KR20240012280A - Battery pack, battery module and vehicle including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Provides battery packs, battery modules, and vehicles containing the same that can improve heat propagation and ensure excellent safety in the event of a thermal event. A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells each having electrode leads; a bus bar frame assembly coupled to at least some of the electrode leads of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells; and a cell cover provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and an end of which is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly.

Description

Battery pack, battery module, and vehicle including the same {BATTERY PACK, BATTERY MODULE AND VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a battery pack, a battery module, and a vehicle including the same. More specifically, it relates to a battery pack, a battery module, and a vehicle including the same with excellent safety against thermal events.

As technology development and demand for various mobile devices, electric vehicles, energy storage systems (ESS), etc. increase significantly, interest in and demand for secondary batteries as an energy source are rapidly increasing. Conventionally, nickel-cadmium batteries or nickel-hydrogen batteries were widely used as secondary batteries, but recently, lithium secondary batteries have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, allowing for free charging and discharging, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density. Batteries are widely used.

These lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxide and carbon material as positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. A lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which positive and negative electrode plates coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials are disposed with a separator in between, and an exterior material, that is, a battery case, that seals and stores the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

In general, secondary batteries can be classified into can-type batteries in which the electrode assembly is built into a metal can and pouch-type batteries in which the electrode assembly is built in a pouch of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

Recently, battery packs have been widely used for driving or energy storage in medium to large-sized devices such as electric vehicles and ESS. A conventional battery pack includes one or more battery modules inside a pack case and a control unit that controls charging and discharging of the battery pack. Here, the battery module is configured to include a plurality of battery cells inside a module case. That is, in the case of a conventional battery pack, a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) are stored inside a module case to form each battery module, and one or more of these battery modules are stored inside the pack case to form a battery pack.

In particular, pouch-type batteries have advantages in many aspects, such as being light in weight and requiring less dead space when stacked, but they are vulnerable to external shocks and have somewhat poor assembly properties. Therefore, it is common for battery packs to be manufactured by first modularizing a plurality of cells and then storing them inside a pack case.

However, in the case of conventional battery packs, they may be disadvantageous in terms of energy density, assembly, cooling, etc. due to modularization. Specifically, in the process of modularizing multiple battery cells by storing them inside a module case, the volume of the battery pack is unnecessarily increased or the space occupied by the battery cells is reduced due to various components such as the module case or stacking frame. You can. Since a battery module is first constructed by modularizing a plurality of battery cells and then the battery module is stored in a pack case, the manufacturing process of the battery pack becomes complicated. Since the module case is stored inside the pack case and the battery cells are stored inside the module case, when the heat from the battery cells stored inside the module case is discharged to the outside of the pack case through the module case, cooling efficiency is reduced and the cooling structure It can also get complicated.

Recently, demand for battery packs used in electric vehicles has been increasing. Since these battery packs have multiple battery cells, safety must be managed more strictly. If thermal runaway, ignition, or explosion occurs in some cells within one battery module, the generated high-temperature gas, flame, or high-temperature internal material is sprayed and heat spreads to other adjacent battery modules ( As thermal propagation occurs, secondary thermal runaway, secondary fire, or explosion may occur, and there is a risk that cells in multiple battery modules may sequentially thermally run away, ignite, or explode. Therefore, there is a great need for a means to suppress or delay flame transfer between battery modules when a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs. However, conventional battery packs or battery modules may be vulnerable to thermal events. In particular, if a thermal event occurs inside a battery module or battery pack, thermal runaway may occur, resulting in flames and, in severe cases, explosion.

In the case of a conventional battery pack or battery module, heat propagation by conduction is delayed by avoiding direct contact between cells by inserting an insulating pad made of silicon, etc. between battery cells. However, it has a structure that is vulnerable to heat propagation by convection in space. You can.

Furthermore, the electrode leads of each battery cell may be coupled to a busbar frame assembly for mutual electrical connection or sensing. At this time, convection is likely to occur in the area where the electrode leads and the bus bar frame assembly are present, so when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell, a problem of heat propagation due to thermal convection on the electrode lead side may occur.

Therefore, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack, a battery module, and a vehicle including the same with excellent energy density, assemblyability, and/or cooling properties. It is done.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack, a battery module, and a vehicle including the same that can improve heat propagation and ensure excellent safety when a thermal event occurs.

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

A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells each having electrode leads; a bus bar frame assembly coupled to at least some of the electrode leads of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells; and a cell cover provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and an end of which is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly.

The cell cover may be configured to support the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an upright state.

The battery pack further includes a pack case for storing the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space, and the cell cover partially covers the pouch-type battery cells so that at least one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell is exposed toward the pack case. It may be wrapped with .

The pouch-type battery cell has an accommodating portion in which the electrode assembly is stored and an edge portion around the accommodating portion, and the cell cover may be configured to cover both sides of the accommodating portion and a portion of the edge portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell. .

Here, the cell cover may be provided to cover both sides of the storage portion and the upper or lower edge portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell.

Additionally, the cell cover includes a first side cover portion that covers one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell; a second side cover portion covering the other side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell; And it may include an upper cover part connecting the first side cover part and the second side cover part and covering an upper part of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell.

Additionally, the first side cover portion and the second side cover portion may have different sizes.

Additionally, two or more cell covers may be included, and adjacent cell covers may be arranged so that first or second side covers of the same size face each other.

In addition, one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly, and the other one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly. It can be inserted in a way that does not penetrate the frame assembly.

One of the first side cover part and the second side cover part may be formed to protrude more toward the side where the bus bar frame assembly is located than the other one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part.

Additionally, the bus bar frame assembly is located at the front and rear sides of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, respectively, and the front and rear ends of the cell cover may be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly, respectively.

Additionally, two or more cell covers may be included, and a thermal barrier may be interposed between adjacent cell covers.

Here, the end of the thermal barrier along with the cell cover may be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly.

Additionally, the battery pack according to the present invention may further include an insulating pad in contact with the surface of the cell cover.

Additionally, the cell cover may be configured as a bent plate.

Furthermore, the cell cover may include an insulating coating layer on the inner side.

In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention may further include a control module stored in the internal space of the pack case and configured to control charging and discharging of the pouch-type battery cells.

Additionally, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery pack according to the present invention.

In addition, a battery module according to another aspect of the present invention is one or more battery modules stored in the internal space of a pack case, and includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, each having an electrode lead; a bus bar frame assembly coupled to at least some of the electrode leads of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells; a cell cover provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and an end of which is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly; and a module case storing the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space.

Here, the module case is configured to be at least partially open, and the bus bar frame assembly may be configured to be coupled to the open portion of the module case.

Additionally, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery module according to the present invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, as a CTP (Cell To Pack) concept, the module case, etc. are eliminated, and cooling performance and energy density can be improved.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells can be stably stored inside a pack case without the need for a stacking frame such as a plastic cartridge or a separate module case.

In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a configuration in which a plurality of pouch-type battery cells are stacked side by side in the horizontal direction while standing vertically can be easily implemented.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the energy density of a battery pack can be improved. Moreover, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the battery cells are directly stored in the pack case without being modularized, it is possible to manufacture a battery pack that does not require a module case for the battery module. Accordingly, by reducing the space occupied by the module case, more battery cells can be placed inside the pack case. Therefore, the energy density of the battery pack is further improved. By assembling pouch-type battery cells directly into the pack case of the battery pack, space utilization of the battery pack can be maximized and energy capacity can be significantly improved.

