# US 12,015,163 B2 · Eco-friendly power source such as battery module for a transportation vehicle and method of manufacturing battery module

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- Number: US 12,015,163 B2
- Document ID: US12015163B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/184,421
- Filed: 2023-03-15
- Published: 2024-04-18
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-13
- Assignees: SK On Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: SK On Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Gang U Lee; Ho Yeon Kim; Sang Tae An; Hwa Kyoo Yoon; Jeong Woo Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015163B2

## CPC

- H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
- H01M 50/211: adapted for pouch cells
- H01M 10/0413: {Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes}
- H01M 10/058: Construction or manufacture
- 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 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/647: Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
- H01M 10/6554: Rods or plates
- H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552)
- H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64)
- H01M 50/262: with fastening means, e.g. locks
- H01M 50/507: comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- 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

An eco-friendly power source, such as a battery module provided for a transportation vehicle includes a first sub-module and a second sub-module disposed in a first direction, the first sub-module and the second sub-module respectively including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, and a lower cover coupled to the first sub-module and the second sub-module. The first sub-module and the second sub-module are disposed to be rotationally symmetrical to each other about a central axis, which is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery module, comprising:
a first sub-module and a second sub-module disposed in a first direction, the first sub-module and the second sub-module respectively including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction;
a busbar bar assembly disposed on each of the first sub-module and the second sub-module and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, and including a first busbar assembly and a second busbar assembly facing each other with the plurality battery cells between in the first direction; and
a terminal portion provided in the first busbar assembly and electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells,
wherein the first sub-module and the second sub-module are disposed to be rotationally symmetrical to each other about a central axis, which is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction,
wherein the first busbar assembly is positioned farther from the central axis than the second busbar assembly, and
wherein the terminal portion is disposed closer to one side edge of each of the first sub-module and the second sub-module in the first direction than to the central axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:
a lower cover coupled to the first sub-module and the second sub-module;
wherein the first sub-module and the second sub-module respectively include:
a cell stack in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked;
an end cover disposed to be adjacent to an edge of the lower cover;
a center cover disposed to be spaced apart from the end cover in the first direction; and
a plurality of side covers respectively coupled to the end cover and the center cover.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The battery module of claim 2, further comprising:
an upper cover disposed above the first sub-module and the second sub-module,
wherein in at least one of the upper cover and the lower cover, a portion facing the first sub-module and a portion facing the second sub-module are integrally formed with each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The battery module of claim 3, wherein
the first sub-module and the second sub-module further include a first sub-sensing module and a second sub-sensing module configured to sense states of the plurality of battery cells, respectively, and
the first sub-sensing module and the second sub-sensing module are arranged in the first direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The battery module of claim 4, wherein the first sub-sensing module and the second sub-sensing module are disposed to be closer to the center cover than to the end cover.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The battery module of claim 4, wherein the upper cover includes an opening through which the first sub-sensing module and the second sub-sensing module are exposable.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The battery module of claim 3, wherein the cell stack faces the upper cover or the lower cover in a state in which upper portions or lower portions of the plurality of battery cells are exposed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The battery module of claim 3, wherein the center cover is coupled to at least one of the upper cover or the lower cover.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The battery module of claim 8, further comprising:
a fastening member passing through the upper cover or the lower cover, the fastening member fastened to the center cover or the end cover.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The battery module of claim 3, wherein at least one of the upper cover or the lower cover is coupled to the plurality of side covers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The battery module of claim 2, wherein the side cover of the first sub-module and the side cover of the second sub-module are coupled to each other while facing each other in the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The battery module of claim 2, wherein the center cover of the first sub-module and the center cover of the second sub-module are in contact with each other in the first direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The battery module of claim 12, wherein
the center cover of the first sub-module includes an insertion protrusion inserted into the center cover of the second sub-module, and
the center cover of the second sub-module includes an insertion groove into which the insertion protrusion of the first sub-module is inserted.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The battery module of claim 2, the first sub-module and the second sub-module respectively further include
a plurality of insulating covers respectively disposed between the busbar assembly and the end cover of a corresponding sub-module and between the busbar assembly and the center cover of the corresponding sub-module.