KR20160149576A - Battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack. In the present invention, the inside of the battery pack can be easily cooled by preventing an increase in the temperature of a battery cell by locating a heat protection member inside the battery pack. The battery pack comprises: a plurality of battery cells electrically connected; a case accommodating the plurality of battery cells, and including an upper case and a lower case; and a heat protection member coming in contact with one region on the outside of the plurality of battery cells, and exposed to the outside of the case through the upper case and the lower case. Thus, the battery pack of the present invention can prevent damage to the battery pack caused by an increase in the temperature.

Description

Battery pack

The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack capable of easily cooling a battery cell.

Generally, a battery cell is used as an energy source for a mobile device, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and an electric power source. The battery cell is used in various forms according to the type of an external device.

Small mobile devices, such as cell phones, can operate for a period of time at the output and capacity of a single battery cell. However, when a battery is required to be driven for a long time, such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, which consumes a lot of power, a battery module of a large capacity is constructed by electrically connecting a plurality of battery cells to increase output and capacity. The battery module can increase output voltage or output current depending on the number of built-in battery cells. A plurality of such battery modules may be electrically connected to form a battery pack.

An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack capable of easily cooling the inside of the battery pack by preventing the temperature rise of the battery cell by positioning the heat dissipating member inside the battery pack.

A battery pack according to the present invention includes: a plurality of battery cells electrically connected; A case accommodating the plurality of battery cells, the case including an upper case and a lower case; And a heat dissipating member which is in contact with one of the outer surfaces of the plurality of battery cells and is exposed to the outside of the case through the space between the upper case and the lower case.

At this time, the heat dissipating member may be formed in a plate shape, and an end portion of the heat dissipating member may be formed along an outer circumferential surface of the upper case and the lower case.

The heat dissipating member may have a plurality of battery cell receiving holes in a region corresponding to the plurality of battery cells.

Further, the battery cell further includes a space for accommodating the protection circuit module on one side of the plurality of battery cells inside the case, and the battery cell accommodation holes positioned adjacent to the protection circuit module among the plurality of battery cell accommodation holes are integrally formed And may extend to a region where the protection circuit module is located.

Furthermore, the heat dissipating member may include a thermally conductive material, and the heat dissipating member may include a metal or carbon.

In addition, the upper and lower ends of the plurality of battery cells may include an upper holder and a lower holder for supporting the battery cells.

Further, an upper groove and a lower groove are formed along the upper case and the lower case facing the heat dissipating member, respectively, and the upper gasket and the lower gasket may be respectively inserted into the upper groove and the lower groove.

Further, the upper gasket and the lower gasket may be formed to have a length longer than the depths of the upper groove and the lower groove, respectively.

The upper gasket and the lower gasket may be formed of an elastic material.

In addition, at least one upper fastening hole is formed in the circumferential region of the upper case, and a lower fastening hole is formed in the lower case corresponding to the upper fastening hole, so that the fastening hole passing through the upper fastening hole and the lower fastening hole The upper case and the lower case may be coupled by a member.

A through hole may be formed in the heat dissipating member corresponding to the upper fastening hole and the lower fastening hole.

According to the present invention, the temperature rise of the battery cell can be prevented by locating the heat dissipating member in the battery pack, and the inside of the battery pack can be easily cooled, thereby preventing damage to the battery pack due to temperature rise.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG.
3 is a view showing a state in which the case is removed according to AA 'in Fig.
4 is a cross-sectional view along AA 'in Fig.
5 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipating member according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is an enlarged view of a region B in Fig.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention and other details necessary for those skilled in the art to understand the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms within the scope of the appended claims, and therefore, the embodiments described below are merely illustrative, regardless of whether they are expressed or not.

In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear. It should be noted that the same components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and signs as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In addition, the thickness and size of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience and clarity of description, and may differ from the actual thickness or size of the components.

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

1 and 2, a battery pack 100 according to the present invention includes a plurality of electrically connected battery cells 40, a case 10 housing a plurality of battery cells 40, ).

Here, the plurality of battery cells 40 may be electrically connected by the connection tab 50 located at one end of each battery cell 40. A protection circuit module 80 electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells 40 may be positioned on one side of the plurality of battery cells 40.

The case 10 may include an upper case 10a and a lower case 10b having a space in which a plurality of battery cells 40 are located. The heat dissipating member 30 is formed in a plate shape and contacts one region of the outer surface of the plurality of battery cells 40 and is exposed to the outside of the case 10 through the space between the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b. .

At this time, the end portions of the heat dissipating member 30 may be formed along the outer circumferences of the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b. That is, it may be formed in the shape of a plate having the same size as the outer surfaces of the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b. A plurality of battery cell receiving holes 32 may be formed in the heat dissipating member 30 in a region corresponding to the plurality of battery cells 40.

