Power-off device and battery pack including the same

Abstract

A power-off device according to the present invention, the power-off device may include: a housing that forms the appearance of the power-off device; a first high-voltage terminal and a second high-voltage terminal that can be connected to a first interlock terminal and a second interlock terminal provided inside the housing and a high-voltage wire of a battery pack; a switch rod that is disposed through the inside and outside of the housing; a first switch module that is disposed to contact the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal and operates during the off operation of the switch rod to separate from one of the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal; and a second switch module that is linked to the first switch module and is disposed to contact the first high-voltage terminal and the second terminal, separate from one of the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, and then separate from the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a switch-type power-off device, and more particularly, to a power-off device configured as a switch-type to improve usability as a device for manually disconnecting the power supply of a battery pack to prevent safety accidents that may occur during the production, assembly, repair, and transportation of the battery pack, and a battery pack including the power-off device. Background Art

[0002] Unlike a primary battery that cannot be charged, a secondary battery refers to a battery that can be charged / discharged and is used as a power source for an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and small high-tech electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a PDA, a laptop computer, etc.

[0003] Currently, it is impossible to obtain sufficient output to drive an EV with a single secondary battery (cell). To use a secondary battery as an energy source for an EV, for example, it is necessary to construct a battery module in which a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells are connected in series and / or in parallel, and a battery pack including the battery modules connected in series and a battery management system (BMS), a cooling system, a battery disconnect unit (BDU), wire cables, etc. that functionally maintain the battery modules.

[0004] Meanwhile, a high-voltage battery pack installed in an EV or an HEV generally includes a power-off device to prevent safety accidents that may occur during production, assembly, repair, and transportation. The power-off device is a device configured to allow an operator to physically disconnect the battery power supply of the EV and is commonly used in the art under various names such as manual service disconnect (MSD), safety plug, service plug, disconnect switch, etc.

[0005] As an example, a power-off device according to the prior art includes a socket 2 fixedly installed on one side of the battery pack and a plug 1 detachably attached to the socket 2, as Figure 1 shown. The socket 2 includes HV (±) terminals (not shown) connected to the high-voltage wires of the battery pack, while the plug 1 includes connectors (not shown) connecting to the HV (±) terminals. When the plug 1 is pulled out from the socket 2, the connection of the HV (±) terminals of the socket 2 is cut off, and thus the power supply of the battery pack can be disconnected.

[0006] When the plug is unplugged, a spark is generated at the high-voltage (±) terminal due to the high voltage, which may cause safety problems. Generally, the power-off device also includes a high-voltage interlock loop (HVIL) pin. In the case of a power-off device including an HVIL pin, when the plug is unplugged, the interlock loop pins on the plug side and the socket side are first separated from each other, and then the terminal connector on the plug side and the HV (±) terminals of the socket are configured to be separable from each other. When the interlock loop pins are separated from each other, the large current flow of the battery pack is blocked, so no spark is generated when the terminal connector on the plug side and the HV (±) terminals of the socket are separated from each other.

[0007] However, the disadvantage of this kind of power-off device in the prior art is the inconvenience of having to disassemble and connect the plug and the socket every time, and since the plug and the socket are manufactured separately and then assembled, the manufacturing cost is also very high. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical Problem

[0009] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the prior art, so the present disclosure aims to provide a power-off device and a battery pack including the power-off device that improve usability by changing the power-off method to a switching method.

[0010] These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description and will become more apparent from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, it will be readily understood that the objects and advantages of the present disclosure can be achieved by the means shown in the description and combinations thereof.

[0011] Technical Solution

[0012] In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a power-off device for manually disconnecting the power supply of a battery pack, the power-off device including: a housing that forms an appearance; a first interlock terminal and a second interlock terminal, and a first high-voltage terminal and a second high-voltage terminal, the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal being disposed in the housing and connectable to the interlock circuit of the battery pack, the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal being connectable to the high-voltage wires of the battery pack; a switch lever disposed inside and outside the housing; a first switch module that contacts the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal and is configured to be operated by the switch lever to separate from either the first interlock terminal or the second interlock terminal during the off operation of the switch lever; and a second switch module that is configured to be interlocked with the first switch module and contact the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal, and is configured to separate from either the first interlock terminal or the second interlock terminal and then separate from the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal during the off operation of the switch lever.

