Battery pack housing and battery pack and device comprising the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack case including a lower case in which a plurality of battery cells are accommodated and an upper cover located on an upper portion of the lower case and coupled to the lower case so as to suppress fire spread when a fire breaks out in the battery pack. The lower case includes a lower case fastening portion protruding and extending outward from a boundary, the upper cover includes an upper cover fastening portion protruding and extending from a boundary, and the upper cover fastening portion is coupled to the lower case fastening portion, and the upper cover fastening portion includes a first curved portion of which an end portion is curved downward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0135104, filed on October 19, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack housing, the battery pack housing including a curved portion formed at the end of an upper cover fastening portion and an extended portion formed at the end of a lower housing fastening portion, to prevent the introduction of oxygen, thereby suppressing the spread of fire. Background Technology

[0003] With the technological advancements and increasing demand for mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras, research into rechargeable and dischargeable secondary batteries has been actively pursued. Furthermore, secondary batteries, as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels that contribute to air pollution, have been applied to electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-EVs), and energy storage systems (ESS).

[0004] Currently, lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries are widely used as secondary batteries. The operating voltage of a single secondary battery cell (i.e., a single battery cell) is approximately 2.0V to 5.0V. Therefore, when an output voltage higher than the above operating voltage is required, multiple battery cells can be connected in series to form a battery cell assembly. Furthermore, depending on the required output voltage or charge and discharge capacity, battery cell assemblies can be connected in series or parallel to form a battery module. Typically, a battery pack is manufactured using at least one battery module by adding additional components.

[0005] However, ensuring safety is crucial because lithium-ion batteries pose a risk of explosion or fire due to overheating. If this anomaly is not addressed initially, it can spread to adjacent batteries, potentially causing significant damage to the battery pack.

[0006] In addition, battery packs are typically manufactured as structures with multiple battery cells and various components housed within a battery pack casing.

[0007] Figure 1 This is a simplified perspective view of a conventional battery pack housing 1. The conventional battery pack housing 1 includes a lower housing 20 configured to accommodate multiple battery cells, an upper cover 10 connected to the lower housing 20 to form the battery pack housing 1 together with the lower housing, and a fastening device 30 configured to connect the lower housing 20 and the upper cover 10 to each other.

[0008] Furthermore, the upper cover fastening portion 11 is formed at the edge of the upper cover 10 in a protruding and extending state, the lower housing fastening portion 21 is formed at the lower housing 20 so as to have a shape corresponding to the upper cover fastening portion, and the upper cover 10 and the lower housing 20 are connected to each other via fastening devices 30 (e.g., bolts and nuts).

[0009] However, even with the tightening as described above, a complete airtight seal cannot be achieved at the joint where the upper cover 10 and the lower housing 20 are connected to each other.

[0010] Therefore, when a fire occurs in the conventional battery pack housing 1, due to the instantaneous pressure difference between the inside and outside of the conventional battery pack housing, external oxygen is suddenly introduced through the tiny gap in the joint between the lower housing 20 and the upper cover 10, which may cause the fire to spread and, in severe cases, may cause an explosion.

[0011] To solve this sealing problem, the entire joint can be sealed with a sealing component. However, this requires additional processing, increasing costs. Furthermore, it is difficult to separate the lower housing 20 and the upper cover 10 from each other after sealing. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Technical issues

[0013] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack housing including a curved portion formed at the end of the upper cover fastening portion and an extended portion formed at the end of the lower housing fastening portion, thereby preventing the introduction of oxygen and thus suppressing the spread of fire.

[0014] Technical solution

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, a battery pack housing according to the present invention includes: a lower housing configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells; and an upper cover located on the lower housing for being coupled to the lower housing to suppress the spread of fire in the event of a fire in the battery pack, wherein the lower housing includes a lower housing fastening portion formed at an edge of the lower housing to protrude and extend outward, the upper cover includes an upper cover fastening portion formed at an edge of the upper cover to protrude and extend outward, the upper cover fastening portion being coupled to the lower housing fastening portion, and the upper cover fastening portion including a first curved portion formed by downward bending of the end of the upper cover fastening portion.

[0016] Furthermore, the battery pack housing according to the invention may also include a fastening device configured to connect the lower housing and the upper cover to each other.

[0017] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the present invention, the fastening device may be a bolt and a nut.

[0018] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the invention, the fastening device is inserted through a through hole formed in the upper cover fastening portion and a through hole formed in the lower housing fastening portion to fasten the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion to each other.

[0019] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the present invention, the lower housing fastening portion may include an extension portion formed by bending the end of the lower housing fastening portion in the same direction as the first bending portion, and the extension portion is located at a position corresponding to the first bending portion.

[0020] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the invention, the top cover fastening portion may also include a second curved portion formed at the end of the first curved portion so as to bend from the first curved portion in a direction toward the center of the battery pack housing.

[0021] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the invention, each of the first curved portion and the extended portion may be made of thermoplastic.

