Battery systems and cars

Abstract

A battery system comprises: a plurality of unit boxes configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells; a plurality of unit holders provided in each unit box and configured to retain the battery cells in the unit boxes; a battery system carrier configured to accommodate a plurality of unit boxes therein; a plurality of box fasteners provided in each unit box and connected to the unit boxes and the battery system carrier to accommodate the unit boxes in the battery system carrier; and a cooling channel provided in the battery system carrier to cool the battery cells, wherein the battery system carrier comprises a plurality of longitudinal beams and a plurality of transverse beams constituting a carrier frame, and a grounding plate attached to the carrier frame, the cooling channel being formed in the grounding plate, wherein each unit box comprises an opening exposing a plurality of battery cells, and the cooling channel is provided in the battery system carrier facing the opening of each unit box.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese invention patent application 201780042273.4, whose application date is July 6, 2017 and whose invention name is "Battery sub-module carrier, battery sub-module, battery system and automobile". Technical Field

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery submodule carrier, a battery submodule having such a battery submodule carrier, a battery system having such a battery submodule, and a motor vehicle having such a battery system. Background Art

[0003] Rechargeable (or secondary) batteries differ from primary batteries in that the former are designed to be repeatedly charged and discharged, whereas the latter provide an irreversible conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for small electronic devices such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and camcorders, while high-capacity rechargeable batteries are used as power sources for hybrid cars and the like.

[0004] Generally, a rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a case receiving (or accommodating) the electrode assembly; and an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly. An electrolyte solution is injected into the case, so that the battery is charged and discharged via an electrochemical reaction between the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte solution. The shape of the case, such as cylindrical or rectangular, depends on the intended purpose of the battery.

[0005] Rechargeable batteries can be used in battery modules including a plurality of unit battery cells that are connected in series and / or in parallel to each other, thereby providing a relatively high energy density, for example, for driving an engine of a hybrid vehicle. For example, a battery module is formed by interconnecting electrode terminals of a plurality of unit battery cells to each other, the number of which depends on the desired amount of electricity, thereby realizing a relatively high-power rechargeable battery module for use in, for example, an electric vehicle.

[0006] The battery module can be constructed in a block design or a modular design. In the block design, each battery cell is connected to a common current collector structure and battery management system, and the batteries are arranged in a shell. In the modular design, multiple battery cells are connected in submodules, and several submodules are connected to each other to form a module. In the modular design, different battery management functions can be implemented on the module or submodule level, which provides advantageous aspects, such as improved interchangeability.

[0007] To form a battery system, one or more battery modules are mechanically and electrically integrated, equipped with a thermal management system, and configured to communicate with one or more electrical consumers. In addition, the battery system may include electronic components such as a battery management unit (BMU) and / or a battery disconnect unit (BDU).

[0008] The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the invention

[0009] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a battery submodule carrier, a battery submodule including the battery submodule carrier, a battery system including the battery submodule, and a vehicle including the battery system, wherein the battery submodule carrier is strong against vibration, impact and deformation of the battery cell, can simply fix the battery cell during assembly / driving, and can cool the battery cell.

[0010] One or more disadvantages of the prior art are avoided or reduced by a battery submodule carrier, a battery submodule, a battery module, and a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0011] A battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of integrated cell trays configured to accommodate a plurality of arranged battery cells; a plurality of battery cell holders configured to hold the battery cells in the cell trays by connecting with the battery cells in each cell tray and the cell tray; a cap-type battery system carrier configured to accommodate the plurality of cell trays; a plurality of box fasteners provided in each cell tray to mount the cell tray to the battery system carrier by connecting with the cell tray and the battery system carrier; and a cooling channel provided in the battery system carrier to cool the battery cells. Each cell tray includes an opening exposing the plurality of battery cells, and a cooling channel may be provided in the battery system carrier opposite to the opening of each cell tray.

[0012] Cooling channels may be provided on the outside of the carrier.

[0013] The battery system carrier may include a plurality of longitudinal beams arranged at arbitrary intervals, a plurality of transverse beams arranged at arbitrary intervals and intersecting the plurality of longitudinal beams, a ground plate including a bottom formed by a combination of the plurality of longitudinal beams and the plurality of transverse beams, and a supporting beam connected to the ground plate and the plurality of longitudinal beams or to the ground plate and the plurality of transverse beams, wherein the cooling channel includes a plurality of coolant tubes provided in the ground plate.

