KR20230155907A - Battery System and Energy storage system including the same, and protection cover used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a battery system that effectively protects the electrical connection between battery containers and has excellent installation workability and tolerance tolerance. A plurality of battery containers including one or more battery modules according to an aspect of the present invention, a container housing for storing the battery modules in an internal space, and a container terminal located on at least one side of the container housing and configured to be electrically connected to the outside. ; A link bus bar whose different ends are connected to container terminals of different battery containers to electrically connect a plurality of battery containers; And a protective cover coupled to the container housing of the plurality of battery containers electrically connected by the link bus bar and configured to surround the link bus bar in the space between the plurality of battery containers.

Description

Battery system and energy storage system including the same, and protection cover used therein}

The present invention relates to batteries, and more specifically, to the connection configuration between battery containers in a battery system including a plurality of battery containers.

Recently, as issues such as power shortage and eco-friendly energy have emerged, an energy storage system (ESS) for storing generated power has been receiving a lot of attention. Typically, using such ESS, it is easy to build a power management system such as a Smart Grid System, making it possible to easily control power supply and demand in a specific region or city. In addition, as the commercialization of electric vehicles begins in earnest, such ESS can be applied to electric charging stations that can charge electric vehicles.

ESS can be configured in various forms, but is typically configured to include one or more battery containers. At this time, the battery container may include a plurality of battery modules connected to each other in series and/or parallel. Here, multiple battery modules may be stored inside the battery container through a rack frame or a separate fixing structure.

Moreover, in order to handle very large amounts of power, ESS is often configured to include multiple battery containers. At this time, a battery system may be configured in which a plurality of battery containers are electrically connected to each other through a bus bar. At this time, since the battery cells or battery modules exist inside the battery container, they can be easily protected from the external environment, such as water, wind, insects, etc. However, since the components connecting battery containers, especially the busbar, exist outside the battery container, they may be exposed to the external environment and easily be affected by it.

Additionally, according to the prior art, there is a problem that it is not easy to electrically connect battery containers. Furthermore, in the case of a battery system or energy storage system that includes multiple battery containers, multiple battery containers may be placed in a narrow space to increase energy density. Therefore, a problem may arise where the construction quality of the battery system or energy storage system varies depending on the worker's level of skill or effort.

Additionally, the battery container typically weighs a lot and is much larger in size than a typical battery pack. Therefore, once the battery container is placed in a specific location, it is difficult to change that location. Therefore, tolerances above a certain level are likely to occur in the space for electrical connection between battery containers.

Therefore, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and includes a battery system and energy storage system that effectively protects the electrical connection between battery containers and has excellent installation workability and tolerance tolerance, as well as protective covers used therein, etc. The purpose is to provide.

However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

One or more battery modules according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a container housing for storing the battery module in an internal space, and a container located on at least one side of the container housing and configured to be electrically connected to the outside. A plurality of battery containers having terminals; A link bus bar whose different ends are connected to container terminals of different battery containers to electrically connect a plurality of battery containers; And a protective cover coupled to the container housing of the plurality of battery containers electrically connected by the link bus bar and configured to surround the link bus bar in the space between the plurality of battery containers.

Here, the protective cover may be configured to be detachable from the outer surface of the container housing.

Additionally, the protective cover may include a plurality of unit covers that can be separated from and combined with each other.

Additionally, the plurality of unit covers may include a bottom cover configured to protect a lower portion and a side portion of the link bus bar, and a top cover configured to protect an upper portion of the link bus bar.

In addition, the plurality of unit covers may further include a guide cover coupled to the outside of the container housing so that at least one of the bottom cover and the top cover is seated.

Additionally, the bottom cover may include a first bottom cover configured to protect the front and bottom of the link bus bar, and a second bottom cover configured to protect the rear and bottom of the link bus bar.

Additionally, the container housing may have a concave terminal receiving portion formed on at least one side, and the container terminal may be located in the terminal receiving portion of the container housing.

Additionally, the terminal receiving portion may be formed to be open in the top and side directions at the upper edge of the container housing.

In addition, it may further include at least one of an upper terminal cover that closes the upper part of the terminal accommodating part, and a side terminal cover that closes a side part of the terminal accommodating part.

Additionally, the link bus bar may include a plurality of connecting parts coupled to the container terminal and a plurality of cables connecting the plurality of connecting parts.

Additionally, an energy storage system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a battery system according to the present invention.

In addition, the protective cover according to another aspect of the present invention is a protective cover for a battery system in which a plurality of battery containers are electrically connected to each other by a link bus bar, and is a bottom cover configured to protect the lower portion and sides of the link bus bar. ; and a top cover configured to protect the upper part of the link busbar.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the electrically connected portion between battery containers can be effectively protected from external environmental factors such as water, wind, dust, insects, etc.

