KR20240012281A - Battery pack and cell block included therein and Vehicle including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery pack with excellent assemblyability, fairness, and safety against thermal runaway. A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell unit stack in which a plurality of cell units are stacked; a pack case accommodating the cell unit stack in an internal space; And a side wall located at an end of the cell unit stack in the internal space of the pack case and configured to support the pack case, wherein the plurality of cell units within the cell unit stack are positioned in at least one direction. are stacked, and the cell unit includes one or more pouch-type battery cells and a cell cover configured to at least partially surround the pouch-type battery cells.

Description

Battery pack and cell block included therein and Vehicle including the same}

The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more specifically, to a battery pack that includes pouch-type battery cells and has improved assembly, etc., unit parts that can constitute such a battery pack, and such battery. It's about a car that includes a pack.

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 the pack case and a control unit that controls charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as a BMS (Battery Management System). 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 number 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 number 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.

Therefore, recently, attempts have been made to develop a cell-to-pack (CTP) type battery pack. However, with the pouch-type battery itself embedded in a soft pouch, the assembly process of stacking it on the battery pack itself is not easy, and it is difficult to secure it stably, resulting in poor fairness, assemblyability, and stability.

Accordingly, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack with excellent fairness, assembly, stability, etc.

Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide unit parts that can configure such a battery pack.

Another problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a vehicle including such a battery pack.

However, the problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problem, and other problems not mentioned can 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 for solving the above problems includes a cell unit stack in which a plurality of cell units are stacked; a pack case accommodating the cell unit stack in an internal space; And a side wall located at an end of the cell unit stack in the internal space of the pack case and configured to support the pack case, wherein the plurality of cell units within the cell unit stack are positioned in at least one direction. are stacked, and the cell unit includes one or more pouch-type battery cells and a cell cover configured to at least partially surround the pouch-type battery cells.

Here, the side wall may support the pack case in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell units.

The pack case includes a lower plate and a plurality of side plates that stand upward from the lower plate, and the side wall may be interposed between different side plates of the pack case.

At this time, both ends of the side wall may be respectively coupled and fixed to different side plates of the pack case.

The pack case further includes an upper plate coupled over the side plate, and the upper and lower ends of the side wall may be in contact with the upper plate and the lower plate, respectively.

Furthermore, the pack case may further include a center beam between different side plates, and the side wall may be configured to support between the side plates and the center beam.

The side wall may be configured to have at least one side larger in size than the cell unit.

Additionally, the side walls may be located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction.

Additionally, the two side walls located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction may have protrusions on their outer surfaces at different positions or at positions symmetrical to each other.

In one embodiment, a plurality of the cell unit stacks are included along the stacking direction of the cell units, and the side wall of one cell unit stack and the side wall of the other cell unit stack are adjacent to each other, forming two sides. An internal space divided by walls is formed.

Here, the internal space extends in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell units, thereby forming a venting channel.

The two side walls include a first side wall provided at the right end of the cell unit stack and a second side wall provided at the left end of the cell unit stack in the left and right direction along the stacking direction of the cell units. The first side wall has a protrusion formed at the top or bottom to protrude in the right direction, and the second side wall has a protrusion formed at the bottom or top to protrude in the left direction, and any one cell unit stacking The first sidewall of the sieve is adjacent to the second sidewall of another cell unit stack to form the interior space.

The protrusions of the first side wall and the protrusions of the second side wall may be positioned at different positions in the horizontal or vertical direction so as not to interfere with each other.

The protrusion of the first side wall is an extension of the main body of the first side wall bent perpendicular to the direction of the main body of the first side wall, and the protrusion of the second side wall is in the direction of the main body of the second side wall. It may be an extension of the main body of the second side wall bent perpendicularly.

A protrusion of the first side wall contacts or is coupled to the second side wall, a protrusion of the second side wall contacts or is coupled to the first side wall, or a protrusion of the first side wall contacts or couples to the second side wall. It can be contacted or joined to the protrusion of the wall.

Any one of the first side wall and the second side wall may further be provided with a protrusion formed to protrude outwardly at the front or rear.

Additionally, the side wall protrudes upward from the cell unit stack, and an inlet hole may be formed in a portion where the side wall protrudes.

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

According to another aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned other problems, a cell block is provided as a unit component that can constitute such a battery pack. The cell block according to the present invention includes a cell unit stack in which a plurality of cell units are stacked; and a side wall located at an end of the cell unit stack, wherein the plurality of cell units are stacked in at least one direction within the cell unit stack, and the cell unit includes one or more pouch-type battery cells and the pouch. A cell cover is provided to at least partially surround a type battery cell, and the side walls are positioned at both ends of the cell unit in a stacking direction.

Here, the two side walls located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction may have protrusions on their outer surfaces at different positions or at positions symmetrical to each other.

In addition, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described other problem includes a battery pack according to the present invention.

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.

Moreover, according to one aspect of the present invention, the pouch-type battery cells embedded in the soft pouch can be easily made into a sturdy form, so that a configuration in which they are directly stacked inside the pack case can be more easily implemented. Accordingly, the assemblyability and mechanical stability of the battery pack can be improved.

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.

In particular, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cell block is provided in which cell units including pouch-type battery cells are block, and a battery pack can be easily constructed using such a cell block, and a plurality of cell units within the cell block are provided. Can be fixed efficiently.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a cross beam may be formed by itself in the process of seating cell blocks including a plurality of cell units adjacent to each other inside a pack case. Accordingly, a separate cross beam may not be included inside the pack case or its number may be dramatically reduced. Additionally, in this case, there is no need to perform a process for inserting the cell unit into the space defined by a separate cross beam previously provided inside the pack case. In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration, a process for previously providing a cross beam inside the pack case can be eliminated. Accordingly, through these various aspects, fairness in battery pack manufacturing can be improved.