[0013] The first switch module may include a first movable contact rod rotatably coupled to one end of a first interlock terminal and configured to perform a seesaw operation about one end of the first interlock terminal according to the on / off position of a switch rod, and a second interlock terminal may be disposed at a position where one end thereof is in contact with one end of the first movable contact rod.

[0014] The first movable contact rod may include a push rod configured to rise or fall during the seesaw operation and connected to the other end of the first movable contact rod to press a second switch module when falling, and the second switch module may be configured to interlock with the first switch module by receiving the pressure of the push rod.

[0015] The push rod may be formed of an insulating material.

[0016] The second switch module may include: a support member vertically disposed; a second movable contact rod pivoted about one end of the support member and configured to perform a seesaw operation by pressing the push rod; and a pair of high-voltage connection pins disposed on the opposite side of the second movable contact rod pressed by the push rod with respect to the support member and configured to extend downward from the second movable contact rod, and a first high-voltage terminal and a second high-voltage terminal may be disposed on the lower portions of the pair of high-voltage connection pins and may be brought into contact with or out of contact with the pair of high-voltage connection pins by the seesaw operation of the second movable contact rod.

[0017] The pair of high-voltage connection pins may be hinge-coupled to the second movable contact rod.

[0018] The second movable contact rod may further include an insulating portion formed of an insulating material and a conductive portion formed of a conductive material, and the insulating portion may be formed to extend to a position where the insulating portion is in contact with the push rod, and the conductive portion may be connected to the pair of high-voltage connection pins.

[0019] The second switch module may further include an elastic member configured to elastically support the insulating portion on the lower portion of the insulating portion.

[0020] The second switch module may further include a pin guide tube member provided in the form of a tubular body to guide the pair of high-voltage connection pins to linearly move up and down between the first high-voltage terminal and the conductive portion and between the second high-voltage terminal and the conductive portion.

[0021] Each of the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal may include a socket portion formed such that a corresponding high-voltage connection pin can be inserted, and a fastening portion extending from the socket portion and exposed to the outside of the housing.

[0022] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack including the above-mentioned power-off device is provided.

[0023] Technical effects

[0024] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a power-off device capable of safely and conveniently disconnecting the power supply by a switching method can be provided.

[0025] That is, the power-off device according to the present disclosure is configured to sequentially disconnect the interlock terminal and the high-voltage terminal by operating the on / off of the switch lever with the force of a finger, so that the user can safely and easily disconnect the power supply of the battery pack.

[0026] The effects of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood through the following examples of the present disclosure. It will also be apparent that the present disclosure can be implemented in the manner and combinations indicated in the description of the present disclosure. Brief description of the drawings

[0027] Figure 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a power-off device according to the prior art.

[0028] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack equipped with a power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in the on state.

[0031] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a corresponding diagram, and schematically illustrates the connection state between terminals when the power-off device is in the on state.

[0032] Figure 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in the transient state of transitioning from on to off.

[0033] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a corresponding diagram, and schematically illustrates the connection state between terminals when the power-off device transitions from on to off.

[0034] Figure 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in the off state.

[0035] Figure 9 isFigure 8 The corresponding figure, and schematically illustrate the connection state between the terminals when the power-off device is in the off state. Detailed implementation manners

[0036] Hereinafter, preferred implementation manners of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that allows the inventor to appropriately define the terms in order to obtain the best interpretation.

[0037] Therefore, the description presented herein is only a preferred example, only for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that other equivalent substitutions and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0038] The power-off device 100 to be described below is collectively referred to by various names in the art such as manual service disconnect (MSD), safety plug, service plug, disconnect switch, etc. And, for example, as a component included in the battery pack 200 of an electric vehicle, it generally refers to a device used by a user to manually disconnect the power supply of the high-voltage battery pack 200 in an emergency.

[0039] Figure 2 is a figure illustrating a battery pack in which a power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 is a figure schematically illustrating the internal structure of the power-off device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in the on state.

[0040] Referring to these figures, the power-off device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing 10 forming an exterior, a first interlock terminal 21, a second interlock terminal 22, a first high-voltage terminal 23, a second high-voltage terminal 24, a switch lever 30, a first switch module 40, and a second switch module 50 disposed inside the housing 10.