Additionally, according to one aspect of the present invention, workability of the electrical connection configuration between battery containers can be improved.

And, according to one aspect of the present invention, even if there is a tolerance in the connection portion between battery containers, it is possible to adaptively respond to this tolerance.

In addition, various other additional effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. These various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, and descriptions of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described later. Therefore, the present invention includes the matters described in such drawings. It should not be interpreted as limited to only .
1 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a partial enlarged view schematically showing some configurations of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of a state in which some components of the battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention are separated.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing some configurations of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a protective cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a guide cover included in a protective cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 8 and 9 are diagrams showing a partial process of installing a protective cover in a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a bottom cover included in a protective cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a top cover included in a protective cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is a perspective view schematically showing a partial configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing some configurations of a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 14 is a combined perspective view of the configuration of Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a diagram schematically showing a partial configuration of a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a protective cover included in a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a protective cover included in a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 18 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a link busbar according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventor must appropriately use the concept of terms to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle of definability.

Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not entirely represent the technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing the present application, various options that can replace them are available. It should be understood that equivalents and variations may exist.

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a partial enlarged view schematically showing some components of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of some components of the battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention in a separated state. . In particular, Figures 3 and 4 can be said to be enlarged configurations of portion A1 in Figure 1. Additionally, in FIGS. 1 and 2, for convenience of explanation, the material is partially removed, cut, or shown in a transparent form.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 , the battery system according to the present invention includes a battery container 100, a link bus bar 200, and a protective cover 300.

The battery container 100 includes a battery module 110, a container housing 120, and a container terminal 130.

Here, the battery module 110 may be configured to store and discharge power by storing a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) in a module case, and may be provided with one or more. In particular, as indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 1, a plurality of battery modules 110 may be provided inside the battery container 100. In this case, the plurality of battery modules 110 are electrically connected in series and/or parallel. can be connected Additionally, in order to facilitate arrangement or stacking of the multiple battery modules 110, the battery container 100 may include a rack frame. The rack frame can store a plurality of battery modules 110 by stacking them in the horizontal and/or vertical directions. The battery container 100 according to the present invention can employ various battery modules 110 known at the time of filing of the present invention. Also, since the specific configuration of the battery module 110 is widely known at the time of filing the present invention, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The container housing 120 may be configured to store the battery module 110 in its internal space. In particular, the container housing 120 has an empty space inside and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, so that a plurality of battery modules 110 can be accommodated in the inner space. Moreover, inside the container housing 120, a rack frame or partition structure that can accommodate a plurality of battery modules 110 may be further accommodated or provided. The container housing 120 may be made of a metal material such as steel, but the present invention is not limited to this specific material of the container housing 120.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the container terminal 130 may be located on at least one side of the container housing 120 and configured to be electrically connected to the outside. For example, the container terminal 130 may be configured to be connected to another battery container 100. In particular, the container terminal 130 may be configured to allow main DC power, which is the charging and discharging power for the battery container 100, to flow. In this case, the container terminal 130 may be referred to as a main DC power terminal. And, the container terminal 130 may be provided with two types of terminals, that is, a container positive electrode terminal and a container negative electrode terminal, as shown in FIG. 4, etc., so that charging and discharging power can flow.

The container terminal 130 may be installed on a plurality of sides of the container housing 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the container terminal 130 may be installed on the left and right sides of one container housing 120, respectively. In this case, inside one battery container 100, a main power line may be connected between the container terminals 130 installed on the left and right sides. This main power line can provide a path through which not only the power of the battery container 100 but also the power of other battery containers 100 are transmitted. In particular, a plurality of battery containers 100 may be electrically connected to each other in parallel, and in this case, the main power line of each battery container 100 may allow power from other battery containers 100 to be transmitted.

A plurality of the battery containers 100 may be included in the battery system. For example, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, etc. The battery system may include at least two battery containers 100.

The link bus bar 200 may have a plurality of ends, and different ends may be connected to container terminals 130 of different battery containers 100, respectively. To this end, the link bus bar 200 may be configured to extend long in at least one direction. For example, the link bus bar 200 is configured to extend long in the left and right directions, and both ends may be connected to container terminals 130 of different battery containers 100. More specifically, in a battery system including a left container 100L and a right container 100R, the link bus bar 200 has its left end connected to the container terminal 130 of the left container 100L, and its right end Can be connected to the container terminal 130 of the right container 100R.

The link bus bar 200 is connected to the container terminals 130 of different battery containers 100, and can electrically connect a plurality of battery containers 100 to each other. For example, the link bus bar 200 electrically connects between two battery containers 100, that is, between the left container 100L and the right container 100R, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. You can connect. In particular, the link bus bar 200 can allow DC power, that is, charge/discharge power of the battery system, to flow between different battery containers 100.

