KR20230172858A - Battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

It includes a housing having an internal space, a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the internal space, and a heat shield assembly disposed between the plurality of battery cells and configured to block heat propagation, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery cells A battery module is provided that includes a sealing portion formed by bonding an exterior material surrounding an electrode assembly, and at least a portion of the heat shield assembly is in contact with the sealing portion.

Description

Battery module{BATTERY MODULE}

The present invention relates to battery modules.

Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged, so they can be applied to various fields such as digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, hybrid cars, and electric cars. Secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and lithium secondary batteries.

These secondary batteries are manufactured as flexible pouch-type battery cells or rigid prismatic or cylindrical can-type battery cells, and are used by electrically connecting a plurality of battery cells. At this time, a plurality of battery cells form a stacked cell stack and are placed inside the housing to form a battery device such as a battery module or battery pack.

On the other hand, when the life of the battery cell approaches the end, when swelling occurs in the battery cell, when overcharging occurs in the battery cell, when the battery cell is exposed to heat, or when a sharp object such as a nail is damaged in the battery cell. This can lead to ignition of the battery cell when various events occur, such as penetrating the exterior material or external shock being applied to the battery cell.

In such a situation, flames or high-temperature gas ejected from a battery cell may cause chain ignition of other neighboring battery cells housed inside the battery device and cause a thermal runaway situation. In particular, when flames, high-temperature gases, and conductive particles ejected from battery cells flow freely inside the battery module, they can directly ignite other adjacent battery cells or cause a short circuit between the components of the battery module, resulting in a thermal runaway situation. There are concerns that this will worsen further.

Therefore, a structure that can block heat propagation is required so that flames or high-temperature gases ejected from a battery cell do not affect other battery cells. Additionally, a structure that can appropriately control such flames or high-temperature gases to prevent them from being emitted in any direction is required.

The present invention was conceived to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art as described above, and its purpose is to provide a battery module with high safety.

In addition, the object of the present invention is to generate heat energy and high temperature gas generated due to thermal runaway or ignition of a specific battery cell. The aim is to provide a battery module that can prevent flames or conductive particles from spreading to other adjacent battery cells.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can prevent the occurrence of a chain thermal runaway phenomenon by blocking heat propagation between battery cells.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can prevent gases generated from battery cells from being released in any direction.

In order to achieve the above object, in embodiments of the present invention, a housing having an internal space, a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the internal space, and disposed between the plurality of battery cells are configured to block heat propagation. A battery module is provided, including a heat shield assembly, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery cells includes a sealing portion formed by bonding an exterior material surrounding an electrode assembly, and at least a portion of the heat shield assembly is in contact with the sealing portion.

In embodiments, the sealing part includes a first sealing part on which a lead tab electrically connected to the electrode assembly is disposed, and a second sealing part bent toward an electrode receiving part in which the electrode assembly is accommodated, and the heat shield assembly. At least a portion of may be in contact with the second sealing portion.

In embodiments, the heat shield assembly may include a heat-resistant member that blocks heat propagation between adjacent battery cells, and a compression member that is coupled to the heat-resistant member and has elasticity.

In embodiments, the compression member may include a first compression portion disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the heat-resistant member, and a second compression portion disposed between the housing and at least one of the plurality of battery cells. It can be included.

In embodiments, the first compression portion may face the heat-resistant member in a first direction, and the second compression portion may extend from the first compression portion in the first direction.

In embodiments, the second compression unit may face the sealing unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In embodiments, the second compression unit may be configured to pressurize the sealing unit.

In embodiments, the second compression unit may be configured to pressurize all sealing parts of two or more battery cells among the plurality of battery cells.

In embodiments, one or more compression members may be disposed on one side and one other side of the heat-resistant member, respectively.

In embodiments, the battery module may further include a first adhesive member disposed between the heat-resistant member and the compression member.

In embodiments, the battery module further includes a second adhesive member disposed between the compression member and the battery cell, and the second adhesive member may be in contact with the first compression portion and the second compression portion, respectively. there is.

In embodiments, the compression member is connected to two or more first compression units spaced apart in a first direction with at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells therebetween, and the two or more first compression units, respectively, and the plurality of battery cells are connected to each other. It includes a second compression unit facing at least some of the battery cells in a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction may be perpendicular to each other.

