KR102341404B1 - Battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side in a first direction, and an intermediate member disposed between each of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the intermediate member is a side surface in contact with the plurality of battery cells A frame including a through-hole formed in a through hole and an installation hole formed on an upper or lower surface that does not come into contact with a plurality of battery cells, and expansion inhibition installed so as to be detachably attached to the frame by being inserted or taken out into the frame through the installation hole Disclosed is a battery module including a plate.

Description

Battery module

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery module, and more particularly, to a battery module capable of suppressing the expansion of a battery cell and absorbing heat generated from the battery cell.

In general, a battery cell is used as an energy source for mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electricity, etc., and can be used by changing the shape according to the type of external device to which it is applied.

For example, a small mobile device such as a mobile phone can operate for a predetermined time even with the output and capacity of a single battery cell. However, when long-time, high-power driving is required, such as an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle that consumes a lot of power, a large-capacity battery module may be configured by electrically connecting battery cells to increase output and capacity.

Such a battery module may control an output voltage or an output current according to the number of built-in battery cells. In addition, a battery pack may be configured by electrically connecting a plurality of such battery modules.

The above-mentioned background art is technical information that the inventor possessed for the derivation of the embodiments of the present invention or acquired in the process of derivation, and it cannot be said that it is necessarily known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the embodiments of the present invention. none.

SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention provide a battery module capable of suppressing expansion of a battery cell and absorbing heat generated from the battery cell.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side in a first direction, and an intermediate member disposed between each of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the intermediate member is a side surface in contact with the plurality of battery cells A frame including a through-hole formed in a through hole and an installation hole formed on an upper or lower surface that does not come into contact with a plurality of battery cells, and expansion inhibition installed so as to be detachably attached to the frame by being inserted or taken out into the frame through the installation hole Disclosed is a battery module including a plate.

In this embodiment, the expansion-inhibiting plate may be characterized in that it has a predetermined elastic force.

In this embodiment, the expansion inhibiting plate may include a plurality of opening holes.

In this embodiment, the expansion suppression plate may be characterized in that when the plurality of battery cells explode, it absorbs heat instantaneously emitted from the plurality of battery cells.

In this embodiment, when the plurality of battery cells expand along the first direction, the expansion inhibiting plate may be stretchable together with the plurality of battery cells in the first direction.

In the present embodiment, when the plurality of battery cells expand in the first direction, the expansion inhibiting plate applies a predetermined restoring force to the plurality of battery cells in a direction opposite to the direction in which the plurality of battery cells expand. can do.

In this embodiment, a plurality of installation holes are formed along the first direction, and a plurality of expansion inhibiting plates are provided, and the number of expansion inhibiting plates may correspond to the number of the plurality of installation holes.

In this embodiment, the intermediate member may further include an installation groove formed on the upper surface or the lower surface of the frame opposite to the installation hole with respect to the through hole to accommodate the expansion inhibiting plate.

Other aspects, features and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention.

According to the battery module according to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery module capable of suppressing the expansion of the battery cell by interposing an intermediate member having an expansion inhibiting plate between the battery cells.

In addition, according to the battery module according to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery module capable of absorbing heat generated in the battery cell by forming an opening hole in the expansion limiting plate.

Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by these effects.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly of the battery module of FIG. 1 ;
3A and 3B are exploded perspective views illustrating the intermediate member shown in FIG. 1 by disassembling it.
4A is a cut-away side view showing a state taken along line AA of FIG. 3A.
Figure 4b is a side view showing a state in which the intermediate member of Figure 3b viewed from the side.
FIG. 5 is a top view showing a state in which the intermediate member of FIG. 3 is viewed from the upper side.
Figure 6 is a side view showing the assembly of the intermediate member of Figure 3;
7A is a conceptual diagram visually depicting the pressure applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded when there is no intermediate member between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 7B is a conceptual diagram visually depicting a pressure applied to a battery cell when the battery cell is expanded when a barrier rib is interposed between the plurality of battery cells illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 7c is a diagram illustrating the pressure applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded when two expansion-inhibiting plates are interposed between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 in the intermediate member according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram that visually depicts
FIG. 7D is a diagram showing the pressure applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded when four expansion-inhibiting plates are interposed between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 in the intermediate member according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram that visually depicts

Since the present invention can apply various transformations and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. Effects and features of the present invention, and a method for achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms.

In the following embodiments, terms such as first, second, etc. are used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another, not in a limiting sense. Also, the singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, terms such as include or have means that the features or components described in the specification are present, and do not preclude the possibility that one or more other features or components will be added.