Moreover, according to one aspect of the present invention, a pouch-type battery cell having a case made of a flexible material can be easily made into a sturdy form, so that a configuration in which the battery cells are directly stacked inside a pack case or module case can be more easily implemented. Accordingly, assembly and mechanical stability of the battery pack or battery module can be improved.

Additionally, according to one aspect of the present invention, the cooling efficiency of the battery pack can be further improved. In particular, in the case of one embodiment of the present invention, a portion of each pouch-type battery cell is directly exposed to the pack case, so heat from each pouch-type battery cell can be effectively discharged to the outside through the pack case.

Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, when thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell, it is possible to effectively respond to the thermal event. In particular, in the case of the present invention, when thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell, the propagation of thermal runaway can be effectively suppressed or delayed.

Moreover, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the top frame of the pack case is protected, and a sealing structure for each cell and bank is applied, thereby preventing heat/flame spread between cells.

Additionally, according to one aspect of the present invention, even when a thermal event occurs, internal short circuit or structural collapse can be prevented.

According to the present invention, a battery pack and a battery module with increased safety against thermal runaway, fire, explosion, etc., that is, thermal safety, are provided. In a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules, radio waves to surrounding battery cells or battery modules can be stably blocked when some battery cells or battery modules generate heat.

Additionally, according to one aspect of the present invention, the safety of the battery pack can be improved. In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, gas discharged from each battery cell can be smoothly discharged to the outside. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the discharge direction of gas or flame discharged from a battery cell can be controlled. Accordingly, thermal runaway propagation between adjacent battery cells can be effectively prevented.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described later, so the present invention includes the matters described in such drawings. It should not be interpreted as limited to only .
1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a pouch-type battery cell that may be included in the battery pack shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a partial configuration of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 3 in a state in which some components of FIG. 3 are combined.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing parts of some of the components shown in FIG. 3 separated.
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing two pouch-type battery cells wrapped by one cell cover in the battery pack shown in FIG. 1.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 6.
FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional configuration of the front portion in a state in which some of the configurations of FIG. 3 are combined.
Figure 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their common or dictionary meanings, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of terms in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted with meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it is. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing the present application, various alternatives may be used to replace them. It should be understood that equivalents and variations may exist.

In the drawings, the size of each component or specific part constituting the component is exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown for convenience and clarity of explanation. Therefore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size. If it is determined that specific descriptions of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such descriptions will be omitted.

1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a pouch-type battery cell that may be included in the battery pack shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a partial configuration of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1.

1 to 3, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, a busbar frame assembly 150, and a cell cover 200. The battery pack 10 may further include a pack case 300 that stores the pouch-type battery cells 100 in an internal space.

A plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be included in the battery pack 10 . The cell cover 200 may be configured to surround the pouch-type battery cell 100 in the internal space of the pack case 300. And, these plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in at least one direction. For example, referring to what is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked and arranged in a horizontal direction, for example, in a left-right direction (Y-axis direction in the drawing). Additionally, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be arranged in the front-back direction (X-axis direction in the figure) as shown in FIG. 1. For example, referring to what is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in a form of twelve cells arranged in the left and right directions and two cells in the front-back direction. The capacity and scale of the battery pack 10 can be expanded by increasing the number of stacked pouch-type battery cells 100.

The pack case 300 may include a top frame 310 and a bottom frame 320. As a more specific example, the bottom frame 320 is configured in a box shape with an open top and can accommodate a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 in the internal space. Additionally, the top frame 310 may be configured in the form of a cover that covers the top opening of the bottom frame 320. At this time, the top frame 310 may be configured in the form of a box with an open bottom. Additionally, the cell cover 200 along with a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be accommodated in the internal space of the pack case 300. The pack case 300 may be made of plastic or metal. In addition, the pack case 300 may adopt exterior materials of various battery packs known at the time of filing the present invention.

Additionally, the battery pack according to the present invention may further include a control module 400 stored in the internal space of the pack case 300. This control module 400 may include a Battery Management System (BMS). The control module 400 is mounted in the internal space of the pack case 300 and may be configured to generally control charging and discharging operations and data transmission and reception operations of the pouch-type battery cell 100. The control module 400 may be provided in pack units rather than module units. More specifically, the control module 400 may be provided to control the charge/discharge state, power state, and performance state of the pouch-type battery cell 100 through pack voltage and pack current. The control module 400 estimates the state of the battery cells 100 in the battery pack 10 and manages the battery pack 10 using the estimated state information. For example, state information of the battery pack 10, such as state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), maximum input/output power allowance, and output voltage, is estimated and managed. And, using this state information, the charging or discharging of the battery pack 10 can be controlled, and it is also possible to estimate the replacement time of the battery pack 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a battery disconnect unit (BDU) 500. The battery disconnection unit 500 may be configured to control the electrical connection of battery cells to manage the power capacity and function of the battery pack 10. To this end, the battery blocking unit 500 may include a power relay, a current sensor, a fuse, etc. The battery cut-off unit 500 is also provided in pack units rather than module units, and various cut-off units known at the time of filing of the present invention may be employed.

In addition, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include components of various battery packs known at the time of filing of the present invention. For example, the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a manual service disconnector (MSD) that allows an operator to cut off power by manually disconnecting the service plug. Additionally, it may further include flexible bus bars or cables for interconnecting a plurality of cell unit blocks.

The pouch-type battery cell 100 corresponds to the basic unit of charge and discharge, and as shown in FIG. 2, an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are stored inside a pouch exterior material 102 made of a laminated film containing a soft metal. It may be manufactured by sealing the pouch exterior material 102. In this case, the electrode assembly can be manufactured by interposing a separator between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The pouch exterior material 102 may be an aluminum laminate sheet.

Additionally, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be provided with an electrode lead 104 on at least one side. More specifically, the electrode lead 104 electrically connected to the electrode assembly may be exposed to the outside of the pouch exterior material 102. In the pouch-type battery cell 100 of this embodiment, the electrode lead 104 includes a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead as a pair. For example, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be provided with electrode leads 104 in the front and back directions, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2 . The area between both ends of the pouch exterior material 102 where the electrode lead 104 protrudes may be defined as the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the pouch-type battery cell 100. In this way, the positive lead and the negative lead may be provided at both front and rear ends of the pouch-type battery cell 100 in the longitudinal direction, that is, at the front and rear ends of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

The pouch-type battery cell 100 may include a storage portion (R) in which the electrode assembly is stored, and edge portions (E1 to E4) around the storage portion (R). For example, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may have four edge portions, such as an upper edge portion (E1), a lower edge portion (E2), a front edge portion (E3), and a rear edge portion (E4). All four edge portions (E1 to E4) may be sealed portions using a four-sided sealing method, or only the lower edge portion (E2) may be a folded portion of the pouch exterior material and an unsealed portion using a three-sided sealing method. For example, the upper edge portion E1 may be a so-called double side folded (DSF) portion as a sealing portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, and the lower edge portion E2 may be an unsealed portion. It could be wealth. When constructing a battery module or battery pack using a pouch-type battery cell, the space occupied by the pouch-type battery cell within the device is reduced by minimizing the battery module size to increase space utilization, or for a certain battery module size. By minimizing the area occupied by the sealing part, the surplus portion can be used to increase the size of the electrode assembly, thereby increasing the capacity of the secondary battery. For the latter, in most cases, size is controlled by folding the sealing portion located on the side of the pouch-type battery cell to form a folding portion. However, if the sealing part is simply folded, it may unfold due to the springback cell swelling phenomenon of the folding part itself, so the folding part is taped to prevent this. In addition, among the sealing parts, when the sealing part located in the direction in which the electrode lead 104 is drawn out is referred to as a cell terrace, the cell terrace of the pouch-type battery cell 100 in this embodiment is the front edge portion E3 and the rear edge portion E3. It is formed on the side edge portion (E4).