Additionally, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a venting channel can be formed simply by seating a plurality of cell blocks inside the pack case. Therefore, in the case of the present invention, among the three elements (fuel, oxygen, and ignition source) that generate a flame, the accumulation or discharge of heat corresponding to the ignition source can be blocked or appropriately controlled. Furthermore, in the case of the present invention, heat accumulation can be prevented and explosions due to increased internal pressure can be prevented through rapid and smooth discharge of venting gas. Additionally, in the case of the present invention, a directional venting configuration can be easily implemented.

In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, a CTP concept battery pack is provided, and in this battery pack, the module case, etc. can be removed, and cooling performance and energy density can be improved.

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 schematic diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a cell block included in the battery pack of FIG. 1.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the configuration of Figure 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one cell unit included in the cell block of FIG. 2.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the cell unit shown in Figure 4.
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional configuration of the cell unit of FIG. 4.
Figure 7 is a diagram schematically showing some configurations of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the right end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the left end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 10 and 11 are front views schematically showing the combined configuration of side walls when two cell blocks are placed adjacent to each other.
Figure 12 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration in which a venting channel is formed by combining side walls between two cell blocks arranged adjacently.
Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a side wall coupled to the right end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a side wall coupled to the left end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a front view schematically showing the combined configuration of the side walls shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 when two cell blocks are arranged adjacent to each other according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 16 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle 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. For reference, in this specification, terms indicating direction are terms based on the components shown in the attached drawings, and are relative terms that can change depending on the posture or position of the actual components.

1 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a cell block included in the battery pack of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the configuration of FIG. 2.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 according to one aspect of the present invention may include a plurality of cell units 100, a pack case 400, and a side wall 500.

A plurality of cell units 100 may be included in the battery pack 10 . Additionally, the plurality of cell units 100 may be stacked in at least one direction within the pack case 400. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a plurality of cell units 100 may be arranged side by side in the left and right direction, for example, in the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction), facing each other.

Referring further to FIGS. 2 and 3 , multiple cell units 100 are stacked to form one cell unit stack 300. Within the cell unit stack 300, a plurality of cell units 100 are stacked in at least one direction. In FIG. 1, the pack case 400 accommodates the cell unit stack 300 in its internal space. The pack case 400 may be made of plastic or metal. In addition, the pack case 400 may adopt exterior materials of various battery packs known at the time of filing the present invention.

Additionally, the cell unit stack 300 and the side wall 500 form a cell block 600. That is, the cell block 600 according to the present invention may include a plurality of cell units 100 and side walls 500, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Figure 1 schematically shows a configuration in which two cell blocks 600 are seated in a pack case 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A plurality of cell units 100 may first be mounted on the pack case 400 to form a cell unit stack 300, and then a side wall 500 may be mounted thereto to form a cell block 600. As another example, a cell unit stack 300 is formed by stacking a plurality of cell units 100 on the outside of the pack case 400 using a method such as adhesion, which is then mounted on the pack case 400 and the side wall 500. It is also possible to install . As another example, the cell unit stack 300 is formed outside the pack case 400 and then the side wall 500 is mounted to form a cell block 600 and then mounted on the pack case 400. It is also possible. In particular, when a plurality of cell units 100 are stacked and two side walls 500 are located at both ends of the cell units 100 in the stacking direction, the cell units 100 are attached to a pair of side walls 500. By being blockized and fixed, the handling and installation of the pouch-type battery cells mounted on the battery pack 10 can be facilitated, while the structures required for mounting the pouch-type battery cells can be simplified and lightweight, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In the cell unit stack 300, an insulating pad or flame suppression pad, etc. may be interposed at least partially between the plurality of cell units 100. Such an insulating pad or flame suppression pad can prevent heat or flame that may occur within one cell unit 100 from being transferred to and affecting another cell unit 100. The flame suppression pad may be formed of a heat-resistant resin such as vinyl chloride resin, a material such as silicon or ceramic, a composite of a heat-resistant resin and a ceramic or glass filler, or a metal plate coated with insulation, but this is an example and a flame retardant material. This is enough. It is desirable if the pouch-type battery cell 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).

Additionally, when the battery pack 10 includes a plurality of cell units 100 stacked, an adhesive member may be interposed between the cell units 100. For example, an adhesive member may be interposed in a portion where two cell units 100 face each other to adhesively fix them. Through this adhesive configuration, the connection configuration between multiple cell units 100 can be made more robust.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one cell unit included in the cell block of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the cell unit shown in FIG. 4. And, FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional configuration of the cell unit of FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the cell unit 100 may include a pouch-type battery cell 110 and a cell cover 200. According to this aspect of the present invention, the cell cover 200 is coupled to the pouch-type battery cell 110, so that the pouch-type battery cell 110 can be effectively protected without a module case.

The pouch-type battery cell 110 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a pouch exterior material. A plurality of such pouch-type battery cells 110 may be included in the battery pack 10 . As shown in FIG. 5, each pouch-type battery cell 110 may be provided with a storage portion indicated by 'R' and an edge portion indicated by 'E1' to 'E4'. Here, the storage portion R may be a portion that accommodates an electrode assembly composed of a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate stacked with a separator interposed therebetween. Additionally, electrolyte solution may be stored in this storage portion (R). Additionally, the edge portions E1 to E4 may be arranged to surround the receiving portion R.

In particular, the edge portions E1 to E4 may be sealing portions in which the pouch exterior material, which is the case of the pouch-type battery cell 110, is sealed. For example, in the implementation configuration of FIG. 5, four edge portions E1 to E4 are provided, and are located at the upper edge, lower edge, front edge, and rear edge, respectively, based on the storage portion R. It can be said to be located. At this time, all four edge parts (E1 to E4) may be sealing parts. Alternatively, some of the four edge parts (E1 to E4) may be configured in a folded form rather than a sealing part. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the upper edge portion E1, the front edge portion E3, and the rear edge portion E4 are all sealing portions, but the lower edge portion E2 is a pouch exterior material. may be a folded part. 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 110, and the lower edge portion E2 may be a pouch-shaped battery cell 110. It may be an unsealed portion of the battery cell 110.

