KR20160054253A - Cartridge for secondary battery and battery module including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a cartridge for a secondary battery wherein gas generated in a secondary battery is able to be prevented from coming into a flow path for cooling, or a duct connected to the same by improving a bonding strength and a sealing strength between a cooling plate and a main frame. According to the present invention, the cartridge for a secondary battery comprises: a main frame including four unit frames having both end parts connected to each other to cover a side surface of an outer circumference part of a secondary battery, having a horizontally penetrating opening part formed in at least part of the unit frames, and configured such that two or more can be stacked in a vertical direction; an upper cooling plate having a plate shape, including an upper bending part at least having an end part on one side bent upwards, and having the upper bending part inserted into the unit frames; and a lower cooling plate having the plate shape, arranged with a predetermined distance from the upper cooling plate while facing the upper cooling plate to form a cooling flow path between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate, including a lower bending part at least having an end part on one side bent downwards, and having the lower bending part inserted into the unit frames.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge for a secondary battery and a battery module including the same,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a battery including at least one secondary battery, and more particularly, to a battery including a plurality of secondary batteries and used for storing or stacking a secondary battery when the battery module is constructed, To a method of manufacturing such a cartridge.

The secondary rechargeable batteries are nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have almost no memory effect compared to nickel- It is very popular because of its low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

These lithium secondary batteries mainly use a lithium-based oxide and a carbonaceous material as a cathode active material and an anode active material, respectively. The lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate each coated with such a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are disposed with a separator interposed therebetween, and an outer casing, that is, a battery case, for sealingly storing the electrode assembly together with the electrolyte solution.

Generally, a lithium secondary battery can be classified into a can type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and a pouch type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the casing.

In recent years, secondary batteries are widely used not only in small-sized devices such as portable electronic devices, but also in medium to large-sized devices such as automobiles and electric power storage devices. When used in such a medium to large-sized apparatus, a large number of secondary batteries are electrically connected to increase capacity and output. In particular, pouch-type secondary batteries are widely used because they are easy to laminate in such a middle- or large-sized apparatus.

However, since the pouch-type secondary battery is generally packaged in a battery case of a laminate sheet of aluminum and polymer resin, the mechanical rigidity is not so large. Therefore, when a battery module including a plurality of pouch-shaped secondary batteries is constructed, a cartridge is often used to protect the secondary battery from external impact, prevent the flow thereof, and facilitate stacking.

The cartridge is usually made of a polymer material in the form of a square plate with a central portion being empty, in which case four side portions surround the outer periphery of the pouch type secondary battery. These cartridges are used in a stacked form to constitute a battery module, and the secondary battery can be located in an empty space formed when the cartridges are stacked.

Meanwhile, when a plurality of secondary batteries are assembled using a plurality of cartridges, a cooling plate formed in the form of a metal plate may be interposed between the secondary batteries. The secondary battery may be used in a high temperature environment such as in the summer, and the secondary battery itself may also generate heat. In this case, when the plurality of secondary batteries are laminated to each other, the temperature of the secondary battery may be further increased. If the temperature is higher than the proper temperature, the performance of the secondary battery may deteriorate, and there is a risk of explosion or ignition in severe cases. Therefore, a configuration in which a cooling pin is interposed between the secondary batteries when constructing the battery module, and the temperature rise of the secondary battery is prevented through the cooling plate is often used.

In the case of a battery module in which such a plate-like cooling plate is interposed between secondary batteries, the secondary battery can be cooled in various forms and systems. Among these cooling methods, an air-cooling type in which the temperature of the secondary battery is lowered through heat exchange between the cooling plate and the air by making the outside air flow around the cooling plate is widely used. In the case of a battery module that cools the secondary battery by using the air cooling type, a cooling flow path is secured around the cooling plate, and the cooling flow path is connected to the duct so that air inside and outside the battery module can flow in and out.