[0014] The plurality of coolant pipes may be connected to an injection distribution pipe and a discharge distribution pipe provided in the ground plate.

[0015] The coolant pipe may be disposed along the cross beam, and the injection distribution pipe and the exhaust distribution pipe may be disposed along the longitudinal beam.

[0016] The opening of the unit box may be a central opening provided in a bottom surface of the box in a longitudinal direction of the box, and the cooling channels are aligned while respectively matching the central openings of the corresponding unit boxes.

[0017] The battery submodule carrier according to some embodiments of the present invention includes an integrated cell box, so the assembly of the battery submodule basically includes inserting the secondary battery cells into the integrated cell box. Therefore, the assembly of the battery submodule is relatively fast and easy.

[0018] In addition, in some embodiments, the battery cells are configured to be held in the cell box via a cell holder. In some embodiments, the cell holder is configured to hold all of the multiple secondary battery cells inserted into the cell box at one time. In some embodiments, the cell holder is configured to hold each battery cell of the multiple battery cells housed in the cell box or a group of multiple battery cells (e.g., a group of 2-4 battery cells). Therefore, the failed battery cells can be removed and replaced individually, or by removing a relatively small number of secondary battery cells to remove and replace the failed battery cells.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cell box of the battery submodule carrier is configured to accommodate a plurality of prismatic battery cells, each battery cell having two opposite wide side surfaces, two opposite narrow side surfaces, and opposite top and bottom surfaces. The battery system carrier provides mechanical integrity and stability for the battery module. In some embodiments, the box fastener is configured to assemble a plurality of unit boxes filled with battery cells to each other to form a battery module. In order to provide a unit box that is lightweight and easy to manufacture, in some embodiments, the battery module may include a battery system carrier to provide improved mechanical integrity. The box fastener may include one or more protrusions extending from one or more surfaces of the unit box (e.g., a side surface of the unit box), and may include a connector (e.g., a screw hole and / or a hook) to be connected to a corresponding connector of the battery system carrier.

[0020] In some embodiments, the unit box, the unit holder and the box fastener are an integral unit. For example, a single block is configured to accommodate a plurality of arranged battery cells to hold the battery cells therein, and is configured to be mounted to a battery system carrier. Therefore, the assembly and disassembly of the battery submodule and the battery module are relatively simple and fast. In some embodiments, the unit box, the unit holder and the box fastener are injection molded by a non-conductive polymer material, or can be made of a lightweight material such as carbon fiber or reinforced plastic. Therefore, the submodule carrier can be easily and cost-effectively manufactured in large quantities and is manufactured essentially in a one-step process. In these embodiments, the material cost and the cost of manufacturing the battery submodule carrier, the battery submodule and the module are reduced.

[0021] In some embodiments, the cell box of the battery submodule carrier is configured to accommodate a plurality of prismatic battery cells. Each battery cell has two opposite wide side surfaces, two opposite narrow side surfaces, and opposite top and bottom surfaces. The plurality of battery cells can be stacked together in a manner that their wide surfaces face each other. This stacking of prismatic battery cells provides a substantially rectangular shape. For example, the cell box according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to accommodate a rectangular block of stacked secondary battery cells. In some embodiments, each cell box is configured to receive a stack of secondary battery cells. For material efficiency, the cell box may also have a substantially rectangular shape. The battery submodule carrier according to these embodiments saves space, and a plurality of battery submodule carriers can be easily arranged in a common plane or stacked one on top of another at multiple levels.

[0022] In some embodiments, the unit box of the battery submodule carrier has a substantially U-shaped profile, which is configured to accommodate a plurality of prismatic battery cells along its width direction. For example, the unit box is configured to accommodate the battery cells by inserting the battery cells through the open side of the U-shaped profile. For example, the unit box is configured to accommodate the battery cells by inserting the battery cells into the unit box in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the resulting battery cell stack. The snuggly-fitting sidewalls of the unit box are configured to provide a holding force to the unit, so that the unit box can be relatively compact. In addition, the unit box can be formed in the shape of a box including a bottom surface including a central opening and a top opening facing the central opening.

