Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention may include: a plurality of battery modules; a pack tray having an open top and an internal space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules, and a beam frame disposed between the battery modules adjacent to each other and partitioning the internal space; a pack cover covering the top of the pack tray; and a flame blocking unit connected to the beam frame and configured to cover a corresponding battery module at the bottom of the pack cover to block flames emitted from the battery modules.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more specifically, to a battery pack capable of suppressing heat propagation to adjacent battery modules and flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack in the event of ignition of a specific battery module, and to an automobile including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, secondary batteries are being applied to various devices. For example, secondary batteries are widely used as energy sources for multifunctional small products such as wireless mobile devices or wearable devices, as well as for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles that are presented as alternatives to conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.

[0003] Generally, commercially available secondary batteries have an operating voltage of approximately 2.5V to 4.5V per unit. Therefore, for electric vehicles or power storage devices requiring high capacity and high output, a battery module comprising multiple secondary batteries connected in series and / or parallel, and a battery pack comprising the battery modules connected in series and / or parallel are configured and used as an energy source.

[0004] As such, as secondary batteries are used as high-capacity and high-output energy sources, ensuring the safety of battery modules and battery packs is becoming a critical issue.

[0005] Since secondary batteries employ a mechanism based on electrochemical reactions as their fundamental operating principle, there is a possibility that chemical explosions may occur due to various causes, such as strong external impacts, short circuits between electrodes, or electrolyte leakage. For example, if an overcurrent flows through a secondary battery, the internal temperature of the battery rises rapidly. This rapid rise in temperature can cause a decomposition reaction of the electrolyte, which may generate gas. In such cases, the increase in internal pressure of the battery case causes swelling, a type of component phenomenon, and if this worsens, the secondary battery may ignite or explode.

[0006] Meanwhile, a battery pack according to the prior art, as shown in FIG. 1, houses battery modules (1) inside a pack case (2) and includes a gas outlet (not shown) on at least one side wall of the pack case. When a specific battery module inside the battery pack ignites and generates gas, the gas can be discharged to the outside through the gas outlet, so that the internal pressure of the battery pack does not rise rapidly.

[0007] However, in conventional battery packs, when gas is discharged to the outside through the gas outlet, flames or high-temperature particles may also be discharged to the outside. In particular, if flames leak out of the pack case, they can cause ignition of surrounding structures or items adjacent to the battery pack. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, when flames move toward the gas outlet, they propagate to adjacent battery modules, and consequently, the battery modules may ignite rapidly in a chain reaction. As a result, heat and pressure inside the battery pack rise rapidly, causing the pack case to collapse or melt, which can cause flames to spread more quickly to the outside of the battery pack.

[0008] Accordingly, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module, a method is required to suppress heat propagation between battery modules and flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack. The problem to be solved

[0009] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has the primary objective of providing a battery pack capable of delaying the rate of battery pack collapse by maximally preventing heat propagation between battery modules when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module.

[0010] In addition, the present invention has one objective of providing a battery pack capable of suppressing flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack as much as possible when a thermal event occurs.

[0011] The technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. means of solving the problem

[0012] According to the present invention, a battery pack may be provided comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a pack tray having an open top and an internal space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules, and a beam frame disposed between the adjacent battery modules and partitioning the internal space; a pack cover covering the top of the pack tray; and a flame blocking unit connected to the beam frame and configured to cover a corresponding battery module at the bottom of the pack cover to block flames emitted from the battery module.

[0013] The flame blocking unit can be coupled to the beam frame so as to be liftable by gas ejected from the corresponding battery module.

[0014] The flame blocking unit may include a flame blocking cover covering one battery module disposed between two beam frames, and at least one support member fixedly coupled to the beam frames and supporting the flame blocking cover to a predetermined height.

[0015] The above support member may include: a fixing bracket having a bracing plate that is fixedly coupled to the top of the beam frame and extends in the height direction, and a detachment prevention plate that extends horizontally from the top of the bracing plate and has a through hole; a support rod that extends downward from the flame blocking cover, passes through the through hole, and has a head formed at the bottom end with a diameter larger than that of the through hole; and a compression spring fitted into the support rod between the head of the support rod and the detachment prevention plate.

