Battery module including probe for detecting expansion of battery cell

A battery module comprising:

• a module case;
• two or more rechargeable battery cells embedded in the module case, wherein each of the two or more rechargeable battery cells is a pouch-type battery case having a receiving portion, and an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are received in the receiving portion, wherein the electrode assembly has a shape of a hexahedron of which top and bottom sides are relatively large, the receiving portion is recessed to a depth corresponding to a height of the electrode assembly, and a side surface that provides a depth of the receiving portion is disposed between bottom and external circumference sides that are provided for thermal welding of the receiving portion;
• two or more sensing probes, wherein each sensing probe is provided at an external surface of each battery cell, respectively, to sense a local expansion change of the respective battery cell and to transmit a signal, wherein each sensing probe is provided to contact an outer side of the side surface of the receiving portion of the respective battery cell;
• two or more probe mounting units in the module case, wherein each probe mounting unit has a shape that corresponds to an external shape of each of the two or more sensing probes, respectively;
• and
• a controller to receive the signal from each of the two or more sensing probes, to estimate an internal pressure of the battery cell from the received signal, and to generate a warning signal to assure safety of the battery module when the estimated internal pressure exceeds a threshold pressure level,
• wherein in of each of the two or more rechargeable battery cells, the respective sensing probe contacts the outer side of the side surface of the receiving portion where an electrode terminal of the battery cell is provided among the side surfaces of the receiving portion.