[0041] In the case of an electric vehicle, since the battery pack 200 is usually installed under the lower side of the vehicle body, a cover is provided to hide the battery pack 200 under the vehicle seat. The power-off device 100 is installed on the upper part of the battery pack housing 210 of the battery pack 200 such that the power-off device 100 can be immediately seen when the cover is opened.

[0042] The housing 10 of the power cut-off device 100 may include a box-shaped main body portion 11 for accommodating and protecting components, and a plate-shaped flange portion 12 provided on the lower portion of the main body portion 11. The battery pack housing 210 includes a through-hole in the upper surface. Wires, flexible busbars (or high-voltage cables), etc. are pulled out from the inside of the battery pack 200 through the through-hole and connected to the terminals of the power cut-off device 100. Additionally, the power cut-off device 100 can be mounted on the upper portion of the battery pack housing 210 by covering the through-hole with the flange portion 12 of the housing 10 and fastening the flange portion 12 with bolts.

[0043] As will be described in detail below, the power cut-off device 100 according to the present disclosure is configured to cut off the power supply of the switch-type high-voltage battery pack 200, and thus the power cut-off device 100 is far superior to the prior art detachable power cut-off device 100 in terms of user convenience.

[0044] For example, in the prior art detachable power cut-off device 100, in order to cut off the power supply of the battery pack 200, first, it is necessary to release the interlock pin by pulling the link, and it is necessary to unplug the plug from the socket. However, the power cut-off device 100 according to the present disclosure only needs to move the switch lever 30 to the off position with the force of a finger.

[0045] Hereinafter, the main structure and operation of the power cut-off device 100 will be described in detail.

[0046] The first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 are terminals connected to the interlock circuit of the battery pack 200. Here, the interlock circuit refers to a circuit that notifies an abnormal situation when the device deviates from the normal state and immediately stops the device to protect the safety of the user. The interlock circuit of the battery pack 200 can be configured to include a control unit (e.g., a battery management system (BMS)) that detects the connection state between the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 and a power relay device controlled by the control unit. For example, when the connection between the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 is cut off, it is regarded as deviating from the normal state, and the BMS turns off the power relay device to block the flow of large current in the battery pack 200. The configuration of such an interlock circuit is well known in the art, and thus its detailed description is omitted.

[0047] The first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 are terminals connected to the high-voltage wires of the battery pack 200. For example, battery modules are usually connected in series inside the battery pack 200, where the cable between two battery modules is cut, one end of the cable is connected to the first high-voltage terminal 23, and the other end of the cable is connected to the second high-voltage terminal 24. Therefore, when the connection between the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 inside the power cut-off device 100 is cut off, the power supply of the battery pack 200 is disconnected.

[0048] At this time, if the connection between the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 is cut while a large current is flowing, a strong spark is generated, which may be dangerous to the operator and the power-off device 100 may be damaged by the fire. Therefore, when disconnecting the power supply of the high-voltage battery pack 200, for safety reasons, before cutting the connection between the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24, the interlock circuit is cut, so that a control signal needs to be issued from the BMS to turn off the power relay and block the flow of the large current in advance.

[0049] For this reason, like the existing detachable power-off device, even the switch-type power-off device 100 needs to be constructed such that the connection between the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 is cut, and then, with a time difference, the connection between the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 is cut.

[0050] As a means of implementing such an operation mechanism, the power-off device 100 according to the present disclosure includes a first switch module 40 operated by a switch lever 30 and a second switch module 50 interlocked with the first switch module 40.

[0051] The switch lever 30 includes a handle 31 exposed to the outside of the housing 10 and a rod portion 32 formed by extending from the handle 31 to a predetermined position inside the housing 10, and can be set to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angle range with respect to the support point. For example, as Figure 4 shown, the switch lever 30 can be set such that the handle 31 of the switch lever 30 can be tilted left or right at a predetermined angle.

[0052] The first switch module 40 can be in contact with the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22, and can be operated by the switch lever 30 and set to be separated from any one of the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 during the off operation of the switch lever 30.

[0053] Specifically, the first switch module 40 according to the present embodiment can be constructed to include a first moving contact rod 41, springs S1 and S2, and a push rod 43, and the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 can be constructed to be disposed at the lower part of the first moving contact rod 41 and extend side by side in the form of metal rods in the vertical direction. Then, wirings L1 and L2 are respectively connected to the lower ends of the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22. The wirings L1 and L2 can be used to connect the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 to the interlock circuit of the battery pack 200.