In this way, each pouch-type battery cell 100 has two large surfaces corresponding to the storage portion R, and the corner portion of these large surfaces may have a sealing portion or a folded portion of the pouch exterior material. Therefore, considering the shape of the pouch-type battery cells 100, it is difficult to stack them in a vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing) with the narrow surface, such as the edge portion E1 or E2, facing down. However, according to the present invention, since the cell cover 200 is included, the upright state of the pouch-type battery cell 100 is supported, so that the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 are moved in the left and right direction and/or forward and backward. It is easy to stack in one direction.

Meanwhile, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 3 in a state in which some components of FIG. 3 are combined.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the bus bar frame assembly 150 may be configured to be coupled to at least some of the electrode leads 104 of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. The bus bar frame assembly 150 may be provided on the side where the electrode lead 104 is formed. As explained with reference to FIG. 2, since the electrode leads 104 are pulled out in both directions from the pouch-type battery cell 100, the bus bar frame assembly 150 is coupled to both sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100 in the longitudinal direction. It can be.

For example, the busbar frame assembly 150 may include busbar electrodes 160 made of an electrically conductive material and a busbar frame 170 made of an electrically insulating material to support the busbar electrodes 160. The bus bar frame 170 may be configured to prevent short circuit of the bus bar electrode 160. For this purpose, the bus bar frame 170 may be made of polymer synthetic resin with insulating properties. A lead extraction hole 175 is formed in the bus bar frame 170 to allow the electrode lead 104 to pass through and be welded to the bus bar electrode 160.

The bus bar frame assembly 150 electrically connects the electrode leads 104 to electrically connect the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 in series and/or parallel. Additionally, the bus bar frame assembly 150 may be connected to the control module 400 and configured to transmit sensing information such as voltage.

Additionally, the battery pack 10 may further include an insulating cover 190. The insulating cover 190 may be configured to prevent short circuit of the electrode lead 104 or the busbar electrode 160. For this purpose, the insulating cover 190 may be made of polymer synthetic resin with insulating properties. Furthermore, since the electrode leads 104 are provided on both sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100, the insulating cover 190 may also be included on both sides where the electrode leads 104 are provided. Of course, it is also possible to have the busbar frame assembly 150 itself perform the function without separately including the insulating cover 190.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing parts of some of the components shown in FIG. 3 separated. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing two pouch-type battery cells wrapped by one cell cover in the battery pack shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7 , the cell cover 200 may be provided to at least partially cover at least some of the pouch-type battery cells 100 among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 . Additionally, multiple cell covers 200 may be included in one battery pack 10 .

The cell cover 200 may be configured to group and unitize a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 included in the battery pack 10. In this case, one cell cover 200 can be said to constitute one cell unit. Additionally, one cell unit may include one or a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100.

For example, the cell cover 200 may be configured to at least partially cover two pouch-type battery cells 100. Each cell group surrounded by the cell cover 200 may be expressed as a cell bank unit in addition to a cell unit. The pouch-type battery cell 100 within the cell unit or cell bank may include a series and/or parallel electrical connection configuration through a bus bar electrode 160 or the like.

The cell cover 200 may be at least partially adhered to the outer surface of the pouch-type battery cell 100. For example, the cell cover 200 may have its inner surface adhered to the receiving portion (R) of the pouch-type battery cell 100. The member for adhesion may be thermally conductive. Through this adhesion, the cell cover 200 is firmly coupled to the pouch-type battery cell 100 and helps discharge heat generated in the pouch-type battery cell 100 to the outside of the pouch-type battery cell 100. You can.

The cell cover 200 may be configured to support a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 in an upright state. In the battery pack 10 according to the present invention, the cell cover 200 surrounds one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 and supports the erect state, that is, the standing state, of the wrapped pouch-type battery cells 100. It can be configured to do so. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be stacked horizontally while standing vertically. For example, as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, a plurality of cell covers 200 are stacked on each other in the horizontal direction, and each cell cover 200 includes one or more pouch-type battery cells 100. ) may be configured to surround the. In this case, the configuration in which the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 are stacked side by side in the horizontal direction when each is erected can be stably maintained by the cell cover 200.

In particular, the cell cover 200 can be configured to stand on its own in the internal space of the pack case 300. In other words, the cell cover 200 can be configured to maintain an upright position on its own without the help of other components provided in the battery pack 10, such as the pack case 300 or the pouch-type battery cell 100.

The cell cover 200 may be configured to partially surround the pouch-type battery cell 100 so that at least one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed to the outside. That is, the cell cover 200 may not completely surround the pouch-type battery cell 100 as a whole, but may only partially cover the pouch-type battery cell 100. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the pack case 300. In this respect, the cell cover 200 may be referred to by terms such as a cell sleeve.

For example, referring to the implementation configuration of FIGS. 1 to 7, the cell cover 200 is configured to surround two pouch-type battery cells 100, and the wrapped pouch-type battery cells 100, that is, the inside The lower portion of the battery cell 100 accommodated in the space may not be surrounded by the cell cover 200. Accordingly, the lower part of the battery cell 100 is exposed toward the pack case 300 and can directly face the pack case 300. In particular, referring to FIG. 1, the lower part of the battery cell 100 may be exposed toward the bottom surface of the bottom frame 320.

A battery cell in which all four edge portions (E1 to E4) are sealed may be referred to as a four-side sealing cell, and a battery cell in which three edge portions (E1, E3, and E4) are sealed may be referred to as a three-side sealing cell. In this configuration, the cell cover 200 surrounds both sides of the storage portion (R) and a portion of the edge portions (E1 to E4) of the pouch-type battery cell 100, which may be a 4-side sealing cell or a 3-side sealing cell. It can be configured. For example, the cell cover 200 may be configured in a 'ㄷ' shape, 'U' shape, or 'n' shape that surrounds three sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

For example, when one cell cover 200 is configured to surround one pouch-type battery cell 100, the cell cover 200 is located on both sides of the storage portion (R) of the same pouch-type battery cell 100. It may be configured to surround the surface (for example, the left surface and the right surface of the same receiving portion R) and a portion of the edge portion of the corresponding battery cell 100 from the outside. As another example, when one cell cover 200 is configured to surround a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, for example, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 arranged in the left and right directions, the outermost pouch-type battery cell ( It may be configured to surround the outer surface of the storage portion (R) of the battery cell 100 and one edge portion of the entire pouch-type battery cell 100. As a more specific example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, one cell cover 200 may be configured to surround two pouch-type battery cells 100 stacked in the left and right directions. At this time, the cell cover 200 is located on the left surface of the left pouch-type battery cell 100, the upper edge portions E1 of the two pouch-type battery cells 100, and the right side of the right pouch-type battery cell 100. It may be configured to surround the surface.

According to this implementation configuration, a configuration that supports and protects one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 can be easily implemented as a single cell cover 200. Additionally, according to the above-mentioned configuration, a process of handling one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 through the cell cover 200 can be easily and safely performed. Additionally, according to the above-mentioned configuration, one cell cover 200 can face the surfaces of the two storage portions R with respect to the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. Accordingly, cooling performance between the storage portion R and the cell cover 200 can be further improved. In particular, in this case, surface cooling is implemented through the large surface of the storage portion (R), so cooling efficiency can be improved.