In embodiments, the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction, the housing includes a cover facing the plurality of battery cells in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the cover includes the compression It includes one or more pressing parts in contact with a member, and a connection part disposed adjacent to the one or more pressing parts, and the one or more pressing parts may protrude toward the plurality of battery cells rather than the connection parts.

In embodiments, the pressing unit may be configured to press the compression member in the second direction.

In embodiments, the battery module may further include a heat dissipation member disposed between the plurality of battery cells and the housing.

Battery modules according to embodiments can block heat propagation between neighboring battery cells and prevent high-temperature gas or flame from transferring inside the cell stack.

Additionally, the battery module can prevent serial thermal runaway from occurring between battery cells.

Additionally, the battery module can prevent gases generated from the battery cells from being released in any direction through a heat shielding member that covers the battery cells in various directions. Accordingly, the flow path of high-temperature gas or flame generated from the battery cell can be guided to a preset path.

1 is a perspective view of a battery module.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery cell included in a cell stack.
Figure 4 shows an example configuration of a cell stack.
Figure 5 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of portion II' of Figure 1.
6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery module.
Figure 7 exemplarily shows how the top cover is coupled to the battery module.
FIG. 8 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of portion II-II' of FIG. 7.

Prior to the detailed description of the present invention, terms or words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventor should use terminology to explain his/her invention in the best way. It should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it can be appropriately defined as a concept. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, and therefore, various equivalents that can replace them at the time of filing the present application may be used. It should be understood that there may be variations and examples.

The same reference numbers or symbols in each drawing attached to this specification indicate parts or components that perform substantially the same function. For convenience of explanation and understanding, different embodiments may be described using the same reference numerals or symbols. That is, even if components having the same reference number are shown in multiple drawings, the multiple drawings do not all represent one embodiment.

In the following description, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Terms such as "comprise" or "comprise" are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and one or more other features or numbers, It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In addition, in the following description, expressions such as upper, upper, lower, bottom, side, front, rear, etc. are expressed based on the direction shown in the drawing, and it should be noted in advance that if the direction of the object is changed, it may be expressed differently. .

Additionally, in this specification and claims, terms including ordinal numbers such as “first”, “second”, etc. may be used to distinguish between components. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components from each other, and the meaning of the term should not be interpreted limitedly due to the use of these ordinal numbers. For example, components combined with these ordinal numbers should not be interpreted as having a limited order of use or arrangement based on the number. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the idea of the present invention is not limited to the presented embodiments. For example, a person skilled in the art who understands the spirit of the present invention may suggest other embodiments that are included within the scope of the spirit of the present invention through addition, change, or deletion of components, but this is also within the scope of the present invention. It would be said to be included within the scope of thought. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the battery module 10 according to embodiments will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the battery module 10. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module 10.

In embodiments, the battery module 10 may include a housing 300 having an internal space (S) and one or more cell stacks 100 accommodated in the internal space (S).

The housing 300 includes a support frame 310 having an internal space (S) in which the cell stack 100 is accommodated, and covers 320 and 330 that are combined with the support frame 310 to close the internal space (S). It can be included. In this case, the covers 320 and 330 may include an upper cover 330 and a lower cover 320.

The support frame 310 may have a shape that is open in a downward or upward direction (eg, the negative or positive Y-axis direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). The open lower and upper sides of the support frame 310 may be closed by the lower cover 320 and the upper cover 330, respectively. In the following description, the lower cover 320 and the upper cover 330 may be referred to as a first cover 320 and a second cover 330, respectively.

The housing 300 may include a material having a certain level of rigidity to protect the cell stack 100 and other internal electronic components from external shock. For example, at least a portion of the support frame 310, upper cover 330, and lower cover 320 of the housing 300 may include a metal material such as aluminum.

However, the shape and material of the housing 300 are not limited to those described above. For example, the housing 300 includes a 'U'-shaped support frame open at the top and front and rear, or an 'I'-shaped support frame with a central partition that can partition the internal space. can do.

The cell stack 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110 and one or more heat shield assemblies 120. A plurality of battery cells 110 and one or more heat shield assemblies 120 may be stacked together to form the cell stack 100 .

