type battery cells. 9. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of sensing housing parts has a convex protrusion and a concave groove corresponding to each other and are mutually assembled by fitting in a block coupling manner. 10. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the sensing housing is fit into one side end of each of the pair of side plates and is supported by the pair of side plates to be spaced apart from the plurality of pouch-type battery cells by a predetermined distance. 11. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the bus bar includes a plate portion having a plate form contacted to the electrode leads and a terminal bending portion bent from one end of the plate portion, and wherein the sensing housing has a slit through which at least a part of the bus bar passes and a slot forming an inner space for accommodating the terminal bending portion, the slit and the slot being formed by assembling a first sensing housing part and a second sensing housing part. 12. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein the sensing assembly further includes a voltage sensing receptacle terminal inserted into the slot and provided to be electrically connectable to the terminal bending portion of the bus bar. 13. The battery module according to claim 11, wherein a nut is accommodated in any one of the slots provided in the sensing housing, and the sensing assembly further includes an external power connection member fixed by a bolt fastened to the nut. 14. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the top plate and the bottom plate includes a horizontal portion forming a horizontal surface, vertical portions bent vertically at both ends of the horizontal portion, and insert portions bent at ends of the vertical portions toward the cell assembly, and wherein each of the pair of side plates has a plate hole formed at an edge region of a top end and an edge region of a bottom end thereof so that the insert portion is fit therein. 15. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein each of the buffer pads has a thickness determined by the following equation: T=A/ 2+ B where T: thickness of the buffer pad, A: the number of battery cells×maximum displacement of the battery cells at swelling, B: thickness of the buffer pad at maximum compression."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H01M 2/202",
    "G01R 31/364",
    "H01M 10/48",
    "H01M 2/1077",
    "H01M 2/26",
    "H01M 50/105",
    "H01M 50/116",
    "H01M 50/20",
    "H01M 50/211",
    "H01M 50/242",
    "H01M 50/262",
    "H01M 50/503",
    "H01M 50/569",
    "Y02E 60/10"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LG CHEMICAL LTD"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-07-23",
  "publication_date": "2020-06-04",
  "priority_date": "2017-11-14",
  "application_number": "US-201816611403-A",
  "family_id": "66539088",
  "citations": [
    "US2016133898A1",
    "US2017309872A1",
    "US2018175343A1",
    "US2019334138A1"
  ]
}