In addition, in the drawings, the size of the components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of description. For example, since the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily indicated for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the illustrated bar.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and when described with reference to the drawings, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and the overlapping description thereof will be omitted. .

1 is an exploded perspective view showing the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention is disassembled, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the battery module of FIG. 1 assembled.

1 and 2 , the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells 110 and an intermediate member 120 interposed between each battery cell 110 and , a housing 130 and an insulating member 140 may be included.

A plurality of battery cells 110 may be arranged side by side in the first direction. In detail, although not shown in the drawings, the battery cell 110 has a separator (not shown) interposed therebetween, and an electrode assembly (not shown) in which a positive electrode plate (not shown) and a negative electrode plate (not shown) are disposed on both sides thereof. It may have a conventional battery structure for charging and discharging a predetermined amount of power. In addition, the first terminal 111 and the second unit price 112 may protrude from one surface of each battery cell 110 while maintaining a constant distance therebetween.

Although not shown in the drawing, the first terminal 111 and the second terminal 112 of one battery cell 110 are connected to the first terminal 111 and the second terminal ( 112) and a bus bar (not shown) may be electrically connected to each other. Here, the first terminal 111 and the second terminal 112 may have positive or negative polarities, respectively.

In this way, the plurality of first terminals 111 and the plurality of second terminals 112 electrically connected to each other through the bus bar may be one positive terminal (not shown) and one negative terminal (not shown), as shown in the drawing. Although not shown, it may be exposed to the outside of a cover housing (not shown) surrounding the battery cell 110 together with the side housing 130s and the end housing 130e.

In addition, the battery module 100 is provided in plurality, similarly to the battery cells 110 , so that several may be configured as one battery pack (not shown). In this case, the positive terminal provided in each of the battery cells 110 . and negative terminals may also be electrically connected to each other through a bus bar (not shown).

The intermediate member 120 is disposed between each of the plurality of battery cells 110, and suppresses and suppresses a swelling phenomenon (hereinafter “expansion”) that occurs while the battery cells 110 are repeatedly charged and discharged. can play a controlling role. The specific structure of the intermediate member 120 will be described later in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 .

The housing 130 may surround and fix the plurality of battery cells 110 and the intermediate member 120 interposed between the battery cells 110 . In detail, the housing 130 includes a pair of end housings 130e facing the wide surface of the battery cell 110 , and a pair of side housings connected to the end housing 130e and facing the side surfaces of the battery cells 110 . It may include a housing 130s and a cover housing (not shown) facing the upper side of the battery cell 110 although not shown in the drawing. The end housing 130e, the side housing 130s, and the cover housing are for fixing the plurality of battery cells 110 and the intermediate member 120 as one battery module 100, and their shape is the battery module ( 100) can be variously deformed according to the shape of the figure.

The insulating member 140 is interposed between the battery cell 110 and the housing 130 to prevent heat generated from the battery cell 110 from being conducted to the housing 130 , and also to the battery cell 110 and the housing ( 130) performs the function of electrically insulating between them. In the drawings, the insulating member 140 is disposed on the wide area side of the battery cell 110 and is depicted as being interposed between the battery cell 110 and the end housing 130e, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. , of course, it may be interposed between a narrow area of the battery cell 110 , that is, a side surface of the battery cell 110 and the side housing 130s.

Hereinafter, the intermediate member 120 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 .

3A and 3B are exploded perspective views showing the intermediate member shown in FIG. 1 by disassembling, FIG. 4A is a cutaway side view showing a state taken along line AA of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the intermediate member shown in FIG. 3B It is a side view showing the state, FIG. 5 is a top view showing the state seen from the upper side of the intermediate member of FIG. 3 , and FIG. 6 is a side view showing the assembly of the intermediate member of FIG. 3 .

3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5 and 6 , the intermediate member 120 includes a through hole 122 formed on a side surface in contact with the plurality of battery cells 110 and a plurality of batteries. The frame 121 (refer to FIGS. 3A and 4A ) including an installation hole 123 formed on the upper or lower surface not in contact with the cell 110, and the installation hole 123 to the inside of the frame 121 It may include an expansion-inhibiting plate 125 (refer to FIGS. 3b and 4b) that is installed to be detachably attached to the frame 121 by being inserted or taken out.

The frame 121 is a frame-shaped component and may be provided in a hollow shape. Here, the through hole 122 corresponding to the hollow may provide a free space capable of preventing a collision with another adjacent battery cell 110 when the battery cell 110 expands in the first direction.