However, in the case of the battery module configured as above, a problem may occur that the gas generated from the secondary battery is discharged to the outside through the cooling channel and the duct. That is, the pouch type secondary battery may generate gas during use, and such gas may contain harmful components to the human body. However, if the harmful gas generated from the secondary battery penetrates into the cooling channel, the harmful gas permeated can be discharged to the outside through the duct, and the discharged gas can be sucked by the battery user.

Particularly, the cartridge can be formed in such a manner that a cooling plate made of a metal and a main frame made of a polymer are coupled to each other. When there is a gap in the joining portion between the cooling plate and the main frame, The gas of the battery can flow into the cooling channel.

Further, in the case of a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, since a middle- or large-sized battery pack including many secondary batteries is installed, there is a high possibility that gas is discharged from the secondary battery. Therefore, when the conventional cartridge is used in the automobile as it is, when the harmful gas is discharged from the secondary battery and introduced into the duct, the automobile operator sucks the harmful gas introduced into the duct to harm the human body, There is also a risk that the driver's ability will be reduced and accidents will occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling plate and a main frame, And a battery module including such a cartridge, a battery pack, and an automobile.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited thereto. It will also be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a cartridge for a secondary battery, including four unit frames connected at both ends thereof to cover an outer peripheral side surface of the secondary battery, A main frame formed with openings and capable of stacking at least two in a vertical direction; And an upper bending portion having at least one end bent upward in an upper direction, the upper bending portion being inserted into the unit frame; And a lower bending portion formed at a predetermined distance from the upper cooling plate so as to face the upper cooling plate and forming a cooling flow path between the upper cooling plate and the upper cooling plate and having at least one end bent downward, And the lower bending portion may include a lower cooling plate inserted into the unit frame.

In the main frame, the openings are formed in two unit frames opposed to each other, and the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate are arranged on the side where the unit frame having the opening is located, A bending portion may be provided.

In addition, the upper bending portion may be inserted into the opening portion of the main frame in an upward direction, and the lower bending portion may be inserted in an opening portion of the main frame in a downward direction.

Further, the opening may be formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the unit frame, and the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the opening.

In addition, at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be bent such that an end portion thereof is positioned inward of the outermost side of the upper cooling plate or the lower cooling plate.

At least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be interposed between the end portion and the main body of the upper cooling plate or the lower cooling plate.

Also, at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be bent such that the end portion is directed from the inside to the outside.

At least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be located inside the unit frame.

At least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion may be curved or rounded.

Further, the secondary battery cartridge according to the present invention may include two or more of the upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate, and the main frame.

Further, the two or more main frames may be configured such that at least one side thereof is coupled to each other in the horizontal direction.

In addition, the upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate, and the main frame may be disposed more than two with respect to a long side of the secondary battery.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery module for a secondary battery according to the present invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery pack for a secondary battery according to the present invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automobile comprising a cartridge for a secondary battery according to the present invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a cartridge, the method including: forming an upper cooling plate having an upper bending portion formed of a plate-like metal material and having at least one end bent upward, Preparing a lower cooling plate having a lower bending portion with at least one end bent downwardly; Arranging the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate so as to face each other and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction; And at least a part of the space between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate is opened so that at least the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion are located inside the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate, And injecting inserts.

According to an aspect of the present invention, in a cartridge for laminating a secondary battery in which a main frame and a cooling plate are combined, a coupling force and a sealing force between the main frame and the cooling plate can be enhanced.

Particularly, in the cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention, the cooling plate may be made of a metal material and the main frame may be made of a polymer material. Even though the material is a different material, the coupling force and the sealing force between the cooling plate and the main frame are stable .

Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the gas from flowing into the flow path between the cooling plates even if gas is generated from the secondary battery during use of the battery module or the battery pack.

According to an aspect of the present invention, even if vibration or impact is applied to the battery module or the battery pack, a problem that a gap is generated between the cooling plate and the main frame can be effectively prevented.

Further, the cartridge according to one aspect of the present invention can be easily manufactured by the insert injection method in which the main frame is injected while the cooling plate is inserted.

In this case, the cartridge according to an aspect of the present invention may not easily generate a gap between the cooling plate and the main frame of different materials in the insert injection process.

Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, gas generated from the secondary battery of the battery pack can be prevented from being transmitted to the user, such as a user of the electric vehicle, through the duct and the duct, thereby causing harm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description of the invention given below, serve to further the understanding of the technical idea of the invention, And should not be construed as limiting.
1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a secondary battery cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a structure in which the cartridges of Fig. 1 are stacked. Fig.
3 is a view schematically showing a sectional configuration taken along the line AA 'in Fig.
4 is an enlarged view of a portion C in Fig.
5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a secondary battery cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a secondary battery cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an assembled perspective view schematically showing the configuration of one secondary battery cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration of Fig. 7. Fig.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the lamination structure of the secondary battery cartridge shown in Fig. 7 and the storage structure of the secondary battery.
10 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a sectional view taken along the line H in Fig.
12 is a flowchart schematically showing a method of manufacturing a cartridge for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as limited to ordinary or dictionary terms, and the inventor should appropriately interpret the concepts of the terms appropriately It should be construed in accordance with the meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it can be defined.

Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, It is to be understood that equivalents and modifications are possible.

The secondary battery cartridge according to the present invention is used when a plurality of secondary batteries are stacked and packaged to constitute a battery module, thereby holding the secondary battery to prevent its flow and guide the assembling of the secondary battery.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a cartridge 1000 for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration in which the cartridge 1000 of FIG. 1 is stacked. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a sectional configuration taken along the line A-A 'in Fig.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a secondary battery cartridge 1000 according to the present invention includes a main frame 100, an upper cooling plate 200, and a lower cooling plate 300.

The main frame 100 is a component forming the rim of the cartridge 1000 and may be made of a polymer material. In particular, the main frame 100 may include four unit frames 101, 102, 103, And, each of these unit frames can be configured so that both ends are interconnected. That is, when the cartridge 1000 is viewed from the top, the cartridge 1000 may be configured in a substantially rectangular shape, and the main frame 100 may be positioned at a portion corresponding to four sides of the square. Here, the four unit frames may be integrally formed from the time of manufacture, but they may be manufactured separately from each other at first, but may be assembled together during the manufacturing process of the cartridge 1000.

Particularly, as shown in FIG. 2, the main frame 100 may be configured such that two or more of the main frames 100 can be stacked in the vertical direction. At this time, the secondary battery 10 can be housed in the internal space defined by the main frame 100 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the main frame 100 may cover the outer peripheral side surface of the secondary battery 10. That is, when the cartridge 1000 is stacked with the secondary battery 10 housed in the inner space, the outer periphery of the secondary battery 10 may be covered by the main frame 100, so that the secondary battery 10 may not be exposed to the side surface.

In addition, the main frame 100 may be formed with an opening penetrating horizontally at least a part of the unit frame, as indicated by O in FIG. Therefore, a cooling fluid such as air can flow through the opening in the left and right direction of the unit frame.

In the present specification, the concept of the left and right directions will be described with reference to a case where the portion on which the electrode lead is mounted is viewed from the front, unless otherwise specified. 1, a unit frame positioned on the right side is referred to as a right unit frame 104 and a unit frame positioned on the left side is referred to as a left unit frame 102 ).

The upper cooling plate 200 is formed in a plate-like shape, and the upper cooling plate 200 may be arranged so that its wide side faces downward and downward. In particular, the upper cooling plate 200 may be configured in the form of a square plate. The main frame 100 may be positioned on the rim of the upper cooling plate 200.

The lower cooling plate 300 is formed in the same plate shape as the upper cooling plate 200. The lower cooling plate 300 is arranged in a form in which the large surface faces the upper cooling plate 200 and is laid down so as to face upward and downward . Further, the lower cooling plate 300 may be formed in the shape of a square plate, and the main frame 100 may be positioned at the rim. The lower cooling plate 300 may be spaced apart from the upper cooling plate 200 by a predetermined distance to form a cooling flow path with the upper cooling plate 200.

Particularly, in the cartridge 1000 for a secondary battery according to the present invention, the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may be configured such that at least one end thereof is inserted into the main frame 100.