[0023] In some embodiments of the battery submodule carrier, the unit box includes a bottom surface having a central opening extending in the longitudinal direction of the unit box (e.g., in the stacking direction of the plurality of stacked battery cells). In a unit box having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, the bottom surface is the surface opposite to the side of the U-shaped opening. By providing a central opening, the material cost and weight of the unit box can be further reduced. The central opening can also provide a ventilation path aligned with the vent of the battery cell or provide a cooling interface (e.g., to allow the accommodated battery cell to be in close contact with the cooling channel).

[0024] In some embodiments, the unit box includes a bottom surface including a first protrusion protruding vertically inward from a first side surface of the unit box and a second protrusion protruding vertically inward from a second side surface of the unit box. For example, the unit box has a substantially H-shaped cross-section having two protrusions protruding inward from the long leg of the H-shape and substantially parallel to the horizontal line of the H-shape. In some embodiments, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured to support a plurality of arranged prismatic battery cells. For example, the first protrusion and the second protrusion together provide sufficient mechanical support to maintain a plurality of battery cells housed in the unit box in at least one direction.

[0025] In some embodiments of the battery submodule carrier, the unit box includes a first side surface and a second side surface. The first side surface is configured to extend along the first narrow side surface of the plurality of battery cells (e.g., along the plurality of first narrow side surfaces of the battery cells accommodated in the unit box). The first side surface has a first upper portion and a first lower portion configured to cover the first narrow side surface. The second side surface is configured to extend along the second narrow side surface of the plurality of battery cells (e.g., along the plurality of second narrow side surfaces of the battery cells accommodated in the unit box). The second side surface has a second upper portion and a second lower portion configured to cover the second narrow side surface. At least one of the upper portions of the side surface (e.g., at least one of the first upper portion and the second upper portion) includes spaced apart snap segments extending upward from the corresponding lower portion. Each snap segment is elastically connected to the corresponding lower portion and is configured as a unit holder by providing a clip closure, wherein at least one battery cell is accommodated in the unit box.

[0026] In some embodiments, the elastic connection is provided by a local neck of the corresponding side surface at the transition from the lower portion to the snap portion. In some embodiments, the clip closure is provided by a snap portion including a protruding feature that is shaped to fit into a gap or recess in the housing of the secondary battery cell (such as in the top side of the secondary battery cell). In some embodiments, the snap portion has a first section and a second section. The first section may be substantially parallel to the side surface of the cell box and may extend substantially along the narrow side surface of the battery cell housed in the cell box. Alternatively, the first section may be substantially parallel to the side surface of the cell box or may extend substantially along the narrow side surface of the battery cell housed in the cell box.

[0027] The second segment may be angled relative to the first segment, may extend generally along the top surface of the battery cell accommodated by the unit box, and / or may contact the top surface of the battery cell accommodated by the unit box. Alternatively, the second segment may extend generally along the top surface of the battery cell accommodated by the unit box, and / or may contact the top surface of the battery cell accommodated by the unit box. The second segment may include a protruding hook that interlocks with a corresponding feature on the top side of the accommodated battery cell. In some embodiments, the unit box is manufactured with a pre-loaded snap portion that is configured to bend to allow a secondary battery cell to be inserted into the unit box. The snap portion is configured to hold the inserted battery cell in its neutral position.

[0028] In some embodiments of the battery submodule carrier, the unit box includes a first end surface and a second end surface, the first end surface is configured to cover or substantially cover the wide side surface of the first outermost battery cell, and the second end surface is configured to cover or substantially cover the wide side surface of the second outermost battery cell. At least one of the first end surface and the second end surface may include a reinforcement structure. However, in some embodiments, the side surface and the bottom surface of the unit box may include a reinforcement structure. The unit box can be configured to fix the battery cells and other components during assembly and operation, while the mechanical load is supported by the battery frame and / or the battery system carrier.

[0029] However, in some embodiments, the cell box itself is constructed to absorb mechanical loads. For example, during a car collision, the cell box can absorb kinetic energy when a collision occurs. Bulging or excessive swelling of the battery cells should also be limited. The cell box can include a reinforcement structure to absorb swelling or limit swelling. In some embodiments, the reinforcement structure is a honeycomb structure.

[0030] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a battery submodule, which includes a battery submodule carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention and a plurality of arranged battery cells in a cell box. In some embodiments, the battery cells are retained in the cell box by a cell retainer, and in some embodiments, the cell retainer is formed integrally with the cell box.

