Battery pack

Abstract

A battery pack that inhibits intrusion of foreign matter from the outside into a battery cell. The battery pack (20) includes a battery module (30) in which a plurality of battery cells (31) each having a gas vent valve (31a) are stacked, a gas vent passage (32) that connects the gas vent valves (31a) of the plurality of battery cells (31), and a battery case (60) that houses the battery module (30) and the gas vent passage (32), and the battery pack (20) is capable of discharging gas from the gas vent passage (32) to the outside of the battery case (60). A check valve (33) is provided inside the battery case (60), and the check valve allows gas to flow from the gas vent valve (31a) to the outside of the battery case (60) and restricts intrusion of foreign matter from the outside of the battery case (60).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery pack mounted in vehicles and the like. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, efforts to achieve a low-carbon or decarbonized society have become increasingly active as a concrete countermeasure to global climate change. For vehicles, there is also a strong demand for CO2 emission reduction, and the electrification of power sources is developing rapidly. Specifically, the development of vehicles such as electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles is underway, with the following components: an electric motor as the vehicle's power source; and a battery as a secondary battery that supplies power to the electric motor.

[0003] The vehicle is equipped with a battery pack, which comprises a stack of multiple battery cells. This battery pack has a structure that allows gas generated within a battery cell to be released to the outside of the battery cell when the internal pressure rises above a predetermined value due to some anomaly. Specifically, each battery cell has a vent valve, which releases gas from the vent valve through a channel to the outside of the battery pack when the internal pressure of the gas generated within the battery cell rises above a predetermined value.

[0004] The power supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes: a battery block having multiple individual cells with vent valves stacked on top of each other; a housing for housing the battery block; a discharge channel connected to the discharge opening of the vent valves to discharge gas generated inside the individual cells to the outside; and a check valve connected to the discharge channel via a gas pipe. The check valve opens to discharge gas generated inside the individual cells to the outside, while preventing backflow from the outside.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-18726 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] In the power supply device of Patent Document 1, the check valve is located on the lower side beam of the vehicle. Furthermore, the gas pipe connecting the check valve to the battery pack is not housed within the casing, but protrudes outside and inside the vehicle. Therefore, the exposed gas pipe is susceptible to damage. If the gas pipe breaks, foreign objects may enter the battery pack without passing through the check valve.

[0010] This invention provides a battery pack that prevents foreign objects from entering the battery cell from the outside.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] The battery pack of the first aspect of the present invention comprises:

[0013] A unit stack, which has multiple battery units with vent valves stacked on top of each other;

[0014] A venting channel, which connects to the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells; and

[0015] The battery casing houses the unit stack and the venting channel.

[0016] The battery pack is able to discharge gas from the venting channel to the outside of the battery casing.

[0017] A check valve is provided inside the battery casing. This check valve allows the gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of the battery casing.

[0018] Furthermore, the battery pack according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises:

[0019] The first battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction.

[0020] A first venting channel is connected in the first battery module to the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells;

[0021] The second battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction.

[0022] A second venting channel, which connects to the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells in the second battery module; and

[0023] The battery casing houses the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel.

[0024] The battery pack is capable of venting gas to the outside of the battery casing through the first venting channel and the second venting channel.

[0025] A check valve is provided inside the battery casing. This check valve allows the gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of the battery casing.

[0026] Invention Effects

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell from the outside. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a 3D view of the area around the rear seats of vehicle V, which is equipped with battery pack 20, viewed from a slightly upward angle in front.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle V near the battery pack 20, viewed from the left.

[0030] Figure 3 This is an exploded 3D view of battery pack 20.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the gas discharge structure, viewed from a slightly above and rearward angle, showing the gas generated inside the battery cell 31 being discharged to the outside of the battery casing 60.

[0032] Figure 5 Is Figure 4 The diagram shows the state of the battery pack 20 with the cover 65 installed.

[0033] Figure 6 It is an enlarged representation Figure 4 Enlarged view of the check valve retaining part 35.