One cell unit 100 may include one or more pouch-type battery cells 110. For example, each cell unit 100 may be provided with three pouch-type battery cells 110. When each cell unit 100 includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 are oriented in at least one direction, such as the left and right directions, with the storage portions R facing each other. Can be laminated. For example, if the direction along the long axis of the pouch-type battery cells 110 is referred to as the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction), the pouch-type battery cells 110 may be stacked in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

The cell cover 200 may be provided to at least partially cover the pouch-type battery cell 110. For example, the cell cover 200 may be configured to at least partially cover three pouch-type battery cells 110, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 .

The cell unit 100 may further include a busbar frame 130 and an insulating cover 140.

The bus bar frame 130 supports the electrode lead 120 of at least one pouch-type battery cell 110 covered by the cell cover 200, and connects the electrode lead 120 to another pouch-type battery cell 110. ) may be configured to be electrically connected to the electrode lead 120. In this case, the bus bar frame 130 may be provided with a terminal electrically connected to the electrode lead 120.

The insulating cover 140 may be configured to prevent short circuit of the electrode lead 120 or bus bar. For this purpose, the insulating cover 140 may be made of polymer synthetic resin with insulating properties.

Moreover, when the electrode leads 120 are provided on both sides of the pouch-type battery cell 110, the bus bar frame 130 and the insulating cover 140 may also be included on both sides where the electrode leads 120 are provided. . For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the electrode lead 120 protrudes both on the front side (X-axis direction in the drawing) and on the rear side (-X-axis direction in the drawing), the bus bar frame 130 The insulating cover 140 may also be located on both the front and rear sides.

Inside the cell cover 200, one or more pouch-type battery cells 110 may be configured to stand vertically (Z-axis direction). As shown in FIG. 5, each pouch-type battery cell 110 has two large surfaces on which the storage portion (R) is located, and the edge portions (E1 to E4), which are the corners of the wide surfaces, are of the pouch exterior material. There are sealing or folded parts and may have a narrow surface. Therefore, it is generally difficult to stack the pouch-type battery cells 110 in a vertical direction with the narrow surface facing down. However, in the battery pack 10 according to the present invention, the cell cover 200 surrounds one or more pouch-type battery cells 110, and the wrapped pouch-type battery cells 110 are in an upright state, that is, in a standing state. It can be configured to support.

Additionally, in the pouch-type battery cell 110, the upper edge portion E1, which serves as a sealed portion, may be relatively more vulnerable to the discharge of high-temperature gas or flame than the lower edge portion E2, which is an unsealed portion. 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.

The cell cover 200 may be made of a metal material. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be made of steel. Furthermore, the cell cover 200 may be made of SUS material. When the cell cover 200 is made of SUS material, it has excellent mechanical strength and rigidity, and thus can more stably support the stacked state of the pouch-type battery cells 110. Additionally, in this case, it is possible to more effectively prevent damage or breakage of the pouch-type battery cell 110 from external impacts, such as needles. Additionally, in this case, handling of the pouch-type battery cell 110 may become easier.

Additionally, even if a flame occurs in a specific battery cell, the cell cover 200 can be more effectively prevented from melting due to a flame, etc. When the cell cover 200 is made of SUS material, due to its high melting point, when a flame occurs from the pouch-type battery cell 110, the overall structure can be stably maintained. In particular, in the case of SUS 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 110 and its shape can be stably maintained. Therefore, excellent flame propagation prevention or delay effects and venting control effects between the pouch-type battery cells 110 can be secured, and even when a thermal event occurs, internal short circuits or structural collapse can be prevented, thereby increasing structural safety. .

For example, the cell cover 200 may be directly seated on the bottom surface of the pack case 400. At this time, a portion of the cell cover 200, such as the lower end of the cell cover 200, may be seated in direct contact with the bottom surface of the pack case 400. 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 SUS material, the self-standing state can be maintained more stably. Therefore, in this case, the standing state of the pouch-type battery cell 110 can be more reliably supported.

The cell cover 200 may be formed to have a thickness of approximately 2 mm. However, the cell cover 200 may be partially formed with a different thickness. Additionally, the cell cover 200 may have PI films with a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm attached to both sides for insulation.

Additionally, the cell cover 200 may include an insulating coating layer on the inner surface. The insulating coating layer may be coated, applied, or attached to 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 110 and the cell cover 200 can be strengthened.

The cell cover 200 may be configured to partially surround the pouch-type battery cell 110 so that at least one side of the wrapped pouch-type battery cell 110 is exposed to the outside. That is, the cell cover 200 may not completely surround the pouch-type battery cell 110 as a whole, but may only partially cover it. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 110 is exposed toward the pack case 400. In this respect, the cell cover 200 may be referred to by terms such as a cell sleeve.

In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured to surround an edge portion not provided with an electrode lead among several edge portions of the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated therein. For example, referring to the implementation shown in FIG. 5, the pouch-type battery cell 110 may be provided with two electrode leads 120, that is, a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead. At this time, the two electrode leads may be located on 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. The cell cover 200 may cover the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 110 and expose the lower edge portion E2.

The pouch-type battery cell 110 may be said to be formed approximately hexahedron. Additionally, electrode leads 120, that is, a negative electrode lead and a positive electrode lead, may be formed on two of the six surfaces. Additionally, the cell cover 200 may be provided to cover at least a portion of three of the four sides of the six-sided pouch-type battery cell 110 except for the two sides on which the electrode leads 120 are formed. In this way, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that openings are formed on both sides corresponding to the electrode lead 120.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, the discharge direction of flame, etc. can be guided to the opening of the cell cover 200. For example, according to the above-described configuration, the front and rear sides of the cell cover 200 where the electrode lead 120 is located are open, so flames, etc. can be discharged in these open directions. 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. Alternatively, when the bottom or top of the cell cover 200 is configured to be open, directional venting may be performed toward the open side (open end) of the bottom or top of the cell cover 200.

