# US 2021/0242548 A1 · Battery module with improved safety, battery pack including the battery module and vehicle including the battery pack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242548 A1 - Document ID: US20210242548A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/049,914 - Filed: 2019-11-07 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-07 - Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd. - Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd. - Inventors: Han-Young LEE; Kyung-Min LEE; Bum-Young JUNG; Jeong-Ho HA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242548A1 ## CPC - 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 50/105: Pouches or flexible bags - H01M 50/178: for pouch or flexible bag cells - H01M 50/211: adapted for pouch cells - H01M 50/244: Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method - H01M 50/289: characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) - H01M 50/50: Current conducting connections for cells or batteries - H01M 50/503: characterised by the shape of the interconnectors - H01M 50/505: comprising a single busbar - H01M 50/51: Connection only in series - H01M 50/516: by welding, soldering or brazing - H01M 50/522: Inorganic material - H01M 50/526: having a layered structure - H01M 50/528: Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection - H01M 50/548: on opposite sides of the cell - H01M 50/557: Plate-shaped terminals - H01M 50/574: Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current - H01M 50/581: in response to temperature - H01M 50/583: in response to current, e.g. fuses - H01M 2200/00: Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries - H01M 2200/10: Temperature sensitive devices - 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 A battery module improves safety by blocking current when the temperature rises, a battery pack includes the battery module, and a vehicle includes the battery pack. The battery module includes two or more battery cells, an electrode assembly having both ends respectively connected to one ends of electrode leads of opposite polarities in a pouch case together with an electrolyte and other ends of the electrode leads are exposed to an outside of the pouch case, wherein the electrode leads and a bus bar connecting a first battery cell and a second battery cell, wherein the bus bar comprises a metal layer and a material layer that is normally conductive but may act as a resistor when a temperature rises, and wherein the material layer comprises a gas generating material that is decomposed at a certain temperature or higher to generate a gas and increase resistance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery module comprising: two or more battery cells, wherein the two or more battery cells are pouch type secondary batteries, each battery cell having an electrode assembly having ends respectively connected to a first end of an electrode lead of opposite polarities sealed in a pouch case together with an electrolyte and a second end of each electrode lead exposed to an outside of the pouch case, wherein the electrode leads and a bus bar are connected to a first battery cell and a second battery cell of the two or more battery cells, wherein the bus bar comprises a metal layer and a material layer that is conductive, but capable of acting as a resistor above a predetermined temperature, and wherein the material layer comprises a gas generating material that is decomposed at the predetermined temperature or higher to generate a gas and increase resistance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the material layer further comprises a conductive material, and an adhesive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the gas generating material is melamine cyanurate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The battery module of claim 2, wherein the conductive materials are connected and fixed to each other by the adhesive, and when the gas is generated, the conductive materials are disconnected to increase resistance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the bus bar includes a block and a body, the block being connected to the electrode leads, the block being separate from the body and embedded in the body, a surface of the block being exposed to an outside, the material layer being interposed between the body and the block. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the bus bar comprises: a first block connected to an electrode lead of the first battery cell; and a second block connected to an electrode lead of the second battery cell, wherein a current flow path from the first battery cell to the second battery cell is provided along the electrode lead of the first battery cell, the first block, a first material layer interposed between the body and the first block, a second material layer interposed between the body and the second block, the second block, and the electrode lead of the second battery cell, in order. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell are connected in series through the bus bar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The battery module of claim 7, wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell are stacked such that respective electrode leads are stacked to have opposite polarities, and the second end of the electrode lead of the first battery cell and the second end of the electrode lead of the second battery cell are bent toward each other in a stack direction and the bus bar is disposed in parallel to the stack direction between bent portions of the respective electrode leads such that the respective electrode leads are connected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the bus bar is in a plate shape with a thickness less than a length and a width and is provided with grooves through which the electrode leads penetrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A battery pack comprising: at least one battery module according to claim 1; and a pack case configured to package the at least one battery module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 10.