[0034] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A sectional view of section VII-VII in the diagram.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0036] 20 battery pack

[0037] 30 (30A, 30B) Battery Module (Unit Stack)

[0038] 31 battery cells

[0039] 31a vent valve

[0040] 32 (32A, 32B) Venting Channel

[0041] 33 Check Valve

[0042] 34 tubes

[0043] 34A, 34B upstream side pipes

[0044] 34C downstream side pipe

[0045] 35 Check Valve Retaining Section

[0046] 60 battery casing

[0047] 61. Base plate (shell body)

[0048] 64 support components

[0049] 65 masks. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the battery pack of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the battery pack is mounted in a vehicle. The drawings are viewed according to the orientation indicated by the reference numerals. Furthermore, in this specification and the like, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the directions of front-back, left-right, and up-down are described according to the direction observed by the driver of the vehicle. In the drawings, the front of the vehicle is denoted as Fr, the rear as Rr, the left as L, the right as R, the top as U, and the bottom as D.

[0051] <Vehicles>

[0052] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the battery pack 20 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle V. The vehicle V is an electric vehicle such as a hybrid electric vehicle or an electric vehicle, configured to drive a motor using the electricity stored in the battery pack 20. The battery pack 20 is placed on and fixed to the floor 10. The rear seats RS of the vehicle V are positioned above the battery pack 20.

[0053] The floor 10 includes a front floor 11, which forms the floor portion of the passenger compartment CB; and a rear floor 12, which forms the floor portion of the luggage compartment LG located at the rear of the passenger compartment CB. The front floor 11 and the rear floor 12 are connected below the rear seats RS. The two ends of the floor 10 in the vehicle width direction are connected to a pair of left and right frame members (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction, thereby fixing the floor 10 to the frame members.

[0054] An upwardly curved portion 11a is formed at the rear end of the front floor 11. In addition, a central passage 11b is formed in the longitudinal direction at the center of the front floor 11 in the vehicle width direction. The central passage 11b curves upward from the front floor 11, forming a trapezoidal passage space 13 below.

[0055] A storage recess 121 is provided at the front end of the rear floor 12. The storage recess 121 has a bottom wall portion 121a with a long quadrilateral shape in the vehicle width direction, and the battery pack 20 is placed on the bottom wall portion 121a.

[0056] <Overall Structure of the Battery Pack>

[0057] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the battery pack 20 includes: a battery module 30; a cooling device 40 in which cooling gas flows to cool the battery module 30; a battery control device 51 that controls the charging and discharging of the battery module 30; a terminal block 52 that electrically connects the battery module 30 to an external device (not shown) and is equipped with wiring components for supplying charging and discharging power to the battery module 30; a maintenance plug 53 that can cut off the power flowing through the terminal block 52; and a battery housing 60 that houses these components. The battery housing 60 includes: a base plate 61 that holds the battery module 30 and the cooling device 40; and a cover 65 that covers the top of the receiving recess 121. Additionally, in Figure 3 In the section on the gas exhaust structure around the battery module described later, the structure other than the venting channel 32 is omitted.

[0058] The battery pack 20 includes a front frame 81 and a rear frame 82 fixed to the base plate 61. The front frame 81 is fixed to the upper bend 11a of the front floor 11, and the rear frame 82 is fixed to the front end of the rear floor 12 (see reference). Figure 2 The base plate 61 is placed on the bottom wall portion 121a of the receiving recess 121 recessed at the front end of the rear floor 12.

[0059] The base plate 61 has: a bottom wall portion 62 that covers the battery module 30 and the cooling device 40 disposed on the right side of the battery module 30 below; and a side wall portion 63 that curves upward from the front, rear, left, and right outer edges of the bottom wall portion 62, surrounds the front, rear, left, and right outer edges of the bottom wall portion 62, and extends in the vertical direction. The side wall portion 63 has: a front wall portion 63a that curves upward from the front edge of the bottom wall portion 62; a rear wall portion 63b that curves upward from the rear edge of the bottom wall portion 62; a left wall portion 63c that curves upward from the left edge of the bottom wall portion 62; and a right wall portion 63d that curves upward from the right edge of the bottom wall portion 62.

[0060] The battery module 30 includes a battery module 30A positioned at the front and a battery module 30B positioned at the rear. The battery modules 30A and 30B each have a generally rectangular shape that is longer in the width direction of the vehicle and are arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction.

