Battery module with bladder capable of capturing flashes and sparks ejected during heave

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module with a pouch capable of capturing flames and sparks ejected during bulging, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a battery module comprising: a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of battery cells stacked in a vertical direction; and a protective outer shell for accommodating the battery cell stack, wherein the protective outer shell comprises a lower cover located below the battery cell stack, an upper cover located above the battery cell stack, and a pair of side covers located on the sides of the battery cell stack, wherein the side covers have a structure on their inner sides that is capable of preventing the movement of flames and sparks ejected during bulging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0081659, filed on Jul. 2, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0105297, filed on August 21, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] The present invention relates to a battery module having a pouch capable of capturing flames and sparks ejected during bulging, and more particularly, to a battery module configured such that the pouch is disposed between battery cell stacks or between a battery cell stack and a side cover, thereby interrupting the movement of flames and sparks and guiding air to be rapidly discharged to the outside together with exhaust gas, thereby preventing the occurrence of fire outbreak conditions and thus suppressing the outbreak of fire. Background Art

[0004] Secondary batteries with high product applicability and electrical properties (such as high energy density) have been commonly used in electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and portable devices that are driven by electric drive sources. As a new energy source that can increase environmental friendliness and energy efficiency, this secondary battery has attracted attention because, in addition to having the main advantage of being able to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels, it also does not produce byproducts due to the use of energy.

[0005] As secondary batteries, there are lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. A plurality of battery cells may be connected to each other in series or in parallel to constitute a battery module or a battery pack.

[0006] An energy storage system (ESS) that has attracted attention in recent years is a device that stores generated power in a battery to supply the power to consumers when needed to thereby maximize power usage efficiency.

[0007] In a general energy storage system (ESS), a plurality of battery modules constitute a single battery rack, and tens to hundreds of battery racks are combined to constitute a single system. In addition, the energy storage system is used in a state interlocked with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) configured to stably supply power in response to a sudden power supply interruption or abnormality, or a photovoltaic power system, which is a power generation device configured to convert sunlight into electrical energy.

[0008] Meanwhile, although the secondary battery has excellent electrical properties, the components constituting the secondary battery (such as active materials or electrolytes) decompose under abnormal operating conditions such as overcharging, overdischarging, exposure to high temperatures or electrical short circuits, thereby generating heat and gas. As a result, a swelling phenomenon, i.e., expansion of the secondary battery, occurs. The swelling phenomenon accelerates the decomposition, which causes the secondary battery to explode or catch fire due to thermal runaway.

[0009] That is, when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, a flash of fire (flame like a flash ejected from a weak seal), sparks (particles with heat discharged due to separation of the internal electrodes and melting of the aluminum current collector), and high-temperature exhaust gas are generated. In particular, these substances do not stay at the location where they are generated, but move to adjacent modules including battery cells located around them, whereby a serious accident is likely to occur.

[0010] In connection with this, a patent document (Korean Patent Application Gazette No. 2020-0011816) discloses a battery pack, comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged so that the main surfaces of the battery cells face each other; and a partition wall placed between adjacent battery cells in the battery cells, wherein the partition wall is provided with an air bag formed to be concave in a thickness direction of the partition wall along a direction away from the main surface of each battery cell.

[0011] In the above-mentioned prior art documents, partition walls and air pockets are formed between adjacent battery cells, thereby being able to interrupt thermal interference between adjacent battery cells, and thus being able to interrupt thermal runaway from certain locally deteriorated battery cells to other battery cells adjacent thereto to some extent.

[0012] However, the prior art document relates to a battery pack in which prismatic battery cells are stacked side by side, and therefore cannot be applied to a battery module composed of pouch-shaped cells, each of which includes a battery cell housing and an electrode assembly and is configured such that leads protrude outward from the battery cell housing, without modification.

[0013] (Prior art literature)

[0014] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2020-0011816 Summary of the invention

[0015] Technical issues

[0016] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can interrupt the movement of generated flames and sparks when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, thereby preventing the outbreak of fire or preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent battery modules.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can quickly discharge air in a battery module housing together with ejected exhaust gas when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, thereby preventing the outbreak of fire.