The battery cell 110 included in the cell stack 100 may be composed of a secondary battery capable of storing or emitting electrical energy. A plurality of battery cells 110 included in the cell stack 100 may be electrically connected to each other. A plurality of battery cells 110 may be electrically connected to each other through a bus bar assembly 200 including a conductive bus bar. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , bus bar assemblies 200 are disposed on one side and the other side of the cell stack 100 to electrically connect a plurality of battery cells 110 to each other.

A plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in one direction to form at least a portion of a cell stack. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , a plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked on the lower cover 320 of the housing 300 in a horizontal direction (eg, X-axis direction). However, FIG. 2 is only an example, and the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked in a direction perpendicular to the lower cover 320 of the housing 300 (Y-axis or Z-axis direction in FIG. 2). In the following description, the stacking direction of the battery cells 110 is referred to as a first direction, or a cell stacking direction.

As a large number of battery cells 110 are stacked in the battery module 10, there is a risk that an event occurring in one battery cell 110 may be transferred to another battery cell 110. To prevent this, the cell stack 100 may include a heat blocking assembly 120 that can block heat propagation between the plurality of battery cells 1200.

At least a portion of the heat shield assembly 120 may be disposed to face the battery cell 110 in the cell stacking direction, and the other portion may be disposed to face the battery cell 110 in a direction perpendicular to the cell stacking direction. . The heat shield assembly 120 may be configured to perform both the role of blocking heat propagation between the battery cells 110 and the role of pressurizing the battery cells 110.

The battery module 10 may include a terminal portion 500 that is electrically connected to the cell stack 100. The terminal unit 500 may be disposed to be exposed to the outside on one side of the housing 300 so that it can be connected to an electric circuit external to the battery module 10.

A heat dissipation member 400 may be disposed between the cell stack 100 and the housing 300. One side of the heat dissipation member 400 may be in contact with the cell stack 100 and the other side opposite to the one side may be in contact with the housing 300 . The heat dissipation member 400 may be provided with thermally conductive resin or thermally conductive adhesive.

Here, the thermally conductive resin may include at least one of silicone material, urethane material, epoxy resin, modified silane, rubber material, polyester material, or acrylic material.

The thermally conductive adhesive may include a material with a thermal conductivity of 1.1 W/mk to 2.1 W/mk. Alternatively, the thermally conductive adhesive may contain material that has a residual of 50% or more in a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) test heated at 20 degrees Celsius per minute from room temperature (RT) to 1000 degrees Celsius.

The heat dissipation member 400 may fill the space between the cell stack 100 and the housing 300 to enable more active heat transfer through conduction. Accordingly, the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery module 10 can be increased.

The battery module 10 may include a heat sink (not shown). The heat sink (not shown) may be configured to flow a refrigerant for cooling the cell stack 100. For example, coolant may be configured to flow inside a heat sink (not shown). Accordingly, heat energy generated from the cell stack 100 can be quickly discharged to the heat sink. The heat sink (not shown) may be disposed between the lower cover 320 and the cell stack 100, or may be configured to be formed integrally with the lower cover 320 inside the lower cover 320, but has a specific arrangement structure. is not limited to the above.

Hereinafter, the cell stack 100 included in the battery module 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery cell 110 included in the cell stack 100. Figure 4 shows an example configuration of the cell stack 100. Figure 5 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of portion II' of Figure 1.

The cell stack 100 and the battery module 10 including the same illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 correspond to the cell stack 100 and the battery module 10 previously described in FIGS. 1 and 2, Redundant descriptions may be omitted.

The cell stack 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110 . The battery cell 110 may be configured to convert chemical energy into electrical energy to supply power to an external circuit, or to receive power from an external source and convert electrical energy into chemical energy to store electricity. For example, the battery cell 110 may be composed of a nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery or a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery capable of charging and discharging, but is not limited thereto. In embodiments, a plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked side by side and electrically connected to each other.

The battery cell 110 included in the cell stack 100 may be a pouch-type battery cell. Referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell 110 is electrically connected to the electrode receiving portion 112 and the electrode assembly 114, which are configured to accommodate the electrode assembly 114 within the pouch 111. It may include a plurality of lead tabs 113 exposed to the outside.

