KR-20260067699-A - Connector for charging and discharging of battery cell, battery pack, and vehicle comprising same

KR20260067699AKR 20260067699 AKR20260067699 AKR 20260067699AKR-20260067699-A

Abstract

A charge/discharge connector capable of being connected to an electrode terminal (positive/negative terminal) protruding coaxially from the upper surface of a battery housing constituting a battery cell, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile including the same are disclosed. A charge/discharge connector of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention is a charge/discharge connector for charging and discharging a battery cell in which an electrode assembly, comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator wound in a roll shape, is accommodated in a battery housing, and comprises: a connector housing having an insertion groove into which an electrode terminal protruding upward from the upper surface of the battery housing of the battery cell can be inserted; a connector electrode terminal provided within the connector housing and connected to the electrode terminal when the electrode terminal is inserted; and an unlocking device provided in the connector housing to switch the charge/discharge connector and the electrode terminal between a locked state and an unlocked state.

Inventors

한상엽

Assignees

주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (15)

A charge/discharge connector for charging and discharging a battery cell in which an electrode assembly, comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator wound in a roll shape, is housed in a battery housing, A connector housing having an insertion groove into which an electrode terminal protruding upward from the upper surface of the battery housing of the battery cell can be inserted; A connector electrode terminal provided within the connector housing and connected to the electrode terminal when the electrode terminal is inserted; and An unlocking device provided in the connector housing to switch the charge/discharge connector and the electrode terminal between a locked state and an unlocked state; A charge/discharge connector for a battery cell including
In claim 1, The above unlocking device A snap-fit provided within the connector housing and having a plurality of locking protrusions along the circumferential direction that engage with mounting grooves provided in the electrode terminals; A wedge inserted into a groove provided on the inner surface of the connector housing and pressing the plurality of locking protrusions inward to engage with the mounting groove of the electrode terminal; and A lock member that operates the wedge in an up-and-down direction within a groove of the connector housing so that the charge/discharge connector switches between the locked state and the unlocked state; A charge/discharge connector for a battery cell including
In claim 2, The above wedge is formed in the shape of a protrusion that decreases in size toward the bottom. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 3, When the above lock member is actuated downward within the groove of the connector housing, the wedge coupled to the lock member descends to push the catch projection and switches to a locked state in which it engages with the mounting groove. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 3, When the above lock member is actuated upward within the groove of the connector housing, the wedge rises and the locking projection is restored outward by elastic restoring force, thereby releasing the locked state of the locking projection. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 2, The inner surface of the above snap-fit is formed with the same cross-sectional shape as the first electrode terminal of the battery cell, Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 2, The above connector electrode terminal is A first connector terminal provided on the inner or upper surface of the snap-fit to be connected to the first electrode terminal of the battery cell in the above locked state; and A second connector terminal provided in a ring shape along the circumferential direction at the periphery of the lower side opening of the connector housing so as to be connected to the second electrode terminal of the battery cell in the above locked state; A charge/discharge connector for a battery cell including
In claim 7, The above electrode terminal includes a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal that protrude from the upper surface of the battery housing of the battery cell and are arranged in a concentric structure. The first connector terminal and the second connector terminal are With the above charge/discharge connector coupled to the electrode terminal, the two electrode terminals are spaced apart by the distance between the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 8, The first connector terminal is formed to have an outer diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first electrode terminal, and The second connector terminal is formed to have an outer diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the second electrode terminal. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 1, The above charge/discharge connector is A busbar electrically connected to the connector electrode terminals to electrically connect the plurality of electrode terminals of the plurality of battery cells; further comprising Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 10, The above busbar is Connected between a plurality of charge/discharge connectors coupled to the plurality of battery cells above; and Connected to the above connector electrode terminal, and drawn out through a hole formed in the side of the connector housing and extended toward another charge/discharge connector, Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 10, The plurality of battery cells are arranged along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and The above busbar is A first busbar connected in the first direction between first charge/discharge connectors coupled to first battery cells arranged along the first direction; and A second bus bar connected in the second direction between second charge/discharge connectors coupled to second battery cells arranged along the second direction; including, Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
In claim 12, The first busbar electrically connects the first electrode terminals of the first battery cells, and The second busbar electrically connects the second electrode terminals of the second battery cells. Battery cell charge/discharge connector.
A battery pack comprising a charge/discharge connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, and at least one battery cell coupled to said charge/discharge connector.
An automobile comprising at least one battery pack as described in claim 14.

Description

Connector for charging and discharging of battery cell, battery pack, and vehicle comprising same The present invention relates to a charge/discharge connector for a battery cell, a battery pack, and an automobile including the same. More specifically, the invention relates to a charge/discharge connector connected to the electrode terminals of a battery cell to electrically connect a plurality of battery cells via a busbar, a battery pack equipped with the same, and an automobile including the same. Rechargeable batteries are attracting attention as an energy source for enhancing eco-friendliness and energy efficiency because they possess high energy density and the advantage of significantly reducing fossil fuel usage, as well as the advantage of not generating byproducts from energy consumption. Due to these advantages, rechargeable batteries are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric sources. When a high output voltage is required, multiple unit rechargeable battery cells, or battery cells, can be connected in series to form a battery pack that supplies the output voltage. Additionally, a battery pack can be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel, depending on the required charge/discharge capacity. The number of battery cells included in a battery pack can be varied according to the required output voltage and/or charge/discharge capacity. Lithium secondary batteries are classified according to the shape of the battery case into prismatic and cylindrical secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal battery can (battery housing), and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch case made of an aluminum laminate sheet. A cylindrical battery cell comprises an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator, and a cylindrical battery housing that accommodates the electrode assembly. In the case of a cylindrical battery cell, a terminal (rivet) provided on the closing side of the battery can penetrates the closing part and comes into contact with a current collector plate placed on the inside of the battery can. In the case of positive/negative terminals where the terminals exposed to the outside of the battery housing are in a flat form, contact failures frequently occur during charging/discharging, and there is a problem that recycling is difficult after assembly through welding. The background technology described above is intended to explain the background in which the present invention was derived and does not imply that it is technology known prior to the filing of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a battery cell to which a charge/discharge connector according to one embodiment of the present invention is coupled. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of FIG. 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of part 'A' of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of section 'B' of Figure 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an electrode assembly constituting a battery cell to which a charge/discharge connector according to one embodiment of the present invention is coupled. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a charge/discharge connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of section 'D' of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the EE' line of the charge/discharge connector shown in Figure 7. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an unlocking device constituting a charge/discharge connector according to an embodiment of FIG. 6. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along the FF' line of the charge/discharge connector shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 is a drawing showing the charging/discharging connector according to the embodiment of FIG. 6 being mounted on a battery cell. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a charge/discharge connector according to the embodiment of FIG. 6 mounted on an electrode terminal of a battery cell. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a plurality of battery cells connected to a bus bar by a charge/discharge connector according to the embodiment of FIG. 6. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing bus bars connected to a battery cell along the first and second directions by a charge/discharge connector according to the embodiment of FIG. 6. FIG. 15 is a drawing for explaining a battery pack including a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG. 15. The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not