In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured to surround an edge portion not provided with the electrode lead 104 among several edge portions of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. For example, as described with reference to FIG. 2, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be provided with two electrode leads 104, that is, a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead. At this time, the two electrode leads 104 may be located at the front edge portion E3 and the rear edge portion E4, respectively. At this time, the cell cover 200 may be configured to surround one of the two edge parts E1 and E2 excluding the front edge part E3 and the rear edge part E4. In this way, the cell cover 200 covers both sides and the top of the pouch-type battery cell 100, while it may have a structure that is open at the front, rear, and bottom sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

In particular, according to the above embodiment, the lower edge portion E2 is located adjacent to the open end of the cell cover 200 and faces the pack case 300 without being surrounded by the cell cover 200, It may be in direct contact with the pack case 300. Accordingly, heat from the pouch-type battery cell 100 wrapped by the cell cover 200 can be quickly and smoothly discharged toward the pack case 300 below. Accordingly, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be secured more effectively.

In particular, this configuration can be implemented more effectively when cooling is mainly performed at the bottom of the pack case 300. For example, in the case of a battery pack mounted on an electric vehicle, cooling may occur mainly at the bottom of the pack case 300 because it is mounted at the bottom of the vehicle body. At this time, as in the above embodiment, when the lower edge portion E2 of each pouch-type battery cell 100 is in face-to-face contact with the pack case 300, heat is generated from each battery cell 100 toward the pack case 300. As this is delivered quickly, cooling performance can be further improved.

In addition, according to the above-mentioned configuration, when high-temperature gas or flame is discharged from the pouch-type battery cell 100 in a situation such as thermal runaway, it is possible to effectively prevent the discharged gas or flame from heading toward the upper side. In particular, when a passenger is located on the upper side of the battery pack 10, such as in an electric vehicle, according to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to suppress or delay gas or flame from heading toward the passenger.

In addition, the cell cover 200 surrounds three sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100, so that the bus bar electrode 160 and the electrode lead 104 are located on the side that is not surrounded by each cell cover 200. The requested configuration can be easily implemented.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to direct the discharge direction of high-temperature gas or flame to the exposed side of the cell cover 200 (a portion where the electrode lead 104 is formed). For example, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the front and rear sides of the cell cover 200 where the electrode lead 104 is located are open, so gas or flame can be discharged in this open direction. In particular, when the cell cover 200 is configured with the front and back open as described above, side directional venting can be easily implemented along the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100. .

The pouch-type battery cell 100 is light, has a low possibility of electrolyte leakage, and has flexibility in shape, so it has the advantage of being able to implement a secondary battery of the same capacity with a smaller volume and mass. Because there is a risk of explosion, ensuring safety is one of the important tasks. Overheating of the pouch-type battery cell 100 occurs for various reasons, one of which is when an overcharge exceeding the limit flows through the pouch-type battery cell 100. When overcurrent flows, the pouch-type battery cell 100 generates heat by Joule heat, so the internal temperature of the battery cell 100 rapidly increases. A rapid rise in temperature may cause a decomposition reaction of the electrolyte and generate gas. This may cause a swelling phenomenon, a type of swelling phenomenon, due to increased pressure inside the pouch exterior material, which may cause serious problems such as secondary battery explosion. When gas is generated inside the pouch-type battery cell 100 due to such overcurrent as well as exposure to high temperature, external impact, etc., it is necessary to ensure the safety of the secondary battery by effectively discharging the gas. Venting is the process of discharging gas generated inside a secondary battery to the outside. The cell cover 200 included in the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to allow venting gas to be discharged, thereby ensuring the safety of the secondary battery.

If the pouch-type battery cell 100 is a three-sided sealed battery cell, the upper edge portion E1, which is a sealed portion in the pouch-type battery cell 100, has a relatively higher temperature than the lower edge portion E2, which is an unsealed portion. may be more susceptible to gas or flame emissions. However, according to the above embodiment, the upper edge portion E1, which is a sealing portion, is disposed to face the cell cover 200, which may be more advantageous for directional venting.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, gases discharged from each pouch-type battery cell 100 can be smoothly discharged to the outside. Moreover, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the discharge direction of gas or flame discharged from the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be controlled. Accordingly, thermal runaway propagation between adjacent pouch-type battery cells 100 can be effectively prevented.

In the present invention, the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 can be directly mounted on the pack case 300. Moreover, the lower ends of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 may be seated on the upper bottom of the pack case 300. For example, the cell cover 200 may be directly seated on the bottom surface of the bottom frame 320 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 . At this time, a portion of the cell cover 200, such as a lower portion of the cell cover 200 indicated as 'C1' in FIGS. 6 and 7, may be seated in direct contact with the bottom surface of the bottom frame 320. In addition, when the lower end of the cell cover 200 is seated in this way, the cell cover 200 may be configured to maintain a stable seated state. At this time, if the cell cover 200 is made of a metal material with excellent rigidity such as steel, especially stainless steel (SUS), the self-standing state can be maintained more stably. Therefore, in this case, the standing state of the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be more reliably supported.

According to this aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be directly seated and stored inside the pack case 300 without a module case. In particular, in the case of the pouch-type battery cells 100, the exterior material is made of a soft material, so it is vulnerable to external shock and has low hardness. Therefore, it is not easy to store the pouch-type battery cell 100 itself inside the pack case 300 without storing it in the module case. However, in the case of the present invention, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 are combined with the cell cover 200 in a state in which at least a portion is surrounded by the cell cover 200, and are directly stored inside the pack case 300. , the stacked state can be maintained stably.

Moreover, in the case of the present invention, a CTP type battery pack using the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be implemented more efficiently. That is, in the case of the present invention, rather than storing the pouch-type battery cell 100 inside a separate module case and storing this module case inside the pack case 300, the pouch-type battery cell 100 is directly placed in the pack case. (300) The battery pack 10 may be provided to be stored inside. At this time, at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be exposed to the outside of the cell cover 200 and may be arranged to directly face the pack case 300.

Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, there is no need to additionally provide the battery pack 10 with a module case, a stacking frame, or fastening members such as bolts for maintaining the stacked state of the cells. Accordingly, the space occupied by other components, such as a module case or a stacking frame, or the resulting space for securing tolerances can be eliminated. Therefore, since the battery cells can occupy more space as the space removed, the energy density of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

Additionally, according to this aspect of the present invention, since a module case, stacking frame, bolts, etc. are not provided, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

According to the present invention, the assembling of a battery pack can be improved. In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the process of preparing a battery module by storing pouch-type battery cells in a module case, the process of storing one or more battery modules thus prepared in a pack case, etc. may not be performed. Accordingly, the manufacturing process can be simplified and manufacturing time can be reduced.

Additionally, according to this aspect of the present invention, handling of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may become easier. For example, when storing a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 inside a pack case, the pouch-type battery cells 100 can be held by a jig or the like. At this time, the jig may hold the cell cover 200 surrounding the pouch-type battery cell 100 without directly holding the pouch-type battery cell 100. Accordingly, damage or breakage of the pouch-type battery cell 100 caused by the jig can be prevented.

Additionally, according to this aspect of the present invention, the cell cover 200 is coupled to the pouch-type battery cell 100, so that the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be effectively protected without a module case.