[0022] Furthermore, in the battery pack housing according to the invention, the second curved portion may be made of thermoplastic.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery pack according to the present invention includes one of the battery pack housings according to the present invention.

[0024] Furthermore, the device according to the invention includes a battery pack according to the invention.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] The advantage of the battery pack housing according to the present invention is that a curved portion is provided at the end of the upper cover fastening portion and an extended portion is provided at the end of the lower housing fastening portion, thereby preventing the introduction of oxygen from the outside and suppressing the flame from escaping to the outside when the battery pack catches fire.

[0027] Furthermore, the advantage of the battery pack housing according to the present invention is that it improves the airtightness between the inside and outside of the battery pack housing even without adding a separate sealing process.

[0028] Furthermore, the battery pack housing according to the present invention has the advantage that the degree of connection between the upper cover and the lower housing is increased due to the curved portion provided at the upper cover fastening portion and the extended portion provided at the lower housing fastening portion, thereby increasing the mechanical stiffness against vibration and impact. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a simplified perspective view of a conventional battery pack casing.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a perspective view that briefly illustrates a battery pack housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprising," "having," "including," etc., indicate the presence of the stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0034] Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to indicate parts that perform similar functions or operations. Where a part is referred to in the specification as being connected to another part, this means not only that the one part can be directly connected to the other part, but also that the one part can be indirectly connected to the other part via the other part. Moreover, including one element does not mean excluding other elements, but rather means that these elements may be further included, unless otherwise specified.

[0035] In the following description, the battery pack housing according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a perspective view that briefly illustrates a battery pack housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] When reference Figure 2 When describing the battery pack housing 1000 according to the present invention, the battery pack housing 1000 includes a lower housing 200 and an upper cover 100. The lower housing 200 is configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells constituting a battery pack and various components. The upper cover 100 is connected to the lower housing 200 so as to form the battery pack housing 1000 together with the lower housing.

[0038] Generally, based on the shape of the casing, battery cells used to manufacture battery packs can be classified as cylindrical battery cells, prismatic battery cells, or pouch battery cells. The battery pack casing 1000 according to the present invention can be used to manufacture various battery packs without limiting the shape of the battery cells.

[0039] In addition, the battery pack housing 1000 also includes a fastening device 300 configured to connect the lower housing 200 and the upper cover 100 to each other.

[0040] In this invention, bolts and nuts that can mechanically connect the lower housing 200 and the upper cover 100 to each other can be used as fastening devices 300. However, the invention is not limited to this, and various known fastening devices can be used.

[0041] Furthermore, although Figure 2 The illustration briefly shows non-essential components that describe the features of the battery pack housing 1000 according to the invention, but the battery pack housing 1000 according to the invention can generally have various structures such that various components, such as means for connection to external devices or cooling devices, are arranged inside or outside the battery pack.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] When reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In describing the structure of the battery pack housing 1000 according to the present invention in more detail, the upper cover fastening portion 110a is formed at the edge of the upper cover 100 in a state of protruding outward and extending, and the lower housing fastening portion 210a is formed at the edge of the lower housing 200 in a state of protruding outward and extending, corresponding to the upper cover fastening portion.

[0044] Therefore, the lower housing fastening portion 210a is located at the upper cover fastening portion 110a, and then the lower housing 200 and the upper cover 100 are connected to each other using the fastening device 300.

[0045] When the bolt and nut are used as fastening devices 300, the bolt is inserted through a plurality of through holes formed in each of the upper cover fastening portion 110a and the lower housing fastening portion 210a, and then the nut is fastened to the bolt, thereby connecting the lower housing 200 and the upper cover 100 to each other.

[0046] However, even with the fastening device 300, a complete airtight seal cannot be achieved. Therefore, as... Figure 3 As shown, the battery pack housing 1000 according to the present invention is provided with a first curved portion 111a and an extension portion 211a. The first curved portion 111a is formed by bending the end of the upper cover fastening portion 110a downward, and the extension portion 211a is formed by bending the end of the lower housing fastening portion 210a downward to correspond to the first curved portion 111a.

[0047] When a fire occurs in the battery pack housing 1000, compared to a conventional battery pack housing, it is difficult to introduce oxygen into the battery pack housing due to the presence of the first curved portion 111a and the extension portion 211a.

[0048] As a result, the spread of flame caused by the introduction of oxygen from the outside can be suppressed, and the flame in the battery pack casing can be prevented from being directly emitted to the outside.

[0049] Furthermore, when the first curved portion 111a and the extended portion 211a are formed, there is no need for an additional sealing process to airtightly seal the battery pack housing 1000, and the upper cover 100 and the lower housing 200 can be easily separated from each other by simply removing the fastening device.

[0050] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, the battery pack housing 1000 according to the invention may further include a second curved portion formed at the end of the first curved portion 111b, so as to bend from the first curved portion 111b in a direction toward the center of the battery pack housing 1000.