Furthermore, the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may be bent in the upper and lower directions, respectively.

For example, the upper cooling plate 200 may have an upper bending portion 210 whose right end is upwardly bent as shown in FIG. The upper bending part 210 may be inserted into the main frame 100 through the upper part of the main frame 100.

In addition, the lower cooling plate 300 may have a lower bending portion 310 whose right end is bent downward, as shown in FIG. The lower bending portion 310 may be inserted into the main frame 100 through the lower portion of the main frame 100.

The upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 may be bent in such a manner that the end portion is turned 180 degrees. For example, the upper bending portion 210 may be configured to be bent in an upward direction and to be bent such that an end portion thereof is directed inward. Further, the lower bending portion 310 may be configured to bend in a downward direction and be bent such that the end portion thereof is directed inward.

Preferably, the main frame 100 may have openings formed in two unit frames facing each other.

For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the openings may be formed in the left unit frame 102 and the right unit frame 104, respectively. Here, the left unit frame 102 and the right unit frame 104 may be unit frames located on opposite sides of the cartridges 1000 in a rectangular shape. If the openings are formed in two unit frames opposing each other, the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel can be made straight as indicated by an arrow by the dotted line in Fig. 1, and the fluid can flow more smoothly have.

In this configuration, the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may include an upper bending portion 210 and a lower bending portion 310 at the side where the unit frame having the opening is formed.

That is, the upper cooling plate 200 has the upper bending portion 210 at the right side and the left side portion where the right unit frame 104 and the left unit frame 102 where the openings are formed in the main frame 100 . The upper bending portion 210 can be inserted and fixed into the right unit frame 104 and the left unit frame 102. [

The lower cooling plate 300 has a lower bending portion 310 at the right side and left side portions where the right side unit frame 104 and the left side unit frame 102 where the openings are formed in the main frame 100 . The lower bending portion 310 may be inserted and fixed into the right unit frame and the left unit frame.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, since the coupling and sealing between the main frame 100 and the cooling plate are strengthened in the portion where the opening is formed, the gas generated in the secondary battery 10 flows into the duct or the like through the cooling channel . That is, the inflow duct and the outflow duct are mounted on a portion where the opening of the main frame 100 is formed to exchange cooling fluid with the cooling fluid. In such a configuration of the present invention, the cooling plate and the main frame 100, The gas of the secondary battery 10 can be effectively prevented from flowing into the duct.

In particular, the upper bending portion 210 may be configured to be inserted upward in the opening of the main frame 100. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper bending portion 210 is formed such that a portion of the upper bending portion 210 is in contact with the upper surface of the opening portion and the upper portion of the upper bending portion 210 is bent upward to penetrate the upper surface of the opening portion. And can be inserted into the left unit frame 102 through the through hole.

In addition, the lower bending portion 310 may be configured to be inserted in a downward direction from an opening portion of the main frame 100. 3, the lower bending portion 310 is formed in such a manner that a portion of the lower bending portion 310 is in contact with a lower surface of the opening portion and the lower portion of the lower bending portion 310 is bent downward to penetrate the lower surface of the opening portion. And can be inserted into the left unit frame 102 through the through hole.

Preferably, the opening may extend in the longitudinal direction of the unit frame. For example, referring to the configuration of FIG. 1, the right unit frame may be formed to extend in the front-rear direction, and the opening of the right unit frame may also be elongated in the front-rear direction depending on the shape of the right unit frame . ≪ / RTI >

In this configuration, the upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 may be formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the opening portion.

For example, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 may have a shape elongated along the right side and the left side of the cooling plate.

According to this configuration of the present invention, it is possible to increase the amount of flow of the cooling fluid by enlarging the opening of the main frame 100 as much as possible, and improve the sealing force between the main frame 100 and the cooling plate.

Also preferably, at least one of the upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 can be bent such that the end is positioned inward of the outermost side of the upper cooling plate 200 or the lower cooling plate 300 have. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

4 is an enlarged view of a portion C in Fig.