Additionally, according to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be secured more effectively. In particular, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the pack case 300 can be in direct contact with each other through the open end of the cell cover 200. That is, one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 disposed adjacent to the open end of the cell cover 200 may directly face or contact the pack case 300. Accordingly, the heat emitted from each pouch-type battery cell 100 is directly transferred to the pack case 300, and cooling performance can be improved. Additionally, in this case, since a separate cooling structure does not need to be provided between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the pack case 300, efficient cooling performance can be implemented. In this case, there may not be space between the pouch-type battery cells 100 for a refrigerant such as air to flow in.

Additionally, in this case, at least one side of the cell cover 200 is opened, which may be advantageous in reducing the weight of the battery pack 10. For example, when the cell cover 200 is made of a material such as steel, if the lower end of the cell cover 200 is formed in an open form, the weight of the cell cover 200 can be reduced by the amount of the lower plate. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 may include many cell covers 200, and if all cell covers 200 do not have a lower plate and are formed in an open form, the battery pack 10 (10) The weight can be significantly reduced.

Additionally, according to one aspect of the present invention, a long cell having a long length in a specific direction can be more easily prepared.

For example, in the case of a conventional square cell, if the length in a specific direction is formed to be long, the process of inserting the electrode assembly into the square case may not be easy. In particular, problems such as damage to the electrode assembly may occur during the insertion process of the electrode assembly. However, according to one embodiment of the present invention, increasing the length of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 in one direction is necessary for forming the pouch exterior material, manufacturing the electrode assembly, and the cell cover 200. It can be easily implemented at the manufacturing stage. In addition, the process of inserting a long cell manufactured in this way to be long in one direction through the open side (for example, the lower part) of the cell cover 200 can be easily performed. Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, even when manufacturing the battery pack 10 using long cells, excellent assembly, processability, productivity, etc. can be secured.

A plurality of cell covers 200 may be included in the battery pack 10 . When a plurality of cell covers 200 are included, the plurality of cell covers 200 may be in close contact with each other and fixed by adhesive. For example, an adhesive member may be interposed in a portion where the two cell covers 200 face each other to adhesively fix them. Through this adhesive configuration, the connection configuration between multiple cell covers 200 can be made more robust. For example, a plurality of cell covers 200 may be arranged side by side, and adjacent cell covers 200 may be glued and fixed to each other. The adhesive member may be insulating. This adhesive member can achieve insulation between the cell covers 200, which may be made of a metal material.

As another example, the plurality of cell covers 200 may be spaced apart from each other. For example, a plurality of cell covers 200 may be arranged side by side, and a space may exist between neighboring cell covers 200. For example, the plurality of cell covers 200 may be arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction, and the cell covers 200 may be spaced apart in the Y-axis direction. Direct heat transfer between the cell covers 200 can be blocked through the spaced apart space. Additionally, separate members required to construct the battery pack 10 can be inserted through the spaced apart space.

In particular, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a thermal barrier 250, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The thermal barrier 250 may be configured in the form of a pad made of an insulating material and may be interposed between adjacent cell covers 200. Preferably, the thermal barrier 250 is made of a compressible material and can be interposed between adjacent cell covers 200. Alternatively, the thermal barrier 250 may be interposed between the pouch-type battery cells 100 within one cell cover 200. For example, the thermal barrier 250 may include an elastic material such as a sponge.

The thermal barrier 250 may be interposed at least partially between the plurality of cell covers 200 in the form of an insulating pad or flame suppression pad. These insulating pads or flame suppression pads can prevent heat or flame that may occur within one cell cover 200 from being transferred to the other cell cover 200 and affecting other pouch-type battery cells 100. . The flame suppression pad may be made of a heat-resistant resin such as vinyl chloride resin, a material such as silicone or ceramic, or a composite of a heat-resistant resin and a ceramic or glass filler. The thermal barrier 250 may be formed of a metal plate coated with insulation. However, the examples given here are only illustrative and any flame retardant material is sufficient. It is desirable if the pouch-type battery cell 100 is made of a material that does not decompose, melt, or ignite at least up to the temperature at which thermal runaway occurs (e.g., 150°C to 200°C).

Preferably, the thermal barrier 250 may be configured to be in close contact with the cell covers 200 between adjacent cell covers 200. Accordingly, the thermal barrier 250 may be configured to suppress the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the pouch-type battery cell 100. The size of the side of the thermal barrier 250 facing the cell cover 200 may be a size corresponding to the side of the cell cover 200. Accordingly, it is possible to delay the spread of flame due to thermal runaway of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and at the same time suppress the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the pouch-type battery cell 100, so that the battery pack 10 Structural stability can be further secured.

The cell cover 200 may be made of various materials to ensure rigidity. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be made of a metal material. In the case of this metal material, the stacked state of the pouch-type battery cells 100 can be maintained more stably and the pouch-type battery cells 100 can be more safely protected from external shock. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be made of steel or SUS. For example, the cell cover 200 may be entirely made of SUS material.

As such, when the cell cover 200 is made of a steel material, it has excellent mechanical strength and rigidity, and thus can more stably support the stacked state of the pouch-type battery cells 100. Additionally, in this case, it is possible to more effectively prevent damage or breakage of the pouch-type battery cell 100 from external impacts, such as needles. Additionally, in this case, handling of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may become easier.

Additionally, as in the above embodiment, when the cell cover 200 is made of a steel material, due to its high melting point, when a flame occurs from the pouch-type battery cell 100, the overall structure can be stably maintained. In particular, in the case of steel material, the melting point is higher than that of aluminum material, so it does not melt even with flame ejected from the pouch-type battery cell 100 and its shape can be stably maintained. Accordingly, excellent flame propagation prevention or delay effects, venting control effects, etc. between the pouch-type battery cells 100 can be secured.

Meanwhile, in the battery pack 10 according to the present invention, TIM (Thermal Interface Material) may be interposed to increase heat transfer performance between different components. For example, between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200, between the cell cover 200 and the pack case 300, and/or between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the pack case 300. TIM can be filled. In this case, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be further improved. TIM is intended to reduce contact thermal resistance between members. In battery packs where cooling is important, it is necessary to improve the thermal performance of the entire system by using materials that can minimize contact thermal resistance. TIMs can be diverse, including thermally conductive grease, thermal sheets, thermal pads, thermally conductive adhesives, and PCMs (phase change materials). For a specific example, the TIM may be any one of a thermally conductive silicone-based bond, a thermally conductive silicone pad, and a thermally conductive acrylic bond. Heat-dissipating silicone-based adhesives and heat-dissipating acrylic adhesives are commercially available in one-component or two-component types and can be applied between different components by coating or injection. The heat dissipating silicone pad includes a base film such as double-sided tape and release paper on the top and bottom of the pad, and can be applied between different components using an adhesive method after removing the release paper. Heat-dissipating silicone-based adhesives, heat-dissipating silicone pads, and heat-dissipating acrylic adhesives have higher thermal conductivity than general adhesives, so they can further increase the amount and speed of heat transfer between different components. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation performance of the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be further improved, and the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

Additionally, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include an insulating pad 260 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The insulating pad 260 is made of an electrically insulating material and may contact the surface of at least one cell cover 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the insulating pad 260 is located at both ends in the stacking direction of a cell assembly including a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 and a plurality of cell covers 200 stacked in the left and right directions. can be located In particular, the insulating pad 260 may be configured to be inserted into the busbar frame assembly 150 together with the cell cover 200. The insulating pad 260 may be made of a material such as GFRP.

