Battery modules, battery packs and vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery module that effectively improves safety. In order to achieve the above object, the battery module according to the present invention includes: a plurality of battery cells; a module housing configured to have an internal space and accommodate the plurality of battery cells in the internal space; a polymer member configured to fill at least a portion of the internal space of the module housing for accommodating the plurality of battery cells; and a filler at least partially arranged in the polymer member to be inserted into one or more spaces between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the module housing and the spaces between the plurality of battery cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0131449 filed in Korea on October 12, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle, and more particularly, to a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle having reduced manufacturing costs and improved fire safety. Background Art

[0003] Currently, commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have almost no memory effect, so they are more popular than nickel-based secondary batteries because they can be charged at any convenient time, have a very low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

[0004] In addition, lithium secondary batteries may be classified into cylindrical battery cells in which an electrode assembly is included in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is included in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, according to the shape of the appearance.

[0005] In particular, recently, there is an increasing demand for large-capacity battery modules applied to electronic devices, vehicles, etc. Such a large-capacity battery module may include a plurality of battery cells, for example, a plurality of cylindrical battery cells.

[0006] However, in this battery module, when thermal runaway, fire, explosion, etc. occur in some of the plurality of cylindrical battery cells, high temperature heat, debris, flame, gas, etc. of the electrode assembly may be discharged, thereby increasing the temperature of other adjacent battery cells. Therefore, there is a problem in that thermal runaway, fire, etc. are propagated to other adjacent battery cells, resulting in a larger secondary fire or explosion, thereby aggravating the damage.

[0007] In addition, in many cases, the space between multiple cylindrical battery cells or between the module housing and the battery cells is very narrow, but this structure is very likely to cause heat or flames to spread between multiple battery cells. In addition, due to this narrow space, there are many limitations in setting up a separate component to prevent the spread of heat or flames. In addition, in the case of conventional battery modules, a configuration has also been attempted in which a specific material is input to prevent the spread of internal heat or flames, but there is a problem in that the cost of the specific material is high. Therefore, conventional battery modules have many difficulties in effectively ensuring safety against heat or fire. Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the prior art, and thus the present disclosure aims to provide a battery module that can effectively ensure safety against heat or fire, and to provide a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery module.

[0010] These and other purposes and advantages of the present disclosure can be understood from the following detailed description, and will become more fully apparent from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, it is easy to understand that the purposes and advantages of the present disclosure can be achieved by the means shown in the appended claims and their combinations.

[0011] Technical Solution

[0012] In order to achieve the above objectives, a battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of battery cells; a module shell having an internal space formed in the module shell and configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells in the internal space; a polymer member, the polymer member being configured to fill at least a portion of the internal space of the module shell accommodating the plurality of battery cells; and a filler, the filler being at least partially located within the polymer member and inserted in at least one of the spaces between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the module shell and the spaces between the plurality of battery cells.

[0013] The polymer member may include silicone.

[0014] The polymer member may be cured after being filled in at least a portion of the inner space of the module case.

[0015] The filler may include a plurality of particles and be dispersed inside the polymer member.

[0016] The filler may comprise a plastic material or a ceramic material.

[0017] The filler may include a plurality of particles having different sizes.

[0018] The filler may have a hollow space formed therein.

[0019] The filler may contain fire extinguishing material.

[0020] The filler may contain a flame retardant liquid.

[0021] The filler may be configured such that the polymer member is partially inserted therein.

[0022] The filler may include a plurality of particles each having an outer layer and a porous inner layer.

[0023] In addition, in another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack is provided, which includes at least one battery module according to the present disclosure.

[0024] In addition, in another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, which includes at least one battery module according to the present disclosure.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module having good safety and economic feasibility can be ensured.

[0027] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since a polymer member and a filler are included in a battery module, heat or flame propagation prevention performance, explosion prevention performance, etc. may be more effectively secured.

[0028] In addition, when any one of the plurality of battery cells ignites and explodes, the polymer member can be used as a barrier to prevent the flame from spreading to other adjacent battery cells. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the plurality of battery cells from successively exploding or the fire from spreading.

[0029] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since heat / flame propagation prevention performance is ensured at a relatively low cost, a battery module or a battery pack having economic feasibility and good safety may be implemented.

[0030] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when silicone resin (silicone polymer) used as a polymer member is injected into a battery pack to delay ignition or explosion of a battery cell, the amount of the silicone resin is reduced by passing a filler.