The electrode assembly 114 may include a plurality of electrode plates. The electrode plate may include a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate. The electrode assembly 114 may be composed of a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate stacked with a separator in between. Each of the plurality of positive electrode plates and the plurality of negative electrode plates may include an uncoated portion on which no active material is applied, and the uncoated portions may be connected so that their polarities are in contact with each other. The uncoated portions of the same polarity are electrically connected to each other and may be electrically connected to other components outside the battery cell 110 through the lead tab 113. In the case of the battery cell 110 shown in FIG. 3, the two lead tabs 113 are shown as being drawn out in opposite directions from the electrode receiving portion 112, but are connected in the same direction on one side of the electrode receiving portion 112. It may be configured to be drawn out in a direction.

The pouch 111 surrounds the electrode assembly 114, forms the exterior of the electrode receiving portion 112, and provides an internal space in which the electrode assembly 114 and the electrolyte (not shown) are accommodated. The pouch 111 may be formed by folding a single sheet of exterior material. For example, the pouch 111 may be configured by folding one sheet of exterior material in half and receiving the electrode assembly 114 between them. The exterior material may be made of a material that can protect the electrode assembly 114 from the external environment and may include, for example, an aluminum film.

An exterior material may be bonded to the edge of the pouch 111 to form a sealing portion 115. A heat fusion method may be used to join the exterior materials to form the sealing portion 115, but is not limited to this.

The sealing portion 115 may be divided into a first sealing portion 115a formed at a location where the lead tab 113 is disposed, and a second sealing portion 115b formed at a location where the lead tab 113 is not disposed. You can. The second sealing portion 115b may be bent toward the electrode receiving portion 112 of the battery cell 110. In order to increase the bonding reliability of the sealing portion 115 and minimize the area of the sealing portion 115, at least a portion of the sealing portion 115 may be formed in a shape that is folded one or more times. For example, the second sealing portion 115b may be folded 180° along the first bend line C1 and then folded again along the second bend line C2.

A fixing member 117 may be filled in the bent portion of the second sealing portion 115b. Accordingly, the second sealing portion 115b can be maintained in a shape that is folded twice by the fixing member 117. The fixing member 117 may be formed of an adhesive with high thermal conductivity. For example, the fixing member 117 may be made of epoxy or silicone, but is not limited thereto.

The sealing portion 115 may not be formed on the surface where the pouch 111 is folded along one edge of the electrode assembly 114. The part where the pouch 111 is folded along one edge of the electrode assembly 114 is defined as the folding part 118 to distinguish it from the sealing part 115. That is, the pouch 111-type battery cell 110 is a three-sided sealed pouch in which a sealing portion 115 is formed on three of the four edges of the pouch 111 and a folding portion 118 is formed on the other side. (111) It may have the form.

The battery cell 110 of the embodiments is not limited to the form of the three-sided sealing pouch 111 described above. For example, it is possible to form a pouch 111 by overlapping two pieces of different exterior materials, and to form sealing portions 115 on all four sides of the pouch 111. For example, the sealing portion 115 may be composed of a sealing portion 115 on two sides on which the lead tab 113 is disposed, and a sealing portion 115 on the other two sides on which the lead tab 113 is not disposed. there is.

In addition, the battery cell 110 included in the battery module 10 of the embodiments is not limited to the pouch 111 type battery cell 110 described above, and may include a cylindrical battery cell 110 or a prismatic battery cell 110. It is also possible to consist of .

Referring to FIG. 4 , the cell stack 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110 and one or more heat shield assemblies 120.

One or more heat shield assemblies 120 may be arranged side by side at a predetermined interval along the cell stacking direction (for example, the X-axis direction in FIG. 4). One or more battery cells 110 may be disposed between two adjacent heat shield assemblies 120 . In the drawing, four battery cells 110 are stacked between the two heat shield assemblies 120, but this is only an example, and no more than three or more than five battery cells 110 are stacked between the two heat shield assemblies 120. It may be deployed.

The plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked between two adjacent heat shield assemblies 120 so that the second sealing portions 115b face the same direction. For example, referring to FIG. 4, the second sealing part 115b of the plurality of battery cells 110 is oriented in the second direction (Y-axis direction), and the lead tab 113 is oriented in the second direction (Y-axis direction). ) may be stacked to face a third direction perpendicular to (Z-axis direction).

