US 12,068,493 B2
Battery module
Dong Jin Kim, Daejeon (KR); Jeong Woon Ko, Daejeon (KR); Seul Gi Shin, Daejeon (KR); and Seo Roh Rhee, Daejeon (KR)
Assigned to SK ON CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Filed by SK On Co., Ltd., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/575,881.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0005306 (KR), filed on Jan. 14, 2021; and application No. 10-2021-0123343 (KR), filed on Sep. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0223958 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01M 50/211 (2021.01); H01M 10/04 (2006.01); H01M 50/291 (2021.01); H01M 50/502 (2021.01)
CPC H01M 50/211 (2021.01) [H01M 10/0481 (2013.01); H01M 50/291 (2021.01); H01M 50/502 (2021.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A battery module comprising:
a plurality of secondary battery cells, each including an electrode lead connected to an electrode assembly and, a terrace portion of a cell body member in which the electrode assembly is accommodated, and a sealing portion connected to the terrace portion, the terrace portion and the sealing portion forming an edge of the cell body member, the terrace portion including a first terrace portion disposed at a portion where the electrode lead is exposed and a second terrace portion disposed a portion where the electrode lead is not disposed, the sealing portion including a first sealing portion disposed between the electrode lead exposed outwardly and the first terrace portion, the first terrace portion extending in a first direction, the second terrace portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a housing unit in which the plurality of secondary battery cells is accommodated; and
a guard unit including a first area, facing at least a portion of the first terrace portion, to delay swelling or bursting of the sealing portion of at least one of the plurality of secondary battery cells, wherein:
the guard unit has a shape in which a first gap is smaller than a thickness of the cell body member surrounding the electrode assembly to limit expansion of a thickness of the first terrace portion of the cell body member, the first gap being a distance between internal surfaces of the first area and corresponding to a space in which the first terrace portion is expandable,
the guard unit is installed to correspond to the plurality of secondary battery cells and comprises a plurality of openings,
the first sealing portion and the first terrace portion of each secondary battery cell enter through each of the plurality of openings in the first direction,
the first area is configured to face both sides of the first terrace portion and is formed in each of the plurality of openings, and
the guard unit is configured not to cover the second terrace portion in the second direction using the plurality of openings.