[0031] Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the amount of relatively expensive silicone resin can be reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0032] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the filler is configured to have a density lower than that of the silicone resin, it may be advantageous to reduce the weight of the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the aforementioned disclosure, help to further understand the technical features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not to be understood as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing that some components of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are separated.

[0036] Figure 3 is a diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 5 is a diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Fig.10 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Fig.11 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments 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 this specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as being limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted according to the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the principle of allowing the inventor to appropriately define the terms to obtain the best interpretation.

[0046] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are only preferred embodiments for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] In addition, in this specification, terms indicating directions (such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "front" and "back") may be used, but these terms are only for the convenience of explanation. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms can be changed according to the position of the object or the position of the observer.

[0048] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing that some components of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are separated. In addition, Figure 3 Schematically shows the internal configuration of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, Figure 3 can be considered as Figure 1 In addition, Figure 2 In the figure, for convenience of explanation, the polymer components and fillers are not depicted.

[0049] refer to Figures 1 to 3 , a battery module 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery cells 110 , a module case 130 , a polymer member 140 , and a filler 150 .

[0050] Specifically, the battery cell 110 may be a cylindrical battery cell having a cylindrical battery can. The cylindrical battery cell 110 may include electrode terminals 111, 112 positioned at its upper and / or lower portion. For example, the cylindrical battery cell 110 may have a positive terminal 111 and a negative terminal 112 arranged at its upper portion. In addition, in the case of a cylindrical battery cell, the cap assembly located at the top thereof may be the positive terminal 111, and the battery cell body (i.e., the battery can (housing)) may be the negative terminal 112. In addition, the positive terminal 111 and the negative terminal 112 may be positioned to be spaced apart from each other. The positive terminal 111 and the negative terminal 112 may be electrically insulated from each other.

[0051] In addition, the battery module 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a bus bar 120. The bus bar 120 may include a metal material such as aluminum, copper or nickel. A plurality of battery cells 110 may be electrically connected in series, in parallel or in series-parallel by means of the bus bar 120. In addition, the bus bar 120 may be electrically connected to the positive terminal 111 or the negative terminal 112 of the battery cell 110 by means of a metal wire 121. For example, the metal wire 121 may be configured to contact the positive terminal of the battery cell 110 at one end and the bus bar 120 at the other end. Alternatively, the bus bar 120 may be directly in contact with the electrode terminals 111, 112 without the need for the metal wire 121.

[0052] At the time of filing this application, this configuration of the battery cell 110 is well known to those skilled in the art and thus will not be described in detail herein. Figure 3 , but the battery module 100 according to the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration of the battery cell 110 having a specific shape. That is, various types of battery cells 110 known at the time of filing this application may be adopted in the battery module 100 according to the present disclosure.

[0053] In addition, the module housing 130 may have an internal space so that a plurality of battery cells 110 are accommodated in the internal space. For example, the module housing 130 may have a box-shaped shape with an internal hollow to accommodate a plurality of battery cells 110. As a more specific embodiment, the module housing 130 may include an upper frame 133 and a lower frame 134. Here, the upper frame 133 may be configured to cover the upper and side portions of the plurality of battery cells 110. In addition, the lower frame 134 may have a plurality of placement grooves H configured so that a plurality of battery cells 110 are partially inserted therein. For example, the placement groove H of the lower frame 134 may be configured so that the lower portion of the battery cell 110 is inserted therein based on the center of the battery cell 110.

[0054] In addition, the module housing 130 may have a plurality of exposure holes 131 formed in the upper and / or lower portion thereof. Each of the plurality of exposure holes 131 may be configured in the form of a hole punched in a portion of the module housing 130, thereby exposing the upper portions of the plurality of battery cells 110 to the outside. Figure 2 As shown in , a plurality of exposure holes 131 may be provided at an upper surface of an upper frame 133 so that electrode terminals 111 , 112 provided at upper portions of a plurality of battery cells 110 are exposed to the outside.

[0055] The polymer member 140 may be configured to fill at least a portion of the internal space of the module housing 130. In addition, since the plurality of battery cells 110 are accommodated in the internal space of the module housing 130, the polymer member 140 may fill at least a portion of the space other than the space occupied by the battery cells. Figure 3 As shown in , the polymer member 140 may be disposed in at least one of a space between the plurality of battery cells 110 and a space between the plurality of battery cells and an inner surface of the module case 130 .

[0056] At least a portion of the filler 150 may be located inside the polymer member 140. That is, the filler 150 may be completely embedded in the polymer member 140, or may be partially embedded in the polymer member 140 and exposed outside the polymer member 140. In addition, the filler 150 may be inserted in the space between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the inner surface of the module housing together with the polymer member 140. In addition, the filler 150 may be inserted in the space between the plurality of battery cells 110 together with the polymer member 140.