Furthermore, the cell cover 200 may be provided to cover both sides and the upper edge portion E1 of the storage portion R with respect to one or more pouch-type battery cells 110 accommodated and wrapped therein. . For example, when the cell cover 200 is configured to surround three pouch-type battery cells 110 stacked in the left and right directions, the cell cover 200 is located in the storage portion (R) of the left pouch-type battery cell 110. ), the upper edge portions E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 110, and the right surface of the storage portion R of the right pouch-type battery cell 110. 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. Accordingly, in this case, the cell cover 200 may be referred to as 'n-fin'.

More specifically, the cell cover 200 may include an upper cover part 220, a first side cover part 230, and a second side cover part 240. Here, the upper cover portion 220 may be configured to surround the upper portion of the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated therein. The upper cover portion 220 may be configured in a flat shape. In this case, the upper cover portion 220 is formed in a straight horizontal cross-section and can surround the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 110 in a straight line from the outside.

The first side cover part 230 may be configured to extend downward from one end of the upper cover part 220. For example, the first side cover part 230 may be configured to extend long from the left end of the upper cover part 220 in a downward direction (-Z axis direction in the drawing). Furthermore, the first side cover portion 230 may be formed in a flat shape. At this time, the first side cover part 230 may be configured in a bent form from the upper cover part 220. And, the first side cover portion 230 may be configured to surround the outside of one side storage portion (R) of the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated therein.

The second side cover part 240 may be positioned to be spaced apart from the first side cover part 230 in the horizontal direction. And, the second side cover part 240 may be configured to extend downward from the other end of the upper cover part 220. For example, the second side cover part 240 may be configured to extend downward from the right end of the upper cover part 220. Moreover, the second side cover part 240 may also be configured in a flat shape like the first side cover part 230. At this time, the second side cover part 240 and the first side cover part 240 can be said to be arranged parallel to each other while being spaced apart in the horizontal direction. And the second side cover portion 240 may be configured to surround the outside of the other side storage portion (R) of the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated therein.

According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, a configuration that supports and protects one or more battery cells can be easily implemented as a single cell cover 200. In particular, according to the above embodiment, the lower edge portion E2 is located adjacent to the open end of the cell cover 200, is not surrounded by the cell cover 200, and faces the pack case 400, There may be direct face-to-face contact with the case 400. Accordingly, heat from the pouch-type battery cell 110 surrounded by the cell cover 200 can be quickly and smoothly discharged toward the pack case 400 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 400. For example, in the case of a battery pack installed in an electric vehicle, cooling may occur mainly in the lower part of the pack case 400 because it is mounted on the lower part of the vehicle body. At this time, as in the above embodiment, when the lower edge portion E2 of each pouch-type battery cell 110 is in face-to-face contact with the pack case 400, the pack case 400 is separated from each pouch-type battery cell 110. Heat is quickly transferred to the side, and 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 110 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.

According to the present invention, even if flame or gas is discharged from the pouch-type battery cell 110, it can be guided and discharged in a preset direction. In this case, even if thermal runaway occurs in one of the pouch-type battery cells 110, flame or gas generated from the pouch-type battery cell 110 can be discharged only in a preset direction through the cell cover 200. If the preset direction is not toward the other cell cover 200, flame or gas will not spread to other pouch type battery cells 110 disposed adjacent to the pouch type battery cell 110 in which thermal runaway occurred. You can. That is, even if thermal runaway occurs in one pouch-type battery cell 110, the effect of the thermal runaway on the other pouch-type battery cells 110 can be minimized.

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 110 by bending both ends of one plate in the same direction. In particular, when one cell cover 200 is provided with an upper cover part 220, a first side cover part 230, and a second side cover part 240, the upper cover part 220 and the first side cover part 240 The portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 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 upper cover part 220, the first side cover part 230, and the second side cover part 240 can be distinguished. In particular, the central portion of one plate forms the upper cover portion 220, and both sides are bent or folded in the downward direction around the upper cover portion 220, thereby forming the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 230. A side cover portion 240 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 110, such as the pouch exterior material, and at least one pouch-type battery cell 110 covered by the cell cover 200 The battery cell 110 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 first side cover portion 230 and the pouch-type battery cell 110 may be bonded, and the second side cover portion 240 and the pouch-type battery cell 110 may be bonded. Although direct bonding may be performed between the first side cover portion 230 and the pouch-type battery cell 110 and between the second side cover portion 240 and the pouch-type battery cell 110, it may be directly bonded, but may be directly bonded between the first side cover portion 230 and the pouch-type battery cell 110, but may be directly bonded between the first side cover portion 230 and the pouch-type battery cell 110, but may be directly bonded between the first side cover portion 230 and the pouch-type battery cell 110. It can also be indirectly bonded.

The cell cover 200 may be provided with venting holes provided at various positions depending on the intended venting direction. This venting hole may be provided by forming a notch in a predetermined portion of the cell cover 200. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cell cover 200 may have a venting hole 210 formed in the upper cover portion 220. This venting hole 210 may be configured to penetrate between the inner and outer spaces to enable gas discharge from the inner space of the cell cover 200 to the outside.

In this way, one or more pouch-type battery cells 110 and the cell cover 200 configured to at least partially cover the pouch-type battery cells 110 may constitute one cell unit 100. In particular, in that the number of pouch-type battery cells 110 accommodated inside the cell cover 200 can be adjusted by adjusting the width of the cell cover 200, etc., this cell unit 100 is an SPU ( It may also be referred to as a Scalable Pouch Unit. Therefore, in this case, changes in capacity or output by one cell cover 200 can be easily made. The battery pack 10 may include a plurality of cell units 100, and the scale can be easily expanded by increasing the number of cell units 100.

