KR20240011380A - Battery pack and device including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a pack housing accommodating the battery module, and at least one reinforcement inserted into the pack housing. and a member, wherein the reinforcing member is made of a material having a higher melting point than the pack housing.

Description

Battery pack and device including the same {BATTERY PACK AND DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more specifically, to a battery pack with improved cooling performance and a device including the same.

In modern society, as the use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras becomes routine, the development of technologies in fields related to the above mobile devices is becoming more active. In addition, secondary batteries that can be charged and discharged are a way to solve air pollution from existing gasoline vehicles that use fossil fuels, and are used in electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles ( As it is used as a power source for batteries such as P-HEV), the need for development of secondary batteries is increasing.

Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among these, lithium secondary batteries have the advantages of being able to charge and discharge freely, have a low self-discharge rate, and have high energy density. It is receiving the most attention.

Meanwhile, in the case of secondary batteries used in small devices, 2-3 battery cells are mainly used, but in the case of secondary batteries used in medium-to-large devices such as automobiles, a medium-to-large battery module (Battery) electrically connects multiple battery cells. module) is used. Since it is desirable for medium to large-sized battery modules to be manufactured in as small a size and weight as possible, rectangular batteries and pouch-type batteries that can be stacked with high integration and have a small weight-to-capacity battery are mainly used as battery cells for medium-to-large battery modules.

On the other hand, the battery cells mounted on the battery module can generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging process, and if the temperature rises higher than the appropriate temperature due to overcharging, etc., performance may deteriorate, and if the temperature rise is excessive, it may explode or There is a risk of ignition. If ignition occurs inside a battery module, high-temperature heat, gas, or flame may be emitted outside the battery module. In this case, heat, gas, spark, or flame emitted from one battery module may be emitted within the battery pack. It may be transmitted to other adjacent battery modules at narrow intervals, and as a result, continuous thermal runaway may occur within the battery pack. Additionally, the pack housing may be damaged due to heat, gas, sparks, or flames emitted from the battery module, which may cause fire or accidents.

There is a need to maintain the structure and secure the stability of the pack housing for various other reasons.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a device including the same that can maintain the structure and ensure stability of the battery pack housing while blocking heat transfer to adjacent modules or the outside.

However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems and can be expanded in various ways within the scope of the technical idea included in the present invention.

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a pack housing accommodating the battery module, and at least one reinforcement inserted into the pack housing. and a member, and the reinforcing member may be formed of a material having a higher melting point than the pack housing.

The pack housing further includes a venting passage that allows flames, sparks, or high-temperature heat from the battery cell stack to be discharged to the outside of the battery pack, between the inner surface of the pack housing and the reinforcing member. The space may form the venting passage.

The pack housing includes aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and the reinforcing member may include stainless steel. .

The reinforcing member may include an insulating material.

The reinforcing member may include a flame retardant silicone pad, fireproofing cloth, mica, or superwool.

The reinforcing member may be disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

The reinforcing member may be disposed at a predetermined distance from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

The reinforcing member may be entirely in the shape of a single plate, or may be a structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped plates are combined.

The reinforcing member may have an overall grid-shaped frame structure, or may be a structure in which a plurality of grid-shaped frames are combined.

It may further include a plate-shaped insulation material disposed in parallel and adjacent to the reinforcing member.

The reinforcing member may further include an insulating material in the space between the grids.

The pack housing has: a mono frame structure having a square tube shape to accommodate the battery cell stack therein; A structure including a U-shaped frame with one of the upper and lower surfaces open and a straight cover covering the open surface of the U-shaped frame; and a structure in which the open sides of two U-shaped frames face each other.

The reinforcing member may be provided on at least one of an upper surface, a lower surface, and both sides of the pack housing.

It further includes an end plate that closes at least one of the open front and rear sides of the pack housing, and at least one reinforcing member inserted into the internal space between the inner surface and the outer surface of the end plate, wherein the reinforcing member is It may be disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the end plate.

The reinforcing member may be straight, “I” shaped, “├” shaped, left-right symmetrical, or at least one combination thereof.

A device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes at least one of the above-described battery packs.

