Conductive plate and secondary battery pack using conductive plate

Abstract

A conductive plate connects the electrode terminals between batteries of a battery pack and prevents a change in thickness of the battery pack due to swelling of a battery during charging by forming an expansion unit in a conductive plate electrically connecting batteries of the battery pack in which at least two batteries are stacked.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the present invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of batteries of a conventional battery pack stacked in the thickness direction.

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of bending occurring in conventional battery packs.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a conductive plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a secondary battery pack to which a conductive plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5A is a front view of a secondary battery pack of FIG. 4 when swelling occurs.

FIG. 5B is a lateral view of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a secondary battery pack to which a conductive plate according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 7 is a partial lateral view of a secondary battery pack before and after swelling occurs in the secondary battery pack of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a secondary battery pack to which a conductive plate according to the third embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a conductive battery pack plate before and after swelling occurs in the secondary battery pack of FIG. 8.

Claims

1. A conductive plate, comprising; a welding portion electrically connected to electrode terminals of at least two batteries; andan expansion unit whose length is increased with respect to the welding portion in response to an external force being applied.

2. The conductive plate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a notching unit surrounding the welding portion arranged in the expansion unit, wherein the expansion unit expands with respect to the notching unit in response to an external force being applied.

3. The conductive plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the expansion unit comprises a plurality of wrinkled shapes arranged in a middle portion of the welding portion.

4. The conductive plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the expansion unit comprises a connection unit of a zigzag shape having a narrower width than a width of the welding portion.

5. A secondary battery pack comprising at least two batteries stacked in a thickness direction, electrode terminals of the stacked batteries being connected by a conductive plate, wherein the conductive plate comprises a welding portion connected to the electrode terminals of the batteries and an expansion unit whose length is increased with respect to the welding portion in response to an external force being applied.

6. The secondary battery pack as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a notching unit surrounding the welding portion arranged in the expansion unit, wherein the expansion unit expands with respect to the notching unit in response to an external force being applied.

7. The secondary battery pack as claimed in claim 5, wherein the expansion unit comprises a plurality of wrinkled shapes arranged in a middle portion of the welding portion.

8. The secondary battery pack as claimed in claim 5, wherein the expansion unit comprises a connection unit of a zigzag shape having a narrower width than a width the welding portion.