This cell unit 100 facilitates handling and installation of the pouch-type battery cell 110 during the manufacturing process of the battery pack 10 including the pouch-type battery cell 110, and While preventing damage, it not only has the effect of simplifying and lightweighting the structures required for mounting the pouch-type battery cell 110, but also allows flexibly responding to changes in capacity or output.

The cell cover 200 may be configured to support the stacked state of a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 inside the pack case 400 through a structure that surrounds the battery cells. For example, multiple pouch-type battery cells 110 may be stacked in a horizontal direction. At this time, the cell cover 200 may be configured to stably maintain the stacked state of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 stacked in the horizontal direction.

According to this aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 can be directly seated and stored inside the pack case 400 without a module case. In particular, in the case of the pouch-type battery cell 110, the exterior material is made of soft material like the pouch of aluminum laminate sheet, so it is vulnerable to external shock and has low hardness. Therefore, it is not easy to store the pouch-type battery cell 110 itself inside the pack case 400 without storing it in the module case. However, in the case of the present invention, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 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 400. , the stacked state can be maintained stably.

Furthermore, in the case of the present invention, a CTP type battery pack using the pouch-type battery cell 110 can be implemented more efficiently. That is, in the case of the present invention, rather than storing the pouch-type battery cell 110 inside a separate module case and storing this module case inside the pack case 400, the pouch-type battery cell 110 is directly placed in the pack case. (400) The battery pack 10 may be provided to be stored inside. At this time, at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 110 may be exposed to the outside of the cell cover 200 and may be arranged to directly face the pack case 400.

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 can be further improved. In particular, by directly assembling the pouch-type battery cell 110 having a soft case into the pack case 400 of the battery pack 10, space utilization of the battery pack 10 can be maximized and energy capacity can be significantly 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 the battery pack 10 can be improved. In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a process of preparing a battery module by storing the pouch-type battery cell 110 in a module case, a process of storing one or more battery modules thus prepared in the pack case 400, etc. It 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 110 can be made easier. For example, when storing a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 inside the pack case 400, the pouch-type battery cells 110 may be held by a jig or the like. At this time, the jig may not directly hold the pouch-type battery cell 110, but may hold the cell cover 200 surrounding the pouch-type battery cell 110 or the side wall 500. Accordingly, damage or breakage of the pouch-type battery cell 110 caused by the jig can be prevented.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the pack case 400 has an empty space formed inside, as shown in FIG. 1, and can accommodate a plurality of cell unit stacks 300 in this inner space. In particular, the pack case 400 includes a lower plate 410 and a plurality of side plates 420 that stand upward from the lower plate 410, and a plurality of side plates 420 are placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 410 of the pack case 400. The cell unit 100 or the cell unit stack 300 may be directly seated. Moreover, the lower end of the cell cover 200 can be directly contacted and seated on the lower plate 410 of the pack case 400. Additionally, the lower end of the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated inside the cell cover 200 may also be directly seated on the lower plate 410 of the pack case 400. In this way, the lower plate 410 and the side plate 420 of the pack case 400 form a box-shaped lower case with an open top, and a plurality of cell unit stacks 300 can be stored in the inner space. .

In particular, the pack case 400 places the edge portions (E1 to E4) of the pouch-type battery cell 110 downward in the internal space so that the pouch-type battery cell 110 is stored in an upright state. 1 to 6 show an example in which the lower edge portion E2 of the pouch-type battery cell 110 is positioned downward.

The side wall 500 may be located at an end of the cell unit stack 300 in the internal space of the pack case 400. The side wall 500 may be located at an end of the cell unit 100 in the stacking direction. In particular, the side wall 500 may be coupled to the outer edge of the cell unit stack 300 in the stacking direction. Here, the side wall 500 may be coupled to the cell unit stack 300 using various fastening methods such as bolting, welding, and hooking. Moreover, the side wall 500 can fix the stacked state of the cell unit stack 300.

Additionally, the side wall 500 may be configured to support the pack case 400. For example, when the cell block 600 is seated in the internal space of the pack case 400, the side wall 500 may be interposed between different side plates 420 of the pack case 400. For example, as shown in the exemplary configuration of FIG. 1, the side wall 500 is an internal structure of the pack case 400 and includes a front plate 420a and a rear plate 420b standing facing each other in opposite directions. ) may be interposed between. In particular, both ends of the side wall 500 may be coupled and fixed to the front plate 420a and the rear plate 420b, respectively.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the side wall 500 of the cell block 600 not only maintains the stacked state inside the cell block 600, but also mechanically maintains the pack case 400 on which the cell block 600 is seated. It can play a supporting role. In particular, the side wall 500 supports between different side plates 420a and 420b of the pack case 400, and thus may serve as a pack beam or cross beam. Accordingly, the overall shape of the pack case 400 can be maintained despite external shocks, while the components accommodated inside can be protected. In this case, cross beams, etc. included in conventional battery packs can be removed or reduced. Therefore, when manufacturing the battery pack 10, assembly convenience and processability are improved, while manufacturing cost and time can be reduced.

When the pack case 400 is made of a light material such as aluminum to reduce weight, the side wall 500 can further supplement the rigidity of the pack case 400. Furthermore, the side wall 500 of the cell block 600 blocks or groups the plurality of cell units 100 and evenly distributes the pressure applied to the plurality of cell units 100 throughout the cell units 100. It is also effective.

Furthermore, the side wall 500 may support the pack case 400 in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the cell units 100, such as the front-back direction (X-axis direction). Alternatively, the side wall 500 may support the pack case 400 in the vertical direction. For example, the pack case 400 further includes an upper plate 430 coupled over the side plate 420, and the top and bottom of the side wall 500 are connected to the upper plate 430 and the lower plate 410. They may be configured to contact each other and support between the lower plate 410 and the upper plate 430, which are the floor and ceiling surfaces of the pack case 400.