According to embodiments, by providing a battery pack with a structure inserted into the battery pack housing, it is possible to maintain the structure of the pack housing and ensure stability while preventing the emission of heat, gas, sparks, or flames to adjacent modules or to the outside. You can.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack according to FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the upper housing of the pack housing included in the battery pack according to FIG. 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the portion indicated by a dotted line in the upper housing of the battery pack according to Figure 3.
Figures 6 to 9 are cross-sectional views of the upper housing of the battery pack according to Figures 1 and 3 taken along line A-A'.
10 to 12 are perspective views showing all or part of the reinforcing member included in the battery pack of FIG. 1.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a heat sink included in the battery pack according to FIG. 1.
Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack according to Figure 1 cut along the yz plane.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in many different forms other than those described below, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described herein.

In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description are omitted, and identical or similar components are given the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

In addition, since the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for convenience of explanation, it is obvious that the content of the present invention is not limited to what is shown. In the drawings below, the thickness of each layer is enlarged to clearly express the various layers and regions. In the drawings below, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

Additionally, when a part of a layer, membrane, area, plate, etc. is described as being “on” or “on” another part, this means that the corresponding part of the layer, membrane, area, plate, etc. is “directly above” the other part. In addition, it should be interpreted to include cases where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part of a corresponding layer, membrane, region, plate, etc. is described as being "right on top" of another part, it may mean that there are no other parts in between. In addition, being "on" or "on" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and necessarily meaning being located "above" or "on" the direction opposite to gravity. Maybe not. Meanwhile, just as describing something as being “above” or “on” another part, explaining it as being “below” or “under” another part may also be understood with reference to the above-described content.

In addition, since the top/bottom surface of a specific member may be judged differently depending on which direction it is based on, throughout the specification, 'top surface' or 'bottom surface' is defined to mean the two faces of the member facing each other on the z-axis. .

In addition, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this means that it may further include other components rather than excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

In addition, throughout the specification, when referring to “on a plane,” this means when the relevant part is viewed from above, and when referring to “in cross-section,” this means when a cross-section of the relevant part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

Hereinafter, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack according to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the upper housing 220 of the pack housing 200 included in the battery pack according to FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one battery module 100, a pack housing 200 accommodating the battery module 100, and a pack housing 200. a reinforcing member 300, an end plate 400 closing the open side of the pack housing 200, a heat sink 500 disposed between the pack housing 200 and the battery cell stack 120, and a battery. It may include a cooling fin 600 that dissipates heat from the battery cell 110 by contacting the cell 110. However, the components included in the battery pack 1000 are not limited to this, and depending on the design, the battery pack 1000 may be provided with some of the above-mentioned components omitted, or other components not mentioned may be included. It may also be provided as an add-on.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery module 100 provided in this embodiment may have a module-less structure in which the module frame is omitted.

Typically, conventional battery packs have a double assembly structure in which a battery cell stack and various components connected thereto are assembled to form a battery module, and a plurality of battery modules are accommodated in the battery pack. At this time, since the battery module includes a module frame forming the outer surface, conventional battery cells are doubly protected by the module frame of the battery module and the pack housing of the battery pack. However, this double assembly structure not only increases the manufacturing cost and manufacturing process of the battery pack, but also has the disadvantage of poor reassembly when defects occur in some battery cells. Additionally, when a heat sink, which is a cooling member, exists outside the battery module, there is a problem in that the heat transfer path between the battery cell and the heat sink becomes somewhat complicated.

Accordingly, the battery module 100 of this embodiment may be provided in the form of a 'cell block' with the module frame omitted, and the battery cell stack 120 included in the cell block is the pack housing of the battery pack 1000 ( 200) can be directly combined. Through this, the structure of the battery pack 1000 can be simpler, advantages in terms of manufacturing cost and manufacturing process can be obtained, and the weight of the battery pack can be achieved.

Hereinafter, the battery module 100 that does not have a module frame may be referred to as a ‘cell block’ to distinguish it from the battery module that has a module frame. However, the battery module 100 is a general term for having a battery cell stack 120 segmented into predetermined units for modularization regardless of the presence or absence of a module frame, and the battery module 100 is a general term having a module frame. It should be interpreted as including both phosphorus battery modules and cell blocks.