[0031] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a battery system comprising a battery system carrier and a plurality of battery submodules as described above (e.g., a plurality of battery submodules comprising a battery submodule carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention). The box fastener can be attached to the battery system carrier. In some embodiments, the box fastener is integral with the unit box. The battery system carrier is configured to improve the mechanical integrity of the plurality of battery submodules, and may also include compartments for a battery management system, components for interconnecting the battery submodules, external ports for contacting the submodules, and components for attaching the module carrier to another structure (e.g., an automobile).

[0032] In some embodiments of the battery system, the battery system carrier includes a plurality of longitudinal beams and a plurality of cross beams. The longitudinal beams and the cross beams constitute a carrier frame. The module carrier may further include a ground plate attached to the carrier frame. In other embodiments, the bottom side of the battery system is formed by the bottom sides of the unit boxes of the plurality of battery submodules. The battery system carrier may further include a plurality of support beams attached to the ground plate and / or the longitudinal beams or cross beams. The cross beams may be parallel to the longitudinal beams or cross beams. According to these embodiments, the box fasteners are attached to the support beams. In some embodiments, each battery submodule in the battery system is arranged between two adjacent support beams, and each submodule includes a box fastener protruding outward from two side surfaces of the unit box.

[0033] In some embodiments of the battery system, the cooling channel is integrally formed in or attached to a ground plate of the battery system. The cooling channel forms a plurality of cooling regions (e.g., heat exchange regions), which may include a plurality of windings of the cooling channel. In some embodiments, each submodule may include a unit box having a bottom surface having a central opening extending in a longitudinal direction of the unit box. In some embodiments, each central opening is aligned with one of the cooling regions to form a cooling interface for the corresponding battery submodule. In some embodiments, the battery system may include a cooling region for each battery submodule.

[0034] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle, which includes the battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, the battery submodule according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, and / or the battery submodule carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above.

[0035] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and / or the following description of the drawings.

[0036] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the assembly of the battery submodule is relatively fast and easy. In addition, the failed battery cell can be removed and replaced individually, or the failed battery cell can be removed and replaced by removing a relatively small amount of secondary battery cells. In addition, the battery module provides a battery system carrier, which can provide mechanical integrity and stability, so that a unit box that is light and easy to manufacture can be provided. In addition, the submodule carrier can be easily and economically manufactured in large quantities and is basically manufactured in a one-step process. The battery submodule carrier can save space because a plurality of battery submodule carriers can be easily arranged in a common plane or stacked one on another at multiple levels. The unit box itself is configured to absorb mechanical loads, so the unit box can protect the battery by absorbing kinetic energy in the event of a collision (e.g., during a car collision). In addition, the cooling channel of the battery system carrier can be integrally formed in the ground plate of the battery system, and a wide heat exchange area can be provided by forming a plurality of spirally wound cooling channels.

[0037] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0038] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a battery system that is robust against vibration, impact, and deformation of a battery cell, can simply fix the battery cell during assembly / driving, and can cool the battery cell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical battery submodule;

[0041] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery submodule according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery submodule according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a battery system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a battery system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 7 is a partially cut-away rear perspective view of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0048] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an example in which a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to a car. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown herein.

[0050] On the contrary, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be detailed and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, processes, elements and techniques that are not necessary for those of ordinary skill in the art to fully understand the aspects and features of the present invention may not be described.

[0051] In addition, for better understanding and ease of description, the size and thickness of each configuration shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the drawings, for clarity and ease of description, the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc. are exaggerated. In addition, in the drawings, for ease of description, the thickness of layers and regions are exaggerated.

[0052] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intervening elements. In addition, the terms "on..." or "on..." mean being positioned above or below an object part, but do not substantially mean being positioned on the upper side of an object part based on the direction of gravity.

