Secondary battery having independent coupling frame members and battery module having the same

1. A secondary battery a shape of a plate, the secondary battery comprising:

a battery case made of a laminated sheet including a metal layer and a resin layer and including a sheathing member;

electrode leads disposed at an upper end of the sheathing member; and

independent coupling frame members, including an upper frame member, a lower frame member and a side frame member, wherein the upper frame member is mounted to an upper end portion of the sheathing member, the lower frame is mounted to a lower end portion of the sheathing member and the side frame member is mounted to a side end portion of the sheathing member,

wherein the upper frame member includes a horizontal groove formed at a side surface thereof and vertical grooves formed in a middle portion thereof and connected to the horizontal grooves,

the electrode leads are inserted into the upper frame member through the horizontal groove of the upper frame member, and

the electrode leads inserted through the horizontal groove are connected to bus bars when the bus bars are inserted into the vertical grooves of the upper frame member.

2. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein

the side frame includes a groove,

each of the upper end portion and the side end portion of the sheathing member includes a thin plate-shaped sealing portion,

the thin plate-shaped sealing portion of the upper end portion of the sheathing member is inserted into the horizontal groove of the upper frame member, and

the thin plate-shaped sealing portion of the upper end portion of the sheathing member is inserted into the groove of the side frame member.

3. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower frame members have the same height, and the height of the upper and lower frame members is greater than the height of the side frame member.

4. The secondary battery according to claim 3 , wherein the side frame member is tapered outward at the upper surfaces and/or the lower surfaces thereof.

5. The secondary battery according to claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the upper frame member in contact with the thin plate-shaped sealing portion of the upper end portion of the sheathing member and at least a portion of the side frame member in contact with the thin plate-shaped sealing portion of the side end portion of the side end portion of the sheathing member include an elastic material.

6. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the side frame member comprises:

a core part which is mechanically rigid; and

an elastic part surrounding an outer surface of the core part.

7. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein

the side frame member include a depression formed at a portion thereof in contact with the thin plate-shaped sealing portion of the side end portion of the side end portion of the sheathing member, and

an auxiliary sealing agent is filled in the depression to accomplish secure coupling between the frame members and the battery case when the frame members are coupled to the battery case.

8. The secondary battery according to claim 7 , wherein the auxiliary sealing agent is silicon.

9. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upper frame member and the lower frame member includes a coupling groove formed at a portion thereof contacting with the side frame member and having a shape corresponding to a vertical cross-sectional shape of the side frame member.

10. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein an upper surface and a lower surface of at least one of the upper frame member and the lower frame member are provided with engageably corresponding coupling protrusions and grooves.

11. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein

the bus bars are bent into an L-like shape such that vertical portions of the bus bars are inserted into the vertical grooves of the upper frame member, and horizontal portions of the bus bars are in contact with the electrode leads.

12. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the upper frame member include openings, through which contacting portions of the electrode leads and the bus bars are exposed for a welding between the electrode leads and the bus bars.

13. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein

the bus bars, which are connected to the electrode leads, are inserted into the vertical grooves of the upper frame member in opposite directions, such that

one bus bar of the bus bars is exposed from the upper surface of the upper frame member and

another bus bar of the bus bars is exposed from the lower surface of the upper frame member.

14. The secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the bus bars is provided at one side thereof with a voltage-detection and connection protrusion,

the upper frame member is provided at the side thereof with a side groove such that the voltage-detection and connection protrusion is exposed through the side groove while the each of the bus bars is mounted to the upper frame member, and

an end of the electrode leads, which is exposed from the side groove, is cut off.

15. The secondary battery according to claim 1 wherein

each of the bus bars is provided at one side thereof with a side extension for resistance welding of the bus bars, and

the upper frame member includes another side groove formed at the outer surface thereof corresponding to the side extension for welding.

16. A battery module including the secondary battery according to claim 1 as a unit cell,

wherein a plurality of odd-numbered unit cells and a plurality of even-numbered unit cells are alternately stacked, and

wherein the plurality of odd-numbered unit cells is stacked in a same orientation and the plurality of even-numbered unit cells is stacked in an orientation opposite to the orientation of the odd-numbered unit cells.

17. The battery module according to claim 16 , wherein the battery module supplies electric power to electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, electric motor cycles, or electric bicycles.