The protective cover 300 may be configured to be coupled to the container housing 120 of the battery container 100. In particular, the protective cover 300 may be coupled to the container housing 120 of a plurality of battery containers 100 electrically connected by the link bus bar 200. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when two battery containers 100, that is, the left container 100L and the right container 100R, are connected by the link bus bar 200, the protective cover ( 300) may be coupled to the container housing 120 of the left container 100L and the container housing 120 of the right container 100R.

In addition, the protective cover 300 may be configured to surround the link bus bar 200 in the space between the plurality of battery containers 100 connected by the link bus bar 200. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the protective cover 300 may be located in the empty space between the left container 100L and the right container 100R. And, this protective cover 300 may surround the link bus bar 200 in the space between the left container 100L and the right container 100R. In particular, the protective cover 300 may be configured to cover the top, bottom, front, and rear of the link bus bar 200 in the space between the two battery containers 100.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, exposure of the link bus bar 200 to the outside can be prevented in the space between the two battery containers 100. Accordingly, the electrical connection between the battery containers 100 can be protected more reliably. In particular, in the case of systems such as ESS, they are often placed outdoors. According to the above implementation configuration, the electrical connection configuration of the battery container 100 can be safely protected from various external factors. For example, the link bus bar 200 of the present invention can be safely protected from various external climatic and animal factors such as water, wind, heat, dust, insects, birds, etc.

The protective cover 300 may be configured to be detachable from the outer surface of the container housing 120. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5 .

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing some configurations of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5 , only one battery container 100 is shown for convenience of explanation.

Referring to FIG. 5, in the battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the protective cover 300 may be configured to be attached to and detachable from the left surface of the container housing 120. More specifically, the right side of the protective cover 300 may be coupled to the left surface of the container housing 120 of the right container 100R. At this time, the protective cover 300 and the container housing 120 may be fastened and fixed using a bolting method. Additionally, the protective cover 300 coupled to the container housing 120 in this way may be separated from the container housing 120 by releasing the bolting. Additionally, although not shown in FIG. 5, the left side of the protective cover 300 may be coupled to the right surface of another container, that is, the left container 100L.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, construction of a battery system can be accomplished more easily. In particular, according to the above implementation configuration, after the battery container 100 is moved to a predetermined position, the protective cover 300 can be mounted. Therefore, since the battery container 100 is moved without the protective cover 300 installed, the protective cover 300 is prevented from being damaged or the movement of the battery container 100 is hindered when the battery container 100 is moved. can do. In addition, by installing the protective cover 300 while the battery container 100 is completely positioned, it is possible to appropriately deal with tolerances that occur depending on the position of the battery container 100. In addition, according to the above embodiment, the protective cover 300 can be mounted after the link bus bar 200 is connected, so the connection of the link bus bar 200 or the configuration of the link system can be performed more easily.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the protective cover 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the protective cover 300 may include a plurality of unit covers. At this time, the plurality of unit covers may be configured to be separable from and combined with each other. In particular, the protective cover 300 may be manufactured with each unit cover separated from each other, and then combined with each other during the process of mounting it on the container housing 120. At this time, the plurality of unit covers can be joined in a manner such as bolting. To this end, fastening holes, etc. for mutual bolting may be formed in at least some of the plurality of unit covers. Additionally, the plurality of unit covers may be formed with structures such as protrusions or grooves for mutual insertion and fastening.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, since the protective cover 300 is separated into several unit covers, handling and mounting of the protective cover 300 can be performed more easily. In addition, according to the above implementation configuration, the overall protection of the link bus bar 200 can be better achieved.

Furthermore, the protective cover 300 according to the present invention is a plurality of unit covers and may include a bottom cover 310 and a top cover 320, as shown in FIG. 6 .

Here, the bottom cover 310 may be configured to protect the lower portion and sides of the link bus bar 200. To this end, the bottom cover 310 may be provided with several plate-shaped parts in order to easily form a space for accommodating the link bus bar 200 on the inside and increase coupling properties. More specifically, the bottom cover 310 may include a lower plate to cover the lower portion of the link bus bar 200 and a side plate to cover the side portion of the link bus bar 200.

Additionally, the top cover 320 may be configured to protect the upper part of the link bus bar 200. For this purpose, the top cover 320 may include a plate-shaped portion, that is, an upper plate, to cover the upper part of the link bus bar 200.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the exposed portion of the link bus bar 200 can be easily covered between the two battery containers 100. In particular, the upper, lower, front, and rear sides of the link bus bar 200 connected between two battery containers 100 arranged in the left and right directions may be exposed in the space between the two battery containers 100. However, in the case of the above implementation configuration, the exposed portions of the link bus bar 200, that is, the top, bottom, front, and rear, can be covered and protected by the bottom cover 310 and the top cover 320. In addition, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the bottom cover 310 and the top cover 320 can be fastened with the link bus bar 200 connected between the two battery containers 100, so the link bus bar ( 200) and the protective cover 300 can be easily assembled.