[0057] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, since the polymer component 140 and the filler 150 having different physical properties or characteristics are provided inside the battery module 100, it is advantageous to ensure various performances together. For example, the polymer component 140 can be made of a material that can ensure heat or fire safety, and the filler 150 can be made of a material with good rigidity or low weight or cost. In this case, a battery module with good rigidity, lightness, economic benefits, etc., and heat or fire safety can be implemented. In addition, when any one of the multiple battery cells 110 ignites and explodes, the polymer component 140 can act as a barrier to prevent the flame from spreading to other adjacent battery cells 110. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent multiple battery cells 110 from exploding or fire spreading in succession.

[0058] The polymer member 140 may include silicone. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to ensure the safety of the battery module 100 against heat or fire. For example, when the silicone is positioned between the battery cell 110 and the module housing 130, the heat or fire of the battery cell 110 can be prevented from propagating to the outside of the module housing 130. In addition, in this case, it is beneficial to prevent the battery cell 110 from exploding, and even if an explosion occurs, the fragments generated by the explosion can be suppressed as much as possible from scattering to the outside of the battery module 100. In addition, when the silicone is positioned between the battery cells 110, heat or fire can be prevented from propagating between the battery cells 110. Therefore, in this case, thermal runaway and the like can be prevented from propagating within the battery module. The silicone polymer resin may be an artificial polymer compound whose main chain is a siloxane bond. However, the resin used for the polymer member 140 of the present disclosure is not specified as any one, and various types of resins known at the time of filing this application can be used as the polymer member 140 of the present disclosure. For example, the polymer member 140 may include an epoxy resin.

[0059] The polymer member 140 may be solidified after filling at least a portion of the inner space of the module housing 130. In particular, in a state where the battery cell 110 is accommodated in the module housing 130, the polymer member 140 may have a solidified form after being injected into the module housing 130 in a fluid state having fluidity such as liquid, gel or sol.

[0060] For example, the polymer member 140 may be injected into the inner space of the module housing 130 in the form of liquid silicone to flow into the space between the battery cells 110 and / or the space between the battery cells 110 and the module housing 130. In addition, the polymer member 140 may be configured to solidify by the passage of a certain time or cooling. In addition, the polymer member 140 may have a solid state at room temperature.

[0061] The filler 150 may include a plurality of particles. In addition, the plurality of particles of the filler 150 may be configured to be dispersed inside the polymer member 140. In particular, each of the plurality of particles provided in the filler 150 may be configured in the form of a pellet. The pellet may be manufactured in various ways, such as injection molding or powder compression. In this configuration, one pellet may be considered as one particle. Therefore, the filler 150 may be considered to include a plurality of pellets 151. The plurality of particles, i.e., the pellets 151, may be mixed with the polymer member 140 in a fluid state and then injected into the module housing 130. In addition, the plurality of pellets 151 may be configured to have a fixed position because the polymer member 140 in a fluid state is solidified within the module housing 130.

[0062] In particular, the plurality of pellets 151 may be injected in a state where the plurality of battery cells 110 are accommodated in the internal space of the module case 130. At this time, after the plurality of pellets 151 serving as the filler 150 are injected into the internal space of the module case 130, the polymer member 140 in a fluid state may be injected into the internal space of the module case 130. Alternatively, the plurality of pellets 151 serving as the filler 150 may be mixed with the polymer member 140 in a fluid state in advance to form a mixture, and then the mixture of the pellets 151 and the polymer member 140 may be injected into the internal space of the module case 130.

[0063] The particles of the filler 150, such as the pellets 151, may be configured to be inserted between the module housing 130 and the battery cell 110 and / or between the plurality of battery cells 110 while the polymer member 140 in a fluid state is injected into the internal space of the module housing 130. To this end, the particles of the filler 150, such as the pellets 151, may have a size or shape that can be inserted into the space between the module housing 130 and the battery cell 110 and / or between the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0064] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, by using a filler 150 such as a pellet 151, characteristics different from those of the polymer member 140 can be easily achieved inside the battery module 100. For example, the filler 150 can be beneficial in improving the mechanical rigidity of the battery module 100. For example, when an external impact is applied to the battery module 100, the rigidity of the battery module 100 can be improved because a plurality of pellets 151 having a higher mechanical rigidity than the polymer member 140 are added inside the polymer member 140. Therefore, in this case, the plurality of battery cells 110 can be more effectively protected from external impacts. In addition, according to the present embodiment, with the aid of a plurality of pellets 151 used as the filler 150, the impact transfer between the battery cells 110 can be reduced.