The heat shield assembly 120 may be composed of a combination of members having different properties. For example, the heat shield assembly 120 may include a heat resistant member 121 and a compression member 122 that are coupled to each other.

The heat shield assembly 120 may include one or more heat-resistant members 121 to block heat and/or flame propagation between adjacent battery cells 110 .

The heat-resistant member 121 may include a material having at least one of flame retardancy, heat resistance, heat insulation, and insulation properties. Here, heat resistance may refer to the property of not melting or changing shape even at a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius or higher, and insulating property may refer to the property of having a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/mK or less. For example, the heat-resistant member 121 may include at least one of the following materials: Mica Sheet, Silicate, Graphite, Alumina, Ceramic Wool (Ceramic Wool or Super Wool), and Airgel. (Aerogel).

However, the material of the heat-resistant member 121 is not limited to the materials described above, and maintains its shape in a thermal runaway situation of the battery cell 110 and prevents heat or flame from spreading to other adjacent battery cells 110. It can be formed into anything that can be prevented.

In order to maximize the energy density of the cell stack 100, the thickness of the heat-resistant member 121 may be smaller than the thickness of one battery cell 110. Here, the thickness may mean the length in the cell stacking direction.

The heat shield assembly 120 may further include one or more compression members 122 fixed to the heat resistant member 121 . The compression member 122 may press the battery cell 110 with a predetermined elasticity, thereby preventing the battery cell 110 from swelling due to a swelling phenomenon. For example, the compression member 122 may include at least one of polyurethane, silicone, and rubber (EPDM), and may pressurize the battery cell 110 using the elasticity of these materials.

The compression member 122 is located between the first compression portion 122a disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells 110 and the heat resistant member 121 and the housing 300 and at least one of the plurality of battery cells 110. It may include a second compression unit 122b disposed in .

Referring to FIG. 5, the first compression portion 122a may be disposed to face the heat-resistant member 121 in the cell stacking direction (or first direction), and the second compression portion 122b may be disposed to face the heat-resistant member 121. It is connected to 122a) and may be configured to extend along the cell stacking direction.

The second compression unit 122b may be arranged to face the battery cell 110 in a second direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the cell stacking direction. In particular, the second compression unit 122b may be arranged to face the sealing unit of the battery cell 110 in the second direction (Y-axis direction).

The second compression unit 122b may be configured to pressurize the sealing unit of the battery cell 110. For example, when the heat shield assembly 120 is located between a plurality of battery cells, the second compression unit 122b may press the second sealing unit 115b in the second direction (Y-axis direction). You can.

As the second compression unit 122b presses the second sealing unit 115b to a predetermined pressure, even if the gas pressure inside the battery cell 110 increases, the second sealing unit 115b remains in contact with the electrode receiving unit 112. It can help maintain a state of bending toward. Accordingly, the second compression unit 122b can prevent gas generated inside the battery cell 110 from escaping through the second sealing unit 115b in a thermal runaway situation. For example, referring to FIG. 5, as the second compression unit 122b pressurizes the second sealing unit 115b, the gas generated inside the battery cell 110 flows in the direction toward the upper cover 330. Eruption can be suppressed.

The first compression portion 122a may be disposed to face the electrode receiving portion of the battery cell 110 in the cell stacking direction. The first compression unit 122a may be configured to provide surface pressure to the battery cell 110. Accordingly, the first compression unit 122a can suppress the swelling phenomenon in which the battery cell 110 swells.

The area of the first compression portion 122a may be equal to or larger than the area of the electrode receiving portion (for example, 112 in FIG. 3 ) of the battery cell 110 opposite the first compression portion 122a. Accordingly, the first compression unit 122a can effectively absorb and buffer the expansion pressure caused by the swelling phenomenon of the battery cell 110.

The first compression portion 122a and the second compression portion 122b may be formed integrally. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the compression member 122 may be composed of an integrated member in which the first compression portion 122a and the second compression portion 122b are in contact with each other at about 90 degrees.

The thermal barrier assembly 120 may include a plurality of compression members 122 . Referring to FIG. 5 , one or more compression members 122 may be disposed on different sides of the heat-resistant member 121 . For example, the heat shield assembly 120 may include compression members 122 disposed on both sides of the heat resistant member 121 with the heat resistant member 121 as the center.