Additionally, the plurality of unit covers constituting the protective cover 300 may further include a guide cover 330, as shown in FIG. 6 . The configuration of this guide cover 330 will be described in more detail with additional reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the guide cover 330 included in the protective cover 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 8 and 9 are diagrams showing a partial process of installing the protective cover 300 in a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 , the guide cover 330 may be coupled to the outside of the container housing 120. Here, the guide cover 330 may be coupled to the container housing 120 by bolting. At this time, coupling holes for bolting to each other may be formed in the guide cover 330 and the container housing 120, respectively.

In addition, the guide cover 330 is configured in a C shape, as shown in FIG. 7, and is located on the lower and side parts (front part, rear part) of the container housing 120 where the container terminal 130 is located. ) can be combined. More specifically, the guide cover 330 may include a horizontal guide part 331 and a vertical guide part 332. Here, the horizontal guide part 331 may be located on the lower side of the container terminal 130 in the container housing 120, and the vertical guide part 332 may be located on the front and rear sides of the container terminal 130.

The protective cover 300 located between the two battery containers 100 may be mounted on each of the two battery containers 100, and thus may include two guide covers 330. For example, referring to the configuration shown in FIG. 8, two guide covers 330 may be included as a unit cover to form one protective cover 300. At this time, one guide cover 330 may be mounted on the right surface of the left container 100L, and the other guide cover 330 may be mounted on the left surface of the right container 100R.

The guide cover 330 may be configured to seat at least one of the bottom cover 310 and the top cover 320. That is, the guide cover 330 may be configured to seat the bottom cover 310 or the top cover 320 while being coupled to the outside of the container housing 120. Referring to the configuration shown in FIG. 9 as a more specific embodiment, the bottom cover 310 may be seated on two guide covers 330 coupled to the left container 100L and the right container 100R. In particular, the left side of the bottom cover 310 may be seated on the left guide cover 330, and the right side of the bottom cover 310 may be seated on the right guide cover 330.

At this time, there may be a portion in the guide cover 330 where the bottom cover 310 can be seated. For example, referring to the exemplary configuration of FIG. 7, the horizontal guide portion 331 and the vertical guide portion 332 of the guide cover 330 may have flat portions in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. And, at least a portion of the bottom cover 310 may be seated on the flat portions of the horizontal guide part 331 and the vertical guide part 332. In particular, the bottom cover 310 is seated on the guide cover 330, so that its lower and side parts can be supported upward, forward, and backward.

Here, the guide cover 330 may be fastened to the bottom cover 310 by bolting. To this end, a fastening hole may be formed in the guide cover 330 for bolting to the bottom cover 310. For example, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 7, a fastening hole may be formed in the horizontal guide portion 331 of the guide cover 330, as shown in the portion indicated by H1. Additionally, a fastening hole may be formed in the vertical guide portion 332 of the guide cover 330, as shown in the portion indicated by H2. And, these fastening holes (H1, H2) can be used for bolting fastening to the bottom cover 310.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, assembly of the battery system can be performed more easily. In particular, in the case of the above implementation configuration, the installation work of mounting the protective cover 300 on the outside of the battery container 100 can be easily performed. Moreover, in the above-mentioned configuration, the coupling process of the guide cover 330 to the container housing 120 is performed at some point before or after the movement of the battery container 100 and before or after the assembly and connection of the link bus bar 200. It can proceed regardless. In particular, the guide cover 330 may be pre-mounted on the outer surface of the container housing 120 before the two battery containers 100 are installed adjacent to each other. In addition, since the bottom cover 310 may have a larger area than the guide cover 330, handling and installation work may not be easy. According to the above embodiment, the bottom cover 310 has a guide cover 330. It only needs to be seated or coupled to ) and does not need to be directly coupled to the container housing 120. Accordingly, the structure of the bottom cover 310 can be simplified without being complicated.

The bottom cover 310 may include two unit bottom covers 310. This will be described in more detail with additional reference to FIG. 10.

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the bottom cover 310 included in the protective cover 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the bottom cover 310 may include a first bottom cover 311 and a second bottom cover 312 . Here, the first bottom cover 311 may be configured to protect the front (-Y-axis direction in the drawing) side and the lower side of the link bus bar 200. In addition, the second bottom cover 312 may be configured to protect the rear (+Y-axis direction in the drawing) side and the lower side of the link bus bar 200.