[0065] In addition, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the battery module 100. In particular, when silicone resin is used as the polymer member 140 to ensure safety against heat or fire, silicone resin has the disadvantage of being expensive. However, according to the present embodiment, since the amount of expensive materials such as silicone resin can be reduced, the manufacturing cost of the battery module 100 can be reduced.

[0066] In addition, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to contribute to reducing the weight of the battery module 100. For example, when the filler 150 is made of a material having a weight smaller than that of the polymer member 140, the weight of the battery module 100 can be reduced.

[0067] The filler 150 may include a plastic material. Here, the plastic material used as the filler 150 may adopt various materials known at the time of filing this application. In particular, the filler 150 may include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Polytetrafluoroethylene may be more advantageous because it has low surface energy. In addition, polypropylene or polyethylene are also materials with low surface energy and may be used as the material of the filler 150.

[0068] If the filler 150 is made of the above-mentioned plastic having relatively low surface energy (surface tension), when the filler 150 is mixed with the polymer member 140 in a fluid state, the influence of the viscosity of the polymer member 140 can be reduced. Therefore, the filler 150 can be more easily dispersed in the polymer member 140 in a fluid state. Therefore, in this case, since the filler 150 is uniformly dispersed in the polymer member 140, the manufacturing efficiency can be improved, and the effect of the filler 150 (such as mechanical rigidity) can be more advantageously ensured.

[0069] In addition, the filler 150 may include other various plastic materials, such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, etc.

[0070] In addition, the plastic material as described above may have the advantages of light weight, low cost, and easy molding. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it may be advantageous in reducing the weight and cost of the battery module 100. In addition, the plastic material may be advantageous in ensuring thermal insulation. Therefore, heat transfer between the battery cells 110 or between the battery cells 110 and the module housing 130 may be more effectively blocked.

[0071] In addition, the filler 150 may include a ceramic material. The ceramic material may include at least one of sand, glass, cement, clay, refractory material, abrasive, and fine ceramic. In addition, the sand may include at least one of quartz, limestone, iron ore, magnetite, basalt, obsidian, and olivine.

[0072] The ceramic material may include a material with strong heat or flame resistance. In this case, the heat or flame resistance effect of the filler 150 may be further improved.

[0073] In addition, the battery module 100 of the present disclosure may include a cooling member 160 for cooling the plurality of battery cells 110. Figure 2 As shown in , the cooling member 160 may be positioned below the lower frame 134. For example, the cooling member 160 may be configured such that an external coolant is injected therein, and the coolant heated by absorbing heat from the battery cells 110 is discharged to the outside. For example, the cooling member 160 may have an aluminum alloy material having good thermal conductivity.

[0074] Meanwhile, the particles of the filler 150, such as the pellets 151, can be configured into various shapes. Figure 3 As shown in , the pellets 151 may be formed into a spherical shape. According to the present embodiment, since the pellets 151 are formed into a spherical shape, the friction with the battery cells 110 can be minimized. In addition, since the pellets 151 have a spherical shape in this manner, it is possible to facilitate uniformly filling the empty spaces between the plurality of battery cells 110 with high density. In addition, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, if an external shock is applied to the battery module 100, when the pellets 151 collide with the battery cells 110, the damage to the battery cells 110 caused by the collision can be minimized.

[0075] Figure 4 Schematically shows the internal configuration of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. For the following several other embodiments (including this embodiment), the same or similar features as the previous embodiment will not be described in detail, while the different features will be described in detail.

[0076] refer to Figure 4, the particles of the filler 150 may be configured in the form of a powder. In this case, the filler 150 may be considered to include a plurality of powder-type particles 152. If the granules 151 of the previous embodiment are processed or molded into a specific shape using a plastic material or a ceramic material, the powder-type particles 152 of this embodiment may be considered to be in a pulverized form using a plastic material or a ceramic material. Here, the powder-type particles 152 may have a smaller size than the granules 151. For example, the size (average particle size) of the powder-type particles 152 may be 1 μm to 1 mm.

[0077] The plurality of powder type particles 152 may be injected into the module case 130 in a state of being mixed with the polymer member 140 in a fluid state. In addition, if the polymer member 140 is solidified, the plurality of powder type particles 152 may be dispersedly located inside the polymer member 140.