One or more compression members 122 may be disposed on one side and one other side of the heat-resistant member 121, respectively. In this case, the plurality of compression members 122 and the heat-resistant member 121 may have a sandwich shape in which they are stacked in the cell stacking direction.

Each compression member 122 disposed on both sides of the heat-resistant member 121 may have a second compression portion 122b extending in opposite directions. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the compression member 122 disposed on the left side of the heat-resistant member 121 has a second compression portion 122b extending in a direction toward the left (i.e., in the negative X-axis direction). ), and the compression member 122 disposed on the right side of the heat-resistant member 121 may have a second compression portion 122b extending in a direction toward the right (that is, the positive X-axis direction). Accordingly, the heat shield assembly 120 may have a 'T' shaped cross section.

The area of one surface of the first compressed portion 122a may approximately correspond to the area of the electrode receiving portion 112 of the battery cell 110, and the heat-resistant member 121 faces the other surface of the first compressed portion 122a. The area of may be greater than or equal to the area of the electrode receiving portion 112 of the battery cell 110. In this case, battery cells 110 that are adjacent to each other with the heat-resistant member 121 in between may not directly face each other. Therefore, the heat shield assembly 120 is a battery cell disposed on the other side of the heat-resistant member 121 from which high-temperature heat energy or flame generated by thermal runaway of the battery cell 110 disposed on one side of the heat-resistant member 121 is transmitted. It can effectively prevent the spread to (110).

The heat shield assembly 120 may further include an adhesive member 123 disposed on at least one side of the compression member 122. For example, the adhesive member 123 may be disposed between the heat-resistant member 121 and the compression member 122 and between the battery cell 110 and the compression member 122. The adhesive member 123 may include a material having adhesive strength, for example, a silicone-based, acrylic-based, rubber-based, hot mat-based, epoxy-based, PSA-based, or urethane-based material. The adhesive member 123 may be a base type, an inorganic type, or a PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) hot melt type adhesive tape.

The adhesive member 123 includes a first adhesive member 123a disposed between the heat-resistant member 121 and the compression member 122 and a second adhesive member 123b disposed between the compression member and the battery cell 110. can do.

The first adhesive member 123a may face the heat-resistant member 121 in the cell stacking direction (for example, the X-axis direction) and may be configured to have an area corresponding to the heat-resistant member 121.

The second adhesive member 123b may be arranged to contact the first compression portion 122a and the second compression portion 122b of the compression member, respectively. Referring to FIG. 5, the second adhesive member 123b may be evenly disposed across the first compression portion 122a and the second compression portion 122b, and may therefore have a cross-sectional shape bent at 90 degrees.

At least a portion of the second adhesive member 123b may be in direct contact with the second sealing portion 115b of the battery cell 110. When the second compression unit 122b presses the second sealing unit 115b, the second adhesive member 123b disposed on the second compression unit 122b also presses the second sealing unit 115b. You can have

The first adhesive member 123a and the second adhesive member 123b are disposed between the battery cell 110 and the compression member 122 or between the compression member 122 and the heat-resistant member 121 to maintain the relative stability of each component. It can limit movement and help keep each component in a stable stacked state.

However, the adhesive member 123 may be omitted from the heat shield assembly 120. In this case, the compression member 122 may be in direct contact with the battery cell 110 to provide surface pressure to the battery cell 110, or may be disposed to contact the sealing portion of the battery cell 110.

The plurality of heat shield assemblies 120 may be arranged to be spaced apart in the cell stacking direction (eg, X-axis direction), and the plurality of battery cells 110 may be arranged between them. The compression member 122 included in the plurality of heat shield assemblies 120 is configured to pressurize all of the second sealing portions 115b of the battery cells 110 disposed between the plurality of heat shield assemblies 120. You can. For example, referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked between two spaced apart heat shield assemblies 120, and a second compression portion 122b extends from each heat shield assembly 120. ) may be arranged to press all of the plurality of second sealing parts 115b.

The specific shape of the heat shield assembly 120 according to the embodiments is not limited to the above-described shape. For example, referring to FIG. 6 , the heat shield assembly 120 according to embodiments may have a cross-sectional shape different from the heat shield assembly 120 described in FIG. 5 . 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of the battery module 10.

