US-12620649-B2 - Battery module and manufacturing method of the same

US12620649B2US 12620649 B2US12620649 B2US 12620649B2US-12620649-B2

Abstract

A battery module includes a battery cell stack. The battery cell stack includes a plurality of battery cells and a cooling fin between the plurality of battery cells. The cooling fin includes a first portion facing a first one of the plurality of battery cells and a second portion facing a second one of the plurality of battery cells. A space is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

Inventors

Honggoo HAN
JunYeob SEONG
Won Kyoung Park
Subin Park

Assignees

LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220106
Priority Date: 20210111

Claims (11)

1 . A battery module comprising: a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of battery cells; and a cooling fin between the plurality of battery cells, wherein the cooling fin comprises a first portion facing a first one of the plurality of battery cells and a second portion facing a second one of the plurality of battery cells, and wherein a space is formed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the cooling fin further comprises a third portion, wherein the cooling fin is bent to form a first bending portion connecting the first portion and the second portion, wherein the cooling fin is bent to form a second bending portion connecting the second portion and the third portion, and wherein the third portion is between the first portion and the second portion.
2 . The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein: a first bead protruding toward the second portion is formed in the first portion, and wherein a second bead protruding toward the first portion is formed in the second portion.
3 . The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling fin is bent at least once to form the first portion and the second portion.
4 . The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein a first bead protruding toward the second portion is formed in the first portion, wherein a second bead protruding toward the first portion is formed in the second portion, wherein an opening is formed adjacent the third portion, and wherein the first bead and the second bead face each other in the opening.
5 . The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein a side surface flange portion is on a side of the first portion or a side of the second portion, and wherein the side surface flange portion is bent perpendicular to a surface of the first portion or a surface of the second portion.
6 . The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein: a rectangular sheet having a first side and a second side include the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first bending portion and the second bending portion are formed on the first side, and wherein the first side is longer than the second side.
7 . The battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising a thermal conductive resin layer under the battery cell stack, wherein the plurality of battery cells and the cooling fin are in contact with the thermal conductive resin layer.
8 . A method for manufacturing a battery module, the method comprising the steps of: forming a cooling fin from a metal plate; and stacking a plurality of battery cells with the cooling fin between adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells to form a battery cell stack, wherein the cooling fin comprises a first portion in contact with a first one of the adjacent battery cells and a second portion in contact with a second one of the adjacent battery cells, and wherein a space is formed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the cooling fin further comprises a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the step of manufacturing the cooling fin comprises: bending the metal plate to form a second bending portion connecting the second portion and the third portion, the second portion and the third portion facing each other by forming the second bending portion; and bending the metal plate to form a first bending portion connecting the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion is between the first portion and the second portion.
9 . The method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 8 , wherein: a first bead protruding toward the second portion is formed in the first portion, and wherein a second bead protruding toward the first portion is formed in the second portion.
10 . The method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 8 , wherein; a first bead protruding toward the second portion is formed in the first portion, wherein a second bead protruding toward the first portion is formed in the second portion, wherein an opening is formed adjacent the third portion, and wherein the first bead and the second bead face each other in the opening.
11 . The method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 8 , wherein: a side surface flange portion is formed on a side of the first portion or a side of the second portion, and wherein the step of manufacturing the cooling fin further comprises bending the side surface flange portion perpendicular to a surface of the first portion or a surface of the second portion.

Description

CROSS CITATION WITH RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a National Phase entry pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application PCT/KR2022/000249 filed on Jan. 6, 2022, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0003179 filed on Jan. 11, 2021 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a battery module and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a battery module having improved safety against fire and cooling performance and a method for manufacturing the same. BACKGROUND In modern society, as portable devices such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a camcorder and a digital camera has been daily used, the development of technologies in the fields related to mobile devices as described above has been activated. In addition, chargeable/dischargeable secondary batteries are used as a power source for an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (P-HEV) and the like, in an attempt to solve air pollution and the like caused by existing gasoline vehicles using fossil fuel. Therefore, the demand for development of the secondary battery is growing. Currently, commercialized secondary batteries include a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, a nickel zinc battery, and a lithium secondary battery. Among them, the lithium secondary battery has come into the spotlight because they have advantages, for example, hardly exhibiting memory effects compared to nickel-based secondary batteries and thus being freely charged and discharged, and having very low self-discharge rate and high energy density. Such lithium secondary battery mainly uses a lithium-based oxide and a carbonaceous material as a cathode active material and an anode active material, respectively. The lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which a cathode plate and an anode plate, each being coated with the cathode active material and the anode active material, are arranged with a separator being interposed between them, and a battery case which seals and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte solution. Generally, the lithium secondary battery may be classified based on the shape of the exterior material into a can type secondary battery in which the electrode assembly is mounted in a metal can, and a pouch-type secondary battery in which the electrode assembly is mounted in a pouch of an aluminum laminate sheet. In the case of a secondary battery used for small-sized devices, two to three battery cells are arranged, but in the case of a secondary battery used for a middle or large-sized device such as an automobile, a battery module in which a large number of battery cells are electrically connected is used. In such a battery module, a large number of battery cells are connected to each other in series or parallel to form a cell assembly, thereby improving capacity and output. In addition, one or more battery modules can be mounted together with various control and protection systems such as a BMS (battery management system) and a cooling system to form a battery pack. When the temperature of the secondary battery rises higher than an appropriate temperature, the performance of the secondary battery may be deteriorated, and in the worst case, there is also a risk of an explosion or ignition. In particular, a large number of secondary batteries, that is, a battery module or a battery pack having battery cells, can add up the heat generated from the large number of battery cells in a narrow space, so that the temperature can rise more quickly and excessively. In other words, a battery module in which a large number of battery cells are stacked, and a battery pack equipped with such a battery module can obtain high output, but it is not easy to remove heat generated from the battery cells during charging and discharging. When the heat dissipation of the battery cell is not properly performed, deterioration of the battery cells is accelerated, the lifespan is shortened, and the possibility of explosion or ignition increases. Moreover, in the case of a battery module included in a vehicle battery pack, it is frequently exposed to direct sunlight and may be placed under high-temperature conditions such as summer or desert areas. Further, since a plurality of battery cells are concentratedly arranged to increase the mileage of the vehicle, a fire or heat generated in any one of the battery cells can easily propagate to adjacent battery cells, which may eventually lead to explosion or ignition of the battery pack itself. Therefore, there is a demand for a battery module having a function of blocking fire transmission along with cooling and heat dissipation performance for the battery cells. The background description provided herein is for the purpose of general