[0016] The above support plate includes a first support plate and a second support plate that are spaced apart at a predetermined interval and extend in the height direction parallel to each other, and the anti-detachment plate may have one end connected to the first support plate and the other end connected to the second support plate.

[0017] The flame blocking cover may have at least one gas venting hole.

[0018] The flame blocking cover may further include an insulating material attached to the upper surface of the flame blocking cover.

[0019] The flame blocking cover has at least one gas venting hole, and the insulating material may include an incision provided in an area corresponding to the gas venting hole and configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure.

[0020] The flame blocking cover may include: an upper blocking plate covering the upper part of the battery module; a first side blocking plate bent downward from one corner of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper part of the beam frame located on the left side of the battery module; and a second side blocking plate bent downward from the other corner of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper part of the beam frame located on the right side of the battery module.

[0021] The upper blocking plate may be configured such that, based on one of the two beam frames, it has a protrusion that protrudes outward from one of the two beam frames and a recess that is inwardly recessed from the other beam frame, and the protrusion of one of the flame blocking covers is shaped to match the recess of the other flame blocking cover, so that each of the battery modules is individually covered by each of the flame blocking covers.

[0022] The first side blocking plate may be bent downward at the corner of the protrusion among the corners of the upper blocking plate, and the second side blocking plate may be bent downward at the corner of the other side of the upper blocking plate excluding the indentation.

[0023] A gas flow passage may be provided between the upper part of the flame blocking unit and the lower part of the pack cover.

[0024] The above flame blocking cover may be made of metal.

[0025] The above insulation material may be made of mica or silicone material.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, an automobile comprising the battery pack described above may be provided. Effects of the invention

[0027] According to the present invention, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module, a battery pack can be provided that can delay the rate of collapse of the battery pack by preventing heat propagation between battery modules as much as possible.

[0028] In addition, according to the present invention, flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack can be suppressed or delayed to the maximum extent when a thermal event occurs.

[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification and the attached drawings. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0030] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to the prior art. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the flame blocking unit of Figure 2. FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a part of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating a flame blocking cover and a support member according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a drawing showing the support member of Figure 5 from a different angle. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a battery pack when a flame blocking unit according to one embodiment of the present invention is lifted. FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a part of a battery pack to which a flame blocking unit according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating an example in which flame blocking units are individually applied to all battery modules in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a vehicle including a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0031] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention. Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely one preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention; therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications capable of replacing them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0032] In addition, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions may obscure the essence of the invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0033] Since embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the invention to those skilled in the art, the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted for clearer explanation. Accordingly, the size or proportion of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size or proportion.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules (100), a pack case (200), and a flame blocking unit (300).

[0035] The battery module (100) may include a plurality of battery cells and a module case that accommodates the battery cells, although this is not illustrated for the convenience of the drawing. The battery cell refers to a secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. The battery cell may be any type of secondary battery, such as a pouch-type, cylindrical-type, or prismatic-type secondary battery. Furthermore, the module case may be made of a metal material, such as steel, or a non-metal material with high rigidity, to protect the battery cells from external impacts. Additionally, the module case may accommodate the battery cells and be provided with a module venting hole on at least one side. In the case of the battery module (100), gas, etc., may be discharged out of the module case through the module venting hole in the event of internal ignition.

[0036] Each of the above-mentioned battery modules (100) is mounted in the pack case (200) and can be electrically connected to one another via an interbus bar (not shown) or a cable.

[0037] The above pack case (200) may be provided with an internal space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules (100) and may be configured to protect the battery modules (100) from external impacts, etc.

[0038] In this embodiment, the pack case (200) may be composed of a pack tray (210) and a pack cover (220), as shown in FIG. 2. The pack tray (210) may be provided in the form of a box with an open top and an internal space capable of accommodating a plurality of battery modules (100). The pack cover (220) may be provided in the form of a roughly plate-like body having an area capable of covering at least the top of the pack tray (210).