More specifically, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312 may be configured in the form of a bent plate, as shown in FIG. 10. That is, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312 may have a side portion 310a and a base portion 310b centered on the bent portion. Here, the side portion 310a of the first bottom cover 311 is located in front of the link bus bar 200 and may cover the front of the link bus bar 200. In addition, the side portion 310a of the second bottom cover 312 is located behind the link bus bar 200 and can cover the rear of the link bus bar 200. Additionally, the base portion 310b of the first bottom cover 311 and the base portion 310b of the second bottom cover 312 may be configured to overlap at least a portion. In this case, airtightness is improved, and external foreign substances can be more effectively prevented from entering the space between the base portions 310b of the two bottom covers 310. In this way, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312 may have similar bent shapes, but may be configured to be symmetrical to each other in the front-to-back direction.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the bottom cover 310 can be more easily assembled. In particular, according to the above-mentioned configuration, even when the link bus bar 200 is assembled to the container terminal 130, the process of seating the bottom cover 310 on the guide cover 330 can be smoothly performed. In addition, according to the above implementation configuration, it is possible to more appropriately cope with tolerances that may occur during the installation process of the battery system. In particular, according to the above implementation configuration, it is possible to more effectively cope with changes in the length of the battery system in the front-back direction (Y-axis direction).

Meanwhile, the bottom cover 310 may be configured to be fastened to the guide cover 330, for example, a bolting fastening hole may be formed. For example, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312 may have fastening holes formed in the base portion 310b and the side portion 310a, as indicated by H3 and H4 in FIG. 10. . The fastening holes (H3, H4) of the bottom cover 310 are the fastening holes (H3, H4) of the guide cover 330 shown in the embodiment of FIG. It may be configured to communicate with H1, H2). In addition, the bolt commonly penetrates the fastening holes (H3, H4) of the bottom cover 310 and the fastening holes (H1, H2) of the guide cover 330, so that the bottom cover 310 and the guide cover 330 It can be fastened and fixed.

Figure 11 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the top cover 320 included in the protective cover 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, the top cover 320 may be configured to form an internal space together with the bottom cover 310 and cover the upper part of the link bus bar 200 located in the internal space. The top cover 320 may be formed in a substantially plate shape. Furthermore, the top cover 320 may have a bent portion, such as a portion indicated by C1 in FIG. 11 . And, as shown in FIG. 3, etc., this bent portion C1 may be configured to cover the top of the side portion 310a of the bottom cover 310. In particular, the top cover 320 may have bent portions formed at both ends to cover the upper outer surfaces of the side portions 310a of the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the sealing force between the top cover 320 and the bottom cover 310 can be improved. Accordingly, the protection performance of the link bus bar 200 by the top cover 320 and the bottom cover 310 can be further improved.

Figure 12 is a perspective view schematically showing a partial configuration of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, in Figure 12, only the battery container 100 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 12, in the battery system according to the present invention, the container housing 120 of the battery container 100 may be formed with a terminal receiving portion, such as a portion indicated by D1. This terminal receiving portion D1 may be formed in a concave shape inward on at least one side of the container housing 120. And, the container terminal 130 may be located in the terminal receiving portion D1 of the container housing 120. That is, the container terminal 130 is provided in a form exposed to the outside of the container housing 120. In particular, it may be provided outside a concave portion of the container housing 120.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the protection structure of the container terminal 130 and the link bus bar 200 connected to the container terminal 130 can be more easily achieved. That is, since the container terminal 130 is located in a concave portion called the terminal receiving portion D1 in the container housing 120, the container terminal 130 can be easily protected by covering only the open portion of the concave portion.

In particular, the terminal receiving portion D1 may be located at the upper edge of the container housing 120. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the terminal receiving portion D1 of the left container 100L may be located at the upper right corner of the container housing 120. Additionally, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the terminal receiving portion D1 of the right container 100R may be located at the upper left corner of the container housing 120.

In particular, the terminal receiving portion D1 may be formed so that the container terminal 130 is exposed in the top and side directions. Here, the side direction may be toward the adjacent battery container 100. For example, in the exemplary configuration of FIG. 12 , the terminal accommodating portion D1 of the left container 100L may be configured to be open in the upper and right directions. Accordingly, the container terminal 130 of the left container 100L may be exposed in the upper and right directions. Additionally, the terminal receiving portion D1 of the right container 100R may be configured to be open in the upper and left directions. Accordingly, the container terminal 130 of the right container 100R may be exposed in the upper and left directions.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, construction of a battery system can be accomplished more easily. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, when two battery containers 100 are arranged adjacent to each other in the left and right directions, each container terminal 130 may be exposed in the top and side directions of the adjacent parts. . Accordingly, the worker can more easily perform the work of connecting or disconnecting the link bus bar 200 or the protective cover 300 to the exposed container terminal 130. In particular, according to the above implementation configuration, installation or replacement work of the link bus bar 200 can be performed more smoothly.

Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing some configurations of a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a combined perspective view of the configuration of Figure 13.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14 , the battery system according to the present invention may further include an upper terminal cover 410 and/or a side terminal cover 420. The upper terminal cover 410 may be configured to close the upper part of the terminal receiving portion D1. That is, the upper terminal cover 410 may be configured to cover the upper part of the open portion of the terminal receiving portion D1. Additionally, the side terminal cover 420 may be configured to close the side of the terminal receiving portion D1. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 13 and 14 , the side terminal cover 420 may be configured to cover the left side of the opening with respect to the terminal receiving portion D1.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal accommodating portion and/or the link bus bar 200 are used in various situations, such as before or after building a battery system and before or after connecting the link bus bar 200 of the battery container 100. can protect. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper terminal cover 410 is used in the terminal accommodating portion D1 even when the protective cover 300 is coupled to the battery container 100 after construction of the battery system. ) can be sealed at the top of the opening. However, the upper terminal cover 410 may be temporarily removed during the construction of the battery system. In particular, in the process of connecting the link bus bar 200 to the container terminal 130, the upper terminal cover 410 may be removed. And, after the connection process of the link bus bar 200 is completed, the upper terminal cover 410 may be coupled to close the upper end of the open portion of the terminal receiving portion D1.

Meanwhile, the side terminal cover 420 is not coupled to the terminal accommodating portion D1 when the battery system is built, and is connected to the terminal when the battery system is not built, for example, when the battery container 100 is being transported separately. It may be coupled to the receiving portion (D1). Alternatively, the side terminal cover 420 may be coupled to the terminal receiving portion D1 provided in a portion not connected to another battery container 100 even when the battery system is built. For example, in the terminal receiving portion D1 provided at the upper right corner of the battery container 100 disposed on the rightmost side of the plurality of battery containers 100 arranged and connected in the left and right direction, the upper terminal cover 410 and the side All terminal covers 420 can be combined. On the other hand, since the terminal receiving portion D1 provided at the upper left corner of the battery container 100 disposed on the rightmost side is connected to the other battery container 100 located on the left, only the upper terminal cover 410 is coupled and the side The terminal cover 420 may not be coupled. In particular, the portion of the container housing 120 where the side terminal cover 420 is mounted may be the portion where the protective cover 300 is mounted. Therefore, it can be said that when the protective cover 300 is mounted, the side terminal cover 420 is not mounted.

Figure 15 is a diagram schematically showing a partial configuration of a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the case of various embodiments included in the present specification, including this embodiment, detailed description of parts to which the description of other embodiments can be applied in the same or similar manner will be omitted, and the description will focus on parts where there are differences.

Referring to Figure 15, the battery system according to the present invention includes an upper terminal cover 410 and a side terminal cover 420, similar to the embodiment of Figures 13 and 14, but the upper terminal cover 410 and/or The side terminal cover 420 may be configured to slide with respect to the container housing 120.

Looking more specifically, the upper terminal cover 410 is mounted on the upper surface of the container housing 120, and can be configured to slide in the left and right direction (X-axis direction), as indicated by arrow E1 in FIG. 15. Additionally, the upper terminal cover 410 may be configured to open and close the upper end of the open portion of the terminal accommodating portion D1 due to this sliding operation. For example, in the process of coupling the link bus bar 200 to the container terminal 130, the upper terminal cover 410 is slid in the + Link busbar 200 connection work can be performed smoothly. And, when this connection work is completed, the upper terminal cover 410 can be slid in the -X-axis direction to close the terminal receiving portion D1.

Additionally, the side terminal cover 420 is mounted on the side of the container housing 120 and may be configured to slide in the up and down direction (Z-axis direction), as indicated by arrow E2 in FIG. 15 . Additionally, the side terminal cover 420 may be configured to open and close the open side portion of the terminal accommodating portion D1 through this sliding operation. For example, during transportation of the battery container 100, the side terminal cover 420 may slide in the +Z-axis direction to close the side of the terminal accommodating portion D1. Then, after transportation of the battery container 100 is completed, the side terminal cover 420 is slid in the -Z-axis direction to expose the side of the terminal accommodating portion D1, and the connection and protective cover of the link bus bar 200 are provided. The mounting operation of 300 can be performed.

Meanwhile, as shown in the portion indicated by F in FIG. 15, the battery container 100 may further include a coupling reinforcement member. The coupling reinforcement member (F) may be located in the terminal receiving portion (D1) of the container housing 120. In particular, the coupling reinforcement member F may be formed to extend long along the edge of the container housing 120. Moreover, the coupling reinforcing member F is located at a corner where the terminal receiving portion D1 is formed, so that the open portion of the terminal receiving portion D1 can be divided into an upper direction and a side direction.