[0018] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that, when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, can discharge generated heat, exhaust gas, and internal air to the outside, thereby preventing the outbreak of fire.

[0019] Technical Solution

[0020] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, a battery module according to the present invention includes: a battery cell stack, the battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a vertical direction; and a protective shell, the protective shell being configured to accommodate the battery cell stack, wherein the protective shell includes a lower cover located below the battery cell stack, an upper cover located above the battery cell stack, and a pair of side covers located at the sides of the battery cell stack, and each of the side covers is provided with a structure on its inner side that is configured to interrupt the movement of flames and sparks ejected when bulging.

[0021] Moreover, in the battery module according to the present invention, the side cover may include: a vertical plate having a lower end positioned to be in close contact with the lower cover and an upper end positioned to be in close contact with the upper cover; and a pair of bent plates, the pair of bent plates being formed at opposite side ends of the vertical plate in a state facing each other, so as to be bent and / or curved in a predetermined shape.

[0022] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the vertical plate of the side cover and the battery cell stack may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to form a third space portion.

[0023] Moreover, in the battery module according to the present invention, the battery cell stack may include: the plurality of battery cells stacked in a vertical direction; an extrusion layer, which is located on at least one of the upper and lower parts of the stacked battery cells; a bus bar, which is configured to allow the positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead of the battery cell to be connected thereto; and a pair of bus bar retainers, which are respectively placed between the positive electrode lead and the bus bar and between the negative electrode lead and the bus bar.

[0024] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, each of the bus bar holders may include: a flat main board having one or more slits formed therein; and wings connected to vertical ends on opposite sides of the main board.

[0025] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, each of the wing portions may be bent to have a predetermined shape.

[0026] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the pressing layer may include a pressing gasket and a reinforcing frame.

[0027] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, a recess may be provided in one surface of the compression gasket, and the reinforcement frame may be seated in the recess.

[0028] Moreover, in the battery module according to the present invention, the compression gasket can be located on each of the upper and lower parts of the stacked battery cells, the recess of the compression gasket located on the upper part of the stacked battery cells can face upward, and the recess of the compression gasket located on the lower part of the stacked battery cells can face downward.

[0029] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the recessed portion and the reinforcement frame may have the same vertical sectional shape.

[0030] Moreover, in the battery module according to the present invention, each of the recess and the reinforcement frame may have a “∨” shape, a “∪” shape or a The vertical cross-sectional shape of the shape.

[0031] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the pressing gasket may be made of an insulating plastic material, and the reinforcing frame may be made of a metal material.

[0032] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the upper cover may be provided with a second perforated portion.

[0033] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may have a rectangular slit shape.

[0034] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may be formed in a longitudinal direction of the upper cover.

[0035] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may be located on a vertical extension line of the third space portion.

[0036] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may be formed in a lateral direction of the upper cover.

[0037] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may be located on a vertically extending line of the reinforcement frame.

[0038] Also, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portions may be formed in the same number as the reinforcement frame.

[0039] Moreover, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion is circular.

[0040] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the second perforated portion may be provided with a mesh net.

[0041] Furthermore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the lower cover may be provided with a first perforated portion.

[0042] In addition, the present invention provides a battery pack including the battery module.

[0043] In addition, the present invention provides an energy storage system having the battery pack.

[0044] Beneficial effects

[0045] The battery module according to the present invention has the advantage that a pair of bent plates are located at opposite ends of the vertical plate so as to face each other, thereby interrupting the discharge of flames and sparks generated during thermal runaway to the outside or interrupting the movement of flames and sparks to the electrode leads, thereby preventing the outbreak of fire in the battery module.

[0046] In addition, the battery module according to the present invention has an advantage in that exhaust gas ejected during thermal runaway can be quickly discharged to the outside, and air can also be discharged together with the exhaust gas at this time, thereby preventing the generation of flames. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the battery module shown in FIG.

[0049] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a battery cell stack in a battery module shown in FIG.

[0050] Figure 4It is an exploded perspective view of the extrusion holding unit.

[0051] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure between a side cover and a bus bar holder.

[0052] Figure 6 When viewed from the front with the top cover removed Figure 1 A perspective view of a battery module shown in FIG.