[0039] Specifically, the pack tray (210) includes a base plate (211) that supports the battery modules (100) from below, and a wall section (212) that forms a wall along the outer perimeter of the base plate (211). The internal space of the pack tray (210) is formed by the base plate (211) and the wall section (212). Additionally, the pack tray (210) includes a plurality of beam frames (215) that partition the internal space.

[0040] The above pack tray (210) can be configured such that when battery modules (100) are placed on the base plate (211) of the pack tray (210), the beam frame (215) is positioned between two adjacent battery modules (100). In other words, one battery module (100) can be placed in the space between two beam frames (215).

[0041] Additionally, the pack tray (210) according to the present embodiment may include a center beam (216) that extends in the horizontal direction (Y direction) within the pack tray (210) and divides the internal space of the pack tray (210) in two, as shown in FIG. 2. The beam frame (215) may extend in the vertical direction (X direction) within the pack tray (210), with one end connected to the center beam (216) and the other end connected to the wall section (212). The beam frames (215) may be provided at predetermined intervals along the horizontal direction (Y direction) within the pack tray (210). The pack tray (210) has partitioned spaces formed by being surrounded by the wall section (212), the center beam (216), and the beam frames (215). Battery modules (100) may be stored one by one in these partitioned spaces.

[0042] Additionally, the pack tray (210) may have at least one gas outlet (214) in the wall section (212). In this embodiment, the pack tray (210) has a gas outlet (214) in the wall section (212) that extends in the vertical direction (X direction). For example, the gas outlet (214) may be provided in at least one of the wall section (212) located in the +Y direction and the wall section (212) located in the -Y direction in FIG. 2. In this case, when venting gas is generated in the battery module (100), the venting gas may move in the horizontal direction (Y direction) along the gas flow passage (VS) inside the pack case (200) and be discharged to the outside of the pack case (200) through the gas outlet (214). Here, the gas flow passage (VS) refers to the empty space formed between the upper part of the battery module (100) and the lower part of the pack cover (220) within the internal space of the pack case (200). When the pack tray (210) and the pack cover (220) are combined, the left and right spaces can be configured to be blocked with respect to the center beam (216). In this case, for example, venting gas generated from the battery module (100) stored in the space on the left side of the center beam (216) can move in the horizontal direction (Y direction), but its movement in the vertical direction (X direction) may be restricted by being blocked by the center beam (216).

[0043] The above pack cover (220) may be provided in the form of a cover capable of covering the upper portions of all battery modules (100). The above pack cover (220) may be joined to the above pack tray (210), for example, by bolt fastening. The edge of the above pack cover (220) may be seated on the upper edge of the wall portion (212) of the above pack tray (210) and bolted. Although not shown, a sealing gasket may be placed on the upper portion (212) of the above pack tray (210), and the edge of the pack cover (220) may be seated thereon to enhance sealing.

[0044] The above pack cover (220) may be configured to be bolted to the center beam (216) of the pack tray (210). The bolt connection between the pack cover (220) and the center beam (216) may be omitted depending on the case.

[0045] Additionally, the pack cover (220) may be configured so as not to come into contact with the top of the beam frame (215) or the upper surface of the battery module (100) in order to secure the aforementioned gas flow passage (VS) inside the pack case (200). For example, the top of the wall portion (212) may be higher than the top of the beam frame (215) or the upper surface of the battery module (100), and the edge of the pack cover (220) may be seated on the top of the wall portion (212) so that the pack cover (220) does not come into contact with the top of the beam frame (215) or the upper surface of the battery module (100).

[0046] In this embodiment, the pack cover (220) is in the form of a plate, but the pack cover (220) may also be configured in the form of a cuboid with an open bottom surface. In this case, the pack cover (220) may be prevented from coming into more secure contact with the top of the beam frame (215) or the upper surface of the battery module (100).

[0047] The flame blocking unit (300) serves to block the spread of flames to the battery module (100) and the adjacent battery module (100) when, for example, ignition occurs in the specific battery module (100) inside the pack case (200).

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the flame blocking unit (300) is connected to the beam frame (215) and is configured to cover the corresponding battery module (100) at the bottom of the pack cover (220) to block flames emitted from the battery module (100).

