# US 10,481,208 B2 · Method for welding electrode leads of secondary battery module and compact secondary battery module using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,208 B2 - Document ID: US10481208B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/533,165 - Filed: 2015-12-24 - Published: 2017-11-30 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-24 - Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd. - Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd. - Inventors: Bum-Hyun Lee; Jin-Kyu Shin; Seang-Hee Chae - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481208B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/364: Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements - H01M 10/46: Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature} - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/256: Carrying devices, e.g. belts - H01M 50/264: for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames - H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings - H01M 50/291: characterised by their shape - H01M 50/50: Current conducting connections for cells or batteries - H01M 50/507: comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules - H01M 50/519: comprising printed circuit boards [PCB] - H01M 50/528: Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection - H01M 50/552: characterised by their shape - H01M 50/566: by welding, soldering or brazing - H01M 50/569: Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals (battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364) - H01M 50/588: outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Disclosed is a compact secondary battery module, which includes a cartridge assembly having a plurality of cartridges stacked while accommodating cells, respectively, so that a plurality of lead welding portions where a first lead and a second lead of adjacent cells overlap with each other are located at a cartridge sidewall with a predetermined pattern; and a sensing housing having a plurality of bus bars located and welded corresponding to the lead welding portions, respectively, the sensing housing being capable of being arranged at a side of the cartridge assembly, wherein when the sensing housing is coupled to the cartridge assembly, the first lead, the second lead and the bus bar are located in order from the sidewall of the cartridge in an outer direction and welded from the bus bar. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A compact secondary battery module, comprising: a plurality of cartridges configured to accommodate cells, respectively, the plurality of cartridges stacked in a first direction; a first battery cell accommodated in a first cartridge of the plurality of cartridges, the first battery cell having a first lead extending from the first cartridge; a second battery cell accommodated in a second cartridge of the plurality of cartridges, the second battery cell having a second lead extending from the second cartridge; and a sensing housing arranged at a side of a cartridge assembly in which the cartridges are stacked, the sensing housing having a plurality of bus bars, wherein corresponding electrode leads of adjacent cells are arranged to be coplanar in a first plane and one of the plurality of bus bars in a second plane overlaps the first lead and second lead and then is welded to the first lead and second lead at two welding points, the second plane being parallel to the first plane, and wherein the corresponding electrode leads of adjacent cells are spaced from one another in the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, further comprising: a barrier provided at a side of each cartridge to protect the cell during a welding work. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein the lead of each battery cell is bent at a right angle at about 1 mm from a lead insulation portion in a state of being accommodated in the corresponding cartridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein the welding is laser welding. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 4, wherein in the laser welding, laser is irradiated substantially perpendicular to the sensing housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein the sensing housing further includes a battery management system (BMS) circuit board configured to manage voltage and/or temperature data of each cell detected by each bus bar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 6, wherein the sensing housing is coupled to the cartridge assembly by means of snap-fitting or hooking. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 6, further comprising: a sensing cover coupled to the sensing housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 8, wherein the sensing cover is coupled to the sensing housing by means of snap-fitting or hooking. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein two neighboring cartridges of the cartridge assembly are coupled to each other by means of hooking. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly further includes an upper cover and a lower cover coupled to cartridges at both ends thereof by means of hooking. ### Claim 12 A method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module, comprising: preparing a plurality of cartridges configured to accommodate a plurality of cells, respectively, and a sensing housing having a plurality of bus bars arranged at a side of a cartridge assembly in which the cartridges are stacked, each cartridge having a battery cell therein, and an electrode lead of each battery cell extending from a respective cartridge; stacking the plurality of cartridges in a first direction to form a cartridge assembly; bending corresponding electrode leads of adjacent cells; and arranging the corresponding electrode leads of adjacent cells to be coplanar in a first plane and one of the plurality of bus bars in a second plane overlapping the electrode leads and then welding the bus bar to the electrode leads at two welding points, the second plane being parallel to the first plane, wherein the corresponding electrode leads of adjacent cells are spaced from one another in the first direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module according to claim 12, further comprising forming a barrier at a side of each cartridge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module according to claim 12, further comprising bending each lead at a right angle at about 1 mm from a lead insulation portion of the cell in a state of being accommodated in the corresponding cartridge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module according to claim 12, wherein the welding uses a laser welder. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module according to claim 15, wherein a laser irradiation direction of the laser welder is substantially perpendicular to the sensing housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The compact secondary battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first lead and the second do not overlap in a second direction, the second direction being in the first plane and perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method for welding electrode leads of a compact secondary battery module according to claim 12, wherein the first lead and the second do not overlap in a second direction, the second direction being in the first plane and perpendicular to the first direction.