[0053] Figure 7 When viewed from above with the top cover removed Figure 1 A plan view of a battery module shown in FIG.

[0054] Figure 8 are sectional views showing various modifications of the side cover.

[0055] Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing other modifications of the side cover.

[0056] Fig.10 is an external stereoscopic view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Fig.11 is an external stereoscopic view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Fig.12 is an external perspective view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Fig.13 is an external perspective view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] In the present application, it should be understood that the terms "including", "having", "comprising", etc. indicate the existence of the stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or a combination thereof, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or a combination thereof.

[0061] In addition, in all drawings, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to parts that perform similar functions or operations. In the specification, where a part is referred to as being connected to another part, the one part may not only be directly connected to the other part, but the one part may also be indirectly connected to the other part via another part. In addition, the inclusion of a particular element does not mean the exclusion of other elements, but means that such elements may be further included unless otherwise mentioned.

[0062] Hereinafter, a battery module having a pouch capable of capturing fire light and sparks ejected at the time of swelling according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the battery module shown in FIG.

[0064] As in Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the battery module according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a substantially hexahedral shape and is configured to have a structure in which a battery cell stack 200 is accommodated in a space defined inside a protective housing 100 made of a metal material. A detailed description of the battery cell stack 200 will be described below.

[0065] The protective housing 100 includes a lower cover 110 located below the battery cell stack 200 , an upper cover 120 located above the battery cell stack 200 , and a pair of side covers 130 located at sides of the battery cell stack 200 .

[0066] First, the upper cover 120 is configured to protect the upper portion of the battery cell stack 200 and is flat, and is provided with a plurality of second perforated portions 121 formed in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) in the middle portion thereof. When an accident occurs, the second perforated portion 121 serves as a passage configured to allow heat to be discharged therethrough together with the exhaust gas. In particular, when high-pressure exhaust gas is discharged, the air in the protective housing 100 is discharged together with the exhaust gas, thereby being able to prevent the outbreak of a fire.

[0067] When all conditions such as combustible materials, oxygen, and a temperature higher than the ignition point are met, a fire breaks out in the battery module. As described above, since heat is discharged to the outside together with the air in the protective housing 100 via the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120, the outbreak of the fire is suppressed. Here, the shape of each second perforated portion 121 may be circular.

[0068] Meanwhile, it is more preferred that the lower cover 110 is also provided with a first perforated portion 111 formed in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) so as to perform the same function as the second perforated portion 121 .

[0069] The pair of side covers 130 face each other while being spaced apart from each other by a distance slightly greater than a width (X-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 200 , and each of the pair of side covers 130 includes a vertical plate 131 , a horizontally extending plate 132 , and a pair of bent plates 133 .

[0070] When thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell, flames, sparks, high-pressure exhaust gas, and heat are ejected, and when oxygen and combustible materials coexist therewith, a fire breaks out or an explosion occurs.

[0071] The side cover 130 according to the present invention prevents thermal runaway products such as flames and sparks from being ejected to the outside of the protective housing 100, and guides exhaust gas and heat to be discharged through the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 and / or the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110. Since the air filled in the interior of the protective housing 100 is also discharged during this process, no flame is generated.

[0072] Specifically, the vertical plate 131 is slightly spaced apart from the battery cell stack 200 so that an air insulation layer is formed. The lower end of the vertical plate 131 is positioned to be in close contact with the lower cover 110, and the upper end of the vertical plate 131 is positioned to be in close contact with the upper cover 120. The pair of bent plates 133 are located at opposite side ends of the vertical plate 131, that is, near opposite corners of the battery cell stack 200. Each bent plate 133 is formed in an L shape that is open at one side, and the bent plates face each other.

[0073] Because the sparks and flames are captured in the space defined by the vertical plate 131 and the bent plate 133, the sparks and flames are prevented from being discharged to the outside, and the movement of the sparks and flames in the direction toward the electrode lead is restricted, thereby preventing the sparks and flames from coming into direct contact with the electrode lead.