This coupling reinforcement member (F) can be configured to fasten and secure various components included in the battery system of the present invention. For example, at least some components of the protective cover 300 shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, especially the top cover 320, may be fixed to the coupling reinforcement member F. In addition, the upper terminal cover 410 and/or the side terminal cover 420 shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 13 to 15 may be coupled and fixed to the coupling reinforcement member (F). Furthermore, the coupling reinforcement member (F) may have a fastening hole formed therein for fastening the coupling reinforcement member (F) with other components.

In the battery system according to the present invention, a bolting fastening configuration can be applied between several components. At this time, the fastening hole or coupling hole for bolting may be formed larger than the size of the bolt. For example, the bottom cover 310 may be fixed to the guide cover 330 with a bolt penetrating the fastening hole. In this case, the fastening hole of the bottom cover 310 can be used to change the penetration position of the bolt. It may be configured to be elongated in a direction, such as the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction). As another example, the top cover 320 may be bolted to the coupling reinforcement member F, and the fastening hole of the top cover 320 may be formed long in one direction, for example, in the left and right direction (X-axis direction).

According to this embodiment of the present invention, when constructing a battery system, even if the seating position of the battery container 100 is somewhat different from the designed position, bolting can be performed at an appropriate position through the long fastening hole. . Therefore, a more effective response to tolerance is possible.

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the protective cover 300 included in a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 16, the protective cover 300 may be configured to change length in at least one direction. For example, the protective cover 300 may be configured to vary its length in the front-back direction (Y-axis direction). To this end, various components included in the protective cover 300 may be configured to change length.

More specifically, the guide cover 330 may be configured to change its length in the direction of arrow G1 in FIG. 16 . At this time, the guide cover 330 includes two unit members, and the two unit members may be configured to move along a coupling rail. Additionally, the top cover 320 may be configured to change its length in the direction of arrow G2 in FIG. 16 . At this time, the top cover 320 may be configured to be movable in a sliding manner while the two plate-shaped members are coupled to each other. Additionally, the bottom cover 310 may be configured to allow a change in the relative distance between the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312, as indicated in the direction of arrow G3.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, response to tolerances can be more effectively achieved when building a battery system. In particular, in the process of arranging the two battery containers 100 in the left and right directions, the terminal accommodating portions D1 may not face each other exactly and may be offset to some extent in the front-back direction (Y-axis direction), causing an error. At this time, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the length of the protective cover 300 can be adjusted in the front-back direction in response to this error, so that the protective cover 300 can be stably mounted between the two battery containers 100.

Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the protective cover 300 included in a battery system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 17, the protective cover 300 may be configured to vary its length in the direction in which the battery containers 100 are stacked, that is, in the left and right direction (X-axis direction). More specifically, the bottom cover 310, that is, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312, may be configured to change their length (width) in the left and right directions in the direction of arrow G4. At this time, the first bottom cover 311 and the second bottom cover 312 may each be configured to slide in the left and right directions in a state in which different plate-shaped members are stacked facing each other. Additionally, the top cover 320 may be configured to change its width in the direction of arrow G5 in Figure 17. At this time, the width of the top cover 320 can be changed by moving in the G5 direction in a sliding manner while two plate-shaped members are stacked facing each other.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the protective cover 300 is appropriately shaped in response to the distance between different battery containers 100, that is, the tolerance in the X-axis direction where the battery containers 100 are disposed. It can change. Therefore, in this case, even when the fixed position of the battery container 100 changes, the protective cover 300 can be stably mounted on the battery container 100 by changing the length (width) of the protective cover 300. .

FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the link bus bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 18, the link bus bar 200 according to the present invention may include a connecting portion 210 and a cable 220. Here, the connecting portion 210 may be provided in a number corresponding to the number of battery systems connected by the link bus bar 200. For example, when the link bus bar 200 electrically connects two battery systems, the connecting portion 210 may be provided in two groups, as shown in FIG. 18. Alternatively, when the link bus bar 200 connects three battery systems, the connecting portions 210 may be provided in three groups. Of course, the number of connecting units 210 may be greater than the number of connected battery systems. The connecting part 210 may be a part of the link bus bar 200 that is directly contacted and coupled to the container terminal 130. Accordingly, the connecting portion 210 may have a fastening structure corresponding to the container terminal 130 so that it can be coupled and fixed to the container terminal 130. For example, the connecting portion 210 may be configured to have a fixing hole formed therein and be bolted to the container terminal 130.