Referring to FIG. 2, the battery module 100 of this embodiment is a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked in one direction, and is located at both ends of the battery cell stack 120 in the stacking direction. A side plate 130, a holding strap 140 that surrounds the side plate 130 and the battery cell stack 120 and secures its shape, and a bus that covers the front and back of the battery cell stack 120. It may include a bar frame 150.

Meanwhile, FIG. 2 shows a battery module 100 provided in the form of a cell block, but the content of this drawing is applied to the battery module 100 of a closed structure having a module frame in the battery pack 1000 of this embodiment. This does not rule out the case.

The battery cell 110 may each include an electrode assembly, a cell case, and an electrode lead protruding from the electrode assembly. The battery cells 110 may be provided in a pouch or square shape that can maximize the number of stacked cells per unit area. For example, the battery cell 110 provided in a pouch type can be manufactured by storing an electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and a separator in a cell case of a laminate sheet and then heat-sealing the sealing portion of the cell case. Meanwhile, Figures 1 and 2 show that the positive and negative electrode leads of the battery cell 110 protrude in opposite directions, but this is not necessarily the case, and the electrode leads of the battery cell 110 also protrude in the same direction. possible.

The battery cell stack 120 may be a plurality of electrically connected battery cells 110 stacked in one direction. The direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked (hereinafter referred to as 'stacking direction') may be the y-axis direction (or -y-axis direction) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, hereinafter referred to as 'axis' The expression 'direction' may be interpreted as including both +/- directions.

Meanwhile, since the battery cells 110 are arranged along one direction, the electrode leads of the battery cells 110 may be located on one side of the battery cell stack 120 or on one side and the other side facing the one side. As such, the surface on which the electrode leads are located in the battery cell stack 120 may be referred to as the front or back of the battery cell stack 120, and in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 are shown. The back side is shown with two sides facing each other on the x-axis.

In addition, the side of the battery cell stack 120 where the outermost battery cell 110 is located may be referred to as the side of the battery cell stack 120, and in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side of the battery cell stack 120 The sides are shown as two sides facing each other on the y-axis.

The side plate 130 may be provided to maintain the overall shape of the battery cell stack 120. The side plate 130 is a plate-shaped member and can replace the module frame to supplement the rigidity of the cell block. The side plates 130 may be disposed at both ends of the battery cell stack 120 in the stacking direction and may contact the outermost battery cells 110 on both sides of the battery cell stack 120 .

The side plate 130 may be manufactured from various materials and may be provided through various manufacturing methods. As an example, the side plate 130 may be made of plastic material manufactured by injection molding. As another example, the side plate 130 may be made of a leaf spring material. As another example, the side plate 130 may be made of an elastic material so that its shape can be partially deformed in response to a change in volume of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling.

The holding strap 140 may be used to fix the position and shape of the side plates 130 at both ends of the battery cell stack 120. The holding strap 140 may be a member having a length and a width. Specifically, the battery cell stack 120 may be located between two side plates 130 in contact with the outermost battery cell 110, and the holding strap 140 holds the battery cell stack 120. The two side plates 130 can be connected by crossing. Through this, the holding strap 140 can prevent the distance between the two side plates 130 from increasing beyond a certain range, and thus the overall shape of the cell block can be maintained within a certain range.

The holding strap 140 may have hooks at both ends in the length direction for stable coupling with the side plate 130. The hook may be formed by bending both ends of the holding strap 140 in the longitudinal direction. Meanwhile, a locking groove may be formed in the side plate 130 at a position corresponding to the hook, and the holding strap 140 and the side plate 130 can be stably coupled through the combination of the hook and the hook groove.

The holding strap 140 may be provided from various materials or through various manufacturing methods. As an example, the holding strap 140 may be made of an elastic material, thereby allowing a change in the volume of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling within a certain range.