[0078] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the injection process of the polymer member 140 and / or the filler 150 can be performed more easily. That is, when the mixture of the polymer member 140 in the form of a fluid and the plurality of powder-type particles 152 is injected into the module housing 130, the viscosity of the mixture to be injected can be easily adjusted according to the particle size of the powder-type particles 152. Therefore, since the worker appropriately adjusts the viscosity of the mixture, the efficiency of the injection process can be further improved, such as shortening the time for injection into the module housing 130.

[0079] Figure 5 is a diagram schematically showing a portion of an internal configuration of a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] refer to Figure 5 , the filler 150 may include a plurality of particles having different sizes. Figure 5 As shown in , when a plurality of pellets 151 are included as filler particles in the polymer member 140, some of the plurality of pellets 151 may have a relatively large size (particle size), while other pellets may have a relatively small size (particle size). As a more specific example, some pellets 151 may have a particle size of about 1 mm, while other pellets 151 may have a size of about 0.5 mm.

[0081] In the present embodiment, a plurality of particles (i.e., pellets) 151 having different sizes may be located in the space between different battery cells 110. For example, among the plurality of pellets 151, pellets 151 having a relatively small size may be located in a narrow space between the battery cells 110, such as Figure 5Meanwhile, the pellets 151 having a relatively large size may be positioned in a relatively wide space between different battery cells 110, or in a space between the battery cell 110 and the inner surface of the module housing 130, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown in G2.

[0082] Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing a plurality of particles with different sizes as fillers 150, more fillers 150 can be introduced into spaces of various sizes. In particular, there may be spaces of various sizes in the internal space of the module housing 130. At this time, by injecting small-sized particles into a narrow space, the polymer component 140 and the filler 150 can exist in an appropriate proportion to fully perform their respective functions. In addition, by injecting large-sized particles into a wide space, the input amount of the polymer component 140 can be reduced, and the viscosity of the polymer component 140 can be prevented from being excessively increased due to the filler 150.

[0083] Furthermore, in this case, particles such as the aggregates 151 may not be biased toward any one place, but may be uniformly dispersed in the polymer member 140. That is, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, when a plurality of particles having two or more sizes are provided as the filler 150, it is advantageous that the plurality of particles are not biased toward a specific area, but exist uniformly dispersed within the polymer member 140. Therefore, the effect of ensuring mechanical rigidity by mixing the polymer member 140 and the plurality of particles such as the plurality of aggregates 151 may be further improved. Therefore, when external vibration is applied to the battery module 100, due to the improvement of the mechanical rigidity, the protection effect of the battery cell 110 against external vibration may be further improved.

[0084] In addition, the filler 150 may include a plurality of particles having different weights (densities). That is, the filler 150 may include a plurality of particle groups having different weights. For example, the filler 150 may include a plurality of particles having three different weights. In this case, the plurality of particles may be divided into three particle groups according to their weights, and the three particle groups may be respectively referred to as a first particle group, a second particle group, and a third particle group. Here, particles belonging to the first particle group may have the largest weight, and particles belonging to the second particle group may have a lower weight than particles of the first particle group. In addition, particles belonging to the third particle group may have a lower weight than particles of the second particle group.

[0085] If a plurality of particles having different weights are included as the filler 150 as described above, it may be advantageous that the filler 150 is more uniformly dispersed in the module case 130. For example, when three particle groups having different weights are included as in the present embodiment, after the particle groups are injected into the module case 130 in a state where they are mixed in the polymer member 140 in a fluid state, the three particle groups may be dispersed in the up-and-down directions according to weight. That is, in a state where the polymer member 140 in a fluid state has fluidity before solidification, a plurality of particles may be dispersed in the up-and-down directions within the module case 130 according to weight. That is, the first particle group having the largest weight may be located near the lower end of the battery cell 110, and the third particle group having the smallest weight may be located near the upper end of the battery cell 110. In addition, the second particle group having an intermediate weight may be located near the central portion of the battery cell 110.

[0086] Meanwhile, this difference in weight may appear as a difference in specific gravity or density. For example, the first particle group may be made of a material having a higher specific gravity than the polymer member 140 in a fluid state. In addition, the third particle group may be made of a material having a lower specific gravity than the polymer member 140 in a fluid state. In addition, the second particle group may be made of a material having a specific gravity similar to that of the polymer member 140 in a fluid state.

[0087] In addition, the filler 150 may include a plurality of particles having different shapes (appearances). For example, the filler 150 may include two or more of quadrangular prism particles, triangular prism particles, spherical particles, and particles having at least one surface forming a curved shape.