[0061] Each battery module 30A and 30B has multiple battery cells 31 stacked in the vehicle width direction. For example... Figure 2As shown, each battery cell 31 has a roughly rectangular shape with the shortest width in the vehicle direction, and when viewed from the vehicle width direction, it has a long side extending in the vertical direction and a short side extending in the longitudinal direction. The battery cells 31 of each battery module 30A and 30B are configured such that the short side extends in the longitudinal direction and the long side extends in the vertical direction. By arranging the two battery modules 30A and 30B with their short sides continuous, compared to arranging them with their long sides continuous, the increase in size in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be suppressed. The two battery modules 30A and 30B are fixed to the base plate 61 via the left battery module bracket 71 and the right battery module bracket. The right battery module bracket is not shown in the diagram.

[0062] The cooling device 40, the terminal block 52, and the maintenance plug 53 are located on the right side of the battery module 30.

[0063] The cooling device 40 includes: a fan 41 that blows out cooling gas to cool the battery module 30; an inlet channel 42 that introduces the cooling gas into the fan 41; and an outlet channel 43 that sends the cooling gas blown out from the fan 41 in a desired direction.

[0064] The battery control device 51 is positioned opposite the upper surface of each battery module 30A, 30B, in a manner that spans across the two battery modules 30A, 30B arranged in the same direction. The battery control device 51 is supported by a battery control device bracket 72.

[0065] The terminal block 52 is positioned above the cooling unit 40. The terminal block 52 is supported by a terminal block bracket 73 extending above the inlet channel 42.

[0066] The maintenance plug 53 is located on the wiring component that electrically connects an external device (not shown) to the junction box 52, and is a plug that can be manually inserted and removed. When the maintenance plug 53 is inserted, the external device (not shown) is electrically connected to the junction box 52; when the maintenance plug 53 is removed, the external device (not shown) is electrically disconnected from the junction box 52.

[0067] The cover 65 is fixed to the floor 10. On the front side of the cover 65, a first opening 65a, cut out in the shape of the inlet 42a of the inlet channel 42, and a second opening 65b located to the right of the first opening 65a are formed. Cooling gas is introduced into the storage space 21 of the battery pack 20 through the first opening 65a. A finger or tool can be inserted into the storage space 21 of the battery pack 20 through the second opening 65b to insert or remove the maintenance plug 53.

[0068] The rear seats RS are located in vehicle V under a cover 65. That is, the battery pack 20 is mounted under the rear seats RS of vehicle V.

[0069] An air intake channel 66 is installed on the cover 65 to draw in air from the vehicle compartment CB as cooling gas for the battery pack 20. The battery pack 20 draws in air from the vehicle compartment CB through the air intake channel 66 as cooling gas for the battery pack 20, and the air is taken into the battery pack 20 through the first opening 65a of the cover 65.

[0070] Cooling gas drawn in from the first opening 65a is delivered through the inlet channel 42, the fan 41, and the outlet channel 43 to the flow path 61a formed between the lower surface of the battery module 30 and the bottom wall portion 62 of the base plate 61. The cooling gas delivered to the flow path 61a flows from bottom to top inside the battery module 30 to cool it, and is discharged from the upper surface of the battery module 30. The cooling gas discharged from the upper surface of the battery module 30 is discharged to the outside of the battery pack 20 from the exhaust port 65c provided on the front side of the cover 65.

[0071] <Gas venting structure around the battery module>

[0072] In the battery pack 20, a gas discharge structure is provided separately from the cooling flow path to discharge the gas generated inside the battery cell 31 to the outside of the battery casing 60. Hereinafter, refer to... Figure 2 and Figures 4 to 7 The structure for venting this gas will be explained.

[0073] If the internal pressure of the gas generated inside the battery cell 31 rises due to some abnormality, it is necessary to release the gas to the outside of the battery cell 31 to prevent damage. Therefore, a venting valve 31a is provided on each battery cell 31. When the internal pressure of the gas generated inside the battery cell 31 rises above a predetermined value, the venting valve 31a opens. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the vent valve 31a of battery module 30A is disposed on the opposite side (front side) of battery module 30B in the front-rear direction, and the vent valve 31a of battery module 30B is disposed on the opposite side (rear side) of battery module 30A in the front-rear direction.

[0074] In order to discharge the gas released from the vent valve 31a to the outside of the battery housing 60, the battery pack 20 also includes a vent passage 32, a check valve 33, a flexible tube 34, and a check valve retainer 35.