The cell cover 200 may further include an insulating member (not shown). The insulating member may be made of an electrically insulating material and may be provided on the inner surface of the cell cover 200 where the pouch-type battery cell 100 is accommodated. In particular, the insulating member may have an adhesive layer on at least one side and be attached to the inner surface of the cell cover 200. Additionally, the insulating member has adhesive layers on both sides, so that it can be not only adhered to the inner surface of the cell cover 200 but also adhered to the pouch-type battery cell 100. In addition, the insulating member may be made of a heat-resistant material. For example, the insulating member may be formed in the form of a heat-resistant tape in which adhesive is applied to the surface of a heat-resistant ceramic sheet. The insulating member may be a film made of PI (polyimide). Additionally, the insulating member may be located on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cell cover 200.

Meanwhile, looking at the cell cover 200 in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the cell cover 200 has both sides and an upper edge portion of the receiving portion (R) of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 100. It is provided to cover E1). The cell cover 200 includes a first side cover portion 210 that covers one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 100, and a second side cover portion that covers the other side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 100. (220), and an upper cover portion 230 connecting the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 and covering the upper portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 100. there is.

For example, the first side cover portion 210 is the outer surface of the storage portion (R) of the pouch-type battery cell 100 located on the leftmost side among the pouch-type battery cells 100 surrounded by the cell cover 200. can cover. The second side cover portion 220 may cover the outer surface of the storage portion (R) of the pouch-type battery cell 100 located on the far right among the pouch-type battery cells 100 surrounded by the cell cover 200. there is.

The upper cover portion 230 may be configured to surround the upper portion of the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. The upper cover portion 230 may be configured in a planar shape. In this case, the upper cover portion 230 is formed in a straight horizontal cross-section and can wrap the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 in a straight line from the outside.

A configuration that changes the number of pouch-type battery cells 100 surrounded by the cell cover 200 can be easily implemented. In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, by changing the width of the cell cover 200 (width along the Y-axis direction of the upper cover portion 230), the number of unit cells accommodated by the cell cover 200 can be increased. It can be easily changed. Therefore, in this case, changes in capacity or output by one cell cover 200 can be easily made.

The first side cover part 210 may be configured to extend downward from one end of the upper cover part 230. For example, the first side cover portion 210 may be configured to extend downward from the left end of the upper cover portion 230. The first side cover portion 210 may be configured to cover the wide surface of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. Furthermore, the first side cover portion 210 may be formed in a planar shape. At this time, the first side cover part 210 may be configured in a bent form from the upper cover part 230.

The second side cover part 220 may be positioned to be spaced apart from the first side cover part 210 in the horizontal direction. Additionally, the second side cover portion 220 may be configured to extend downward from the other end of the upper cover portion 230. For example, the second side cover part 220 may be configured to extend downward from the right end of the upper cover part 230. And the second side cover portion 220 may be configured to cover the wide surface of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. Moreover, the second side cover part 220 may also be configured in a flat shape like the first side cover part 210. At this time, the second side cover part 220 may also be configured in a bent form from the upper cover part 230.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the internal space may be limited by the first side cover part 210, the second side cover part 220, and the top cover part 230. Additionally, the cell cover 200 can accommodate one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 in this limited internal space.

In this case, the cross-sectional configuration of the cell cover 200 viewed from the front side can be said to be roughly similar to an 'n' shape. Therefore, in this case, the cell cover 200 may be referred to as 'n-fin'. Moreover, each cell bank may be covered with a cell cover 200.

Meanwhile, in the drawings attached to this specification, the cell cover 200 is shown as being formed in an 'n' shape, but the cell cover 200 may also be formed in a 'U' shape. In this case, the cell cover 200 may be provided to cover both sides of the storage portion (R) and the lower edge portion (E2) of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

Preferably, the cell cover 200 may be formed as one piece. In this case, the cell cover 200 may be constructed by bending a metal plate with a plate structure. That is, the cell cover 200 may be composed of a single plate bent. The cell cover 200 may be configured to cover one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 by bending both ends of a plate in the same direction. In particular, when one cell cover 200 is provided with a first side cover part 210, a second side cover part 220, and an upper cover part 230, the first side cover part 210, the second side cover part 230 The side cover part 220 and the top cover part 230 may be made of one plate. In this case, the cell cover 200 can be said to be made of several components integrated into one piece. Here, each component can be distinguished through a bend. In particular, two bent portions may be formed in one plate. And, based on these two bent parts, the first side cover part 210, the second side cover part 220, and the upper cover part 230 can be distinguished. In particular, the central portion of one plate forms the upper cover portion 230, and both sides are bent or folded about 90 degrees in the downward direction around the upper cover portion 230, thereby forming the first side cover portion 210. and a second side cover portion 220 may be formed. In this way, forming a bent portion in one plate to form the cell cover 200 can be implemented in various ways, such as pressing or roll forming.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, manufacturing of the cell cover 200 can be made simpler. In addition, the cell cover 200 of a simplified structure is made of a metal material with higher rigidity than the case of the pouch-type battery cell 100, such as the pouch exterior material, and the pouch-type battery cell (200) is surrounded by the cell cover 200. 100) can be protected from external shock or vibration. In addition, in this case, heat conduction performance through the cell cover 200 is further improved, and cooling performance can be further improved.

The cell cover 200 may include an insulating coating layer on its inner surface. The insulating coating layer may be coated, applied, or attached with any one of silicone resin, polyamide, and rubber. According to the configuration of the insulating coating layer of the cell cover 200 according to this embodiment, the insulating coating effect can be maximized with a minimum coating amount. Additionally, since an insulating coating layer is applied to the inner surface of the cell cover 200, insulation between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 can be strengthened.

The first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 may be configured to have the same size. Additionally, the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 may have different sizes.

For example, when a plurality of cell covers 200 are included, in some cell covers 200, the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 may have the same size. In some other cell covers 200, the sizes of the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 may be different from each other.

For example, the cell cover 200 includes a first side cover 210 located on the left and a second side cover 220 located on the right, based on the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. It can be included. At this time, the first side cover part 210 may be formed to be smaller in size than the second side cover part 220. In particular, the second side cover portion 220 may be formed to extend to protrude further toward the side where the bus bar frame assembly 150 is located than the first side cover portion 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the front-to-back length L2 of the second side cover portion 220 may be greater than the front-to-back length L1 of the first side cover portion 210.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the vertical length S1 of the first side cover part 210 and the vertical length S2 of the second side cover part 220 may be the same or different. When the vertical length S1 of the first side cover 210 and the vertical length S2 of the second side cover 220 are the same, the self-standing configuration of the cell cover 200 can be more easily achieved. there is.

When the vertical length S1 of the first side cover part 210 and the vertical length S2 of the second side cover part 220 are different, the longer side cover part cannot be inserted into the pack case 300. This allows the cell cover 200 to be firmly fixed. The pack case 300 may be provided with a fastening groove to fit and secure the longer side cover portion. According to this embodiment of the present invention, the bonding force between the cell cover 200 and the pack case 300 can be improved. Accordingly, even if venting gas or the like is generated from the pouch-type battery cell 100, changes in shape or location can be minimized, and the overall structure of the battery pack 10 can be maintained as is. Even in situations such as vibration or impact applied to the battery pack 10 or swelling of the pouch-type battery cell 100, the stacked state of the cell cover 200 and the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein can be maintained stably. Moreover, according to the above-described implementation configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent the cell cover 200 from moving in the up-down and left-right directions. In addition, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the assembly position of the cell cover 200 can be guided through a fitting configuration between the cell cover 200 and the pack case 300. Therefore, in this case, the assembling of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

Additionally, two or more cell covers 200 may be included within the battery pack 10, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. In this case, adjacent cell covers 200 may be arranged so that side cover portions of the same size face each other. For example, adjacent cell covers 200 may be configured so that small first side cover parts 210 face each other or large second side cover parts 220 face each other.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional configuration of the front portion in a state in which some of the configurations of FIG. 3 are combined.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6 to 8 , the end C2 of the cell cover 200 may be configured to be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150, particularly the bus bar frame 170. As the bus bar frame assembly 150 is located at the front and rear of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, respectively, as shown in FIG. 3, the cell cover 200 has front and rear ends, respectively, located at the front and rear. It can be inserted into the busbar frame assembly 150.