[0054] The first moving contact rod 41 is a rod-shaped conductor made of a metallic material and can be configured such that a substantially central portion is hinged to one end of the first interlocking terminal 21 to be rotatable about one end of the first interlocking terminal 21 as an axis. Additionally, the first moving contact rod 41 may further include protrusions 41b having inclined surfaces on the left and right sides to ensure a smooth contact distance when the switch rod 30 rotates.

[0055] The springs include a first spring S1 and a second spring S2. The first spring S1 and the second spring S2 may be disposed below the right and left sides of the first moving contact rod 41 with respect to the first interlocking terminal 21. The two springs limit the rotation radius of the first moving contact rod 41 and provide a force that resists the pressing force of the switch rod 30. For this reason, a predetermined force needs to be applied to tilt the switch rod 30.

[0056] For example, it may be preferable to place a cover on the switch rod 30 to prevent the switch rod 30 from accidentally moving due to external shock or the operator's negligence, or to set the force required to tilt the switch rod 30 to 10 kgf to 15 kgf by using a spring having a relatively large elastic modulus. That is, it is preferable to prevent the switch rod 30 from moving with a force of less than or equal to at least 10 kgf.

[0057] For the switch rod 30, when the handle 31 is tilted to the on position, the rod portion 32 presses the right side of the first moving contact rod 41, and when the handle 31 is tilted to the off position, the rod portion 32 presses the left side of the first moving contact rod 41. Therefore, according to the on / off position of the switch rod 30, the first moving contact rod 41 performs a seesaw operation about one end of the first interlocking terminal 21.

[0058] As Figure 4 shown, when the switch rod 30 is in the on position, the second interlocking terminal 22 is disposed at a position where one end can contact one end 41a of the first moving contact rod 41. When the second interlocking terminal 22 contacts the first moving contact rod 41 which is a conductor, the second interlocking terminal 22 can be electrically conductive with the first interlocking terminal 21.

[0059] When the handle 31 of the switch rod 30 in the on position is tilted to the right, the first moving contact rod 41 performs a seesaw operation, and one end 41a of the first moving contact rod 41 rises and separates from the second interlocking terminal 22. In this case, the electrical connection between the first interlocking terminal 21 and the second interlocking terminal 22 is cut off, and thus, the interlocking circuit is in a non-connected state.

[0060] The push rod 43 is a rod-shaped member formed by extending from the other end of the first moving contact rod 41 in a downward manner and can be hinged to the other end of the first moving contact rod 41. Such a push rod 43 is configured to rise or fall during the seesaw operation of the first moving contact rod 41 and press the second switch module 50 when descending. Even when the push rod 43 is in contact with the second switch module 50, the push rod 43 can be made of an insulating material so that current does not flow between the first switch module 40 and the second switch module 50.

[0061] The second switch module 50 can be interlocked with the first switch module 40 by being pressured when the push rod 43 descends, can contact the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 and separate from either the first interlock terminal 21 or the second interlock terminal 22, and then can be configured to separate from the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22.

[0062] Specifically, the second switch module 50 according to the present embodiment includes a support member 53, a second moving contact rod 51, a pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b, a third spring S3, and a pin duct member 54.

[0063] The support member 53 is a rod-shaped member vertically provided inside the housing 10, supports the second moving contact rod 51, and has one end serving as a rotation axis of the second moving contact rod 51.

[0064] The second moving contact rod 51 is disposed in a direction crossing the support member 53 and has a substantially central portion hinged to one end of the support member 53. Thus, similar to the first moving contact rod 41, the second moving contact rod 51 can also rotate about one end of the support member 53.

[0065] In addition, the second moving contact rod 51 can be formed of two materials. That is, the second moving contact rod 51 includes an insulating portion 51a formed of an insulating material and a conductive portion 51b formed of a conductive material. As Figure 4 shown, the right side of the second moving contact rod 51 can be formed as the insulating portion 51a, and the left side of the second moving contact rod 51 can be formed as the conductive portion 51b. The insulating portion 51a can extend to a position where the insulating portion 51a can contact the push rod 43, and its lower portion can be supported by the third spring S3. Here, another type of elastic member having an elastic restoring force can be used instead of the third spring S3. For balance, the conductive portion 51b can extend the length of the insulating portion 51a in a direction opposite to the insulating portion 51a.