[0074] The horizontal extension plate 132 bent outward from each of the upper and lower ends of the vertical plate 131 is provided for fastening between the lower cover 110 and the upper cover 120, and may be omitted as needed. Although the lower cover 110, the upper cover 120, and the pair of side covers 130 are shown in the drawings as being coupled to each other after being separately manufactured, the lower cover 110 and the pair of side covers 130 or the upper cover 120 and the pair of side covers 130 may be integrally manufactured, and then an assembly process may be performed.

[0075] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a battery cell stack in a battery module shown in FIG. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the extrusion holding unit, and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure between the side cover and the bus bar holder.

[0076] The battery cell stack 200 according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells 210 stacked in a vertical direction, one or more impact-absorbing spacers 220 , one or more pressing layers 230 , a bus bar holder 240 , and a bus bar 250 .

[0077] The battery cell 210 may be a pouch-shaped battery cell and include a battery cell case configured to accommodate an electrode assembly (not shown) therein and a pair of electrode leads.

[0078] Here, the electrode assembly may be a jelly roll assembly configured to have a structure in which a long sheet type positive electrode and a long sheet type negative electrode are wound with a separator interposed therebetween; a stacked assembly configured to have a structure in which a rectangular positive electrode and a rectangular negative electrode are stacked with a separator interposed therebetween; a stacked and folded assembly configured to have a structure in which a unit cell is wound using a long separator; or a laminated and stacked assembly configured to have a structure in which battery cells are stacked with a separator interposed therebetween and then attached to each other. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0079] Also, it is apparent that, in addition to a generally used liquid electrolyte, the electrolyte may be replaced by a solid electrolyte or a gel-type quasi-solid electrolyte having an intermediate phase between a liquid and a solid obtained by adding an additive to a solid electrolyte.

[0080] The electrode assembly is housed in a cell housing, and the cell housing is generally constructed to have a laminated sheet structure including an inner layer, a metal layer and an outer layer. The inner layer is placed in direct contact with the electrode assembly, so the inner layer should exhibit high insulation and high resistance to the electrolyte. In addition, the inner layer should exhibit high sealing properties, thereby hermetically sealing the battery cell housing from the outside, that is, the thermal bonding seal between the inner layers should exhibit excellent thermal bonding strength. The inner layer can be made of a material selected from the following: a polyolefin resin, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene acrylate or polybutylene; a polyurethane resin; and a polyimide resin, which exhibits excellent chemical resistance and high sealability. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and polypropylene is most preferably used, which exhibits excellent mechanical and physical properties (such as tensile strength, stiffness, surface hardness and impact resistance) and excellent chemical resistance.

[0081] The metal layer disposed adjacent to the inner layer corresponds to a barrier layer configured to prevent moisture or various gases from penetrating into the battery from the outside. An aluminum thin film that is light and can be easily formed can be used as a preferred material for the metal layer.

[0082] The outer layer is disposed on the other surface of the metal layer. The outer layer may be made of a heat-resistant polymer exhibiting excellent tensile strength, moisture permeability resistance, and air permeability resistance, so that the outer layer exhibits high heat resistance and chemical resistance while protecting the electrode assembly. As an example, the outer layer may be made of nylon or polyethylene terephthalate. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0083] At the same time, the pair of electrode leads consists of a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead, which can be exposed to the outside from the battery cell housing while being electrically connected to the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab of the battery cell assembly, respectively, or can be directly connected to the battery cell assembly while omitting the tab.

[0084] The one or more impact-absorbing spacers 220 may be located on one or more of the upper and lower portions of the stacked battery cells 210, and may be interposed between the battery cells 210 as needed. The impact-absorbing spacers 220 may be made of a material that easily changes volume according to an applied external force, such as a sponge or a nonwoven fabric.

[0085] The pressing layer 230 including the pressing gasket 231 and the reinforcing frame 232 presses one or more of the upper and lower parts of the stacked battery cells 210. In the case where the impact absorbing gasket 220 is installed, the pressing layer 230 is located outside the impact absorbing gasket 220 to uniformly press all surfaces of the battery cells 210. In addition, the pressing layer prevents electrical conduction between the protective case 100 made of a metal material and the battery cells 210.

