Battery module, battery pack including battery module, and vehicle including battery pack

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery module, which includes a plurality of battery cells stacked one another and respectively having electrode leads protruding in the front and rear directions of the battery module, and a bus bar unit configured to integrally connect the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells stacked one on another and respectively having electrode leads protruding in the front and rear directions of the battery module at a first end and a second end of the plurality of battery cells, the first end being opposite from the second end; and 
 a bus bar unit configured to integrally connect electrically connect the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells,
 wherein the bus bar unit includes: 
 a first bus bar frame mounted in front of on a first side of the pluarality of battery cells module; 
 a first bus bar coupled to the first bus bar frame and electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, which protrude to the front the first side of the battery module; 
 a second bus bar frame mounted behind on a second side of the plurality of battery cells module; 
 a second bus bar coupled to the second bus bar frame and electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, which protrude to the rear the second side of the battery module; and 
 a sensing bus bar configured to electrically connect the second bus bar and the first bus bar and integrally mounted to contacting the first bus bar and the second bus bar, 
 
 wherein the sensing bus bar includes an elastic bending portion which is configured to be elastically bendable and that is elastically bendable and is folded in  the front and rear first and second directions of the plurality of battery cells module, 
 wherein the sensing bus bar has a total length that is longer than a length of the  plurality of battery cells module in the front and rear first and second direction of the plurality of battery cells module, and 
 wherein the sensing bus bar including the elastic bending portion that is folded has a shorter length between the first and second bus bars that corresponds to the length of the plurality of battery cells module in the front and rear first and second directions of the plurality of battery  cells module when the bus bar unit is integrally  electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, and 
 wherein the elastic bending portion has at least one fold that overlaps the sensing bus bar. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic bending portion is bent in at least two stages when being mounted coupled to the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame toward the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       3. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein when any one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame is mounted to the plurality of battery cells, the other one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame is slidably mounted attached in the front and rear first and second directions of the plurality of battery  cells module. 
     
     
       4. The battery module according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a reinforcing plate provided between the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame to cover one surface of the plurality of battery cells. 
 
     
     
       5. The battery module according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame includes:
 a bus bar mounting portion to which the first bus bar or the second bus bar is mounted; and 
 a cell covering portion bent from the bus bar mounting portion to cover one surface of the plurality of battery cells along the front and rear first and second directions of the battery module. 
 
     
     
       6. The battery module according to  claim 5 , wherein the cell covering portion of the first bus bar frame and the cell covering portion of the second bus bar frame are shaped to correspond to each other in the front and rear first and second directions of the  plurality of battery cells module. 
     
     
       7. The battery module according to  claim 6 , wherein when any one of the first bus bar frame and the second bus bar frame is slidably mounted, the cell covering portion of the first bus bar frame and the cell covering portion of the second bus bar frame are engaged with each other to cover one surface of the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       8. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sensing bus bar is any one selected from a flexible circuit board, a flexible flat cable and a wire. 
 
     
     
       9. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein a thermistor is integrally mounted to the sensing bus bar. 
     
     
       10. The battery module according to  claim 1   claim 3 , wherein the first bus bar frame, the first bus bar, the second bus bar frame, the second bus bar and the sensing bus bar are integrally coupled to each other before being mounted  attached to the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       11. A battery pack, comprising:
 at least one battery module defined in  claim 1 ; and 
 a pack case configured to package the at least one battery module. 
 
     
     
       12. A vehicle, comprising:
 at least one battery pack defined in  claim 11 . 
 
     
     
       13. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the shorter length of the sensing bus bar between the first and second bus bars that corresponds to the length of the plurality of battery cells module in the front and rear first and second directions of the plurality of battery  cells module is less than the total length of the sensing bus bar. 
     
     
       14. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first and second bus bars when the bus bar unit is integrally electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells is shorter than the total length of the sensing bus bar. 
     
     
       15. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second directions are parallel but opposite directions from each other. 
     
     
       16. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells stacked on another and respectively having electrode leads at a first end and a second end, the first end being opposite from the second end; and   a bus bar unit configured to electrically connect the electrode leads,   wherein the bus bar unit includes:
 a first bus bar coupled to a first bus bar frame and a second bus bar coupled to a second bus bar frame, the first bus bar and the second bus bar being spaced apart from each other; and 
 a sensing bus bar having a length in front and rear directions of the battery module and configured to electrically connect the first bus bar and the second bus bar, 
   wherein the sensing bus bar includes an elastic bending portion that is folded in the front and rear directions of the battery module,   wherein a length of the sensing bus bar is longer than a length of the plurality of battery cells, and a length of the elastic bending portion is shorter than the length of the plurality of battery cells, and   wherein the elastic bending portion has at least one fold that overlaps the sensing bus bar.   
     
     
       17. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells stacked on another and respectively having electrode leads protruding from the plurality of battery cells at a first end and a second end, the first end being opposite from the second end; and   a bus bar unit configured to connect the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the bus bar unit includes:
 a first bus bar coupled to a first bus bar frame and electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, which protrude to a first side of the battery module; 
 a second bus bar coupled to a second bus bar frame and electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, which protrude to a second side of the battery module; and 
 a sensing bus bar configured to electrically connect the second bus bar and the first bus bar and contacting the first bus bar and the second bus bar, 
   wherein the sensing bus bar includes an elastic bending portion that is folded in first and second directions of the battery module,   wherein the sensing bus bar has a total length that is longer than a length of the battery module in the first and second directions of the battery module,   wherein the sensing bus bar including the elastic bending portion that is folded has a shorter length between the first and second bus bars that corresponds to the length of the battery module in the first and second directions of the battery module when the bus bar unit is electrically connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells, and   wherein the elastic bending portion has at least one fold that overlaps the sensing bus bar.