[0066] A pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b can be hinged to the conductive portion 51b and can be disposed to extend in a downward direction crossing the conductive portion 51b.

[0067] The pin guide member 54 is a member in the form of a tubular body through which the high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b pass, and is used to guide a pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b to linearly move up and down between the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the conductive portion 51b, and between the second high-voltage terminal 24 and the conductive portion 51b.

[0068] The first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 of the present embodiment respectively include: socket portions 23a and 24a, which are formed such that the corresponding high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b can be inserted respectively; and fastening portions 23b and 24b, which extend from the socket portions 23a and 24a and are exposed to the outside of the housing 10. For example, the fastening portion 23b of the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the negative terminal of the battery module (not shown) are connected to each other through a flexible bus bar, and the fastening portion 24b of the second high-voltage terminal 24 and the positive terminal of another battery module (not shown) can be connected to each other through other flexible bus bars.

[0069] The second switch module 50 described above can be configured such that the second movable contact bar 51 is horizontally supported by the third spring S3, and when the switch bar 30 is in the on state, a pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b are respectively in contact with the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24. In addition, when the switch bar 30 is in the off state, as the third spring S3 is compressed by being pressed by the push rod 43, the insulating portion 51a descends and the conductive portion 51b ascends. At this time, a pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b may not be in contact with the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24.

[0070] Next, with reference to Figures 4 to 9 a usage example of the power-off device 100 having the above structure will be described.

[0071] The power-off device 100 of the battery pack 200 is normally in the on state. At this time, with reference to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the switch bar 30 presses the right side of the first movable contact bar 41, so that one end 41a of the first movable contact bar 41 moves downward along the rotation axis and comes into contact with the second interlock terminal 22, and the other end of the first movable contact bar 41 rises above the rotation axis. Therefore, the push rod 43 is not in contact with the second switch module 50. Therefore, the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 are in a state where they can conduct electricity with each other by means of the first movable contact bar 41, and the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 are in a state where they can conduct electricity with each other by means of the second movable contact bar 51.

[0072] That is, when the switch bar 30 is in the on position, both the interlock circuit and the high-voltage line are connected, and thus the power supply of the battery pack 200 is supplied to the load of the electric vehicle (atFigure 5 Among them, HVIL1 corresponds to the first interlock terminal 21, HVIL2 corresponds to the second interlock terminal 22, HV+ corresponds to the first high-voltage terminal 23, and HV- corresponds to the second high-voltage terminal 24).

[0073] When the power supply of the battery pack 200 is disconnected, the switch lever 30 tilts to the off position. At this time, the switch lever 30 tilts in two steps. For example, as Figure 6 shown, the switch lever 30 tilts vertically and stands upright, and then, at a predetermined time interval, as Figure 8 shown, the switch lever 30 tilts completely to the off position. Here, the step of tilting the switch lever 30 vertically and standing upright is the first step, and the step of tilting the switch lever 30 completely to the off position is the second step.

[0074] Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , in the first step, the switch lever 30 presses the rotating shaft portion of the first moving contact lever 41. Therefore, one end 41a of the first moving contact lever 41 rises to the height of the rotating shaft and separates from the second interlock terminal 22, and the other end of the first moving contact lever 41 drops to the height of the rotating shaft. At this time, the push rod 43 can fall to a position close to or only in contact with the upper surface of the second moving contact lever 51.

[0075] Therefore, the first interlock terminal 21 and the second interlock terminal 22 are in a state where they cannot conduct electricity with each other, and a power-off signal is sent to the BMS. Even if the power relay is turned off according to the control signal of the BMS and the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 are connected, the flow of a large current is cut off.

[0076] Referring to Figure 8 and Figure 9 , in the second step, the switch lever 30 presses the left side of the first moving contact lever 41. Therefore, one end of the first moving contact lever 41 further rises above the rotating shaft, and the other end of the first moving contact lever 41 further drops below the rotating shaft. At this time, the insulating portion 51a of the second moving contact lever 51 is pressed by the push rod 43 and drops below the rotating shaft, and the conductive portion 51b of the second moving contact lever 51 on the opposite side rises above the rotating shaft, so that a pair of high-voltage connection pins 52a and 52b are separated from the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24.

[0077] Therefore, when the switch lever 30 tilts to the off position, even the first high-voltage terminal 23 and the second high-voltage terminal 24 are in a state where they cannot conduct electricity with each other, so the power supply of the battery pack 200 can be physically disconnected.