A plurality of battery cells 40 are inserted into the battery cell receiving holes 32 of the heat dissipating member 30 so that the outer surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 40 can contact the battery cell receiving holes 32 . Since the ends of the heat radiation member 30 are exposed to the outside between the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b, the plurality of battery cells 40 can be air-cooled by using the outside air.

Since the plurality of battery cells constituting the middle- or large-sized battery pack is constituted by a rechargeable secondary battery, a large amount of heat is inevitably generated during the operation. However, if such heat is not efficiently removed, deterioration of a plurality of battery cells may be promoted, which may lead to ignition or explosion of the battery cells.

Since such a large-sized high-capacity battery pack has no cooling function in itself, the use of the battery pack is interrupted when the internal temperature rises. In addition, when the battery pack is sealed to prevent water leakage and dustproof of the battery pack, it is impossible to release heat inside the battery pack, which leads to an increase in the temperature inside the battery pack, .

Accordingly, in order to cool the battery pack 100, a battery pack 100 including a heat dissipating member 30 is disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention. The heat dissipating member 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention contacts the one surface of the outer surface of the plurality of battery cells 40 to receive the heat generated from the battery cells 40, And can be air-cooled by the outside air through the end portion of the heat releasing member 30 exposed to the outside.

The heat dissipating member 30 according to the present invention absorbs heat generated when ions are intercalated or deintercalated between the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material when the plurality of battery cells 40 are charged and discharged. At this time, the absorbed heat can be discharged to the outside through the end of the heat dissipating member 30 exposed to the outside of the case 10.

At this time, the heat dissipating member 30 can be used without restriction as long as it is a material having excellent thermal conductivity. Preferably, the heat dissipating member 30 may include metal or carbon. That is, by using a material having a high thermal conductivity and a low electrical conductivity, it is possible to enhance the electrical safety of the battery pack 100 by improving the heat dissipation property and the insulation property at the same time. In addition, the heat dissipating member 30 according to the present invention is formed in a plate shape, but it is needless to say that the heat dissipating member 30 may be formed in various shapes that can smoothly discharge the heat of the plurality of battery cells 40.

The upper and lower ends of the plurality of battery cells 40 may include an upper holder 70a and a lower holder 70b for supporting the battery cells 40 through the upper and lower ends thereof. The upper holder 70a and the lower holder 70b serve to fix the positions of the plurality of battery cells 40 and thereby prevent the plurality of battery cells 40 from flowing inside the battery pack 100 .

In addition, the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b of the present invention may be coupled to each other to realize a sealing structure of the battery pack 100. [ At this time, at least one upper fastening hole 20a is formed in a circumferential area of a face where the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b face each other, and a lower case 10b corresponding to the upper fastening hole 20a, A lower fastening hole 20b may be formed. The through hole 31 may be formed in the heat dissipating member 30 corresponding to the upper fastening hole 20a and the lower fastening hole 20b.

The upper case 10a and the lower case 10b are coupled with each other by a fastening member 90 such as a screw that passes through the upper fastening hole 20a, the through hole 31 and the lower fastening hole 20b in order .

One area of the outer surface of the upper case 10a is recessed inward along the height direction of the upper case 10a and an upper securing hole 20a is formed on the surface facing the lower case 10b have. A lower fastening hole 20b may be formed on the inner surface of the lower case 10b facing the upper case 10a in the lower case 10b.

The battery pack 100 according to the present invention has the upper grooves 11a and the lower grooves 10b along the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b facing the heat dissipating member 30 for watertightness, 6) and a lower groove 11b (see FIG. 6) are formed. Upper gaskets 60a and lower gaskets 60b may be inserted into the upper groove 11a and the lower groove 11b, respectively. The sealing structure of the battery pack 100 according to the present invention will be described later with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the case is removed according to A-A 'in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG.

3 and 4, the heat dissipating member 30 according to the present invention is plate-shaped and the battery cell receiving hole 32 may be formed at a position corresponding to the plurality of battery cells 40. [ The outer surfaces of the plurality of battery cells 40 can be in contact with the battery cell accommodation hole 32 by inserting the respective battery cells 40 into the battery cell accommodation holes 32 (see FIG. 2).

As a result, heat generated during charging and discharging of the plurality of battery cells 40 can be transmitted to the heat radiating member 30, which is a thermally conductive material. Since the end portion of the heat dissipating member 30 is exposed to the outside between the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b, the battery pack 100 can be air-cooled by the outside air. That is, the heat generated by the plurality of battery cells 40 can be easily discharged to the outside by the heat dissipating member 30, thereby preventing the temperature of the battery cell 40 from rising.

At this time, the side surface of the heat radiation member 30 exposed to the outside between the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b may be formed in a concave-convex shape. As a result, the heat radiation of the battery pack 100 can be performed more efficiently by enlarging the surface area in contact with the outside air. Here, although the side surface of the heat dissipating member 30 has a concavo-convex shape, it is needless to say that the heat radiating member 30 may be formed in various shapes to widen the surface area.