Figure 7 is a diagram schematically showing some configurations of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 also shows a configuration in which two cell blocks 600 are seated in the pack case 400.

As shown in FIG. 7, a center beam 440 may be formed in the central portion of the pack case 400. For example, the pack case 400 may further include a center beam 440 between different side plates 420a and 420b. At this time, the side wall 500 of the cell block 600 may be interposed between the center beam 440 and the side plate 420. And, the side wall 500 may be configured to support between the center beam 440 and the side plate 420. The cell blocks 600 may be arranged along the Y-axis direction as shown, and may also be arranged along the X-axis direction. Accordingly, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 110 may be arranged in the front-back and horizontal directions within the battery pack 10, forming a plurality of rows in the front-back and horizontal directions.

The side wall 500 may be configured to have at least one side larger in size than the cell unit 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the front-to-back length L1 of the side wall 500 may be longer than the front-to-back length L2 of the cell unit 100. Alternatively, the vertical height H1 of the side wall 500 may be configured to be higher than the vertical height H2 of the cell unit 100. In this case, external shock or pressure can be prevented or reduced from being transmitted only to the side wall 500 and not to the cell unit 100.

The side wall 500 may be made of a metal material that can secure mechanical rigidity, such as aluminum. In this case, the side wall 500 can transfer heat generated in the cell unit 100 to the outside, thereby improving the cooling performance of the battery pack 10. Alternatively, the side wall 500 may be made of a material such as steel to increase mechanical strength. In addition, the side wall 500 may be made of other materials, such as polymer, if mechanical strength above a certain level can be secured. Additionally, it can be made of a material that combines aluminum and polymer synthetic resin through insert molding.

The side walls 500 may be located at both ends of the cell unit 100 in the stacking direction. For example, referring to Figures 2 and 3, in a state where a plurality of cell units 100 are stacked in the left and right directions, the side wall 500 is located at the left end and the right side of the cell unit stack 300. It may be provided at each end.

Here, the two side walls 500 located at both ends of the cell unit 100 in the stacking direction may be provided with protrusions at different positions on their outer surfaces. This configuration will be described in more detail with additional reference to FIGS. 8 to 12.

Figure 8 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the right end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the left end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention. Additionally, Figures 10 and 11 are front views schematically showing the combined configuration of side walls when two cell blocks are placed adjacent to each other. And, Figure 12 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration in which a venting channel is formed by combining side walls between two adjacent cell blocks.

First, referring to FIG. 8, a side wall (hereinafter referred to as right wall or first side wall 500a) provided at the right end of the cell unit stack 300 in the left and right direction along the stacking direction of the cell units 100. As indicated by P1, the main body 510a may be provided with a protrusion formed at the bottom to protrude outwardly (for example, to the right). And, referring to FIG. 9, the side wall (hereinafter, left wall or second side wall 500b) provided at the left end of the cell unit stack 300 is located on the upper part, as indicated by P2 on the main body 510b. A protrusion formed to protrude in an outward direction (for example, to the left) may be provided. In addition, the second side wall 500b, which is the left wall, may be provided with a protrusion formed at the rear to protrude outwardly (for example, to the left) on the main body 510b, as indicated by P3.

Here, with respect to one cell block 600, it may be said that FIG. 8 shows the right end and FIG. 9 shows the left end. Therefore, when a plurality of cell blocks 600 are placed adjacent to each other, the first side wall 500a, which is the right wall, and the second side wall 500b, which is the left wall, of different cell blocks 600 may face each other. , In this case, the protrusions P1 to P3 of the first side wall 500a and the second side wall 500b may be positioned at different positions in the horizontal or vertical direction so as not to interfere with each other.

For example, when the second cell block 600b is moved toward the first cell block 600a as shown in FIG. 10, two adjacent cell blocks (first cell block ( The side walls 500a and 500b may be adjacent to each other between 600a) and the second cell block 600b. Furthermore, they can be combined with each other. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the first cell block 600a and the second cell block 600b are arranged adjacent to each other, the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a ) and the protrusions P2 and P3 provided on the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b may not collide with each other. Also, the protrusion P1 of the first side wall 500a may contact or be coupled to the second side wall 500b. The protrusions P2 and P3 of the second side wall 500b may contact or be coupled to the first side wall 500a.

According to this configuration of the present invention, the first cell block 600a and the second cell block 600b have a structure in which they are inserted and fastened to each other, thereby reducing the space occupied by the array of multiple cell blocks 600, and these The coupling between them can be improved.

In particular, when a plurality of cell blocks 600 are adjacent to each other or are combined, two side walls 500 provided in different cell blocks 600 and combined may form one pack beam. For example, in the implementation shown in FIG. 11, the second side wall (not shown) of the first cell block 600a is connected to the first side wall (not shown) of another cell block (not shown) adjacent to the left. They can be combined to form one pack beam. Likewise, the first side wall (not shown) of the second cell block 600b can be combined with the second side wall (not shown) of another cell block (not shown) adjacent to the right to form one pack beam. .

Additionally, when the two side walls 500 are adjacent to each other, the two side walls 500 may be configured to form an empty space inside. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, when the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a and the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b are combined, S As indicated, an empty space may be formed inside.

In particular, this empty space may be defined by the protrusions P1 to P3 of the side walls 500a and 500b and the main bodies 510a and 510b, and is divided into two side walls 500 adjacent to each other. For example, referring to the exemplary configuration of FIGS. 8 to 11, the main body 510a and the protrusion P1 of the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a are located on the left side of the internal space indicated by S. and the lower part can be defined. Additionally, the main body 510b and the protrusions P2 and P3 of the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b may define the right, upper, and rear sides of the internal space indicated by S.