[0049] Specifically, a flame blocking unit (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a flame blocking cover (310) covering one battery module (100) disposed between two beam frames (215), and at least one support member (320) fixedly coupled to the beam frames (215) and supporting the flame blocking cover (310) at a predetermined height.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the flame blocking cover (310) includes an upper blocking plate (312) covering the upper part of the battery module (100), a first side blocking plate (313) that is bent downward from one corner of the upper blocking plate (312) and extends to a position lower than the top of the beam frame (215) located on the left side of the battery module (100), and a second side blocking plate (314) that is bent downward from the other corner of the upper blocking plate (312) and extends to a position lower than the top of the beam frame (215) located on the right side of the battery module (100).

[0051] The flame blocking cover (310) may be made of a metal material with excellent heat resistance and rigidity so as not to deform even at high temperatures. In addition, the flame blocking cover (310) is provided with at least one gas venting hole (311) in the upper blocking plate (312).

[0052] According to this configuration of the flame blocking cover (310), the upper part of the left side beam frame (215) of the battery module (100), the upper part of the battery module (100), and the upper part of the right side beam frame (215) of the battery module (100) are integrally surrounded by the flame blocking cover (310). As a result, when the battery module (100) covered by the flame blocking cover (310) ignites, the flame is blocked by the flame blocking cover (310) and may not spread to adjacent battery modules (100). Therefore, thermal damage to adjacent battery modules (100) can be significantly reduced. Meanwhile, even if the battery module (100) not covered by the flame blocking cover (310) in FIG. 4 ignites, the battery module (100) adjacent to it and covered by the flame blocking cover (310) can be protected from the flame. As will be described later, all battery modules (100) stored in the pack case (200) may be individually covered with flame-blocking covers (310), or, as in the present embodiment, the battery modules (100) may be alternately covered with flame-blocking covers (310) along one direction (Y direction) to achieve weight reduction and simplified assembly of the battery pack (10).

[0053] Referring mainly to FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 5 to 6, the support member (320) includes a support rod (321), a compression spring (322), and a fixing bracket (323), and can be positioned at least one on the top of the left side beam frame (215) and the top of the right side beam frame (215) with respect to the battery module (100).

[0054] The above fixed bracket (323) may be provided with a support plate (324) that is fixedly coupled to the top of the beam frame (215) and extends in the height direction, and a detachment prevention plate (325) that extends horizontally from the top of the support plate (324) and has a through hole (325a). Here, the support plate (324) may be fixedly coupled to the top of the beam frame (215) by means such as welding, bonding, or a locking connection.

[0055] The above support plate (324) includes a first support plate (324a) and a second support plate (324b) that are spaced apart at a predetermined interval and extend in the height direction parallel to each other, and the anti-detachment plate (325) may have one end connected to the first support plate (324a) and the other end connected to the second support plate (324b). Unlike the present embodiment, the support plate (324) may be provided in one or three or more.

[0056] The support rod (321) is provided to extend downward from the flame blocking cover (310), pass through the through hole (325a), and penetrate the anti-detachment plate (325). That is, the upper end of the support rod (321) is connected to the upper blocking plate and passes through the through hole (325a) to the lower part of the anti-detachment plate (325). The support rod (321) is provided with a head (321a) at its lower end, which has a diameter larger than that of the through hole (325a). The support rod (321) may be provided so that its upper end is fixed to the flame blocking cover (310). For example, the upper end of the support rod (321) and the flame blocking cover (310) may be connected by screw, welding, or bonding. As another example, the flame blocking cover (310) and the support rod (321) may be formed integrally. In this case, a support rod (321) without a head (321a) can be inserted into the through hole (325a) of the fixed bracket (323), and then a head (321a) can be assembled to the lower end of the support rod (321).