[0088] Since there may be various shapes of spaces in the inner space of the module case 130 , according to the present embodiment, particles having a shape suitable for each space may be injected. Therefore, in this case, it may be advantageous that the particles are uniformly dispersed in the module case 130 .

[0089] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] refer to Figure 6 , the particles included as the filler 150, such as the pellets 151, may have an empty space S formed therein. For example, the pellets 151 may have an outer wall W surrounding the empty space S. In addition, the empty space S of the pellets 151 may be filled with air. At this time, when the pellets 151 are pressed due to the expansion or movement of the battery cells 110, the battery cells 110 may be elastically supported. In addition, the pellets 151 may be configured so that when compressed by a plurality of battery cells 110, their volume is reduced or their external shape is changed.

[0091] Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, with the help of particles containing only gas such as air to have empty spaces S, pressure or shock applied to the battery cell 110 caused by external collision of the battery module 100 or expansion of the battery cell 110 can be buffered.

[0092] In particular, when the outer wall W of a particle such as the pellet 151 is made of an elastic plastic material, the cushioning effect of the pellet 151 can be more easily ensured.

[0093] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] refer to Figure 7 , the pellets 151 used as the filler 150 may be configured to contain a fire extinguishing material therein. In particular, the filler 150 may include a plurality of pellets 151 containing a fire extinguishing material. Here, the pellets 151 may have a receiving space formed therein, and a fire extinguishing material 151a may be provided in the receiving space. In particular, the pellets 151 may be configured in the form of a capsule, in which the fire extinguishing material 151a is filled. Here, the fire extinguishing material 151a may be, for example, a concentrated solution of an inorganic salt (such as potassium carbonate), a chemical foam, bubbles, carbon dioxide or water. In addition, as a fire extinguishing material included in particles of the filler 150, such as the pellets 151, various solid, liquid or gaseous fire extinguishing agents known at the time of filing this application may be used. In the present embodiment, the pellets 151 may be configured to melt at a predetermined temperature. For example, the pellets 151 may be configured to melt at a temperature of 300°C or higher, and the fire extinguishing material 151a contained in the receiving space therein is discharged to the outside.

[0095] Therefore, according to this configuration of the present disclosure, with the aid of the pellets 151 containing the fire extinguishing material 151a, the safety of the battery module 100 can be further improved. For example, when a fire or explosion occurs in some of the plurality of battery cells 110 included in the battery module 100, the outer wall of the pellet 151 can melt to discharge the fire extinguishing material 151a contained therein to the outside, thereby suppressing the ignition of the battery cell 110 at an early stage and effectively blocking the spread of the fire. Therefore, the present disclosure can significantly improve the safety of fire prevention.

[0096] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] refer to Figure 8, as the pellets 151 included in the filler 150, can be configured to contain a flame retardant liquid. In particular, the filler 150 may include a plurality of pellets 151 containing a flame retardant liquid. At this time, the pellets 151 have a receiving space formed therein, and a flame retardant liquid 151b may be provided in the receiving space. In addition, the pellets 151 may be configured in the form of capsules containing the flame retardant liquid 151b. Here, the flame retardant liquid 151b may be, for example, a polymer resin mixed with a flame retardant additive. The flame retardant additive may be aluminum trihydrate, a bromine-based flame retardant, antimony trioxide, a phosphorus-based flame retardant, or the like. The polymer resin may be an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin, a polypropylene (PP) resin, a polyamide (PA) resin, or a polycarbonate resin.

[0098] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved by means of the pellet 151 containing the flame retardant liquid 151b. For example, when a fire or explosion occurs in some of the plurality of battery cells 110, the outer wall of the pellet 151 may melt to discharge the flame retardant liquid 151b contained therein to the outside. Therefore, in this case, the flame retardant liquid 151b can be supplied to the inside or outside of the battery cell 110 where the fire occurs, or the ruptured portion of the battery can can be sealed. In this regard, the safety of fire prevention can be greatly improved.

[0099] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0100] refer to Fig. 9 , the plurality of pellets 151 included as the filler 150 may be configured such that the polymer member 140 is partially inserted therein. To this end, the pellets 151 of particles serving as the filler 150 may have at least one flow hole 151c formed therein. Here, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9 As shown in , the flow hole 151c can be configured to penetrate from one end of the pellet 151 to the other end. Alternatively, the flow hole 151c can be configured to be dug from one end of the pellet 151 to a predetermined point near the central portion. According to the present embodiment, when the polymer member 140 has fluidity, the polymer member 140 can penetrate into the flow hole 151c. In addition, if the polymer member 140 is cured afterwards, the polymer member 140 can be configured to be partially inserted into the flow hole 151c of the pellet 151.