Meanwhile, the holding strap 140 is for fixing the relative position between the side plate 130 and the battery cell stack 120, and if its purpose as a 'fixing member' is achieved, it is provided in a form different from that shown. It is also possible to become For example, the fixing member may be provided in the form of a long bolt that can traverse between the two side plates 130, that is, a long bolt. The side plate 130 may be provided with a groove into which a long bolt can be inserted, and the long bolt can fix the relative position of the two side plates 130 by simultaneously engaging the two side plates 130 through the groove. . The long bolt may be provided at an edge of the side plate 130, preferably at a position close to the vertex of the side plate 130. Depending on the design, it may be possible for the holding strap 140 to be replaced with the long bolt described above, but it may also be possible for both the holding strap 140 and the long bolt to be provided in the cell block.

The bus bar frame 150 is located on one side of the battery cell stack 120, covers one side of the battery cell stack 120, and simultaneously guides the connection between the battery cell stack 120 and external devices. It may be for this purpose. The busbar frame 150 may be located on the front or back of the battery cell stack 120. Two bus bar frames 150 may be provided to be located on the front and rear sides of the battery cell stack 120. A bus bar may be mounted on the bus bar frame 150, through which the electrode leads of the battery cell stack 120 are connected to the bus bar, so that the battery cell stack 120 can be electrically connected to an external device.

The busbar frame 150 may include an electrically insulating material. The bus bar frame 150 can limit contact with other parts of the battery cells 110 other than the part where the bus bar is joined to the electrode lead, and can prevent electrical short circuit from occurring.

The pack housing 200 may be used to protect the battery module 100 and the electrical equipment connected thereto from external physical shock. The pack housing 200 can accommodate the battery module 100 and the electrical equipment connected thereto in the internal space of the pack housing 200. Here, the pack housing 200 includes an inner surface and an outer surface, and the internal space of the pack housing 200 may be defined by the inner surface.

There may be a plurality of battery modules 100 accommodated in the pack housing 200. The plurality of battery modules 100 may be referred to as a ‘module assembly’. Module assemblies may be arranged in rows and columns within the pack housing 200. Here, 'row' may mean a set of battery modules 100 arranged in one direction, and 'column' may mean a set of battery modules 100 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. It can mean. For example, the battery modules 100 may be arranged along the stacking direction of the battery cell stack as shown in FIG. 1 to form a module assembly in one row or column.

The pack housing 200 may be provided in a hollow form that is open along one direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of battery modules 100 are positioned one after another along the stacking direction of the battery cells 110, and the pack housing 200 has an open hollow shape along the above-described stacking direction. You can.

The structure of the pack housing 200 may vary. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the pack housing 200 may include a lower housing 210 and an upper housing 220. Here, the lower housing 210 may be provided in a plate shape, and the upper housing 220 may be provided in a U-shape. At least one battery module 100 may be placed in the plate-shaped lower housing 210, and a U-shaped upper housing 220 may be provided to surround the upper surface of the module assembly and two surfaces on the x-axis. .

The pack housing 200 may include a portion with high thermal conductivity to quickly dissipate heat generated in the internal space to the outside. For example, at least a portion of the pack housing 200 may be made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, examples of which include aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, or alloys containing these, stainless steel, or carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (Carbon). It may be Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP), or Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP). Additionally, the pack housing 200 may partially have electrical insulation, and an insulating film may be provided or an insulating paint may be applied to locations where insulation is required. A portion of the pack housing 200 to which an insulating film or insulating paint is applied may be referred to as an insulating portion. The end plate 400 may be used to protect the battery module 100 and the electrical equipment connected to it from external physical shock by sealing the open side of the pack housing 200. Each corner of the end plate 400 may be joined to the corresponding corner of the pack housing 200 by a method such as welding. Two end plates 400 may be provided to seal the two open sides of the pack housing 200, and may be made of a metal material with a predetermined strength.

An opening 410 may be formed in the end plate 400 to expose the inlet/outlet port 530 of the heat sink 500, which will be described later, for low voltage (LV) connection with an external device or high voltage (HV) connection. ) A connector 420 for connection may be installed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion indicated by a dotted line in the upper housing of the battery pack according to FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a modified example of FIG. 4.

4 and 5, the pack housing 200 largely has a side facing the battery cell stack 120 and a side facing the outside. Hereinafter, the surface facing the battery cell stack 120 will be described as the inner surface 200a of the pack housing 200, and the surface facing the outside will be described as the outer surface 200b of the pack housing 200.