Moreover, the internal space S defined by the side walls 500 provided in the two different adjacent cell blocks 600a and 600b may function as an insulating layer. Therefore, in this case, the propagation of heat or flame, etc. between the cell blocks 600a and 600b can be prevented or suppressed.

Additionally, the two side walls 500 may be configured to form a venting channel through the internal space S formed adjacent to each other. That is, the internal space S formed by the two side walls 500 may function as a venting channel. For example, referring to FIG. 12, the first cell block 600a and the second cell block 600b are arranged adjacent to each other, so that the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a When the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b is coupled to each other, an empty space is formed inside, and this empty space can be formed as a venting channel.

The pouch-type battery cell 110 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 110 occurs for various reasons, one of which is when an overcharge exceeding the limit flows through the pouch-type battery cell 110. When overcurrent flows, the pouch-type battery cell 110 generates heat by Joule heat, so the internal temperature of the pouch-type battery cell 110 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 110 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. When venting gas is discharged from the pouch-type battery cell 110 included in the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the venting gas is discharged through the venting channel to ensure the safety of the secondary battery. .

Specifically, when venting gas or the like is generated in the first cell block 600a or the second cell block 600b, the generated gas will flow into the space defined by the side wall 500 as indicated by S in FIG. 12. You can. Additionally, such venting gas may flow along the internal space S formed by the side wall 500 and then be discharged to the outside as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 12 .

To this end, the two side walls 500 may be configured to be coupled to each other and have a specific portion open. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, when the side wall 500 is coupled, the front side may be configured to be open.

Therefore, the venting gas of the first cell block 600a or the second cell block 600b flowing into the venting channel flows along the venting channel and is discharged to the outside through the opening, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12. You can. For example, when venting gas is generated due to thermal runaway in the pouch-type battery cell 110 accommodated inside the cell cover 200, the generated venting gas is generated in the internal space partitioned by the side wall 500 ( S) can be used to move forward and backward (in other words, longitudinal direction). Accordingly, the internal pressure of the cell cover 200 can be prevented from increasing, and efficient venting control, such as guiding the discharge direction of the venting gas, can be achieved. In the configuration shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, the front portion of the side wall 500 that is not provided with the protrusion P3 may function as an outlet of the venting channel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, gas discharged from the pouch-type battery cell 110 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 the pouch-type battery cell 110 can be controlled. Accordingly, thermal runaway propagation between adjacent battery cells can be effectively prevented.

Meanwhile, the side wall 500 may be configured not to include the protrusion P3 so that the internal space S defined by the side wall 500 is open in both the front and rear portions. In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the protrusion P3 is provided on the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b has been described, and the protrusion P3 is provided on the first side wall 500b of the first cell block 600a. It may be formed to protrude from the wall 500a in an outward direction (for example, to the right). In addition, in this embodiment, the protrusion P3 is formed to protrude outwardly at the rear of the side wall 500, but the protrusion P3 may be provided at the front of the side wall 500.

Meanwhile, when the space between the side walls 500 of adjacent cell blocks 600 functions as a venting channel, the side wall 500 has an inlet hole for flowing the venting gas of the cell unit 100 into the venting channel. can be formed.

For example, as indicated by H in FIGS. 8 and 10 to 12, an inlet hole may be formed in the side wall 500. For example, this inlet hole (H) may be located on the upper side of the side wall 500 and may be formed to penetrate outward from the cell unit 100 side. Preferably, the side wall 500 protrudes upward from the cell unit stack 300, and an inlet hole H is formed in a protruding portion of the side wall 500. Accordingly, the venting gas generated in the cell unit 100 may pass through the inlet hole (H) and flow into the venting channel.

Meanwhile, in FIGS. 8 and 10 to 12, the inlet hole H is shown only in the first side wall 500a of the cell block 600, but the inlet hole H can also be formed in the second side wall 500b. Of course. Accordingly, the first cell block 600a and the second cell block 600b are arranged adjacent to each other, so that the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a and the second side wall 500a of the second cell block 600b When the walls 500b are coupled to each other, the inlet hole of the first cell block 600a and the inlet hole of the second cell block 600b may be positioned to face each other, and at this time, they are positioned at different positions in the horizontal or vertical direction. can do. In this case, venting gas, etc. flowing into the venting channel through the inlet hole of the first cell block 600a, again flows through the inlet hole of the second cell block 600b into the cell unit of the second cell block 600b ( 100) It can be prevented from flowing into the side.

In addition, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a control module 700 stored in the internal space of the pack case 400, as shown in FIG. 1. This control module 700 may include a BMS. The control module 700 is mounted in the internal space of the pack case 400 and may be configured to generally control charging and discharging operations or data transmission and reception operations of the pouch-type battery cell 110. The control module 700 may be provided in pack units rather than module units. More specifically, the control module 700 may be provided to control the charge/discharge state, power state, and performance state of the pouch-type battery cell 110 through pack voltage and pack current. The control module 700 estimates the state of the pouch-type battery cell 110 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.

The battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a battery disconnect unit (BDU, not shown). The battery disconnect unit 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 may include a power relay, current sensor, and fuse. The battery blocking unit is also provided in a pack unit rather than a module unit, and various blocking 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 busbars or cables for interconnecting at least one cell unit block.

The two side walls 500 located at both ends of the cell unit 100 in the stacking direction may have protrusions on the outer surface at symmetrical positions. This configuration will be described with additional reference to FIGS. 13 to 15.

Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a side wall coupled to the right end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a side wall coupled to the left end of a cell block according to another embodiment of the present invention. In addition, Figure 15 is a front view schematically showing the combined configuration of the side walls shown in Figures 13 and 14 when two cell blocks are arranged adjacent to each other according to another embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 13, the first side wall 500a provided at the right end of the cell unit stack 300 in the left and right direction along the stacking direction of the cell unit 100 is connected to the main body 510a as P1'. As indicated, protrusions formed to protrude in an outward direction (for example, to the right) may be provided at the upper and lower sides. And, referring to FIG. 14, the second side wall 500b provided at the left end of the cell unit stack 300 has an outer direction (i.e., left side) at the top and bottom, as indicated by P2' on the main body 510b. A protrusion formed to protrude in a certain direction may be provided.