Referring to FIG. 4, the horizontal position of the end portion 211 of the upper cooling plate 200, which is the end portion of the upper cooling plate 200 before bending, with respect to the upper bending portion 210 is denoted by d1 And d2 represents the horizontal position of the outermost portion of the upper bending portion 210, d1 may be located in the inner direction of the cartridge 1000 (left direction in Fig. 4) than d2. Here, the inside direction means a direction in which the cartridge 1000 approaches the center of the cartridge 1000 in the horizontal direction. This inner and outer concept is applied in the following description unless otherwise described.

A horizontal position of an end portion 311 of the lower cooling plate 300, which is the very end portion of the lower cooling plate 300 before bending, with respect to the lower bending portion 310 is denoted by e1, When the horizontal position of the portion located at the outermost position in the cartridge 310 is denoted by e2, e1 may be located in the inner direction of the cartridge 1000 rather than e2.

In particular, in this configuration, at least one of the upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 is provided between the end portion and the main body of the upper cooling plate 200 or between the end portion and the main body of the lower cooling plate 300, The frame 100 may be interposed.

For example, the upper cooling plate 200 may be divided into an upper bending portion 210 configured to bend upwardly and a body portion 220 configured to have a flat shape. At this time, the main frame 100 may exist between the end portion 211 of the upper bending portion 210 and the main body 220 of the upper cooling plate 200. 4, the main frame 100 is configured to be vertically filled between the end portion 211 of the upper bending portion 210 and the main body 220 of the upper cooling plate 200 . In particular, the main frame 100 is configured to be in contact with the inner surface of the upper bending portion 210 to fill the inner space formed by the upper bending portion 210, that is, the left space of the upper bending portion 210 .

Similarly, the lower cooling plate 300 can be divided into a lower bending portion 310 configured to bend downwardly and a body portion 320 configured to have a flat shape. At this time, the main frame 100 may exist between the end portion 311 of the lower bending portion 310 and the main body 320 of the lower cooling plate 300. That is, the main frame 100 is configured to be vertically filled between the end portion 311 of the lower bending portion 310 and the main body 320 of the lower cooling plate 300, as indicated by g2 in FIG. . In particular, the main frame 100 is configured to contact and fill the inner space of the lower bending portion 310 in the inner space formed by the lower bending portion 310, that is, the left space of the lower bending portion 310 .

According to this configuration of the present invention, the coupling between the cooling plate and the main frame 100 can be further strengthened. The upper cooling plate 200 can not move in the direction of the arrow f1 by the portion g1 of the main frame 100 located between the end portion 211 and the main body 220. [ Accordingly, the upper cooling plate 200 can be strongly coupled with the main frame 100, and can be prevented from separating from the main frame 100 or generating a gap therebetween. The lower cooling plate 300 can not move in the direction of the arrow f2 by the portion g2 of the main frame 100 positioned between the end portion 311 and the main body 320. [ Accordingly, the lower cooling plate 300 can be strongly coupled with the main frame 100, and can be prevented from separating from the main frame 100 or generating a gap therebetween.

5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a cartridge 1000 for a secondary battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. Herein, detailed description will be omitted for the portions to which the above description applies similarly, and differences will be mainly described.

Referring to FIG. 5, the upper bending portion 210 may be bent such that its end portion is directed from the inside to the outside. 3 and 4, the upper bending portion 210 is formed such that an end portion of the upper bending portion 210 faces the inner side. In the configuration of FIG. 5, The upper bending portion 210 is formed so as to face the inner side and then to the outer side. 3 and 4, the upper bending portion 210 is configured to be switched 180 degrees while the upper bending portion 210 is configured to be switched 360 degrees in the embodiment of FIG. .

Also, the lower bending portion 310 may be configured to be rotated 360 degrees so that the end portion thereof faces outward as shown in FIG.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 can be more tightly coupled to the main frame 100. Further, even if a gap is formed between the upper cooling plate 200 and / or the lower cooling plate 300 and the main frame 100, the path formed by the gap is more complicated, It becomes more difficult to flow out to the flow path side.