That is, the thickness t of the frame 121 in the first direction may be the expansion free space of the battery cell 110 provided as the through hole 122 . Of course, since the degree of expansion of the battery cells 110 is excessive, the free space provided by the through-holes 122 may not be sufficient to prevent contact of the battery cells 110 adjacent to each other, but to a certain level, the battery cells The thickness (t) of the frame 121 is a certain specific value in that, in spite of the expansion of 110 , a space in which adjacent battery cells 110 can be expanded along the first direction can be provided without contacting each other. It is not limited to the value.

Meanwhile, as described above, an installation hole 123 into which the expansion inhibiting plate 125 can be inserted or taken out may be formed in the upper or lower surface of the frame 121 . In addition, when the expansion inhibiting plate 125 is inserted through the installation hole 123 on the upper or lower surface of the frame 121 , the expansion inhibiting plate 125 is accommodated and the expansion inhibiting plate 125 is fixed to the frame 121 . An installation groove 124 providing a predetermined space may be formed.

For example, when the installation hole 123 is formed on the upper surface of the frame 121 as shown in FIG. 3 , the installation groove 124 may be formed on the lower surface of the frame 121 (of course, vice versa). . That is, the installation hole 123 and the installation groove 124 may be installed on the upper surface or the lower surface of the frame 120 to face each other around the through hole 122 .

The expansion inhibiting plate 125 may be installed to be detachably attached to the frame 121 by being inserted into or taken out of the frame 121 through the installation hole 123 formed in the frame 121 . In detail, two expansion inhibiting plates 125 may be provided as shown in FIG. 3 , but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

That is, three or four expansion-inhibiting plates 125 may be provided depending on the thermal characteristics of the battery cells 110 , or one may be provided. The number of such expansion-inhibiting plates 125 may correspond to the number of installation holes 123 formed in the frame 121 . That is, one or more installation holes 123 may be formed in the frame 121 , and the number of expansion inhibiting plates 125 inserted or taken out into the installation holes 123 according to the number of such installation holes 123 may be determined. can

More specifically, the expansion-inhibiting plate 125 may include a material having a predetermined elastic force. That is, when the plurality of battery cells 110 expand in the first direction, the expansion inhibiting plate 125 may be stretchable together with the plurality of battery cells 110 in the first direction. In addition, when the plurality of battery cells 110 expand in the first direction, the expansion inhibiting plate 125 is disposed on the plurality of battery cells 110 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 expand. A predetermined restoring force may be applied.

Also, the expansion inhibiting plate 125 may include a plurality of opening holes 125h. That is, the expansion inhibiting plate 125 may be a kind of mesh plate. These opening holes 125h formed in the expansion limiting plate 125 can prevent a trap phenomenon in which heat generated in the battery cells 110 is trapped between the battery cells 110 , and furthermore, the battery cells 110 . ) can act as an endothermic safety device that absorbs heat instantaneously when it explodes.

On the other hand, the expansion inhibiting plate 125 may be installed on the frame 121 in a fixed form by being attached to the fixed plate 126, for example, when a plurality of expansion inhibiting plates 125 are formed as shown in FIG. The expansion inhibiting plate 125 may be installed on the fixing plate 126 in a state spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. On the other hand, although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of expansion inhibiting plates 125 are provided separately without a fixing plate 126 , so that one expansion inhibiting plate 125 is attached to the frame 121 through one installation hole 123 . A plurality of expansion-inhibiting plates 125 may be installed in the frame 121 through a plurality of installation holes 123 in an installation manner.

Hereinafter, when the intermediate member 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention is interposed between the battery cells 110 with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7D , the battery cells 110 according to the expansion of the battery cells 110 . Let's look at the pressure distribution applied to the

First, the unit of the numerical value shown in the upper left of FIGS. 7A to 7D is MPa, and when a constant stress is applied across the x, y, and z axes of the battery cell 110 isotropic, the battery cell (110) indicates a pressure value sensed. Hereinafter, the numerical values shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D will be described on the assumption that they are relative to each other.

FIG. 7A is a conceptual diagram visually depicting pressure applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded when there is no intermediate member between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 .

That is, FIG. 7A shows the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 by the expansion of the battery cells 110 when the battery cells 110 are in direct contact with each other. Referring to FIG. 7A , when the battery cells 110 are in direct contact with each other, it can be seen that the greatest pressure is applied to the central portion of the battery cells 110 .