[0101] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, it may be more conducive to the uniform dispersion of the pellets 151 used as the filler 150. In particular, when the flow hole 151c is formed to completely penetrate the interior of the pellet 151, the specific gravity (weight) difference between the pellet 151 and the polymer member 140 can be alleviated. For example, even if the pellet 151 is made of a material having a specific gravity lower than that of the polymer member 140, the polymer member 140 can flow into the flow hole 151c, so that the pellet 151 moves downward in the polymer member 140 in a fluid state, rather than just floating upward. Therefore, in this case, the pellet 151 can exist not only in the upper part of the module housing 130, but also in the lower part thereof.

[0102] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the polymer member 140 may exist inside the pellets 151 serving as the filler 150. Therefore, even if many pellets 151 are aggregated, the characteristics of the polymer member 140 may be expressed to some extent.

[0103] Fig.10 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0104] refer to Fig.10 , each agglomerate 151 included as the filler 150 can be configured in such a form that a plurality of powders 151d are compressed to be mechanically coupled to each other. In addition, a binder or the like may be additionally provided between the plurality of powders 151d compressed together. Here, the powder 151d may be a powder of a plastic material or a powder of a ceramic material. In the present embodiment, the agglomerate 151 may be configured to be disassembled by an external impact. That is, since the agglomerate 151 is a state in which a plurality of powders are mechanically combined together, when a large impact is applied to the battery module, the agglomerate 151 may have a binding force capable of being disassembled (separated) into powders or various fragments.

[0105] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pellet 151 is disassembled into a form such as powder, the impact force can be alleviated. In addition, the battery cell 110 can be prevented from being damaged by powder or fragments generated by disassembling the pellet.

[0106] Fig.11 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating particles of a filler included in a battery module according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0107] refer to Fig.11, as a plurality of particles (e.g., pellets 151) included in the filler 150, may include an outer layer 151e and an inner layer 151f. Here, the inner layer 151f may be configured in a porous form. Here, the inner layer 151f may be filled with air. In addition, the outer layer 151e may be configured in a closed form so that the porous inner layer 151f may be accommodated therein. That is, the pellet 151 may have an outer layer 151e in a sealed form so that foreign matter does not penetrate into the interior.

[0108] For example, the inner layer 151f of the pellet 151 may be formed into a porous form by a foamed resin. For example, the foamed resin forming the inner layer 151f may be a foamed polystyrene resin. In addition, the outer layer 151e of the pellet 151 may be configured by coating a polymer resin on the outside of the porous inner layer. For example, the polymer resin forming the outer layer 151e may be polyvinyl chloride.

[0109] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the effect of buffering impact can be ensured by means of the porous inner layer 151f provided in the pellet 151. In addition, in this embodiment, since the outer layer 151e is configured in a closed form, it is possible to prevent the polymer member 140 in a fluid state from penetrating into the porous inner layer 151f. Therefore, in this case, the amount of the polymer member 140 used can be further reduced. In addition, in this case, it can be more conducive to reducing the weight of the filler 150.

[0110] In addition, the filler 150 may include a plurality of particles configured in different shapes. In particular, the various types of particles described in the aforementioned several embodiments may be provided together as the filler 150 of the present disclosure.

[0111] For example, the packing 150 may include a group of Figure 6 The pellet 151 of the shape shown in FIG. 1 and a group of pellets having the shape shown in FIG. Figure 7 Alternatively, the filler 150 may include a group of particles having the shape shown in Figure 8 The pellet 151 of the shape shown in FIG. 1 and a group of pellets having the shape shown in FIG. Fig. 9 Alternatively, the filler 150 may be configured to include particles of the shape shown in Figures 6 to 11 Three or more types of pellets 151 in the pellets 151 configured as shown in FIG.

[0112] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, in the internal space of the module housing 130, the particles used as the filler 150 can be more uniformly distributed. Figure 6 The particles 151 and Figure 7 When the pellets 151 containing the fire extinguishing material 151a are included together as the filler 150, Figure 6 The aggregate 151 may be Figure 7The pellets are 151 light. Therefore, Figure 6 The pellet 151 may be located at an upper portion of the inner space of the module housing 130, and Figure 7 The pellets 151 may be located at a lower portion in the inner space of the module case 130 .

[0113] As another example, when Figure 8 The pellets 151 and the Fig. 9 When the pellets 151 having the flow holes 151c formed therein are included together as the filler 150, Fig. 9 The pellet 151 can be compared Figure 8 The pellet 151 is arranged lower.