The cable 220 may be configured to connect the plurality of connecting units 210. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, in the case of a link bus bar 200 provided with connecting portions 210 on both sides, a cable 220 may be connected between the connecting portions 210 on both sides. In other words, both ends of the cable 220 may be connected between different connecting portions 210 . The cable 220 may be formed by covering the surface of a metallic wire, such as copper, with a non-conducting material, such as polymer. In particular, in the link bus bar 200 of the battery system according to the present invention, a plurality of cables 220 may be provided. For example, the link bus bar 200 may be configured with three or six cables 220 between two connecting portions 210. At this time, the plurality of cables 220 are not fixed to each other and may be configured to be separable. For example, both ends of the three cables 220 are connected to the connecting portion 210, but the remaining portions excluding both ends, especially the central portion, may be configured to be separated from each other.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, it is possible to more effectively deal with errors that occur when building a battery system. In particular, when two battery systems are placed adjacent to each other, even if tolerances occur in the vertical direction, left and right direction, or forward and backward directions, according to the configuration of the link bus bar 200 as described above, it is possible to adaptively respond to these tolerances. there is. Moreover, in the case of the above implementation configuration, it can be said that the tolerance response ability is superior to that of a flexible flat cable, etc., which has flexibility only in a specific direction.

The battery system according to the present invention may further include a control module. The control module may be included inside or outside the container housing 120 and may be configured to control the overall operation or state of the battery container.

The energy storage system according to the present invention includes the battery system according to the present invention described above. In particular, the battery system according to the present invention has been described focusing on two battery containers 100, but three or more battery containers 100 may be included. Accordingly, the energy storage system according to the present invention may include a battery system including two or more battery containers 100. Additionally, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include a control container for controlling various operations, such as charging and discharging operations of the battery system, in addition to the battery system. In addition, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include a fire-fighting device for responding to fire in the battery system. For example, the firefighting device may be a watering unit configured to supply water into the interior of the battery container 100 when a fire occurs in a specific battery container 100.

Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used, but these terms are only for convenience of explanation, and may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer, etc. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that changes may occur. Additionally, in this specification, the terms inner and outer are used. Unless otherwise specified, for each component, the inner direction refers to the direction toward the center, and the outer direction refers to the opposite direction. there is.

As described above, although the present invention has been described with limited examples and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical idea of the present invention and the following will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalence of the patent claims to be described.

100: Battery container
110: battery module, 120: container housing, 130: container terminal
200: Link bus bar
210: connecting part, 220: cable
300: protective cover
310: Bottom cover
311: first bottom cover, 312: second bottom cover
320: Top cover
330: Guide cover
331: horizontal guide part, 332: vertical guide part
410: upper terminal cover
420: Side terminal cover

Claims (12)

a plurality of battery containers including one or more battery modules, a container housing for storing the battery modules in an internal space, and a container terminal located on at least one side of the container housing and configured to be electrically connected to the outside;
A link bus bar whose different ends are connected to container terminals of different battery containers to electrically connect a plurality of battery containers; and
A protective cover coupled to the container housing of a plurality of battery containers electrically connected by the link bus bar and configured to surround the link bus bar in the space between the plurality of battery containers.
A battery system comprising: According to paragraph 1,
The battery system is characterized in that the protective cover is configured to be detachable from the outer surface of the container housing. According to paragraph 1,
The protective cover is a battery system characterized in that it has a plurality of unit covers configured to be separable from and combined with each other. According to paragraph 3,
The plurality of unit covers include a bottom cover configured to protect a lower portion and a side portion of the link bus bar, and a top cover configured to protect an upper portion of the link bus bar. According to paragraph 4,
The battery system, wherein the plurality of unit covers further include a guide cover coupled to the outside of the container housing to seat at least one of the bottom cover and the top cover. According to paragraph 4,
The bottom cover includes a first bottom cover configured to protect the front and bottom of the link bus bar, and a second bottom cover configured to protect the rear and bottom of the link bus bar. According to paragraph 1,
The battery system is characterized in that the container housing has a concave terminal receiving portion formed on at least one side, and the container terminal is located in the terminal receiving portion of the container housing. In clause 7,
The battery system, wherein the terminal accommodating portion is formed at an upper corner of the container housing to be open in the upper and side directions. According to clause 8,
The battery system further comprises at least one of an upper terminal cover that closes the upper portion of the terminal accommodating portion, and a side terminal cover that closes a side portion of the terminal accommodating portion. According to paragraph 1,
The link bus bar is a battery system characterized in that it is provided with a plurality of connecting parts coupled to the container terminal and a plurality of cables connecting the plurality of connecting parts. An energy storage system comprising the battery system according to any one of claims 1 to 10. In the protective cover for a battery system in which a plurality of battery containers are electrically connected to each other by a link busbar,
a bottom cover configured to protect the lower and side portions of the link busbar; and
Top cover configured to protect the upper part of the link busbar
A protective cover comprising:

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