When placing a plurality of cell blocks 600 adjacent to each other, the first side wall 500a and the second side wall 500b of different cell blocks 600 may face each other. In this case, the first side wall 500a and the second side wall 500b of the different cell blocks 600 may face each other. The protrusions P1' and P2' of the wall 500a and the second side wall 500b may be positioned symmetrically to each other.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 15, when the first cell block 600a and the second cell block 600b are positioned adjacent to each other, the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a and the second cell block ( The second side walls 500b of 600b) may contact each other. Furthermore, they can be combined with each other. The protrusion P1' provided on the first side wall 500a of the first cell block 600a and the protrusion P2' provided on the second side wall 500b of the second cell block 600b contact and are coupled to each other. It can be.

In this case, the shapes of the first side wall 500a and the second side wall 500b may completely match. Therefore, the cell block 600 can be manufactured by preparing side walls 500 of the same shape in batches and joining them to both ends of the cell unit stack 300, taking into account the direction of joining side walls of different shapes. Since there is no need to combine them, the assembly process can be easy. And, in this embodiment, when the side wall 500 is coupled, both the front and rear sides can be configured to be open.

Meanwhile, the protrusion P1' of the first side wall 500a is an extension of the main body 510a of the first side wall 500a bent perpendicular to the direction of the main body 510a of the first side wall 500a. And the protrusion P1' of the second side wall 500b may be an extension of the main body 510b of the second side wall 500b bent perpendicular to the direction of the main body 510b of the second side wall 500b. there is.

In this case, the side wall 500 may be constructed by bending a metal plate having a plate structure. That is, like the cell cover 200, it may be composed of a single plate in a bent form. The side wall 500 may be configured to include a protrusion P1' by bending both ends of one plate in the same direction. According to this implementation configuration of the present invention, manufacturing of the side wall 500 can be made simpler.

The battery pack 10 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.

Figure 16 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 16, a vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention 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.

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

10: Battery pack 100: Cell unit
110: Pouch-type battery cell 200: Cell cover
300: Cell unit stack 400: Pack case
500: Side wall 600: Cell block

Claims (21)

A cell unit stack in which multiple cell units are stacked;
a pack case accommodating the cell unit stack in an internal space; and
It includes a side wall located at an end of the cell unit stack in the internal space of the pack case and configured to support the pack case,
In the cell unit stack, the plurality of cell units are stacked in at least one direction,
A battery pack wherein the cell unit includes one or more pouch-type battery cells and a cell cover configured to at least partially surround the pouch-type battery cells. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the side wall supports the pack case in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell units. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the pack case includes a lower plate and a plurality of side plates erecting upward from the lower plate, and the side walls are interposed between different side plates of the pack case. . The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein both ends of the side walls are respectively coupled and fixed to different side plates of the pack case. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the pack case further includes an upper plate coupled over the side plate, and the upper and lower ends of the side wall are in contact with the upper plate and the lower plate, respectively. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the pack case further includes a center beam between different side plates, and the side wall is configured to support between the side plates and the center beam. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the side wall is configured to have at least one side larger in size than the cell unit. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the side walls are located at both ends of the cell units in the stacking direction. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein the two side walls located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction have protrusions on their outer surfaces at different positions or symmetrical positions. The method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of cell unit stacks are included along the stacking direction of the cell units, and the side wall of one cell unit stack and the side wall of the other cell unit stack are adjacent to each other, forming two A battery pack characterized by an internal space divided by a side wall. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the internal space extends in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell units to form a venting channel. The method of claim 10, wherein the two side walls are a first side wall provided at the right end of the cell unit stack in the left and right direction along the stacking direction of the cell units, and a first side wall provided at the left end of the cell unit stack. It includes a second side wall,
The first side wall has a protrusion formed at the top or bottom to protrude in the right direction, and the second side wall has a protrusion formed at the bottom or top to protrude in the left direction,
A battery pack, wherein a first sidewall of one cell unit stack is adjacent to a second sidewall of another cell unit stack to form the internal space. The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein the protrusions of the first side wall and the protrusions of the second side wall are positioned at different positions in the horizontal or vertical directions so as not to interfere with each other. The method of claim 12, wherein the protrusion of the first side wall is an extension of the main body of the first side wall bent perpendicular to the direction of the main body surface of the first side wall, and the protrusion of the second side wall is the second side wall. A battery pack characterized in that it is an extension of the main body of the second side wall bent perpendicular to the direction of the main body of the side wall. The method of claim 14, wherein the protrusion of the first side wall contacts or is coupled to the second side wall, the protrusion of the second side wall contacts or is coupled to the first side wall, or the protrusion of the first side wall is in contact with or coupled to the first side wall. A battery pack, characterized in that the protrusion contacts or is coupled to the protrusion of the second side wall. The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein one of the first side wall and the second side wall is further provided with a protrusion protruding outward at the front or rear. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the side wall protrudes upward beyond the cell unit stack, and an inlet hole is formed in a portion where the side wall protrudes. The method of claim 1, wherein the pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is stored and an edge portion around the receiving 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 pouch-type battery cell. A cell unit stack in which multiple cell units are stacked; and
It includes a side wall located at an end of the cell unit stack,
In the cell unit stack, the plurality of cell units are stacked in at least one direction,
The cell unit includes one or more pouch-type battery cells and a cell cover configured to at least partially surround the pouch-type battery cells,
A cell block, characterized in that the side walls are located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction. According to clause 19,
A cell block, characterized in that the two side walls located at both ends of the cell unit in the stacking direction have protrusions on their outer surfaces at different positions or symmetrical positions. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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