[0053] In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

[0054] For electrical integration in a battery module with a modular design, submodules including a plurality of cells connected in parallel to each other are connected in series (XsYp) or submodules including a plurality of cells connected in series to each other are connected in parallel to each other (XpYs). XsYp-type submodules can generate relatively high voltages, but the voltage level of each individual cell must be controlled individually. Therefore, the wiring complexity in the XsYp-type submodule is relatively high. In the XpYs-type submodule, the voltage levels of the cells connected in parallel to each other are automatically balanced, so it is sufficient to control the voltage at the submodule level. Therefore, the wiring complexity in the XpYs-type submodule is reduced. In the submodules of the cells connected in parallel to each other, their capacitances are added, so the XpYs-type submodule is generally used with low-capacitance cells. The thermal management system allows the battery module to be used safely by effectively emitting, discharging and / or dissipating the heat generated by the rechargeable battery. If the heat emission / dissipation / dissipation is not performed sufficiently, a temperature deviation occurs between the corresponding battery cells, so that the battery module cannot generate the desired amount of electricity. In addition, an increase in the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery may cause abnormal reactions therein, thereby causing degradation of the charging and discharging performance of the rechargeable battery and shortening the life of the rechargeable battery. Therefore, a cooling device for effectively emitting / discharging / dissipating heat from the cell is often provided.

[0055] In order to meet the dynamic power requirements of various electrical consumers (e.g., power-consuming circuits or devices) connected to the battery system, static control of battery power output and charging may not be sufficient. Therefore, a stable information exchange between the battery system and the controllers of the electrical consumers can be achieved. Important information such as the actual state of charge (SoC) of the battery system, potential electrical performance, charging capacity and internal resistance, as well as the actual or predicted power demand or surplus of the consumer can be communicated. The mechanical integration of the battery module refers to the mechanical connection between the components themselves and the mechanical connection to the structure of the power system (e.g., a system providing electrical information, such as a car). These connections should be designed so that they remain functional and safe during the average service life of the battery system and under the stresses they are subjected to during the use of power equipment (e.g., a car). In addition, installation space and interchangeability requirements should be considered, especially in mobile applications.

[0056] Mechanical integration of the battery module can be achieved by providing a carrier plate (e.g., a ground plate) and by positioning individual battery cells or submodules thereon. Fixing the battery cells or submodules to the carrier plate can be achieved by fitting the battery cells or submodules into recesses of the carrier plate via mechanical interconnects (such as bolts or screws) or via restraining the cells or submodules. Restraint can be achieved by fastening side plates to the sides of the carrier plate and / or by providing a second carrier plate on top of the battery cells or submodules and securing it to the first carrier plate and / or the side plates. Thus, a multi-stage battery module can be constructed, and the carrier plate and / or the side plates can include coolant tubes to cool the cells or submodules.

[0057] Mechanical integration of a battery submodule can typically be achieved by preassembling multiple battery cells and connecting them to each other with mechanically reinforced electrical connectors, by fastening side plates and / or front plates around the battery cells, or by attaching carrier beams or supports to the electrical connectors and battery cells.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 , the battery submodule 15 includes a plurality of arranged battery cells 10, each battery cell 10 having a substantially prismatic shape. Each battery cell 10 includes a positive electrode terminal 3, a negative electrode terminal 4 and a vent 5 (e.g., a vent hole). A pair of module front plates 1 are provided to face the front surface (e.g., wide surface) of the battery cell 10 (e.g., the front surface of the outermost battery cell in the battery cell 10). The module front plate 1 is mechanically coupled to a pair of module side plates 2 facing the side surfaces (e.g., narrow side surfaces) of the battery cell 10. The module front plate 1 and the module side plates 2 are assembled to each other to fix the plurality of battery cells 10 together. Thus, the plurality of battery cells 10 are fixed together. The battery submodule may also include a pair of module top plates, which are mechanically coupled to the module front plate 1 and the module side plates 2. The module front plate 1, the module side plates 2, and the module top plate together provide a self-supporting body of the battery submodule 100.

[0059] The number of battery cells in a typical battery module can reach hundreds of cells, and therefore, a relatively large number of battery submodules can be included in the battery module. The effort to assemble multiple battery submodules before assembling the battery module is a material and time intensive process, which increases the manufacturing cost of the battery module. In addition, the failure and subsequent replacement of a single battery cell in the battery module requires the removal of the battery submodule from the battery module and the disassembly of the battery submodule, causing the battery module to lose its mechanical integrity during the process.