[0078] As described above, when using the power-off device 100 according to the present disclosure, an operator can more conveniently and safely cut off the power supply of the battery pack 200 and perform necessary operations than the detachable power-off device 100 of the prior art.

[0079] Meanwhile, the battery pack according to the present disclosure can be configured to include the above-described power-off device, a plurality of battery modules connected in series with the power-off device, a cooling system for managing the temperature of the battery modules, various devices (not shown) for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery modules such as a BMS, a current sensor, a fuse, and a battery pack housing for storing and installing components.

[0080] The battery pack can be applied to vehicles such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. That is, in the present disclosure, the battery pack can be used as a driving energy source of an electric vehicle.

[0081] The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, although indicating preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of example only, since various variations and modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0082] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used herein, these terms are for convenience of description only, and it is obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that these terms can vary according to the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

[0083] This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0149663, filed in Korea on November 10, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A power-off device for manually disconnecting the power supply of a battery pack, the power-off device comprising: A housing that forms an exterior appearance; A first interlock terminal, a second interlock terminal, a first high-voltage terminal, and a second high-voltage terminal. The first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal are disposed in the housing and can be connected to the interlock circuit of the battery pack, and the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal can be connected to the high-voltage wires of the battery pack; A switch rod disposed inside and outside the housing; A first switch module that contacts the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, and when the switch rod is in an off operation, the first switch module is configured to be operated by the switch rod to separate from either the first interlock terminal or the second interlock terminal; And A second switch module configured to be interlocked with the first switch module and to contact the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal, and when the switch rod is in an off operation, the second switch module is configured to separate from either the first interlock terminal or the second interlock terminal and then separate from the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal, Wherein, the first switch module includes a first moving contact rod that is rotatably coupled to one end of the first interlock terminal and is configured to perform a seesaw operation about the one end of the first interlock terminal according to the on position / off position of the switch rod, and Wherein, when the switch rod is in the on position, the second interlock terminal is disposed at a position where one end can contact one end of the first moving contact rod.

2. The power-off device according to claim 1, Among them, The first moving contact rod includes a push rod configured to rise or fall during the seesaw operation and connected to the other end of the first moving contact rod to press the second switch module when descending, and Wherein, the second switch module is configured to be interlocked with the first switch module by receiving the pressure of the push rod.

3. The power-off device according to claim 2, Among them, The push rod is formed of an insulating material.

4. The power-off device according to claim 2, Among them, The second switch module includes: A support member vertically disposed inside the housing; A second moving contact rod that pivots about one end of the support member and is configured to perform a seesaw operation by pressing the push rod; and A pair of high-voltage connection pins disposed on the side opposite to the side of the second moving contact rod pressed by the push rod with respect to the support member and configured to extend downward from the second moving contact rod, and Wherein, the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal are disposed below the pair of high-voltage connection pins and contact or do not contact the pair of high-voltage connection pins through the seesaw operation of the second moving contact rod.

5. The power-off device according to claim 4, wherein, The pair of high-voltage connection pins are hinge-coupled to the second moving contact rod.

6. The power-off device according to claim 4, Among them, wherein the second moving contact rod includes an insulating portion formed of an insulating material and a conductive portion formed of a conductive material, and wherein the insulating portion is formed to extend to a position where the insulating portion can contact the push rod, and the conductive portion is connected to the pair of high-voltage connection pins.

7. The power-off device according to claim 6, Among them, wherein the second switch module further includes an elastic member configured to elastically support the insulating portion on a lower portion of the insulating portion.

8. The power-off device according to claim 6, wherein, The second switch module further includes a pin conduit member provided in the form of a tubular body to guide the pair of high-voltage connection pins to linearly move up and down between the first high-voltage terminal and the conductive portion and between the second high-voltage terminal and the conductive portion.

9. The power-off device according to claim 8, wherein, Each of the first high-voltage terminal and the second high-voltage terminal includes a socket portion formed such that a corresponding high-voltage connection pin can be inserted therein; and a fastening portion extending from the socket portion and exposed to the outside of the housing.

10. The power-off device according to claim 1, wherein, The switch rod includes a handle exposed to the outside of the housing and a rod portion formed by extending from the handle to a predetermined position inside the housing, and is provided to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range with respect to a support point.

11. A battery pack, the battery pack including the power-off device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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