KR-20260067009-A - BATTERY CELL, AND BATTERY PACK AND VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

The battery cell of the present invention may include an electrode assembly in which a first electrode and a second electrode and a separator interposed between them are wound along a winding axis, a can configured to accommodate the electrode assembly through an open end formed on one side, a current collector configured to be electrically connected to the can, and a conductive member disposed between the electrode assembly and the can and configured to have higher conductivity than the can.

Inventors

• 노수동
• 김형권

Assignees

• 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241105

Claims (13)

1. An electrode assembly comprising a first electrode and a second electrode and a separator interposed between them, wound along a winding axis; A can configured to accommodate the electrode assembly through an open end formed on one side; A current collector configured to be electrically connected to the above can; and A battery cell comprising a conductive member, at least a portion thereof disposed between the electrode assembly and the can and in contact with the can, and configured to have higher conductivity than the can.
2. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized in that one end of the conductive member is connected to the can, and the other end of the conductive member is connected to the current collector.
3. In Article 1, The above can includes a bottom portion and a side wall portion connected to the bottom portion and extending in the direction of the winding axis, and A battery cell characterized in that the conductive member is connected to the bottom portion.
4. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized by the above conductive member being a plurality of individuals.
5. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized in that the conductive member comprises a body portion extended in the direction of the winding axis, a first connecting portion extended from one end of the body portion, and a second connecting portion extended from the other end of the body portion.
6. In Article 5, A battery cell characterized in that at least a portion of the body portion of the conductive member is inclined at a specified angle with respect to the winding axis direction.
7. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized in that the plurality of conductive members form a grid pattern.
8. In Article 7, A battery cell characterized by comprising a plurality of conductive members, wherein the conductive members are inclined at a first angle with respect to the winding axis direction and spaced apart at a constant interval, and conductive members are inclined at a second angle different from the first angle with respect to the winding axis direction and spaced apart at a constant interval.
9. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized in that the conductive member and the can, and the conductive member and the current collector are joined by welding.
10. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized in that the conductive member comprises at least one of copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni).
11. In Article 1, A battery cell characterized by having a groove formed in the can configured to insert the conductive member.
12. A battery pack characterized by comprising at least one battery cell described in any one of claims 1 to 11.
13. An automobile characterized by comprising at least one battery cell described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

Description

Battery cell, and battery pack including the same battery cell and vehicle The present invention relates to a battery cell, a battery pack including the battery cell, and an automobile. Secondary batteries, which possess electrical characteristics such as high energy density and high applicability across product categories, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only for the primary advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also because they do not generate any by-products from the use of energy. Currently, widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. When a high output voltage is required, multiple battery cells are connected in series to form a battery module or battery pack. Additionally, to increase charge/discharge capacity, multiple battery cells are connected in parallel to form a battery module or battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery module or pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity. There is increasing demand for metal can-type cells as battery cells for automotive battery packs. Metal cans can be prismatic or cylindrical; cylindrical battery cells feature a structure that accommodates a jelly-roll type electrode assembly inside a cylindrical can, offering the advantage of being more robust against shock and temperature than pouch-type battery cells. Battery cells arranged within a battery pack can be arranged so that both the electrode terminal having a first polarity and the electrode terminal having a second polarity are positioned on one side of the electrode assembly. Accordingly, when electrically connecting multiple battery cells, both the positive and negative electrodes can be connected in one direction, thereby simplifying the electrical connection structure. However, if the current collector (e.g., negative current collector) and the terminal (e.g., negative terminal) are located in different directions relative to the electrode assembly, the electron travel distance increases, and resistance may increase. Electrons from the negative electrode can travel along the can between the negative current collector and the negative terminal located at the bottom of the can. In this case, the electron travel distance of the negative electrode increases, which may lead to increased resistance. Therefore, there is a need to develop a battery cell structure that can reduce the resistance of the battery cell by extending the electron movement path and lowering the electron movement speed. The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a battery cell according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell of Figure 1 cut along II-II'. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing an upper cross-sectional view of a battery cell and the arrangement of a conductive member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a lower cross-sectional view of a battery cell and the arrangement of a conductive member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a battery cell showing a conductive member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of a battery cell including a conductive member according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of a battery cell including a conductive member according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a drawing of a conductive member and a can according to another embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper direction. FIG. 9 is a drawing of a conductive member and a can according to another embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper direction. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG. 10. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. P