[0060] Reference Figure 2 According to an exemplary embodiment of a battery submodule 100 of the present invention, a plurality of arranged battery cells 10, each battery cell 10 having a substantially prismatic shape, are inserted into (or accommodated in) a battery submodule carrier. Figure 2As shown, each battery cell 10 is a prismatic (or rectangular) unit, and the wide flat side surfaces of the unit 10 are stacked together (e.g., stacked to face each other) to form a battery submodule 100. A plurality of (e.g., several to dozens) battery cells 10 form a group, and at least two groups may be arranged in a battery submodule carrier. In this exemplary embodiment, nine battery cells 10 form a group, and two groups are arranged in a battery submodule carrier. Barrier ribs may be provided between the two groups. In addition, each battery cell 10 includes a battery housing configured to accommodate an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The battery housing is hermetically sealed and provided with a positive electrode terminal 3 and a negative electrode terminal 4 having different polarities from each other and a vent 5 (e.g., a vent). The vent 5 is a safety device of the battery cell 10 and is used as a channel through which the gas generated in the battery cell 10 is discharged to the outside of the battery cell 10. In order to avoid any undesirable electrical contact between the battery cells 10, an isolation foil is provided between adjacent battery cells of the battery cell 10.

[0061] The battery submodule carrier includes a unit box 20 having a first side surface (e.g., a wide surface) 25 and an opposite second side surface 26, a first end surface 23 and an opposite second end surface 24, an open top surface (e.g., an open top side) and a bottom surface. The unit box 20 accommodating the battery cell 10 can basically have a U-shaped cross-section. The first side surface 25 includes a lower portion 27 covering the narrow side surface of the battery cell 10 inserted into the unit box 20, and also includes an upper portion 28, which includes a plurality of unit holders 30 (e.g., composed of a plurality of unit holders 30), such as spaced-apart snap portions 29. Therefore, the upper portion 28 of the first side surface 25 is segmented by a hook-shaped snap portion 29, which extends to the upper portion 28 and is elastically connected to the lower portion 27, and a recess is formed between adjacent snap portions 29. The second side surface 26 includes a structure similar to the first side surface 25. The submodule battery carrier also includes a box fastener 40 that protrudes from the side surfaces (e.g., the first side surface 25 and the second side surface 26) of the unit box 20, and in some embodiments, is positioned at the transition between the lower portion 27 and the upper portion 28 of the side surfaces 25, 26. The box fastener 40 may include a screw hole that is configured to align with a corresponding connector (such as a screw) of the battery system carrier.

[0062] Reference Figure 2 and 3, the battery cell 10 is inserted into the unit box 20 through the open top side so that the wide side surfaces of the battery cell 10 are adjacent to each other, and the battery cell 10 is held in the unit box 20 by the snap-fit ​​portion 29. The snap-fit ​​portion 29 is prestressed from the side walls 25, 26 (e.g., side surfaces) of the unit box 20 and is configured to bend (e.g., bend away from the accommodation space of the battery cell 10 in the unit box 20) for inserting the battery cell 10 into the unit box 20.

[0063] In their neutral position (i.e., the position of the battery cell before being inserted into the cell box), the snap-fit ​​portion 29 holds the battery cell 10. Thus, the snap-fit ​​portion 29 includes a first section extending generally along the side surface of the battery cell and a second section protruding inwardly from the first section, the second section extending generally along the top surface of the battery cell 10. Figure 2 and 3 In the embodiment shown, the unit box 20, the buckle portion 29 and the box fastener 40 are injection molded by a non-conductive polymer material, thus forming an integral component. The unit box, the buckle portion and the box fastener formed as an integral unit can be made of a lightweight material (such as aluminum or carbon fiber reinforced plastic).

[0064] Reference Figure 3 The unit box 20 further includes a bottom surface 21 having a longitudinal direction (eg, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the unit box 20. Figure 3 The bottom surface 21 includes a first protrusion 21a protruding inwardly from the first side surface 25 and a second protrusion 21b protruding inwardly from the second side surface 26. The first protrusion 21a and the second protrusion 21b together support the battery cell 10 inserted into the cell box 20.