[0086] Here, it is preferred that a recess 231' is provided in one surface of the compression gasket 231, and the recess 231' is recessed to have a predetermined depth and width in the lateral direction (X-axis direction), and it is more preferred that a plurality of recesses are provided in one surface of the compression gasket 231, and the plurality of recesses are formed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction), and it is most preferred that the reinforcement frame 232 is disposed in the recess 231', and the reinforcement frame 232 is bent in a state where one side thereof is open to have a predetermined shape, so that the cross-section of the reinforcement frame is substantially "V", "U" or shape, and the reinforcement frame 232 is made of metal material.

[0087] The compression gasket 231 may be made of plastic to achieve light weight and insulation of the battery module. However, when swelling occurs, the compression gasket 231 melts due to high temperature, thereby the battery cell 210 is in close contact with the inner surfaces of the lower cover 110 and the upper cover 120.

[0088] As a result, it is difficult for exhaust gas to move to the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110 and the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 , which may hinder rapid discharge of air and heat, and thus the possibility of fire outbreak may increase.

[0089] However, when a reinforcement frame 232 made of a metal material is installed, even if the compression gasket 231 melts, a certain space can be set between the lower cover 110 and the battery cell 210 and between the upper cover 120 and the battery cell 210 due to the reinforcement frame 232, thereby enabling the air to be quickly discharged to the outside together with the exhaust gas.

[0090] The bus bar 250 configured to electrically connect the leads of the battery cells 210 to each other is a flat metal plate having slits formed therein through which the leads extend.

[0091] The bus bar holder 240 includes: a flat main plate 241 having one or more slits formed therein; wings 242 connected to vertical ends on opposite sides of the main plate 241; and an auxiliary plate 243 configured to connect a pair of wings 242 to each other. Here, it is preferred that each wing 242 is bent into a predetermined shape so as to come into close contact with a corresponding one of the bent plates 133.

[0092] The assembly process of the battery module having the above-mentioned construction will be briefly described. A battery cell stack 200 is prepared in which a reinforcing frame 232, a shock absorbing gasket 220, a plurality of battery cells 210, the shock absorbing gasket 220, and the reinforcing frame 232 are stacked in this order, and the leads of the battery cells 210 extend through the slits of the bus bar holder 240 made of an insulating material.

[0093] Subsequently, the electrode leads extend through the slits of the bus bar 250 , are bent, and are fixed using a known bonding method such as welding.

[0094] The battery cell stack 200 prepared as described above is housed so as to be wrapped by the lower cover 110 , the upper cover 120 , and the pair of side covers 130 .

[0095] At this time, the bent plate 133 of the side cover 130 forms a close contact with the wing portion 242 of the bus bar holder 240, and the main board 241 is slightly recessed in the direction toward the electrode lead. Of course, the bus bar holder 240 performs the function of covering the front and rear surfaces of the battery module.

[0096] Figure 6 When viewed from the front with the top cover removed Figure 1 A perspective view of a battery module shown in FIG. Figure 7 When viewed from above with the top cover removed Figure 1 A plan view of a battery module shown in FIG.

[0097] refer to Figure 6 to Figure 7 , the fire suppression of the battery module according to the present invention will be described in detail by describing the process of fire, sparks, exhaust and heat movement when an event such as thermal runaway occurs.

[0098] The battery module according to the present invention further includes first to third space portions S1 to S3 provided together with the above-mentioned bending plate 133. Specifically, the first space portion S1 and the second space portion S2 are formed between a pair of bending plates 133, and the third space portion S3 is formed between the vertical side surface in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell stack 200 and the vertical plate 131.

[0099] For example, suppose thermal runaway occurs at Figure 6 to Figure 7 If the fire or sparks are on the right side of a specific battery cell 210 in the interrupted state, the fire or sparks are collected in one or more of the first to third space parts S1 to S3 located on the right side, and in particular, are collected in the first space part S1 and the second space part S2. Therefore, the fire or sparks cannot move to the front or rear of the battery cell 210 where the bus bar is located, and cannot move to the left side of the battery cell 210.

[0100] Meanwhile, since the protective housing 100 and the battery cell stack 200 are not maintained in a completely airtight state, the generated exhaust gas moves to the first space portion S1 at the front and the second space portion S2 at the rear and is then discharged to the vicinity of the bus bar holder 240 .