FIG. 7B is a conceptual diagram visually depicting pressure applied to a battery cell when the battery cell is expanded when a barrier rib is interposed between the plurality of battery cells illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Here, the term “bulk wall” refers to a partition wall (not shown) made of a general ceramic material, rather than the intermediate member 120 having the expansion limiting plate 125 as in the embodiment of the present invention.

7c is a case in which two expansion-inhibiting plates are interposed between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 in the intermediate member according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the pressure applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded; is a conceptual diagram that visually depicts

And, FIG. 7D is a case in which four expansion inhibiting plates are interposed between the plurality of battery cells shown in FIG. 1 in the intermediate member according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, applied to the battery cells when the battery cells are expanded. It is a conceptual diagram that visually depicts the loss of pressure.

7A to 7D , when the battery cells 110 are in direct contact with each other, the highest level of pressure is applied over the entire central portion of the battery cells 110 as shown in FIG. 7A . can be checked On the other hand, when a partition wall or an intermediate member 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention is interposed between the battery cells 110, the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 is significantly relieved in FIGS. 7B to 7B . You can check it with 7d.

Specifically, when the barrier ribs or the intermediate member 120 are not interposed between the battery cells 110 (see FIG. 7A ), when the barrier ribs are interposed between the battery cells 110 (see FIG. 7B ) When the pressure relief effect of about 9% (1.449 to 1.312) is expected, and the intermediate member 120 provided with the two expansion suppression plates 125 is interposed between the battery cells 110 (see FIG. 7c ) A pressure relief effect of about 11% (1.449 to 1.292) is expected, and when the intermediate member 120 provided with four expansion suppression plates 125 is interposed between the battery cells 110 (see FIG. 7d ) A pressure relief effect of about 14% (1.449 to 1.247) is expected.

Referring to the data, when the intermediate member 120 in which a plurality of expansion inhibiting plates 125 are installed is interposed between the battery cells 110 , the number of expansion inhibiting plates 125 installed in the intermediate member 120 . Accordingly, it can be confirmed that the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 can be relieved by 10% or more according to the expansion of the battery cells 110 .

Of course, the number of expansion suppression plates 125 installed on the intermediate member 120 depends on the size or capacity of the battery module 100 and the physical/electrical characteristics of the battery module 100 itself, such as the battery module 100 ) can be selected in various ways when designing, of course.

In addition, as described above, when the intermediate member 120 is interposed between the battery cells 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 can be relieved as well as the battery cells. The effect of absorbing the heat generated in 110 can also be expected, and in particular, in an emergency situation when the battery cell 110 explodes, it is possible to primarily absorb the instantaneous explosion heat of the battery cell 110, so the battery module ( 100) can effectively improve the stability.

As such, the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, but this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and variations of the embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

100: battery module 122: through hole
110: battery cell 123: installation hole
111: first terminal 124: installation groove
112: second terminal 125: expansion suppression plate
120: intermediate member 126: fixing plate
121: frame 130: housing

Claims (8)

a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side in a first direction; and
Including; an intermediate member disposed between each of the plurality of battery cells;
The intermediate member is
a frame including a through hole formed in a side surface in contact with the plurality of battery cells and an installation hole formed in an upper surface or a lower surface not in contact with the plurality of battery cells;
and an expansion restraining plate installed to be detachably attached to the frame by being inserted or taken out of the frame through the installation hole,
The expansion-inhibiting plate includes a plurality of opening holes, the battery module. According to claim 1,
The expansion-inhibiting plate is characterized in that it has a predetermined elastic force, the battery module. delete According to claim 1,
The expansion inhibiting plate is characterized in that when the plurality of battery cells explode, it characterized in that for absorbing the heat emitted instantaneously from the plurality of battery cells, the battery module. According to claim 1,
When the plurality of battery cells expand in the first direction, the expansion suppression plate is stretchable together with the plurality of battery cells in the first direction, the battery module. According to claim 1,
When the plurality of battery cells expand in the first direction, the expansion suppression plate applies a predetermined restoring force to the plurality of battery cells in a direction opposite to the direction in which the plurality of battery cells expand , battery module. According to claim 1,
A plurality of the installation holes are formed along the first direction,
The expansion inhibiting plate is provided with a plurality of, the number of the expansion inhibiting plate corresponding to the number of the plurality of installation holes, the battery module. According to claim 1,
The intermediate member is
The battery module further comprising an installation groove formed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the frame opposite to the installation hole with respect to the through hole to accommodate the expansion inhibiting plate.

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