[0114] As another embodiment, when both include Fig.10 The pellet 151 and Fig.11 When the pellets 151 are used as fillers 150, due to the porous inner layer 151f, Fig.11 The pellets 151 can be arranged more Fig.10 The pellets are 151 high.

[0115] Therefore, according to the embodiments, the filler 150 may be smoothly distributed in the vertical direction within the inner space of the module case 130 .

[0116] Furthermore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the filler 150 may have various characteristics by means of various types of pellets 151. In particular, various features of various types of pellets 151 may be placed in a portion where the corresponding features are required.

[0117] For example, Figure 7 or Figure 8 The pellet 151 may be arranged at the portion where the positive terminal 111 of the battery cell 110 is located ( Figure 3 In this case, when high temperature gas or fire is discharged to the positive terminal side, the fire extinguishing material 151a or the flame retardant liquid 151b contained in the pellets 151 may be quickly discharged. Therefore, it is possible to help suppress ignition or fire or prevent the spread of ignition or fire.

[0118] In addition, as a pellet 151 other than the above pellet 151, Figure 6 , Fig.10 or Fig.11 The pellet 151 may be located in the central portion of the body of the battery cell 110 ( Figure 3 In this case, when the battery cell 110 expands or an external vibration occurs, the vibration transmission between the battery cells 110 or from the module housing 130 to the battery cell 110 can be alleviated.

[0119] Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, since various pellets 151 configured into appropriate shapes according to the characteristics of each part of the battery module 100 are included as fillers 150, the effects according to the present disclosure (such as the safety of the battery module 100) can be further improved.

[0120] Meanwhile, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules 100 according to the present disclosure described above. In addition, the battery pack according to the present disclosure may include various components generally provided in a battery pack, for example, a battery management system (BMS) electrically connected to the battery module 100, in addition to the battery module 100. In particular, the BMS may include various circuits or devices to control the charging and discharging of the plurality of battery cells 110 included in the battery module 100.

[0121] Meanwhile, the vehicle according to the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules 100 according to the present disclosure described above. In particular, the vehicle may be an electric-powered carrying device, such as an electric vehicle, an electric scooter, an electric wheelchair, or an electric bicycle. In addition, the vehicle according to the present disclosure may further include various other components (such as a body, a motor, and an inverter) included in the vehicle in addition to the battery module 100.

[0122] The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on this detailed description.

[0123] Reference numerals

[0124] 100: Battery module

[0125] 110: Battery cell 111: Electrode terminal

[0126] 120: Bus bar 121: Metal wire

[0127] 130: Module housing

[0128] 131: Exposure hole 133: Upper frame 134: Lower frame H: Placement groove

[0129] 140: Polymer components

[0130] 150: Filler

[0131] 151: Granules 152: Powder-type particles

[0132] S: empty space 151a: fire extinguishing material 151b: flame retardant liquid 151c: flow hole

[0133] 151d: powder 151e: outer layer 151f: inner layer

[0134] 160: Cooling components

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a module case having an internal space formed therein and configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells in the internal space; a polymer member configured to fill at least a portion of the inner space of the module case accommodating the plurality of battery cells; as well as a filler at least partially located within the polymer member and inserted in at least one of a space between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the module housing and spaces between the plurality of battery cells, wherein the filler comprises: a particle having at least one flow hole formed therein, wherein the flow hole is configured to penetrate from one end of the particle to the other end, and the polymer member is partially inserted into the flow hole, and Therein, the filler comprises a plastic material different from that of the polymer component.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The polymer member includes silicone.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The polymer member is cured after being filled into the at least a portion of the inner space of the module case.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The filler includes a plurality of particles and is dispersed inside the polymer member.

5. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The filler includes a plurality of particles having different sizes.

6. The battery module according to claim 4, in, The particles are in a powder form and are injected into the module case in a state of being mixed with the polymer member in a fluid state.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The filler includes a plurality of particles having different weights.

8. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The filler includes a plurality of particles having different shapes.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filler further comprises: A particle having empty spaces formed therein.

10. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filler further comprises: The empty space formed therein contains particles of the fire extinguishing material.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filler further comprises: The empty spaces formed therein contain particles of the flame retardant liquid.

12. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filler further comprises: It is a granule in which a plurality of powders are compressed into a form in which they are mechanically connected to each other.

13. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the filler further comprises: A particle having an outer layer and a porous inner layer. 14 . A battery pack comprising at least one battery module according to claim 1 .

15. A vehicle comprising at least one battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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