[0101] Of course, some exhaust gas moves upward or downward along the vertical plate 131, moves to the space portion inside the reinforcing frame 232, and is discharged to the outside through the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 and the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110. At this time, it is obvious that heat is discharged to the outside through the above path together with the exhaust gas.

[0102] As a result, even when an accident occurs in any one of the battery cells, air is discharged to the outside together with the exhaust gas, whereby in the protective housing, oxygen necessary for ignition is insufficient and combustible materials are captured without being discharged to the outside. Furthermore, when the air is discharged, heat is discharged together with the air, whereby the temperature of the battery cell is maintained below the ignition point, thereby being able to prevent the outbreak of fire.

[0103] Figure 8 are cross-sectional views showing various modifications of the side cover, and Fig. 9 2 is a cross-sectional view showing other variations of the side cover. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 1 , the bent plate 133 of the side cover 130 may be deformed to capture fire and sparks. That is, instead of the L-shaped cross section according to the first preferred embodiment, the bent plate 133 may be configured to be bent at various angles, or may include a bent portion. For example, the horizontal cross section of the bent plate may be deformed to have a or However, the cross-section of the bent plate is not limited to the above shapes as long as the same purpose and function can be achieved.

[0104] Of course, in this case, it is obvious that the bus bar holder 240 can also be deformed to correspond to the outer shape of the deformed bent plate 133 .

[0105] Fig.10 1 is an external stereoscopic view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery module according to the second embodiment is identical in construction to the battery module according to the first embodiment except for the external shapes of the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 and the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110.

[0106] The first perforated portion 111 and the second perforated portion 121 according to the second embodiment may be formed so that circular holes and rectangular slits are arranged alternately. Of course, the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 may be formed so that circular holes and rectangular slits are arranged alternately, while the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110 may be formed only as circular holes, or vice versa.

[0107] Fig.11 1 is an external stereoscopic view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery module according to the third embodiment is identical in construction to the battery module according to the first embodiment except for the external shape and position of the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 and the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110.

[0108] The first perforated portion 111 and the second perforated portion 121 according to the third embodiment are formed as rectangular slits. Preferably, the first perforated portion and the second perforated portion are located in the lateral direction of the upper cover, specifically, along the vertical extension line of the reinforcement frame 232, so that exhaust and air can be quickly discharged to the outside, and more preferably, the first perforated portion and the second perforated portion are formed in the same number as the reinforcement frame 232.

[0109] Of course, only the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 may be formed only as a rectangular slit, and the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110 may be formed only as a circular hole, or vice versa.

[0110] Meanwhile, the first perforated portion 111 and / or the second perforated portion 121 may be further provided with a mesh net. When the mesh net 121 (a) is installed, relatively large-sized thermal runaway products (such as flames and sparks) can be suppressed from being ejected from the upper cover 120 and / or the lower cover 110.

[0111] Fig.12 1 is an external stereoscopic view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery module according to the fourth embodiment is identical in construction to the battery module according to the third embodiment except for the external shape and position of the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120.

[0112] The second perforated portion 121 according to the fourth embodiment is formed in the shape of a rectangular slit. In particular, it is preferred that the second perforated portion 121 is positioned so that a plurality of second perforated portions 121 are located in the longitudinal direction of the upper cover, specifically along the vertical extension line of the third space portion S3 formed by the vertical plate 131 of the side cover 130 and the battery cell stack 200 being spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance, so that exhaust gas and air can be quickly discharged to the outside, and it is more preferred that the second perforated portion 121 is further provided with a mesh net 121 (a). Although not shown in the figure, it is obvious that the first perforated portion 111 of the lower cover 110 may also be further provided with a mesh net.

[0113] Fig.13 is an external perspective view of the battery module when viewed in a direction toward one side of the battery module according to the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] The battery module according to the fifth preferred embodiment has a combination of the second perforated portion 121 of the upper cover 120 according to the third embodiment and the second perforated portion 121 according to the fourth embodiment, and its shape and position are the same as above. Therefore, its description will be omitted.