[0065] Reference Figure 4 According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery system 200 includes a plurality of Figure 2 and 3 The battery submodule 100 shown. Multiple rows (e.g., two rows) of battery submodules 100 are arranged in the battery system carrier 50, and each row includes multiple battery submodules 100. The battery system carrier 50 includes multiple longitudinal beams 51 (e.g., two longitudinal beams 51) and multiple cross beams 52 (e.g., two cross beams 52), the multiple longitudinal beams 51 are arranged at arbitrary intervals, and the multiple cross beams 52 are arranged at arbitrary intervals and cross the multiple longitudinal beams 51 to form a carrier frame. The multiple longitudinal beams 51 and the multiple cross beams 52 can be connected to each other by welding. The grounding plate 53 is connected to the carrier frame by welding, etc. to form a combination, and the combination can be provided as a cap-shaped battery system carrier 50 including a bottom. The battery system carrier 50 also includes a plurality of support beams 54, and the box fastener 40 of each battery submodule 100 is attached to the support beam 54. Figure 4 The plurality of support beams 54 shown in FIG. 1 are connected to the longitudinal beams 51 , the plurality of cross beams 52 , and the ground plate 53 , and then coupled thereto by welding, etc. The support beams 54 disposed along the plurality of cross beams 52 are disposed on the opposite side of the battery submodule 100 .

[0066] Reference Figure 4 and 5 , the grounding plate 53 of the battery system carrier 50 includes a cooling channel 55 as an integral part (e.g., the cooling channel 55 is integrally formed in the grounding plate 53). The cooling channel 55 forms a cooling area where the cooling channel 55 has multiple windings for providing a large heat exchange surface. The battery submodule 100 is arranged in the battery system carrier 50 so that the central opening 22 of the unit box 20 is aligned with the cooling area formed by the cooling channel 55. In other embodiments, the cooling channel can be an external cooling channel attached to the battery system carrier 50.

[0067] Figure 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, as previously described, the battery system carrier 50 has a structure formed by combining a plurality of longitudinal beams (not shown), a plurality of cross beams 52, and a ground plate 53 by welding. A plurality of battery submodules 100 are arranged in a plurality of rows at the bottom 530 of the ground plate 53, and support beams 54 are provided at opposite sides of each battery submodule 100 to support the battery submodule 100.

[0068] The cooling channel 55 is provided at the outer side of the bottom 530 of the ground plate 53. The cooling channel 55 may be provided as a coolant tube. In detail, the cooling channel 55 is provided as a sheet-shaped tube and fixed to the ground plate 53 by welding, and the coolant can flow through the sheet-shaped tube. In this case, the cooling channel 55 may be arranged facing the opening of the unit box of each battery submodule 100 (that is, the central opening of the unit box of each battery submodule 100).

[0069] In the present exemplary embodiment, since the battery submodule 100 is provided in the battery system carrier 50 in such a manner that the central opening of the unit box faces the bottom side of the unit box (that is, the bottom of the grounding plate 53), the cooling channel 55 is provided at the bottom of the grounding plate 53. As another exemplary embodiment, when the central opening of the unit box is provided in the side surface of the unit box, the cooling channel may be provided in the battery system carrier 50 so as to face such central opening of the unit box.

[0070] Figure 7 FIG. 4 shows a structure in which a cooling channel 55 is provided corresponding to each row of battery submodules 100 provided in the battery system carrier 50. Figure 7In the figure, one cooling channel 55 is arranged relative to a row of battery submodules 100, but more than one cooling channel may be arranged corresponding to a row of battery submodules 100, and in this case, multiple cooling channels may be provided not only to be separated from each other (e.g., stripes) but also to be connected to each other (e.g., bends).

[0071] Figure 8 A structure is shown in which a coolant inlet distribution pipe 57 and a coolant outlet distribution pipe 59 are connected to a plurality of cooling channels 55. A coolant (e.g., a coolant for an automobile) flowing through the coolant inlet distribution pipe 57 via an inlet 570 of the coolant inlet distribution pipe 57 cools the battery cells of the battery submodule 100 while passing through the corresponding cooling channels 55, and is discharged to a predetermined position through an outlet 590 of the coolant outlet distribution pipe 59.

[0072] To this end, the cooling channel 55 is provided along the cross member 52 , and the coolant inlet distribution pipe 57 and the coolant outlet distribution pipe 59 are provided along the longitudinal beam 51 and fixed to the outer side of the bottom 530 of the ground plate 53 .

[0073] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention applied to a device (eg, a car). Fig. 9 As shown, the battery system 200 can be applied to a vehicle by detachably mounting the ground plate 53 to a portion of the vehicle frame 99 (eg, the underbody 990 of the vehicle frame 99).