[0075] The venting passage 32 is a channel for discharging gas generated inside the battery cell 31 to the outside of the battery casing 60. The venting passage 32 extends in the direction (vehicle width direction) in which the multiple battery cells 31 are stacked, connecting each venting valve 31a. The venting passage 32 includes a venting passage 32A disposed in the battery module 30A and a venting passage 32B disposed in the battery module 30B. Figure 2As shown, the venting channel 32A is disposed on the opposite side (front side) of the battery module 30B in the front-rear direction, and the venting channel 32B is disposed on the opposite side (rear side) of the battery module 30A in the front-rear direction.

[0076] Check valve 33 allows gas to flow from vent valve 31a to the outside of battery housing 60, and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of battery housing 60. Here, "foreign objects" includes fluids such as gases and liquids, and is not limited to solids. Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the check valve 33 is disposed inside the battery housing 60. More specifically, the check valve 33 is disposed within the storage space 21 enclosed by the cover 65 and the base plate 61, between the left wall portion 63c of the base plate 61 and the battery modules 30A and 30B, and does not protrude outside the battery housing 60. Furthermore, the check valve 33 is positioned between the battery modules 30A and 30B in the front-rear direction.

[0077] Check valve 33 is, for example, Figure 7 The duckbill valve shown allows gas to flow from the upstream side to the downstream side and cuts off the gas flow in the opposite direction. However, the check valve 33 is not limited to a duckbill valve; it can be any structure that allows gas to flow unidirectionally to the outside of the battery housing 60 and cuts off the gas flow in the opposite direction.

[0078] One end of pipe 34 is connected to venting passage 32, and the other end is connected to the outside of battery housing 60. More specifically, pipe 34 includes: upstream pipe 34A, which is connected to venting passage 32A; upstream pipe 34B, which is connected to venting passage 32B; and downstream pipe 34C, which is connected to the outside of battery housing 60. Here, the outside of battery housing 60 refers to, for example, the interior of a frame component (lower side beam, etc.) not shown, or the exterior of the vehicle. Upstream pipes 34A and 34B are disposed inside battery housing 60. The upstream end of downstream pipe 34C is disposed inside battery housing 60, and the downstream end is disposed outside battery housing 60. The downstream ends of upstream pipes 34A and 34B and the upstream end of downstream pipe 34C are connected by a connecting part, and a check valve 33 is provided at this connecting part.

[0079] Gas released from vent valve 31a flows through vent passage 32 to upstream side pipes 34A and 34B, and then through check valve 33 to downstream side pipe 34C. Gas flowing through downstream side pipe 34C is then discharged to the outside of battery housing 60, for example, to the inside of the frame component.

[0080] Thus, in this embodiment, the check valve 33 is disposed inside the battery housing 60, and therefore, the flow path from the vent valve 31a to the check valve 33 (in this embodiment, the vent passage 32, upstream side pipes 34A and 34B) is protected by the battery housing 60. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of foreign matter from the outside into the flow path from the vent valve 31a to the check valve 33 due to the backflow of gas or other foreign matter. Furthermore, even if foreign matter intrudes from the outside due to damage to the flow path (in this embodiment, the downstream side pipe 34C) located downstream of the check valve 33 and exposed to the outside of the battery housing 60, the check valve 33 can still suppress the intrusion of foreign matter into the battery cell 31.

[0081] The check valve 33 is held by a check valve retaining part 35. A flow path communicating with upstream pipes 34A and 34B and downstream pipe 34C is formed inside the check valve retaining part 35, and the check valve 33 is disposed within the flow path. Here, the check valve retaining part 35 is an example of a connection connecting upstream pipes 34A and 34B. Alternatively, the check valve retaining part 35 is an example of a connection connecting upstream pipes 34A and 34B and downstream pipe 34C.

[0082] More specifically, such as Figure 6 , 7 As shown, the check valve holding portion 35 includes an upstream holding portion 351 connecting upstream side pipes 34A and 34B, and a downstream holding portion 352 connecting downstream side pipe 34C. The upstream holding portion 351 extends in the direction (front-rear direction) in which the two battery modules 30A and 30B are disposed, and has: a flow path 351a extending forward and connecting to the upstream side pipe 34A; a flow path 351b extending rearward and connecting to the upstream side pipe 34B; and a confluence portion 351c located between the flow paths 351a and 351b. The downstream holding portion 352 extends in a direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of the upstream holding portion 351 (vehicle width direction), and has a flow path 352a extending to the left and connecting to the downstream side pipe 34C. The confluence portion 351c of the upstream holding portion 351 communicates with the flow path 352a of the downstream holding portion 352, and the check valve 33 is disposed in the flow path 352a.