[0115] A plurality of battery modules each having the above-described configuration may be placed side by side, or may be stacked in a vertical direction.

[0116] In addition, the battery module having the above-described structure may be housed in a separate housing to constitute a single battery pack, and the battery module or battery pack may be used in various facilities or devices including large-capacity power sources, such as energy storage systems, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

[0117] Although the specific details of the present invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the detailed description of the present invention only discloses the preferred embodiments of the present invention and therefore does not limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and technical ideas of the present invention, and it will be apparent that such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0118] Description of Reference Numerals

[0119] 100: Protective housing

[0120] 110: Lower cover

[0121] 111: First perforation

[0122] 120: Upper cover

[0123] 121: Second perforated portion 121(a): Mesh net

[0124] 130: Side cover

[0125] 131: vertical plate 132: horizontal extension plate

[0126] 133: Bending plate

[0127] 200: Battery cell stack

[0128] 210: Battery Cell

[0129] 220: Impact absorbing pad

[0130] 230: Extrusion layer

[0131] 231: compression gasket 231': recess

[0132] 232: Enhanced Framework

[0133] 240: Busbar retainer

[0134] 241: Main board 242: Wing

[0135] 243: Auxiliary board

[0136] 250: Busbar

[0137] S1: First space S2: Second space

[0138] S3: The Third Space Department

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: a battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a vertical direction; and a protective housing configured to house the battery cell stack, wherein: The protective housing includes a lower cover located below the battery cell stack, an upper cover located above the battery cell stack, and a pair of side covers located at sides of the battery cell stack, and Each of the side covers is provided at the inner side thereof with a structure configured to interrupt the movement of the fire light and sparks ejected during the heave, The battery cell stack includes an extrusion layer located on at least one of an upper portion and a lower portion of the stacked battery cells, and the extrusion layer includes an extrusion gasket and a reinforcement frame.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The side cover comprises: a vertical plate having a lower end positioned in close contact with the lower cover and an upper end positioned in close contact with the upper cover; and A pair of bent plates are formed at opposite side end portions of the vertical plate in a state of facing each other so as to be bent and / or curved in a predetermined shape.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The vertical plate of the side cover and the battery cell stack are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to form a third space portion.

4. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The battery cell stack further includes: a bus bar configured to allow positive electrode leads and negative electrode leads of the battery cells to be connected thereto; and A pair of bus bar holders are respectively interposed between the positive electrode lead and the bus bar and between the negative electrode lead and the bus bar.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein: Each of the bus bar holders comprises: a planar main plate having one or more slits formed therein; and Wings are connected to vertical ends on opposite sides of the main board.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein: Each of the wing portions is bent to have a predetermined shape.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: A recess is provided in one surface of the compression gasket, and The reinforcement frame is seated in the recess.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The compression gasket is located on each of the upper and lower portions of the stacked battery cells, The concave portion of the pressing gasket located on the upper portion of the stacked battery cells faces upward, and The concave portion of the pressing gasket located on the lower portion of the stacked battery cells faces downward.

9. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein: The recess and the reinforcement frame have the same vertical cross-sectional shape.

10. The battery module according to claim 9, wherein: Each of the recess and the reinforcement frame has a "∨" shape, a "∪" shape, or The vertical cross-sectional shape of the shape.

11. The battery module according to claim 8, wherein: The extruded gasket is made of insulating plastic material, and The reinforcement frame is made of metal material.

12. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein: The upper cover is provided with a second perforated portion.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The second perforated portion has a rectangular slit shape.

14. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The second perforated portion is formed in a longitudinal direction of the upper cover.

15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein: The second perforated portion is located on a vertical extension line of the third space portion.

16. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The second perforated portion is formed in a lateral direction of the upper cover.

17. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein: The second perforated portion is located on a vertical extension line of the reinforcement frame.

18. The battery module according to claim 16, wherein: The second perforated portions are formed in the same number as the reinforcement frames.

19. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The second perforated portion is circular.

20. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein: The second perforated portion is provided with a mesh net.

21. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The lower cover is provided with a first perforated portion.

22. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. An energy storage system having the battery pack according to claim 22.

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