According to the present invention, a reinforcing member 300 is inserted into the space between the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b. The reinforcing member 300 may be arranged parallel to the inner surface 200a facing the battery cell stack 120. In some cases, the reinforcing member 300 may be arranged in parallel with the outer surface 200b facing outwards to suit the structure and shape of the pack housing 200, and various modifications are possible.

The reinforcing member 300 may have a shape that covers the entire inner surface 200a facing the battery cell stack 120. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 300 has a shape that covers a portion of the inner surface 200a, has the same dimension as one of the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the inner surface 200a, and is larger than the other of the horizontal and vertical sides of the inner surface 200a. It may be a shape with small dimensions.

The reinforcing member 300 may be installed at a predetermined distance from at least one of the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b. It may be in contact with at least one of the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b.

As described above, at least a portion of the pack housing 200 may be made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, for example, aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, or an alloy containing these. In order to maintain the structure of the pack housing 200 despite battery ignition or external impact, the reinforcing member 300 may be made of a material with a higher melting point than the material of the pack housing 200. For example, the pack housing 200 may be made of aluminum, etc., which has a melting point of approximately 600° Celsius, and the reinforcing member 300 may be made of stainless steel, etc., which has a higher melting point. In some cases, only when some rigidity reinforcement is required, the reinforcement member 300 may be made of a material whose rigidity is higher than that of the pack housing 200.

Alternatively, the reinforcing member 300 may be made of a material with high thermal insulation properties. For example, it may be made of flame-retardant insulation, flame-retardant silicone pad, fireproof cloth, mica, or superwool. When a battery cell ignites or explodes, the flame from the battery cell does not pass through the highly insulating reinforcing member 300, so the outer surface 200b, which is the surface facing the outside, can maintain its structure and shape. Conversely, in the event of thermal shock such as ignition or high temperature from the outside, the flame from the outside does not pass through the highly insulating reinforcing member 300, so the inner surface 200b, which is the surface facing the battery cell stack 120, remains intact. and can maintain its shape.

4 and 5 exemplarily show the shapes of the sub-housing members 200c and 200d and the corresponding reinforcing members 300a and 300b inside the pack housing 200, respectively. . FIG. 4 exemplarily shows a case where the sub-housing member 200c protrudes in a direction parallel to the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b. FIG. 5 exemplarily shows a case where the sub-housing member 200d protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b. However, the number, shape, structure, etc. of the sub-housing members and reinforcing members of the present invention are not limited to what is shown, and various modifications and changes are possible to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented. By forming the sub-housing member 300c according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 300a can be stably inserted into the pack housing 200 and prevents the structure of the pack housing 200 from collapsing due to high heat. You can.

In FIG. 4, a case where the reinforcing member 300a is provided on the left side of the sub-housing member 200c, i.e., on the left side of FIG. 4, is shown. However, the reinforcing member 300a is provided on the right side of the sub-housing member 200c, i.e., in FIG. 4. It may be provided on the right side, the sub-housing member 200c may be provided biased to the left or right side of FIG. 4, and the reinforcing member 300a may be provided toward the center, etc. Various modifications and changes are possible.

Additionally, in Figure 4, the shape of the reinforcing member 300a is shown as a straight line, but it may also be an “I” shape. Alternatively, it may have a “├” shape, in which case the end extending vertically from the middle of the reinforcing member 300a may also contact the inner surface 300a. Conversely, the sub-housing member 200c may have a “┤” shape, in which case the end extending vertically from the middle of the reinforcing member 300a may also contact the outer surface 300b.

Figure 5 shows a case where the sub-housing member 200c protrudes vertically from the inner surface 200a. The reinforcing member 300b is “ ” shape is shown, but even in this case, it may be a straight shape as in Figure 4, an “I” shape, or an “ ” Various transformations and changes are possible, such as the shape being left-right symmetrical.

Meanwhile, in FIGS. 4 and 5, the empty space 250 between the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b of the pack housing 200 is exposed to flame, sparks, and high temperature from the battery cell when the battery cell ignites. It can function as a venting passage 250 that allows heat to be discharged to the outside.