[0074] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising: a plurality of cell boxes configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells; a plurality of cell holders provided in each cell box and configured to hold the battery cells in the cell box; a battery system carrier configured to receive the plurality of unit boxes therein; a plurality of box fasteners provided in each unit box and connected to the unit box and the battery system carrier to accommodate the unit box in the battery system carrier; as well as cooling channels provided in the battery system carrier to cool the battery cells, The battery system carrier includes a plurality of longitudinal beams and a plurality of transverse beams constituting a carrier frame, and a ground plate attached to the carrier frame, wherein the cooling channel is formed in the ground plate, wherein each unit box includes an opening exposing the plurality of battery cells, and the cooling channel is provided in the battery system carrier directly facing the opening of each unit box, The cooling channels are provided as a plurality of coolant pipes on the outside of the battery system carrier.

2. The battery system according to claim 1, The battery system carrier comprises: The ground plate comprises a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is formed by a combination of the plurality of longitudinal beams and the plurality of transverse beams; as well as A support beam is connected to the ground plate and the plurality of longitudinal beams or to the ground plate and the plurality of transverse beams.

3. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of coolant tubes are connected to an inlet distribution tube and an outlet distribution tube provided in the ground plate.

4. The battery system according to claim 3, The coolant pipe is arranged along the cross beam, and the inlet distribution pipe and the outlet distribution pipe are arranged along the longitudinal beam.

5. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein said box fasteners are connected to said support beams.

6. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein the opening of the unit box is a central opening provided in a bottom surface of the box along a longitudinal direction of the box, and the cooling channels are aligned while matching the central openings of the corresponding unit boxes, respectively.

7. The battery system according to claim 1, Wherein the unit box, the unit holder and the box fastener are an integral unit.

8. The battery system according to claim 7, The unit box, the unit retainer and the box fastener are injection molded from a non-conductive polymer material.

9. The battery system according to claim 7, Wherein the unit box, the unit holder and the box fastener include aluminum or carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

10. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein each battery cell has two opposite wide side surfaces, two opposite narrow side surfaces, and opposite top and bottom surfaces, and in, In the cell case, the battery cells are stacked in such a manner that wide surfaces thereof face each other.

11. The battery system according to claim 1, The unit box has a box shape including a bottom surface including a central opening and a top opening facing the central opening.

12. The battery system according to claim 11, The central opening extends along the longitudinal direction of the unit box.

13. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the unit box comprises a bottom surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, a first protruding portion protruding vertically inwardly from the first side surface, and a second protruding portion protruding vertically inwardly from the second side surface, and The first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are configured to support the battery cell.

14. The battery system according to claim 1, The unit box comprises a first side surface and a second side surface, wherein the first side surface has a first lower portion and a first upper portion, wherein the second side surface has a second lower portion and a second upper portion, wherein a plurality of unit holders are formed by a plurality of spaced apart snap-fit ​​portions extending upwardly from at least one of the first upper portion and the second upper portion and elastically connected to a corresponding first lower portion or second lower portion, and Wherein each of the snap portions is configured to provide a clip engagement with at least one of the battery cells received in the cell housing.

15. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the unit box comprises a first end surface and a second end surface, and At least one of the first end surface and the second end surface includes a reinforcement structure.

16. The battery system according to claim 15, The reinforcement structure comprises a honeycomb structure.

17. A car, comprising: A battery system, wherein the battery system comprises: a plurality of cell boxes configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells; a plurality of cell holders provided in each cell box and configured to hold the battery cells in the cell box; a battery system carrier configured to receive the plurality of unit boxes therein; a plurality of box fasteners provided in each unit box and connected to the unit box and the battery system carrier to accommodate the unit box in the battery system carrier; and cooling channels provided in the battery system carrier to cool the battery cells, The battery system carrier includes a plurality of longitudinal beams and a plurality of transverse beams constituting a carrier frame, and a ground plate attached to the carrier frame, wherein the cooling channel is formed in the ground plate, wherein each unit box includes an opening exposing the plurality of battery cells, and the cooling channel is provided in the battery system carrier directly facing the opening of each unit box, The cooling channels are provided as a plurality of coolant pipes on the outside of the battery system carrier.

18. The automobile according to claim 17, The battery system carrier comprises: The ground plate is connected with the plurality of longitudinal beams and the plurality of transverse beams to form a bottom; as well as a support beam connected to the ground plate, the plurality of longitudinal beams and / or the plurality of transverse beams, and The ground plate is detachably fixed to the vehicle body.

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