[0083] On the upstream retaining portion 351, engaging claws 353 protruding from the surface are formed at three locations. On the downstream retaining portion 352, engaging holes 354 extending toward the upstream retaining portion 351 are formed at locations corresponding to the engaging claws 353. By engaging the engaging claws 353 with the engaging holes 354, the upstream retaining portion 351 and the downstream retaining portion 352 are fixed. In this embodiment, there are three engaging claws 353 and three engaging holes 354, but their number is arbitrary. Alternatively, the upstream retaining portion 351 may have engaging holes 354 and the downstream retaining portion 352 may have engaging claws 353. Furthermore, the engagement between the upstream retaining portion 351 and the downstream retaining portion 352 is not limited to the engagement of the engaging claws and engaging holes.

[0084] The check valve retaining portion 35 is fixed to the base plate 61. More specifically, the base plate 61 includes a support member 64 extending upward from the bottom wall portion 62, and the support member 64 is inserted into an insertion port 355 formed in the downward opening of the downstream retaining portion 352. That is, the check valve retaining portion 35 is fixed to the base plate 61 by being mounted from above to the support member 64. Alternatively, the insertion port 355 may also be formed in the upstream retaining portion 351.

[0085] In this way, the check valve retaining part 35 is fixed to the support member 64 of the base plate 61, so the position of the check valve retaining part 35 relative to the base plate 61 can be easily determined. In addition, the check valve retaining part 35 is mounted to the support member 64 from above, so the horizontal movement of the check valve retaining part 35 can be restricted.

[0086] The check valve retaining part 35 is inserted into the support member 64 from the vertical direction. On the other hand, the upstream side pipes 34A and 34B connected to the check valve retaining part 35 are connected to the venting channels 32A and 32B from the horizontal direction. That is, the upstream side pipes 34A and 34B are connected to the venting channels 32 from a horizontal direction different from the vertical direction in which the check valve retaining part 35 is inserted into the support member 64. As a result, when the check valve retaining part 35 is fixed to the base plate 61 from above, the upstream side pipes 34A and 34B are unlikely to fall off from the venting channels 32.

[0087] The present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is obvious that those skilled in the art will conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the technical solution described, and it is understood that these modifications or alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the constituent elements in the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0088] For example, in this embodiment, the battery module 30 is composed of two battery modules 30A and 30B, but it may also be composed of one or more battery modules 30. In addition, the battery module 30 in this embodiment may not need to be modularized, but may exist as a unit stack in which multiple battery cells 31 are stacked inside the battery housing 60.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, a flexible tube 34 is provided to discharge gas from the venting channel 32 to the outside of the battery housing 60, but it is not necessarily necessary to provide the tube 34. For example, if the venting channel 32 is extended to the outside of the battery housing 60, a check valve 33 may also be provided inside the venting channel 32 and inside the battery housing 60.

[0090] In this embodiment, the check valve retaining part 35 is composed of an upstream retaining part 351 and a downstream retaining part 352, but it does not necessarily need to be composed of multiple parts. The check valve retaining part 35 can be any part that retains the check valve 33, or it can be composed of a single part.

[0091] At least the following items are described in this specification. Although the components and other elements corresponding to the above embodiments are shown in parentheses as examples, they are not limited thereto.

[0092] (1) A battery pack (battery pack 20) ​​comprising:

[0093] A unit stack (battery module 30) has multiple battery cells (battery cells 31) with vent valves (vent valves 31a) stacked on top of each other.

[0094] A venting channel (venting channel 32) connecting the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells; and

[0095] The battery casing (battery casing 60) houses the unit stack and the venting channel.

[0096] The battery pack is able to discharge gas from the venting channel to the outside of the battery casing.

[0097] A check valve (check valve 33) is provided inside the battery casing. This check valve allows the gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts foreign objects from entering the battery casing from the outside.