The compression member of the heat shield assembly 120 includes two or more first compression units 122a spaced apart from each other with a plurality of battery cells 110 in between, and a second compression unit connected to the two or more first compression units 122a. It may include a portion 122b.

Two or more first compression units 122a may be spaced apart in the cell stacking direction (or first direction), and the second compression unit 122b is connected to the first compression unit 122a to form the battery cell 110 and the second compression unit 122b. It can be arranged to face each other in two directions (Y-axis direction). The first compression unit 122a may provide surface pressure to the battery cell 110, and the second compression unit 122b may be configured to pressurize the second sealing unit 115b of the battery cell 110. there is. Accordingly, the compression member 122 has a 'U'-shaped cross section that is open in the direction toward the lower cover 320 of the housing 300, and is configured to pressurize the plurality of battery cells 110 from three directions. It can be.

The first compression portion 122a and the second compression portion 122b may be formed integrally or may be provided as separate members.

The compression member 122 and the heat-resistant member 121 of the heat shield assembly 120 may be alternately arranged along the cell stacking direction (for example, the A plurality of battery cells 110 may be disposed.

An adhesive member 123 may be disposed between the compression member 122 and the heat-resistant member 121 or between the compression member 122 and the battery cell 110.

In the battery module 10 and heat shield assembly 120 shown in FIG. 6, other features other than the shape of the compression member 122 are all the same as those of the battery module 10 and heat shield assembly 120 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. ), redundant descriptions can be omitted.

In embodiments, the housing 300 of the battery module 10 may be configured to apply a predetermined pressure to the compression member 122. Hereinafter, the battery module 10 having such a housing 300 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

Figure 7 exemplarily shows the top cover 330 being coupled to the battery module 10. FIG. 8 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of portion II-II' of FIG. 7.

The housing 300 of the battery module 10 may include a support frame 310 in which the cell stack 100 is accommodated, and covers 320 and 330 that cover at least one side of the support frame 310. The covers 320 and 330 may include an upper cover 330 and a lower cover 320. For example, referring to FIG. 7 , the upper cover 330 may be configured to cover the open upper side of the support frame 310 where the cell stack 100 is accommodated.

The cover of the battery module 10 may include a pressing portion 331 configured to pressurize the compression member 122 included in the cell stack 100. For example, referring to FIG. 7 , the upper cover 330 may include a pressing portion 331 protruding downward to press at least a portion of the surface of the compression member 122.

The cover may include a connecting portion 332 disposed adjacent to the pressing portion 331. The pressing portion 331 and the connecting portion 332 may be alternately arranged along the cell stacking direction (eg, X-axis direction).

At least some of the pressing portions 331 may be arranged to face the compression member 122 in a second direction (for example, the Y-axis direction), and at least some of the connecting portions 332 may be disposed to face the heat-resistant member 121 and the second direction (e.g., Y-axis direction). It can be arranged to face each other in two directions (Y-axis direction).

The pressing portion 331 may be configured to protrude more in the direction toward the battery cell 110 than the connecting portion 332. Referring to FIG. 8 , the pressing portion 331 may protrude further downward than the extension portion, that is, in the direction toward the battery cell 110.

Since the pressing portion 331 protrudes further toward the battery cell 110 than the connecting portion 332, the surface of the covers 320 and 330 facing the cell stack 100 has a convex pressing portion 331 and a concave shape. It may include a concavo-convex shape having a shaped connecting portion 332.

With the covers 320 and 330 in the correct position, the pressing unit 331 may be in a state of pressing the compression member 122. For example, the pressing unit 331 may be in a state of pressing at least a portion of the surface of the second compression unit 122b facing the second sealing unit 115b in the second direction (Y-axis direction). Accordingly, the second sealing portion 115b of the battery cell 110 may be pressed with stronger pressure.

Since the pressing portion 331 protrudes further in the direction toward the battery cell 110 than the connecting portion 332, even if the pressing portion 331 presses the compression member 122 with the covers 320 and 330 in the correct position. The connection portion 332 may not press the heat-resistant member 121. In this case, a predetermined gap may be formed between the connection portion 332 and the heat-resistant member 121. However, the connection portion 332 and the heat-resistant member 121 may be in direct contact without this gap.

In the battery module 10 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, other features other than the pressing portion 331 and the connecting portion 332 of the covers 320 and 330 are all the same as those of the battery module 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. Since it corresponds to the characteristics of , overlapping descriptions may be omitted.