5, the main frame 100, such as a plastic material, may be interposed between the upper bending portions 210 and / or between the upper bending portion 210 and the body.

3 and 5, the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 may be located inside the unit frame.

According to this configuration of the present invention, the coupling force between the cooling plate and the main frame 100 can be further strengthened. Since the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 are not exposed to the outside, the gas of the secondary battery along the surfaces of the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310, It can be prevented from being introduced into the duct or the like.

The upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 may be formed so that at least a part of the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 may be rounded as shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. For example, the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 may be formed in a substantially 'C' shape. According to this structure, the bending process of the cooling plate can be easily performed, and the flow of the cooling fluid can be made more smooth by reducing or eliminating the step between the cooling plate and the main frame 100 at the opening portion. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such curved bending forms.

6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a secondary battery cartridge 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the upper bending portion 210 and / or the lower bending portion 310 may be formed in an angular shape. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the upper cooling plate 200 is formed to extend in the horizontal direction, firstly bent upward at an angle of about 90 degrees, As shown in Fig. 6, the lower cooling plate 300 may be formed so as to extend in the horizontal direction, to be firstly bent in the downward direction, and to be secondarily bent inward in the predetermined direction again.

In addition, the upper bending portion 210 and the lower bending portion 310 may be variously combined with the angular shape and the curved shape, or may be bent at least three times.

Meanwhile, the secondary battery cartridge 1000 according to the present invention may include at least two upper cooling plates 200, a lower cooling plate 300, and a main frame 100, respectively. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG.

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view schematically showing the configuration of one secondary battery cartridge 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration of FIG. Hereinafter, a detailed description will be omitted for the portions to which the description of FIGS. 1 to 6 can be similarly applied, and the differences will be mainly described.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, a secondary battery cartridge 1000 according to the present invention includes a plurality of unit cartridges, that is, a first cartridge 1100 and a second cartridge 1200. Fig. More specifically, by coupling the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 of Fig. 8, a cartridge for a secondary battery as shown in Fig. 7 can be constructed.

The first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 each include a separate main frame 100, a separate upper cooling plate 200, and a separate lower cooling plate 300, respectively. Thus, one secondary battery cartridge composed of the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 includes two main frames 100, two upper cooling plates 200, and two lower cooling plates 300, .

Further, the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 may have separate openings O, respectively. The upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may have an upper bending portion 210 and a lower bending portion 310 in the portion where the opening O is formed.

The first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are physically separated from each other and can be configured to be mutually engageable. In particular, the main frame 100 of the first cartridge 1100 and the main frame 100 of the second cartridge 1200 may be configured such that at least one side thereof is coupled in the horizontal direction.

Here, each of the first cartridge 1100 and the main frame 100 of the second cartridge 1200 may have four sides. That is, the main frame 100 of the first cartridge 1100 is composed of four sides, and the main frame 100 of the second cartridge 1200 is also composed of four sides. At this time, a unit frame constituting one side of the main frame 100 of the first cartridge 1100 and a unit frame constituting one side of the main frame 100 of the second cartridge 1200 are coupled to each other in the horizontal direction Lt; / RTI > 8, the right unit frame of the main frame 100 of the first cartridge 1100 and the left unit frame of the main frame 100 of the second cartridge 1200 may be separated from each other May be combined.

By coupling these main frames 100, one secondary battery cartridge can be completed. That is, the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 can be coupled with each other in such a manner that the side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other while the both sides of the cooling plate are laid down so as to face upward and downward.

As described above, the secondary battery cartridge according to the present invention can be entirely accommodated and protected in a state where the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are coupled.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the lamination structure of the secondary battery cartridge shown in Fig. 7 and the storage structure of the secondary battery.

Referring to FIG. 9, the secondary battery cartridge according to the present invention can be stacked in the vertical direction. When the cartridge is stacked in the vertical direction, an empty space is formed therein, and the pouch-shaped secondary battery can be housed in the empty space.