Conventionally, since the reinforcing member 300 is not provided, flames, sparks, and high temperature heat from the battery cell pass through the inner surface 200a of the pack housing 200 and then through the outer surface 200b, thereby forming the pack housing. There was a problem that the 200 was damaged, causing flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells to be released to the outside of the pack housing 200.

However, according to the present invention, the reinforcing member 300b blocks flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells, so that flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells do not penetrate the inner surface 200a of the pack housing 200. ) and the outer surface 200b, or the empty space between the inner surface 200a of the pack housing 200 and the reinforcing member 300b, that is, it can be discharged to the outside through the venting passage 250.

6 to 9 are cross-sectional views taken along line A-A' (see FIG. 1) of the upper housing 220 of the pack housing 200 of FIGS. 1 and 3. FIGS. 6 to 9 are cross-sectional views of the pack housing 200 of FIG. 1. (200) and various application examples (300c, 300d, 300e, 300f) of the reinforcing member 300 applicable thereto are shown. Figures 6 and 7 show a case where the top and both sides of the upper housing 220 are of an integrated structure, and Figures 8 and 9 show a case where the top and both sides of the upper housing 220 are formed separately and combined. shows. The upper surface of the upper housing 220 covers the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120, and both sides of the upper housing 220 cover both sides of the battery cell stack 120.

FIG. 6 exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300c is formed to be spaced a predetermined distance from the inner surface 220a and the outer surface 220b, and FIG. 7 exemplarily shows the reinforcing member 300d being formed at a predetermined distance from the outer surface 220b. ) shows the case where it is formed in contact with.

Likewise, Figure 8 exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300e is formed to be spaced a predetermined distance from the inner surface 220a and the outer surface 220b, and Figure 9 exemplarily shows the reinforcing member 300f being formed on the outer surface. A case formed in contact with (220b) is shown.

6 to 9 show a case where the reinforcing member 300 covers both the upper surface and both sides of the upper housing 220, but if necessary, the reinforcing member 300 may be provided only on at least one of the upper surface and both sides. You can.

The present invention is not limited to the structure and shape of the upper housing 220 and the structure, shape, and number of reinforcing members 300 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, and can be modified to suit various environments in which the present invention is implemented, Change is possible.

10 to 12 are perspective views showing all or part of exemplary shapes 300g, 300h, and 300i of the reinforcing member 300 of FIG. 1. The reinforcing member 300 may be entirely plate-shaped (or a grid-shaped frame structure) as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, or may be a plate-shaped member (or a grid-shaped frame structure) shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. ) may be provided in plural pieces and formed by combining them in various structures and directions as described above in FIGS. 6 to 9.

Figure 10 shows a case where the reinforcing member 300g has a plate shape. In this case, as described above, the reinforcing member 300g may be made of a material with a higher melting point than the material of the pack housing 200, or may be made of a material with high thermal insulation properties.

Figure 11 shows a case where the reinforcing member 300h has a grid-type frame structure. Although FIG. 11 shows a square lattice structure, the present invention is not limited to this, and any structure that can supplement the rigidity of the pack housing 200 and maintain the structure of the pack housing 200 is sufficient. The reinforcing member 300h may be made of a material with a higher melting point than the material of the pack housing 200, for example, metal. In this case, a plate-shaped insulator (not shown) is placed adjacent to the reinforcing member 300h to prevent or reduce damage caused by the flame from the battery cell 110 directly affecting the pack housing 200. may be placed additionally.

FIG. 12 shows a case where the reinforcing member 300i is made of a grid-shaped frame 300i-1 and an insulating material 300i-2 that fills the space between the grid-shaped frame. A material with a higher melting point than the material of the pack housing 200, for example, may be filled with an insulating material 300i-2 in the space between the metal grid-shaped frames 300i-1 to supplement the insulation properties.

Alternatively, the plate-shaped reinforcing member 300g of the insulating material shown in FIG. 10 and the grid-shaped frame structure shown in FIG. 11 may be provided inside the pack housing 200 in contact with each other or at positions spaced apart from each other.