The space between the upper case 10a and the heat radiating member 30 and the space between the lower case 10b and the heat radiating member 30 may be a sealed structure. That is, the upper gasket 60a and the lower gasket 60b are positioned between the upper case 10a and the heat radiating member 30 and between the lower case 10b and the heat radiating member 30, A sealing structure can be realized. This will be described later with reference to Fig.

Although the battery pack 100 according to the present invention is sealed for waterproof and dustproof, the battery pack 100 according to the present invention can be efficiently cooled by the end portion of the heat dissipating member 30 exposed to the outside of the case 10 .

5 is a perspective view illustrating a heat dissipating member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of battery cell receiving holes 32 may be formed in regions corresponding to the plurality of battery cells 40 in the heat dissipating member 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, the battery cell receiving hole 32 may be formed at a position corresponding to the upper holder 70a (see FIG. 2) and the lower holder 70b (see FIG. 2) described above.

Each battery cell receiving hole 32 may be formed to be equal to or slightly larger than the circumference of the battery cell 40 and may be in contact with each other when the battery cell 40 is inserted into the battery cell receiving hole 32. In addition, a space for accommodating the protection circuit module 80 (see FIG. 2) may be further included in one side of the plurality of battery cells 40 inside the case 10. [

That is, one outermost battery cell accommodation hole 33 located adjacent to the protection circuit module 80 among the plurality of battery cell accommodating holes is integrally formed and extends to a region where the protection circuit module 80 is located . Thus, a space for accommodating the protection circuit module 80 inside the case 10 can be secured.

6 is an enlarged view of the area B in Fig.

Referring to FIG. 6, upper grooves 11a and lower grooves 11b may be formed along the circumference of the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b facing the heat radiating member 30, respectively. The upper groove 11a and the lower groove 11b are provided with upper gaskets 60a and 60b for sealing between the radiating member 30 and the upper case 10a and between the radiating member 30 and the lower case 10b, And the lower gasket 60b may be inserted.

At this time, the upper gasket 60a and the lower gasket 60b may be formed to be longer than the depths of the upper groove 11a and the lower groove 11b, respectively, for more secure sealing of the battery pack 100. [ The upper gasket 60a and the lower gasket 60b are made of an elastic material so that the upper case 10a and the lower case 10b are coupled by the fastening member 90 of Figure 1, And the lower gasket 60b can be pressed. The space between the heat dissipating member 30 and the upper case 10a and the space between the heat dissipating member 30 and the lower case 10b are sealed so that the waterproof and dustproof characteristics of the battery pack 100 can be improved.

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 apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the description of the specification, and all variations and modifications falling within the scope of the claims are included in the scope of the present invention.

100: Battery pack 10: Case
10a: upper case 10b: lower case
11a: Upper groove 11b: Lower groove
20a: upper fastening hole 20b: lower fastening hole
30: heat radiating member 31: through hole
32: battery cell receiving hole 40: battery cell
50: connection tab 60a: upper gasket
60b: lower gasket 70a: upper holder
70b: lower holder 80: protection circuit module
90: fastening member

Claims (12)

A plurality of electrically connected battery cells;
A case accommodating the plurality of battery cells, the case including an upper case and a lower case; And
And a heat radiating member which is in contact with one area of the outer surface of the plurality of battery cells and is exposed to the outside of the case through the space between the upper case and the lower case. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the heat dissipating member is formed in a plate shape, and an end portion of the heat dissipating member is formed along an outer periphery of the upper case and the lower case. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the heat dissipating member has a plurality of battery cell receiving holes formed in a region corresponding to the plurality of battery cells. The method of claim 3,
The battery cell further includes a space for accommodating the protection circuit module in one side of the plurality of battery cells inside the case, and the battery cell accommodation holes positioned adjacent to the protection circuit module among the plurality of battery cell accommodation holes are integrally formed And extends to a region where the protection circuit module is located. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the heat radiating member includes a thermally conductive material. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the heat radiating member includes metal or carbon. The method according to claim 1,
And an upper holder and a lower holder for supporting the battery cells through the upper and lower ends of the plurality of battery cells. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein an upper groove and a lower groove are formed along an upper case and a lower case facing the heat dissipating member, respectively, and an upper gasket and a lower gasket are inserted into the upper groove and the lower groove, respectively. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the upper gasket and the lower gasket are formed longer than the depths of the upper groove and the lower groove, respectively. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the upper gasket and the lower gasket are formed of an elastic material. The method according to claim 1,
At least one upper fastening hole is formed in the circumferential region of the upper case, and a lower fastening hole is formed in the lower case corresponding to the upper fastening hole, and a fastening member passing through the upper fastening hole and the lower fastening hole And the upper case and the lower case are coupled to each other. 12. The method of claim 11,
And a through hole is formed in the heat dissipating member corresponding to the upper fastening hole and the lower fastening hole.

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