[0057] By means of such a support rod (321), the flame blocking cover (310) can be supported from the beam frame (215) by a height equal to the length of the support rod (321). Here, the upper blocking plate of the flame blocking cover (310) is positioned by the support rod (321) at a height higher than the upper surface of the battery module (100) and lower than the pack cover (220). Additionally, the head (321a) of the support rod (321) is in simple contact with the beam frame (215). That is, the support rod (321) is not fixedly connected to the top of the beam frame (215). Therefore, when pressure is applied from the bottom to the top of the flame blocking cover (310), the flame blocking cover (310) can be lifted upward. For example, if a battery module (100) covered by a flame-blocking cover (310) ignites and generates a large amount of gas, the head (321a) of the support rod (321) may detach from the beam frame (215) due to the pressure of the gas, and the flame-blocking cover (310) may be lifted upward. However, the head (321a) of the support rod (321) is configured so that it cannot pass through the through hole (325a) of the anti-detachment plate (325), so the lifting of the flame-blocking cover (310) may be limited to a certain range.

[0058] The above compression spring (322) is a component that is compressed when the flame blocking cover (310) is lifted to prevent the flame blocking cover (310) from rising rapidly, and can be fitted onto the support rod (321) between the head (321a) of the support rod (321) and the anti-detachment plate (325).

[0059] If there is no compression spring (322), when the gas pressure is very strong, the head (321a) of the support rod (321) may collide strongly with the anti-detachment plate (325) and be damaged. As a result, the flame blocking cover (310) may be completely separated from the beam frame (215), making it impossible to prevent the flame of the battery module (100) from spreading to the surroundings.

[0060] However, in the present embodiment, the compression spring (322) is compressed in the space between the head (321a) of the support rod (321) and the anti-detachment plate (325), thereby mitigating the rising speed of the flame blocking cover (310) and preventing damage to the head (321a) of the support rod (321). Additionally, when the amount of gas generated from the battery module (100) decreases, the flame blocking cover (310) can return to its original position by the elastic restoring force of the compression spring (322).

[0061] Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, a flame blocking cover (310) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include an insulating material (330) attached to the upper surface of the flame blocking cover (310). The insulating material (330) may serve to block the inflow of gas reflected from the pack cover (220) discharged over the flame blocking cover (310). In addition, it may serve to prevent thermal energy damage caused by flames or gas generated from other battery modules (100).

[0062] This insulating material (330) may be made of mica or silicone material and preferably provided in the form of a pad having an area corresponding to the upper blocking plate (312) of the flame blocking cover (310).

[0063] The insulation material (330) may include an incision (331) configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure. The incision (331) may be provided in an area corresponding vertically to the gas venting hole (311) of the flame blocking cover (310). Due to the gas pressure of the ignited battery module (100), the incision (331) of the insulation material (330) may be torn and spread open, allowing the gas to be discharged to the upper part of the flame blocking cover (310). The incision (331) may be configured to be torn in a slit shape. In this case, compared to gas, the flame is difficult to easily escape to the outside through the incision (331).

[0064] Next, referring to FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8, an example of the operation of the flame blocking unit (300) when a specific battery module (100) ignites is briefly described as follows.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the battery pack (10) when the flame blocking unit (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention is lifted.

[0066] The flame blocking cover (310) of the present embodiment can be positioned at a predetermined height by being supported by a support member (320) coupled to the beam frame (215) as shown in FIG. 7. The flame blocking cover (310) covers the outer side of the left beam frame (215), the upper side of the battery module (100), and the outer side of the right beam frame (215) in FIG. 7. In addition, the battery pack (10) of the present invention has a pack cover (220) positioned higher than the flame blocking cover (310), so that a gas flow passage (VS) is provided between the lower part of the pack cover (220) and the upper part of the flame blocking unit (300).

[0067] In the battery pack (10) according to the present invention, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module (100), the flame of the specific battery module (100) can be blocked by the flame blocking cover (310), as shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, the flame of the specific battery module (100) can be trapped without moving to an adjacent other battery module (100) or the gas flow passage (VS). In this case, the venting gas can be introduced into the gas flow passage (VS) through the gas venting hole (311) of the flame blocking cover (310) and the cut portion (331) of the insulation material (330). For reference, the gas venting hole (311) of the flame blocking cover (310) can be provided at a location corresponding vertically to the module venting hole (101) provided in the battery module (100).