For example, as indicated by 'AA' in FIG. 8, the end C2 of the cell cover 200 may be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150. Here, the cell cover 200 may be inserted in such a way that the cell cover 200 may or may not penetrate the bus bar frame assembly 150. To this end, an insertion portion H in the form of a groove or hole may be formed in the bus bar frame assembly 150, particularly the bus bar frame 170, into which the end C2 of the cell cover 200 is inserted. Venting gas and/or flame discharged from one pouch-type battery cell 100 is more reliably prevented from being directed to the other cell cover 200 by the cell cover 200 inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150. do.

A lead extraction hole 175 is formed in the bus bar frame 170 to allow the electrode lead 104 to pass through and be welded to the bus bar electrode 160. The insertion portion H may be formed at a location spaced apart from the lead withdrawal hole 175. As shown, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 form a group of two, for example, and the electrode leads 104 provided in a pair of pouch-type battery cells 100 belonging to the same group have the same lead. It can be drawn out to the outside through the draw-out hole 175. Additionally, a pair of electrode leads 104 drawn out through the lead withdrawal hole 175 are attached to the same bus bar electrode 160 by welding or the like. Of course, the number and polarity of the electrode leads 104 drawn out through one lead draw-out hole 175 may vary from the examples shown here depending on the series and parallel connection relationships of the pouch-type battery cells 100.

The bus bar frame 170 is formed at the lower part of the lead out hole 175 and guides the electrode lead 104 to extend from below the lead out hole 175 toward the lead out hole 175. A lead guide 180 may be provided. Preferably, the insertion portion H is formed in the lead guide 180. The lead guide 180 has a substantially triangular, square, or trapezoidal cross-section perpendicular to the Z-axis, and the insertion portion H may be formed at the vertex of the triangle or the upper surface of the square or trapezoid. In particular, the lead guide 180 may be thicker than other parts of the bus bar frame 170 or may be formed in a structure having a wall, so when an insertion portion (H) is formed in the lead guide 180, the insertion portion (H ) can be sufficiently deep (D), and thus the cell cover 200 can be inserted and stably maintained.

In this implementation configuration, the cell cover 200 may surround one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 or a cell bank and then be inserted into or penetrated into the busbar frame assembly 150. Accordingly, an independent space is formed between cell banks, and direct venting gas or flame transfer to the cell terrace space located at the front edge portion E3 and the rear edge portion E4 can be prevented.

Therefore, in this case, thermal runaway propagation between the pouch-type battery cells 100 within the battery pack 10 can be effectively suppressed or delayed. In particular, according to the above implementation configuration, thermal runaway propagation due to heat convection through the cell terrace space can be effectively prevented from occurring.

Moreover, when thermal runaway occurs in a specific pouch-type battery cell 100 within one cell bank, thermal events can be effectively responded to. Heat propagation between cell banks can be effectively suppressed or delayed by the cell cover 200.

Meanwhile, venting gas can be guided in a specific direction in an independent space between each cell bank. For example, venting gas may be discharged from each independent space to the lower side of the cell cover 200. Alternatively, an outlet may be formed in a specific part of the cell cover 200, and venting gas may be discharged to the outside from each independent space through this outlet. Accordingly, the top frame 310 is protected by preventing venting gas discharge to the top frame 310, and heat/flame spread between cells can be prevented by applying a sealed structure for each cell and bank.

The end of the thermal barrier 250 (see D1 in FIG. 5 ) along with the cell cover 200 may be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150 . In particular, the thermal barrier 250 may be inserted into the same insertion portion (H) as the cell cover 200, as shown in 'BB' of FIG. 8. In this case, the thermal barrier 250 may have improved coupling with the cell cover 200. In particular, the cell cover 200 is integrated with the thermal barrier 250 and can be inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150 to form a sealed space between cell banks. Since the thermal barrier 250 may be made of a compressible material, isolation between cell banks can be further ensured by tightening the width of the insertion portion (H) and inserting the thermal barrier 250 in a compressed state.

In the case of a conventional battery pack or battery module, heat propagation by conduction is delayed by avoiding direct contact between cells by inserting an insulating pad made of silicon, etc. between battery cells. However, it has a structure that is vulnerable to heat propagation by convection in space. You can. In addition, convection is likely to occur in areas where the electrode leads and the bus bar frame assembly are present, so when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell, a problem of heat propagation due to thermal convection on the electrode lead side may occur.

According to the present invention, sealing for each bank is possible by inserting the cell cover 200 into the busbar frame assembly 150. Since heat propagation due to convection is blocked by the cell cover 200, the battery pack 10 including the cell cover 200 and the busbar frame assembly 150 is safe against thermal runaway, fire, explosion, etc., that is, thermal Safety increases.

As mentioned above, adjacent cell covers 200 may be configured so that the smaller first side cover parts 210 face each other, or the larger second side cover parts 220 face each other. In this case, the two first side cover parts 210 facing each other may be inserted into the same insertion part H of the bus bar frame assembly 150, as indicated by 'CC' in FIG. 8. Also, the two second side cover parts 220 facing each other may be inserted into the same insertion part H of the bus bar frame assembly 150 as indicated by 'DD' in FIG. 8.

In addition, one of the first side cover part 210 and the second side cover part 220 is inserted in a form that penetrates the bus bar frame assembly 150, and the first side cover part 210 and the second side cover part 220 are inserted into the bus bar frame assembly 150. The other one of the cover parts 220 may be inserted in a manner that does not penetrate the bus bar frame assembly 150.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, in each cell cover 200, the second side cover portion 220 penetrates the bus bar frame assembly 150 as indicated by 'DD' in FIG. 8. It can be inserted into the insertion portion (H) of the bus bar frame assembly 150 in the form of. In this case, the insertion portion H into which the second side cover portion 220 is inserted is a hole. In addition, in each cell cover 200, the first side cover portion 210 is formed in a shape that does not penetrate the bus bar frame assembly 150, as indicated by 'CC' in FIG. 8. ) can be inserted into the insertion part (H). In this case, the insertion portion H into which the first side cover portion 210 is inserted is a groove.

In addition, depending on changes in the shape of the bus bar frame assembly 150 or the connection relationship between the electrode leads 104, some cell covers 200 in the battery pack 10 may have a first side cover portion 210 and a second side cover portion. The size of the parts 220 may be the same. In the example shown in FIG. 8, 8 cell banks are included. The electrode leads 104 of the two pouch-type battery cells 100 in the first cell bank located on the far left are welded to one bus bar electrode 160a. The electrode leads 104 of the pouch-type battery cells 100 in the second and third cell banks next to it are welded to the same bus bar electrode 160b. In the cell covers 200 of the first and third cell banks, the sizes of the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 are different from each other. In the cell cover 200 of the second cell bank, the first side cover portion 210 and the second side cover portion 220 have the same size.

Meanwhile, one or more battery modules may be stored in the battery pack. At this time, the configurations described in the various embodiments described above, such as the configurations of the pouch-type battery cell, busbar frame assembly, and cell cover, may be applied to the battery module.