The heat shield assembly 120 of the battery module 10 according to embodiments includes a heat-resistant member 121 that blocks heat propagation, preventing heat propagation from occurring between neighboring battery cells 110 in a thermal runaway situation. can be prevented.

The heat shield assembly 120 includes a compression member 122 capable of providing surface pressure to the battery cell 110, thereby preventing the battery cell 110 from swelling due to a swelling phenomenon.

At least a portion of the compression member 122 may be arranged to face the second sealing portion 115b of the battery cell 110 and may be configured to pressurize the second sealing portion 115b. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent gas or flame generated from the battery cell 110 from being ejected toward the second sealing portion 115b, and the venting direction of the battery cell 110 can be guided in a preset direction.

The heat-resistant member 121 and the compression member 122 of the heat shield assembly 120 may be configured to cover multiple sides of the battery cell 110, thereby protecting the cell stack 100 in a thermal runaway situation. Temperature, pressure, and venting direction can be controlled stably.

Additionally, the battery module can further increase the surface pressure applied to the second sealing portion 115b of the battery cell 110 through the structure of the housing 300 that can pressurize at least a portion of the compression member 122.

Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. This will be self-evident to anyone with average knowledge in the relevant technical field. Additionally, the above-described embodiments may be implemented by deleting some components, and each embodiment may be implemented in combination with each other.

10... battery module 100... cell stack
110... battery cell 112... electrode receptor
115a... first sealing part 115b... second sealing part
120... heat shield assembly 121... heat resistant member
122... compression member 122a... first compression section
122b... second compression portion 123... adhesive member
200... busbar assembly 300... housing
310... support frame 320... lower cover
330... Top cover 331... Pressure part
400... Heat dissipation member 500... Terminal part

Claims (15)

a housing having an interior space;
a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the internal space; and
A heat shield assembly disposed between the plurality of battery cells to block heat propagation,
At least one of the plurality of battery cells includes a sealing portion formed by bonding an exterior material surrounding an electrode assembly,
A battery module wherein at least a portion of the heat shield assembly is in contact with the sealing portion. According to claim 1,
The sealing part
a first sealing portion on which a lead tab electrically connected to the electrode assembly is disposed; and
It includes a second sealing portion having a shape that is folded at least once,
A battery module wherein at least a portion of the heat shield assembly is in contact with the second sealing portion. According to claim 1,
The heat shield assembly is
A heat-resistant member that blocks heat propagation between adjacent battery cells; and
A battery module coupled to the heat-resistant member and including a compression member having elasticity. According to clause 3,
The compression member is
a first compression portion disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the heat resistant member; and
A battery module including a second compression portion disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the housing. According to clause 4,
The first compression portion faces the heat-resistant member in a first direction,
The second compression unit extends from the first compression unit along the first direction. According to clause 5,
The second compression unit faces the sealing unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. According to clause 6,
The second compression unit is configured to pressurize the sealing unit. According to clause 5,
The second compression unit is configured to pressurize all sealing parts of two or more battery cells among the plurality of battery cells. According to clause 4,
A battery module in which one or more compression members are disposed on one side and the other side of the heat-resistant member, respectively. According to clause 4,
The battery module further includes a first adhesive member disposed between the heat-resistant member and the compression member. According to claim 10,
It further includes a second adhesive member disposed between the compression member and the battery cell,
The second adhesive member is in contact with the first compression unit and the second compression unit, respectively. According to clause 3,
The compression member is
two or more first compression units spaced apart in a first direction with at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells therebetween; and
a second compression unit each connected to the two or more first compression units and facing at least some of the plurality of battery cells in a second direction;
The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. According to clause 3,
The plurality of battery cells are stacked in a first direction,
The housing includes the plurality of battery cells and a cover facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
The cover is
One or more pressing parts in contact with the compression member; and
It includes a connection portion disposed adjacent to the one or more pressing portions,
A battery module in which the one or more pressurizing portions protrude toward the plurality of battery cells rather than the connecting portion. According to claim 13,
A battery module wherein the pressing unit is configured to press the compression member in the second direction. According to claim 1,
A battery module further comprising a heat dissipation member disposed between the plurality of battery cells and the housing.

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