[0068] Meanwhile, the flame blocking cover (310) according to the present embodiment is designed to be liftable by gas, which is intended to prevent the flame blocking cover (310) from being damaged due to a rapid increase in internal pressure. To elaborate, if the flame blocking cover (310) is installed on the beam frame (215) in a structure that does not allow for lifting, there is a high risk that the flame blocking cover (310) will be damaged if a large amount of gas is ejected from the battery module (100) and it cannot withstand the pressure. However, as described above, the flame blocking cover (310) according to the present embodiment is installed on the beam frame (215) so that it can be lifted. Therefore, when a large amount of gas is ejected from the specific battery module, the flame blocking cover (310) is lifted, and the space between the upper surface of the battery module (100) and the flame blocking cover (310) can be expanded. Thus, the increase in pressure caused by the gas can be mitigated. In addition, the compression spring (322) can cushion the pressure acting on the flame blocking cover (310), thereby preventing damage to the flame blocking cover (310).

[0069] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a part of a battery pack (10) to which a flame blocking unit (300) according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 10 is a drawing showing an example in which a flame blocking unit (300) is individually applied to all battery modules (100) in FIG. 9.

[0070] Next, a battery pack (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 9 and FIGS. 10.

[0071] The same reference numbers as those in the aforementioned embodiments indicate the same components. Duplicate descriptions of the same components will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences from the aforementioned embodiments.

[0072] A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that, compared to the battery pack (10) according to the above embodiment, all battery modules (100) housed in the pack case (200) are individually covered by flame blocking units.

[0073] To this end, the upper blocking plate of the flame blocking cover (410) according to another embodiment of the present invention may have a protrusion (411) that protrudes outwardly from one of the two beam frames (215) with respect to one battery module (100), and a recess (412) that is recessed inwardly from the other beam frame (215). For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the protrusion (411) may be provided at the center of one corner line of the upper blocking plate, and the recess (412) may be provided at the center of the other corner line of the upper blocking plate. And, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the flame blocking cover (410) comprises a first side blocking plate that is bent downward from the corner of the protrusion (411) among the corners of the upper blocking plate and extends to a position lower than the top of the beam frame (215), and a second side blocking plate that is bent downward from the corner of the other side of the upper blocking plate excluding the indentation (413) and extends to a position lower than the top of the beam frame (215).

[0074] In addition, the support member (320) may be installed on the upper end of the left beam frame (215) to support the protrusion (411) and on the upper end of the right beam frame (215) to support both edges of the other corner line of the upper blocking part. Furthermore, the protrusion (411) of one of the flame blocking covers (410) may be arranged to be shaped to match the indentation (412) of the other flame blocking cover (410).

[0075] According to the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the indentation (412) of the flame blocking cover (410) covering the battery module (100) located on the left side relative to the beam frame (215) and the protrusion (411) of the flame blocking cover (410) covering the battery module (100) located on the right side can be shaped to fit. And among the upper part of the beam frame (215) between the two battery modules (100), ' A ',' B ',' C If a support member (320) is installed in the area marked with ', each of the above battery modules (100) can be individually covered by each of the above flame-blocking covers (410).

[0076] Next, an automobile according to the present invention will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 11.

[0077] FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 11, a vehicle according to the present invention may be configured to include the above-described battery pack, ECU (Electronic Control Unit, 20), inverter (30), and motor (40) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle.

[0079] The battery pack (10) can be used as an electric energy source to drive a vehicle by providing driving force to a motor (40). The battery pack (10) can be charged or discharged by an inverter (30) depending on the operation of the motor (40) and / or an internal combustion engine (not shown). The battery pack (10) can be charged by a regenerative charging device combined with a brake. The battery pack (10) can be electrically connected to the motor (40) of the vehicle through the inverter (30).

[0080] The ECU (20) is an electronic control device that controls the state of the vehicle. For example, it determines torque information based on information such as the accelerator, brake, and speed, and controls the output of the motor (40) to match the torque information. In addition, the ECU (20) sends a control signal to the inverter (30) so that the battery pack (10) can be charged or discharged based on state information such as SOC and SOH of the battery pack (10) received from the BMS. The inverter (30) causes the battery pack (10) to be charged or discharged based on the control signal from the ECU (610). The motor (40) drives the vehicle using the electrical energy of the battery pack (10) based on the control information (e.g., torque information) transmitted from the ECU (20).