[0052] As described above, when a second curved portion 112 is provided at the upper cover fastening portion 110b in addition to the first curved portion 111b, it is more difficult to form an oxygen introduction path, thereby more effectively preventing the introduction of oxygen from the outside.

[0053] In addition, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the upper cover fastening portion 110a or 110b and the lower housing fastening portion 210a or 210b, which are connected to each other via fastening device 300, are fastened to each other in contact with each other.

[0054] Additionally, the first curved portion 111a or 111b and the extension portion 211a or 211b, as well as the second curved portion 112 and the extension portion 211b, can be configured to contact each other when fastened.

[0055] Additionally, in the battery housing 1000 according to the invention, each of the first curved portion 111a or 111b, the second curved portion 112, and the extension portion 211a or 211b may be made of a material that is thermally and plastically deformed during ignition or a material that melts at part or all of its contact surface, such as thermoplastic.

[0056] In this case, the gap between the first curved portion 111a or 111b and the extension portion 211a or 211b, as well as the gap between the second curved portion 112 and the extension portion 211b, are sealed by molten material, thereby preventing the introduction of oxygen from the outside.

[0057] Furthermore, the entirety of the upper cover fastening portion 110a or 110b and the lower housing fastening portion 210a or 210b can be made of this material, rather than only the first curved portion 111a or 111b, the second curved portion 112, and the extension portion 211a or 211b being made of this material, wherein the first curved portion 111a or 111b, the second curved portion 112, and the extension portion 211a or 211b are the ends of the upper cover fastening portion 110a or 110b and the lower housing fastening portion 210a or 210b.

[0058] Alternatively, the entire cover 100 may be made of a material that is heat- and plastically deformable during ignition (e.g., thermoplastic), thereby preventing the introduction of oxygen from the outside due to deformation of the cover.

[0059] As mentioned above, when the entire cover 100 is made of the same material, the cover 100 can be manufactured more easily using a variety of known plastic processing methods.

[0060] In addition, as described above, when structures such as the first curved portion 111a or 111b, the second curved portion 112, or the extension portion 211a or 211b are added to the battery pack housing 1000, the degree of connection between the upper cover 100 and the lower housing 200 is increased, thereby increasing the mechanical stiffness against vibration and impact.

[0061] Furthermore, multiple battery cells can be housed in the fire-resistant battery pack housing 1000 according to the present invention, and various components configured to control the operation of the battery cells can be added to manufacture the battery pack.

[0062] Battery packs manufactured as described above are commonly used as power sources for various devices, such as electronic devices and electric vehicles.

[0063] Although the specific details of the invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that the detailed description only discloses preferred embodiments of the invention and therefore does not limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and technical spirit of the invention, and that such changes and modifications obviously fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0064] (Description of reference symbols)

[0065] 1000: Battery pack casing

[0066] 100: Top Cover

[0067] 110, 110a, 110b: Top cover fastening parts

[0068] 111a, 111b: First curved section

[0069] 112: Second bend

[0070] 200: Lower housing

[0071] 210a, 210b: Lower shell fastening parts

[0072] 211a, 211b: Extended sections

[0073] 300: Fastening device

Claims

1. A battery pack housing, the battery pack housing comprising: Lower housing, the lower housing being configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells; as well as The upper cover is located on the lower housing so as to be attached to the lower housing. The lower housing includes a lower housing fastening portion, which is formed at the edge of the lower housing to protrude and extend outward. The upper cover includes an upper cover fastening portion formed at the edge of the upper cover to project and extend outwards, and the upper cover fastening portion is connected to the lower housing fastening portion. The upper cover fastening portion includes a first curved portion formed by the downward bending of the end of the upper cover fastening portion. The lower housing fastening portion includes an extension portion, which is formed by bending the end of the lower housing fastening portion in the same direction as the first bent portion. The extension portion is located at a position corresponding to the first bent portion. Each of the first curved portion and the extended portion is made of a material that is plastically deformed by the heat generated during ignition or a material that melts at part or all of its contact surface.

2. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, further comprising a fastening device configured to connect the lower housing and the upper cover to each other.

3. The battery pack housing according to claim 2, wherein, The fastening device is a bolt and a nut.

4. The battery pack housing according to claim 2, wherein, The fastening device is inserted through a through hole formed in the upper cover fastening portion and a through hole formed in the lower housing fastening portion to fasten the upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion to each other.

5. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, wherein, The top cover fastening portion also includes a second curved portion formed at the end of the first curved portion, so as to bend from the first curved portion in a direction toward the center of the battery pack housing.

6. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the first curved portion and the extended portion is made of thermoplastic.

7. The battery pack housing according to claim 5, wherein, The second curved portion is made of thermoplastic.

8. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, wherein, The upper cover fastening portion and the lower housing fastening portion are both made of thermoplastic plastic.

9. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, wherein, The entire top cover is made of thermoplastic.

10. A battery pack comprising a battery pack housing according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. An apparatus comprising a battery pack, said battery pack being the battery pack according to claim 10.

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