Particularly, each secondary battery cartridge is configured such that the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are coupled to each other, and the pouch type secondary battery is partially formed in the space formed by the first cartridge 1100 And another portion may be located in the space formed by the second cartridge 1200. [

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 9, the secondary battery may be a pouch-type secondary battery whose shape viewed from the upper side to the lower side is substantially rectangular. In this case, the pouch type secondary battery may have four sides. Particularly, the pouch-type secondary battery may be configured in a rectangular shape. In this case, the pouch-type secondary battery may have two long sides and two short sides.

In this embodiment, the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 can be configured to be located at different portions with respect to the long side of the pouch type secondary battery. That is, the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 can be configured to divide the long side of the pouch type secondary battery into two parts and cover different parts, respectively.

9, the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are configured such that when the front end side located on the electrode lead side of the pouch type secondary battery is shorter than the left side or the right side, The sides located on the left and right sides of the rechargeable battery can be divided into two. The first cartridge 1100 covers the rear end side portion of the pouch type secondary battery, and the second cartridge 1200 covers the front end side portion of the pouch type secondary battery.

Even though the overall size of the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 is not large, there is a high possibility that the shape of the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may be deformed when the length is increased in one direction. It is possible to reduce the elongation in one direction. Therefore, according to this configuration of the present invention, deformation of the cooling plate can be prevented, and the cooling efficiency by the cooling plate can be more stably secured.

Further, the two or more cooling channels formed by the two or more upper cooling plates 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may be configured to be separated from each other. That is, in the case where the cartridge for the secondary battery is constituted by the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 as in the embodiment of the present invention, both the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are separately And a cooling channel for the cooling water. In this case, a separate cooling fluid flows in and out of the flow path formed in the first cartridge 1100 and the flow path formed in the second cartridge 1200, and is not influenced by the flow of fluid between the first and second cartridges 1100 and 1100, Independent cooling control for each of the second cartridges 1200 can be enabled. Particularly, in the case where the cooling flow paths of the first cartridge 1100 and the second cartridge 1200 are formed independently of each other as described above, the temperature of the secondary battery can be changed adaptively according to the partial temperature deviation of the secondary battery. It may be easy to cope with.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line H in FIG.

10 and 11, a battery module according to the present invention includes at least one secondary battery cartridge and a secondary battery according to the present invention.

Particularly, in the battery module according to the present invention, the cartridge may include the main frame 100, the upper cooling plate 200, and the lower cooling plate 300, as described above. Here, the upper cooling plate 200 may include an upper bending portion 210 inserted into the main frame 100 in a shape bent at at least one end portion, in particular, a portion where the opening portion of the main frame 100 is located. The lower cooling plate 300 may include a lower bending portion 310 inserted into the main frame 100 in a shape bent at at least one end portion thereof, particularly, a portion where the opening portion of the main frame 100 is located. Since the configuration of such a cartridge has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The battery module may be configured to stack two or more secondary battery cartridges in the vertical direction and accommodate one or more secondary batteries in the internal space of the cartridge formed by such lamination.

The battery module according to the present invention may further include an inlet duct and an outlet duct in addition to the secondary battery and the secondary battery cartridge. Here, the inflow duct may be provided in an opening portion of the cooling passage formed in the cartridge, and can function as a space and a passage for allowing the fluid to flow into the cooling passage. The outlet duct may be provided in another opening portion of the cooling passage formed in the cartridge, and may function as a space and a passage for allowing the fluid flowing in the cooling passage to flow out of the battery module. Particularly, in the cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention, openings may be formed in two side surfaces of the main frame 100, and the inflow duct and the inflow duct may be respectively provided on the side where the openings are formed. On the other hand, the inlet duct and the outlet duct may be provided with a fan to facilitate the flow of the cooling fluid.

The battery pack according to the present invention may include at least one battery module according to the present invention. The battery module may include a plurality of secondary battery cartridges according to the present invention. Therefore, the battery pack according to the present invention includes the cartridge for a secondary battery according to the present invention. In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention may include a case for accommodating such a battery module, various devices for controlling charge and discharge of the battery module, such as a battery management system (BMS), a current sensor, a fuse, . ≪ / RTI >

The secondary battery cartridge according to the present invention can be applied to an automobile such as an electric car or a hybrid car. That is, the automobile according to the present invention may include the battery module according to the present invention, and the battery module may include the secondary battery according to the present invention together with the secondary battery.