Meanwhile, although only the upper housing 220 is shown in FIGS. 4 to 9 , the reinforcing member 300 may also be provided inside the lower housing 210 of FIG. 1 . In addition, the pack housing 200 may be a monoframe structure having a square tube shape to accommodate the battery cell stack inside, and may include a U-shaped frame with one of the upper and lower surfaces open, and the U-shaped frame. Various modifications and changes are possible, such as a structure that includes a straight cover covering the open side, or a structure in which the open sides of two U-shaped frames face each other. In some cases, a reinforcing member 300 may also be provided inside the end plate 400. Refer to the descriptions of FIGS. 4 to 12 regarding the reinforcing member 300 provided in the lower housing 210 and/or the end plate 400. At this time, at least one reinforcing member is inserted into the end plate 400, and the reinforcing member may be made of a material having a higher melting point than that of the end plate 400.

4 to 9 illustrate a case where the upper housing 220 includes an upper surface and both sides, and the lower housing 210 includes a lower surface, but the opposite case is also possible. That is, the upper housing 220 may include an upper surface, and the lower housing 210 may include a lower surface and both sides. In this case, the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 9 may be applied to the lower housing 210.

FIG. 13 exemplarily shows a heat sink 500 that can be applied to the battery pack 1000 of the present invention. The heat sink 500 may be used to cool the inside of the battery pack 1000 by dissipating heat generated from the battery cells 110. Considering that high-temperature air or gas released upon ignition of the battery cell 110 mainly moves in the direction opposite to gravity, the heat sink 500 is used to heat the battery cells 110 as shown in FIG. It may be desirable to be located at the top. However, this is not necessarily the case, and it may be possible for the heat sink 500 to be located below the battery cells 110 depending on various design reasons.

The heat sink 500 may be a water-cooled heat sink 500 into which a refrigerant, for example, coolant is injected. At this time, any coolant used in the heat sink 500 may be used as long as it can dissipate the heat of the battery cells 110 by moving along the flow path inside the heat sink 500.

Referring to FIG. 13 , the heat sink 500 may include an upper plate 510, a lower plate 520, and an inlet/outlet port 530. The heat sink 500 may be formed by combining the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. An empty space may be formed between the combined upper plate 510 and lower plate 520, and coolant may be injected into the empty space through the inlet/outlet port 530. Cooling water may be supplied through the inlet port 530 and discharged to the outlet port 530.

Meanwhile, in the above description, the heat sink 500 is provided outside the battery module 100, but this is not necessarily the case, and it is also possible for the heat sink 500 to be disposed inside the battery module 100. When the heat sink 500 is placed inside the battery module 100, heat transfer between the heat sink 500 and the battery cells 110 is easily achieved even if the battery module 100 has a closed structure with a module frame. It could be. In order to overcome the decrease in cooling efficiency due to air pockets, etc., a method of forming a heat transfer passage by filling the above-mentioned space with a thermal interface material (TIM) has been devised. However, there was a problem that the overall manufacturing cost of the battery pack 1000 increased due to the unit cost of the heat dissipating interface material, and the manufacturing time of the battery pack 1000 increased due to additional processes. Accordingly, the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 of this embodiment may be provided with cooling fins 600 to minimize the decrease in cooling efficiency due to the air gap. Cooling fins 600 may be provided with one or more battery cells 110 therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 14, the cooling fins 600 of this embodiment may be used to maintain the temperature within the battery pack 1000 or battery module 100 within an appropriate range.

Cooling fins 600 may be provided between the battery cells 110 with one surface facing each other, and the cooling fins 600 absorb heat generated from the battery cells 110 by contacting one surface of the battery cells 110. can do. The cooling fin 600 may transfer heat absorbed from the battery cell 110 toward the heat sink 500. A portion of the cooling fin 600 may exist in the space between the battery cell 110 and the heat sink 500, through which the heat of the battery cell 110 is transferred to the heat sink 500 through the cooling fin 600. It can be transmitted as . Since the cooling fin 600 is present in the space between the battery cell 110 and the heat sink 500, the amount of heat dissipation interface material used in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can be minimized, Reduction in manufacturing costs or simplification of the manufacturing process of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can be achieved.

