ICB Assembly, Battery Module Comprising the Same and Method for Fabricating the Battery Module

A method for fabricating a battery module, comprising:

• (a) preparing a plurality of interconnect board (ICB) assemblies, each ICB assembly including:
• an ICB frame in which cell leads of unidirectional battery cells are configured to be received such that the unidirectional battery cells having the cell leads at one end are configured to be placed facing each other with the cell leads facing each other, and busbars formed in the ICB frame and configured to be electrically connected to the cell leads;
• (b) laterally connecting and arranging the ICB frames of the ICB assemblies in the lengthwise direction of the ICB frames with a hinge structure between adjacent ICB frames;
• (c) mounting unidirectional battery cells on right and left sides of the lengthwise direction of the laterally connected ICB frames to horizontally arrange the battery cells such that the battery cells face each other;
• (d) connecting the ICB assemblies to the arranged battery cells by welding the busbars and the cell leads together on a top side;
• (e) stacking the battery cells by folding the arranged ICB frames at the hinge parts;
• and
• (f) coupling an additional busbar between the busbars of the ICB assemblies exposed to a side.

A battery module, comprising:

• units of battery cell—interconnect board (ICB) assembly—battery cell stacked in a heightwise direction from a ground, wherein in each unit, unidirectional battery cells having cell leads at one end are connected facing each other with respect to an ICB assembly such that the cell leads face each other,
• wherein each ICB assembly includes an ICB frame in which the cell leads are received and busbars formed in the ICB frame and electrically connected to the cell leads,
• wherein adjacent ICB assemblies of the stacked ICB assemblies are connected with a joint element, and
• wherein the battery module further comprises an additional busbar for vertical series connection of the battery cells coupled to a side of the stacked ICB assemblies.