12 is a flowchart schematically showing a method of manufacturing a cartridge for a secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention.

12, a method of manufacturing a cartridge according to the present invention includes preparing an upper cooling plate 200 and a lower cooling plate 300 (S110), a vertical spacing step S120, and an insert injection step S130 can do.

In step S110, an upper cooling plate 200 may be prepared, which has an upper bending part 210 formed of a plate-shaped metal material and having at least one end bent upward. In step S110, a lower cooling plate 300 may be prepared, which includes a lower bending part 310 formed of a plate-shaped metal material and having at least one end bent downward.

In step S120, the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 may be disposed facing each other with a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. At this time, due to such a spacing configuration, a cooling channel can be formed.

In step S130, the main frame 100 made of a polymer is inserted into the outer periphery of the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 while the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 are inserted. Can be injected. In this step S130, a space between the upper cooling plate 200 and the lower cooling plate 300 is at least partially opened, and at least an upper bending portion 210 and a lower bending portion 310 are formed in the main frame 100 As shown in FIG.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the present specification, terms indicating upward, downward, leftward, rightward, forward, and backward directions are used, but these terms are for convenience of explanation only and may vary depending on the position of an object or the position of an observer It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited thereto.

10: Secondary battery
100: Mainframe
101, 102, 103, 104: unit frame
200: upper cooling plate
210: upper bending portion
300: Lower cooling plate
310: Lower bending part
1000: Cartridge
1100: First cartridge
1200: second cartridge

Claims (16)

A main body having at least four unit frames interconnected at both ends thereof to cover an outer peripheral side surface of the secondary battery and having an opening portion penetrating at least a part of the unit frame in a horizontal direction, frame;
And an upper bending portion having at least one end bent upward in an upper direction, the upper bending portion being inserted into the unit frame; And
And a lower bending portion formed at a predetermined distance from the upper cooling plate to form a cooling channel between the upper cooling plate and the upper cooling plate and having at least one end bent downward, Wherein the lower bending portion includes a lower cooling plate
And a plurality of protrusions formed on the first and second protrusions. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the main frame has the openings formed in two unit frames facing each other,
Wherein the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate have the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion on a side where the unit frame having the opening is formed. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the upper bending portion is inserted into the opening portion of the main frame in the upward direction and the lower bending portion is inserted in the opening portion of the main frame in a downward direction. The method according to claim 1,
The opening is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the unit frame,
Wherein the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion are elongated along the longitudinal direction of the opening. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion is bent such that an end thereof is positioned inwardly of an outermost side of the upper cooling plate or the lower cooling plate. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion has the main frame interposed between the end portion and the main body of the upper cooling plate or the lower cooling plate. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion is bent so that the end portion is directed from the inner side toward the outer side. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion is located inside the unit frame. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion is rounded or angled. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate, and the main frame include at least two of the upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate, and the main frame. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein at least one of the two or more main frames is configured to be coupled to each other in the horizontal direction. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein at least two of the upper cooling plate, the lower cooling plate, and the main frame are disposed with respect to a longer side of the rechargeable battery. A battery module comprising the secondary battery cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 12. A battery pack comprising the secondary battery cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 12. 13. A vehicle comprising the cartridge for a secondary battery according to any one of claims 1 to 12. An upper cooling plate formed of a plate-like metal material and having an upper bending portion at least one end of which is bent upward, and a lower cooling plate having a lower bending portion formed of a plate-like metal material and having at least one end bent downward Preparing;
Arranging the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate so as to face each other and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction; And
A main frame made of a polymer material is provided at an outer peripheral portion of the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate so that a space between the upper cooling plate and the lower cooling plate is at least partially opened and at least the upper bending portion and the lower bending portion are located inside. Insert injection step
Wherein the first and second surfaces of the first and second plates are in contact with each other.

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