Figure 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9 , one or more battery modules 20 may be stored in the inner space of the pack case 300 as shown in FIG. 1 . The battery module 20 may include a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 as described above.

The bus bar frame assembly 150 is coupled to at least some of the electrode leads 104 of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. The battery module 20 is provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells 100 among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, and has an end C2 inserted into the busbar frame assembly 150. A cell cover 200 is also included.

The battery module 20 may include a module case that stores a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 in an internal space. The module case may be configured to have at least a portion open. And, the bus bar frame assembly 150 may be configured to be coupled to the opening of the module case. If an insulating cover 190 is further included, the insulating cover 190 may also be configured to be coupled to the opening of the module case.

For example, the module case may include a main body frame (MC1). The main body frame MC1 may be configured with the upper, lower, left, and right sides closed and the front and rear sides open around the internal space. At this time, the upper, lower, left, and right sides may each be configured in the form of a plate, and these four plates may be manufactured in the form of a tube integrated with each other. And, this type of main body frame MC1 may be referred to as a mono frame. At this time, the bus bar frame assembly 150 may be coupled to the front and rear openings of the main body frame (MC1).

As another example, the module case may include a U-frame and a top plate. The left plate and right plate can be integrated with the base plate to form the U-frame. The top plate may be coupled to the upper part of the U-frame, and the bus bar frame assembly 150 may be coupled to openings at the front and rear ends of the U-frame, respectively.

In addition, since the description of each component of the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may be applied in the same or similar manner to each component of the battery module 20 according to the present invention, detailed description thereof is omitted. do.

The battery pack 10 or battery module 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various devices. These devices are typically transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid cars, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The battery pack 10 is suitable for use as a battery pack for an electric vehicle. Additionally, it can be used as an energy source for ESS. ESS refers to a standalone system that stores power of hundreds of kWH or more. ESS is the core of the renewable energy industry. Because it is difficult to produce electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power at the desired time, it is important to store it so that it can be used when needed. The battery pack 10 of the present invention may have an energy density and capacity suitable for use as an energy source for such an ESS.

Figure 10 shows a vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, a vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery pack 10 according to any one of the various embodiments described above.

Here, the vehicle V may include, for example, a vehicle that uses electricity as a driving source, such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. In addition, the vehicle V may further include various other components included in the vehicle, such as a vehicle body or a motor, in addition to the battery pack 10 according to the present invention.

The battery pack 10 may be disposed at a predetermined location within the vehicle V. The battery pack 10 can be used as an electrical energy source to drive the vehicle V by providing driving force to the motor of the electric vehicle. In this case, the battery pack 10 has a high nominal voltage of 100V or more.

The battery pack 10 may be charged or discharged by an inverter depending on the driving of the motor and/or internal combustion engine. The battery pack 10 can be charged by a regenerative charging device combined with a brake. The battery pack 10 may be electrically connected to the motor of the vehicle V through an inverter.

In this way, the battery pack 10 provided in the vehicle V can provide electrical energy required for various operations of the vehicle V. In addition, since the battery pack 10 has the various effects mentioned above, the vehicle V including it can also have such effects.

As a specific example, the battery pack 10 includes the cell cover 200, so the module case can be omitted, and thus can have high energy density. Energy density refers to the amount of energy stored per unit weight. As the energy density of the battery pack increases, more energy is stored in the battery pack for the same weight. Therefore, in the case of a car (V) containing such a battery pack (10), the driving distance on a single charge can be further increased, acceleration can be faster, more luggage can be loaded, and the interior space can be made larger. It can be used in a variety of ways. Additionally, as the energy density of the battery pack increases, it becomes lighter for the same energy. If the battery pack 10 becomes lighter and the vehicle V including it becomes lighter, this also has various advantages, such as improved acceleration, improved energy efficiency, and improved durability.

As another specific example, the battery pack 10 may have high safety. Since cars are products directly related to human life, safety is something that can never be compromised. There is always a risk of fire in the pouch-type battery cell 100 due to the physical characteristics of lithium. However, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention includes a cell cover 200, so that even if a thermal event occurs in the pouch-type battery cell 100, it can be prevented from being transferred to other parts. Therefore, fire safety of the vehicle V including the battery pack 10 is ensured.

So far, the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various modified embodiments can be implemented within the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, the previously disclosed embodiments should be considered from an explanatory perspective rather than a limiting perspective. In other words, the scope of the true technical idea of the present invention is shown in the claims, and all differences within the scope of equivalents should be construed as being included in the present invention.

Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used, but these terms are only for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that this can be done.

10: Battery pack 20: Battery module
100: Pouch-type battery cell 150: Busbar frame assembly
160: busbar electrode 170: busbar frame
180: Lead guide 190: Insulating cover
200: Cell cover 210: First side cover portion
220: second side cover part 230: upper cover part
250: thermal barrier 260: insulation pad
300: Pack case 310: Top frame
320: Bottom frame 400: Control module
H: Insertion V: Automotive

Claims (20)

A plurality of pouch-type battery cells each having an electrode lead;
a bus bar frame assembly coupled to at least some of the electrode leads of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells; and
A battery pack comprising a cell cover provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and an end of which is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the cell cover is configured to support the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an upright state. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery pack further includes a pack case for storing the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space,
The cell cover is a battery pack characterized in that it partially surrounds the pouch-type battery cell so that at least one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell is exposed toward the pack case. The method of claim 1, wherein the pouch-type battery cell has an accommodating portion in which the electrode assembly is stored and an edge portion around the accommodating portion,
The cell cover is a battery pack characterized in that it is configured to cover both sides of the storage portion and a portion of the edge portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the cell cover is provided to cover both sides of the storage portion and an upper or lower edge portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover includes: a first side cover portion covering one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell;
a second side cover portion covering the other side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell; and
A battery pack comprising an upper cover portion connecting the first side cover portion and the second side cover portion and covering an upper portion of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the first side cover portion and the second side cover portion are configured to have different sizes. The battery pack according to claim 7, wherein the cell covers include two or more, and adjacent cell covers are arranged such that first or second side covers of the same size face each other. The method of claim 7, wherein one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part is inserted in a form penetrating the bus bar frame assembly, and the other one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part. A battery pack characterized in that it is inserted in a form that does not penetrate the busbar frame assembly. The method of claim 7, wherein one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part protrudes more toward the side where the bus bar frame assembly is located than the other one of the first side cover part and the second side cover part. A battery pack characterized in that it is formed as an extension. The method of claim 1, wherein the bus bar frame assembly is located at the front and rear sides of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, respectively, and the front and rear ends of the cell cover are respectively inserted into the bus bar frame assembly. Battery pack. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein two or more cell covers are included, and a thermal barrier is interposed between adjacent cell covers. The battery pack of claim 12, wherein an end of the thermal barrier, together with the cell cover, is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising an insulating pad in contact with a surface of the cell cover. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover is formed by bending one plate. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover includes an insulating coating layer on an inner surface. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 16. One or more battery modules stored in the internal space of the pack case,
A plurality of pouch-type battery cells each having an electrode lead;
a bus bar frame assembly coupled to at least some of the electrode leads of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells;
a cell cover provided to at least partially surround at least some of the pouch-type battery cells among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and an end of which is inserted into the bus bar frame assembly; and
A battery module including a module case storing the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space. The battery module according to claim 18, wherein the module case is configured to be at least partially open, and the bus bar frame assembly is configured to be coupled to the open portion of the module case. A motor vehicle comprising a battery module according to claim 18 or 19.

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