[0098] According to (1), the check valve is located inside the battery casing, thus protecting the flow path from the vent valve to the check valve from the battery casing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the flow path from the vent valve to the check valve due to backflow of foreign matter such as gas. In addition, even if foreign matter enters from the outside due to damage to the flow path exposed to the outside of the battery casing, the check valve can prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the battery cell.

[0099] (2) The battery pack according to (1) further comprises:

[0100] Pipe (pipe 34), which is connected to the venting channel,

[0101] The check valve is located downstream of the venting channel.

[0102] According to (2), the check valve is located downstream of the venting channel and is located inside the battery housing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the pipe between the check valve and the venting channel.

[0103] (3) The battery pack according to (2), wherein,

[0104] The pipe includes a first pipe (upstream pipes 34A, 34B) connected to the venting channel and a second pipe (downstream pipe 34C) connected to the outside of the battery casing.

[0105] The check valve is located at the connection between the first pipe and the second pipe.

[0106] According to (3), a check valve can be configured by using a connection that connects a first pipe to the venting channel and a second pipe to the outside of the battery casing.

[0107] (4) The battery pack according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein,

[0108] The battery casing includes a casing body (base plate 61) configured with the unit stack and the venting channel, and a cover (cover 65) covering the casing body.

[0109] The check valve is held by a check valve holding part (check valve holding part 35).

[0110] The housing body has a support member (support member 64) for fixing the check valve retaining part.

[0111] According to (4), a support is provided on the housing body of the configuration unit stack and the venting channel, and the check valve holding part is fixed by the support. Therefore, the position of the check valve holding part relative to the housing body can be easily determined.

[0112] (5) The battery pack according to (4), wherein,

[0113] The support member extends upward from the bottom surface of the main body of the housing.

[0114] The check valve retainer is mounted to the support from above.

[0115] According to (5), the check valve retainer is mounted to the support from above, thus allowing for easy assembly of the check valve retainer to the housing body. Furthermore, it restricts the horizontal movement of the check valve retainer.

[0116] (6) The battery pack according to (5) further comprises:

[0117] Pipe (pipe 34), which is connected to the venting channel,

[0118] The check valve retainer is connected to the pipe.

[0119] The pipe is connected horizontally to the venting channel.

[0120] According to (6), the pipe is connected to the venting channel in a horizontal direction that is different from the direction in which the check valve retainer is inserted into the support. Therefore, it is difficult for the pipe to fall off when the check valve retainer is fixed to the housing body.

[0121] (7) A battery pack (battery pack 20) ​​comprising:

[0122] The first battery module (battery module 30A) has multiple battery cells (battery cells 31) with vent valves (vent valves 31a) stacked along the first direction (vehicle width direction);

[0123] The first venting channel (venting channel 32A) connects the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells in the first battery module;

[0124] The second battery module (battery module 30B) has multiple battery cells (battery cells 31) with vent valves (vent valves 31a) stacked along the first direction.

[0125] A second venting channel (venting channel 32B) connects the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells in the second battery module; and

[0126] The battery housing (battery housing 60) houses the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel.

[0127] The battery pack is capable of venting gas to the outside of the battery casing through the first venting channel and the second venting channel.

[0128] A check valve (check valve 33) is provided inside the battery casing. This check valve allows the gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts foreign objects from entering the battery casing from the outside.

[0129] According to (7), the check valve is located inside the battery casing, thus protecting the flow path from the vent valve to the check valve from the battery casing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the flow path from the vent valve to the check valve due to backflow of foreign matter such as gas. In addition, even if foreign matter enters from the outside due to damage to the flow path exposed to the outside of the battery casing, the check valve can prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the battery cell.

[0130] (8) The battery pack according to (7) further comprises:

[0131] The first pipe (upstream side pipe 34A) is connected to the first venting channel;

[0132] The second pipe (upstream side pipe 34A) is connected to the second venting passage; and

[0133] The connecting part connects the first tube to the second tube.

[0134] The check valve is located at the connection part.

[0135] According to (8), a check valve is provided in the connection part that connects the first tube and the second tube. Therefore, the check valve can be shared by two battery modules, which can reduce the number of components.

[0136] (9) The battery pack according to (7) or (8), wherein,

[0137] The first battery module and the second battery module are arranged side by side in a second direction (front-back direction) orthogonal to the first direction.

[0138] The first venting channel is configured on the opposite side of the second battery module in the second direction.

