Battery module, battery pack, electric vehicle, and method of mounting a battery module
A battery module includes secondary battery cells; a one positive current collector structure; and a negative current collector structure; wherein the secondary battery cells include an electrode assembly, a positive terminal electrically, a negative terminal, and a case receiving the electrode assembly, the positive current collector structure interconnects the positive terminals of the secondary battery cells, the negative current collector structure interconnects the negative terminals of the secondary battery cells, the case of each secondary battery cell includes a groove extending around a circumference of the case and forming a part of the negative terminal, and the negative current collector structure includes a flat negative busbar in a plane aligned with the circumference of the case, the flat negative busbar projecting into the groove of the cases to connect the negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of secondary battery cells.
1 . A battery module, comprising:
a plurality of secondary battery cells;
at least one positive current collector structure;
at least one negative current collector structure; and
a retainer for holding the plurality of secondary battery cells, the at least one positive current collector structure, and the at least one negative current collector,
wherein:
each of the secondary battery cells includes:
an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode,
a positive terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode,
a negative terminal electrically connected to the negative electrode, and
a case receiving the electrode assembly,
the at least one positive current collector structure interconnects the positive terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other,
the at least one negative current collector structure interconnects the negative terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other,
the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a groove, the groove extending around a circumference of the case and forming at least a part of the negative terminal of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells, and
the at least one negative current collector structure includes a flat negative busbar arranged in a plane that is aligned with the circumference of the case of each of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells, the flat negative busbar being flat, and an edge of the flat negative busbar being in the groove of the case of each of the at least two secondary battery cells to connect the at least one negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of the at least two secondary battery cells with each other.
2 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the flat negative busbar has a thickness in one direction,
the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells has a width in the one direction, and
the thickness of the flat negative busbar is larger than the width of the groove.
3 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a base and a lateral surface,
the lateral surface includes a protrusion, the protrusion protruding into the groove and decreasing a width of the groove, and
the protrusion is configured to mechanically fasten the flat negative busbar within the groove.
4 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the negative busbar or the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells deforms the negative busbar as a result of insertion of the negative busbar into the groove.
5 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells has a cylindrical shape having a major axis, and
the groove and the negative terminal of the case are perpendicular to the major axis.
6 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one negative current collector structure is made of sheet metal.
7 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one negative current collector structure includes two negative current collector structures completely separated and spaced apart from each other, each negative current collector structure including the flat negative busbar such that the battery module includes two flat negative busbars, and
the two flat negative busbars are on opposite lateral surface sections of the cases of the plurality of secondary battery cells.
8 . The battery module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:
the plurality of secondary battery cells is linearly arranged, and
each of the two negative current collector structures extend in parallel to the linearly arranged secondary battery cells.
9 . The battery module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells and each of the two negative current collector structures are arranged in a same plane in alignment with the circumference of the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells.
10 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one negative current collector structure includes two negative current collector structures, each negative current collector structure including the flat negative busbar such that the battery module includes two flat negative busbars, and
the plurality of secondary battery cells is between the two flat negative busbars.
11 . The battery module as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:
the plurality of secondary battery cells is linearly arranged, and
each of the two negative current collector structures extend in parallel to the linearly arranged secondary battery cells.
12 . The battery module as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the groove of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells and each of the two negative current collector structures are arranged in a same plane in alignment with the circumference of the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells.
13 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one positive current collector structure and the positive terminals of the at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells are mechanically and electrically connected with each other by being pressed onto each other.
14 . A battery pack, comprising:
a plurality of battery modules as claimed in claim 1 ; and
interconnects connecting the plurality of battery modules with each other.
15 . An electric vehicle comprising a battery pack as claimed in claim 14 .
16 . A method of mounting a battery module, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of secondary battery cells, at least one positive current collector structure, and at least one negative current collector structure;
providing a retainer for holding the plurality of secondary battery cells, the at least one positive current collector structure, and the at least one negative current collector,
wherein each of the secondary battery cells includes:
an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode,
a positive terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode,
a negative terminal electrically connected to the negative electrode, and
a case accommodating the electrode assembly, the at least one positive current collector structure interconnecting the positive terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other, and the at least one negative current collector structure interconnecting the negative terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other, the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells including a groove, the groove extending around a circumference of the case, and the groove forming at least a part of the negative terminal of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells, and the at least one negative current collector structure including a flat negative busbar that is flat;
arranging the flat negative busbar in a plane that is aligned with the circumference of the case of each of at least two secondary battery cells of the plurality of secondary battery cells; and
connecting the negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of the at least two secondary battery cells with each other by arranging an edge of the flat negative busbar in the grooves of the cases of each of the at least two secondary battery cells.
17 . The method of mounting a battery module as claimed in claim 16 , wherein arranging the flat negative busbar in the grooves of the cases of the at least two secondary battery cells includes moving the at least two secondary battery cells and the flat negative busbar relative to each other and in the plane that is aligned with the circumference of the case.
18 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the entirety of the flat negative busbar, including the edge, and the groove of the case are aligned in a same plane.
19 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the edge of the flat negative busbar has a linear shape, the linear shape extending continuously between the at least two secondary battery cells and directly contacting the at least two secondary battery cells through the groove.
20 . The battery module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a single continuous portion of the edge of the flat negative busbar is in direct contact with the groove of each of the at least two secondary battery cells.
21 . A battery module, comprising:
a plurality of secondary battery cells;
at least one positive current collector structure;
at least one negative current collector structure; and
a retainer for holding the plurality of secondary battery cells, the at least one positive current collector structure, and the at least one negative current collector,
wherein:
each of the secondary battery cells includes:
an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode,
a positive terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode,
a negative terminal electrically connected to the negative electrode, and
a case receiving the electrode assembly,
the at least one positive current collector structure interconnects the positive terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other,
the at least one negative current collector structure interconnects the negative terminals of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells with each other,
the case of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells includes a groove, the groove extending around a circumference of the case and forming at least a part of the negative terminal of each of the plurality of secondary battery cells,
the at least one negative current collector structure includes a flat negative busbar arranged in a plane that is aligned with the circumference of the case of each of at least two of the plurality of secondary battery cells, the flat negative busbar being flat, and an inner edge of the flat negative busbar being in the groove of the case of each of the at least two secondary battery cells to connect the at least one negative current collector structure and the negative terminals of the at least two secondary battery cells with each other, and
the inner edge of the flat negative busbar has a linear shape, the linear shape extending continuously between the at least two secondary battery cells and contacting the at least two secondary battery cells through the groove.