[0081] As previously explained, the battery pack (10) can suppress the outflow of flames outside the pack case when a thermal event occurs in the battery module. Therefore, even if an internal ignition issue occurs in the battery pack (10) while driving, the time required for the fire to spread to the outside of the battery pack (10) can be delayed as much as possible.

[0082] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0083] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right have been used in this specification, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the location of the object or the position of the observer.

[0084] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0085] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right have been used in this specification, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the location of the object or the position of the observer. Explanation of the symbols

[0086] 10: Battery pack 100: Battery module 200: Pack case 210: Pack tray 211: Base plate 212: Wall section 214: Gas outlet 215: Beam frame 216: Center beam 220: Pack cover 300: Flame Block Unit 310: Flame Block Cover 311: Gas venting hole 312: Upper blocking plate 313: 1st side block 314: 2nd side block 320: Support member 321: Support rod 321a: Head 322: Compression spring 323: Fixed bracket 324: Support plate 325: Anti-detachment plate 325a: Through hole 330: Insulation 331: Cut VS: Gas flow passage

Claims

Claim 1 A battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a pack tray having an open top and an internal space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules, and a beam frame disposed between adjacent battery modules and partitioning the internal space; a pack cover covering the top of the pack tray; and a flame blocking unit connected to the beam frame and configured to cover a corresponding battery module at the bottom of the pack cover to block flames emitted from the battery module, wherein the flame blocking unit is coupled to the beam frame so as to be lifted by gas emitted from the corresponding battery module. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the flame blocking unit comprises a flame blocking cover covering one battery module disposed between two beam frames and at least one support member fixedly coupled to the beam frames and supporting the flame blocking cover at a predetermined height. Claim 4 A battery pack according to paragraph 3, wherein the support member comprises: a fixing bracket having a bracing plate that is fixedly coupled to the upper end of the beam frame and extends in the height direction, and a detachment prevention plate that extends horizontally from the upper end of the bracing plate and has a through hole; a support rod that extends downward from the flame blocking cover, passes through the through hole, and has a head formed at the lower end with a diameter larger than that of the through hole; and a compression spring fitted into the support rod between the head of the support rod and the detachment prevention plate. Claim 5 A battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the support plate comprises a first support plate and a second support plate that are spaced apart at a predetermined interval and extend in the height direction parallel to each other, and the anti-detachment plate is characterized in that one end is connected to the first support plate and the other end is connected to the second support plate. Claim 6 A battery pack according to paragraph 3, wherein the flame blocking cover is characterized by having at least one gas venting hole. Claim 7 A battery pack according to paragraph 3, wherein the flame blocking cover further comprises an insulating material attached to the upper surface of the flame blocking cover. Claim 8 A battery pack according to claim 7, wherein the flame blocking cover has at least one gas venting hole, and the insulating material includes a cut portion provided in an area corresponding to the gas venting hole and configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure. Claim 9 A battery pack according to paragraph 3, wherein the flame blocking cover comprises: an upper blocking plate covering the upper part of the battery module; a first side blocking plate bent downward from one corner of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper part of a beam frame located on the left side of the battery module; and a second side blocking plate bent downward from the other corner of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper part of a beam frame located on the right side of the battery module. Claim 10 A battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the upper blocking plate has a protrusion that protrudes outwardly from one of the two beam frames based on one of the battery modules and a recess that is inwardly recessed from the other beam frame, and the protrusion of one of the flame blocking covers is provided to be shaped to match the recess of the other flame blocking cover, so that each of the battery modules is individually covered by each of the flame blocking covers. Claim 11 A battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the first side blocking plate is bent downward from the corner of the protrusion among the corners of the upper blocking plate, and the second side blocking plate is bent downward from the corner excluding the indentation among the corners of the other side of the upper blocking plate. Claim 12 A battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by having a gas flow passage between the upper part of the flame blocking unit and the lower part of the pack cover. Claim 13 A battery pack characterized in that, in paragraph 3, the flame-blocking cover is made of a metal material. Claim 14 A battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that the insulating material is made of mica or silicone material. Claim 15 An automobile comprising a battery pack according to any one of paragraphs 1 and 3 through 14.

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