[0139] The second venting channel is configured on the opposite side of the first battery module in the second direction.

[0140] The check valve is disposed between the first battery module and the second battery module in the second direction.

[0141] According to (9), the check valve is disposed between the first battery module and the second battery module in the second direction, so that the check valve can be disposed evenly with the first venting channel and the second venting channel.

[0142] (10) The battery pack according to (9), wherein,

[0143] The length of the battery cell of the first battery module and the battery cell of the second battery module in the second direction is shorter than their length in a third direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the first and second directions.

[0144] According to (10), by arranging two battery modules with their short sides continuous, it is possible to suppress the increase in the specified direction compared to arranging two battery modules with their long sides continuous.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: A unit stack, which has multiple battery units with vent valves stacked on top of each other; A venting channel that connects the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells; Battery casing, which houses the unit stack and the venting channel; and The tube has a first tube connected to the venting channel and a second tube connected to the outside of the battery housing. The battery pack is able to discharge gas from the venting channel to the outside of the battery casing. in, A check valve is installed inside the battery casing. This check valve allows gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of the battery casing. The check valve is located downstream of the venting channel, at the connection point that connects the first pipe and the second pipe. The battery casing includes a casing body configured with the unit stack and the venting channel, and a cover covering the casing body. The check valve is held by a check valve retaining part. The housing body has a support member for fixing the check valve retaining part. The support member extends upward from the bottom surface of the main body of the housing. The check valve retainer is mounted to the support member from above. The check valve retainer is connected to the pipe having the first pipe and the second pipe. The tube comprising the first tube and the second tube is connected horizontally to the venting channel. A flow path for cooling gas is provided in the lower part of the unit stack.

2. A battery pack, comprising: The first battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction. A first venting channel connects the venting valves of a plurality of battery cells in the first battery module; The second battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction. The second venting channel connects the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells in the second battery module; A battery casing that houses the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel; The first pipe is connected to the first venting channel; The second pipe is connected to the second venting passage; as well as The connecting part connects the first tube to the second tube. The battery pack is capable of venting gas to the outside of the battery casing through the first venting channel and the second venting channel. A check valve is installed inside the battery casing. This check valve allows gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of the battery casing. The check valve is located at the connection part. The battery casing comprises a casing body having the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel, and a cover covering the casing body. The check valve is held by a check valve retaining part. The housing body has a support member for fixing the check valve retaining part. The support member extends upward from the bottom surface of the main body of the housing. The check valve retainer is mounted to the support member from above. The check valve retainer is connected to the first pipe and the second pipe. The first pipe and the second pipe are connected horizontally to the first venting channel and the second venting channel, respectively. There is a flow path for cooling gas to pass through the lower part of the first battery module and the second battery module.

3. A battery pack, comprising: The first battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction. A first venting channel connects the venting valves of a plurality of battery cells in the first battery module; The second battery module has multiple battery cells with vent valves stacked along the first direction. A second venting channel connects the venting valves of the plurality of battery cells in the second battery module; and The battery casing houses the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel. The battery pack is capable of venting gas to the outside of the battery casing through the first venting channel and the second venting channel. A check valve is installed inside the battery casing. This check valve allows gas to flow from the vent valve to the outside of the battery casing and restricts the intrusion of foreign objects from the outside of the battery casing. The first battery module and the second battery module are arranged side by side in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The first venting channel is configured on the opposite side of the second battery module in the second direction. The second venting channel is configured on the opposite side of the first battery module in the second direction. The check valve is positioned in the second direction between the first battery module and the second battery module. The battery casing comprises a casing body having the first battery module, the second battery module, the first venting channel, and the second venting channel, and a cover covering the casing body. The check valve is held by a check valve retaining part. The housing body has a support member for fixing the check valve retaining part. The support member extends upward from the bottom surface of the main body of the housing. The check valve retainer is mounted to the support member from above. The check valve retainer is connected to a pipe, the pipe having a first pipe connected to the first venting channel and a second pipe connected to the second venting channel. The tube, which includes the first tube and the second tube, is horizontally connected to the first venting channel and the second venting channel. There is a flow path for cooling gas to pass through the lower part of the first battery module and the second battery module.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein, Each of the plurality of battery cells in the first battery module and each of the plurality of battery cells in the second battery module has a length in the second direction that is shorter than its length in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

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