The cooling fin 600 extends beyond the main body portion 610, which is in surface contact with one surface of the battery cell 110, and the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120, and an extension portion 620 is located close to the heat sink 500. ) may include. The main body portion 610 receives heat from the battery cell 110 by contacting the battery cell 110, and the extension portion 620 is located close to the heat sink 500, thereby transferring heat toward the heat sink 500. Can emit heat. Here, the extension portion 620 of the cooling fin 600 may be located close to the lower plate 520 of the heat sink 500 or may be positioned to contact the lower plate 520.

A plurality of cooling fins 600 may be provided in the battery cell stack 120 . The cooling fins 600 may be provided between all two adjacent battery cells 110, but this is not necessarily the case, and may be provided only on some of the two adjacent battery cells 110. At this time, when the cooling fins 600 are provided only to some of the two adjacent battery cells 110, the cooling fins 600 are kept constant so that the effect of the cooling fins 600 is evenly displayed on the battery cell stack 120. It may be desirable to place them at intervals.

Cooling fins 600 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity. For example, the cooling fin 600 may be made of aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, or an alloy containing these. The cooling fins 600 made of a highly thermally conductive material may have a much lower thermal resistance than air, and the cooling fins 600 allow heat to flow more smoothly between the battery cells 110 and the heat sink 500. can be moved

Meanwhile, although not specifically mentioned above, the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention adds a battery management system (BMS) and/or a cooling device that manages the temperature or voltage of the battery, etc. It can be included as .

The battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various devices. For example, a device to which a battery pack is applied may be a means of transportation such as an electric bicycle, electric car, or hybrid car. However, the above-described devices are not limited thereto, and the battery pack according to this embodiment can be used in various devices other than the above-described examples, which also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Although the preferred 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 improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims are also possible. It falls within the scope of invention rights.

100: battery module
110: battery cell
120: Battery cell laminate
130: side plate
140: holding strap
150: Busbar frame
200: pack housing
300: Reinforcement member
400: End plate
500: heat sink
600: Cooling fin

Claims (16)

A battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked,
A pack housing for storing the battery module, and
Comprising at least one reinforcing member inserted into the pack housing,
The battery pack, wherein the reinforcing member is formed of a material having a higher melting point than the pack housing. In paragraph 1:
The pack housing further includes a venting passage that allows flames, sparks, or high-temperature heat from the battery cell stack to be discharged to the outside of the battery pack,
A space between the inner surface of the pack housing and the reinforcing member forms the venting flow path. In paragraph 1:
The pack housing includes aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and the reinforcing member includes stainless steel. pack. In paragraph 1:
A battery pack wherein the reinforcing member includes an insulating material. In paragraph 4,
The battery pack wherein the reinforcing member includes a flame retardant silicone pad, fireproof cloth, mica, or superwool. In paragraph 1:
The battery pack, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface. In paragraph 1:
The battery pack, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed at a predetermined distance from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface. In paragraph 1:
A battery pack in which the reinforcing member has an overall plate shape or a structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped plates are combined. In paragraph 1:
The battery pack in which the reinforcing member has an overall grid-shaped frame structure or a structure in which a plurality of grid-shaped frames are combined. In paragraph 9:
The battery pack further includes a plate-shaped insulating material disposed in parallel and adjacent to the reinforcing member. In paragraph 9:
The battery pack wherein the reinforcing member further includes an insulating material in the space between the grids. In paragraph 1:
The pack housing:
A mono frame structure having a square tube shape to accommodate the battery cell stack therein;
A structure including a U-shaped frame with one of the upper and lower surfaces open and a straight cover covering the open surface of the U-shaped frame; and
A battery pack, one of which is a structure in which the open sides of two U-shaped frames face each other. In paragraph 12:
The battery pack wherein the reinforcing member is provided on at least one of an upper surface, a lower surface, and both sides of the pack housing. In paragraph 12 or 13:
An end plate that closes at least one of the open front and rear sides of the pack housing, and
Further comprising at least one reinforcing member inserted into the internal space between the inner and outer surfaces of the end plate,
The battery pack, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the end plate. In paragraph 1:
The battery pack wherein the reinforcing member is straight, “I” shaped, “├” shaped, left-right symmetrical, or at least one combination thereof. A device comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 1.