Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a plurality of pouch-type battery cells; a battery pack case in which a plurality of pouch-type battery cells are accommodated in an internal space, and which is provided with a heat sink; and a battery cell cover that at least partially surrounds and supports at least a portion of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an internal space of the pack case, in which the heat sink is configured to press a structure of the battery cell cover.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0110372 filed on August 31, 2022, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0110373 filed on August 31, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0067251 filed on May 24, 2023, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly, to a battery pack manufactured by a cell to pack method and a vehicle including the same. Background Art

[0003] Generally, secondary batteries refer to batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries, etc. The output voltage of a battery cell corresponding to the basic unit of charge and discharge of these secondary batteries is about 2.5V to 4.2V.

[0004] Recently, as secondary batteries have been applied to devices requiring high output voltage and large charging capacity, such as electric vehicles or energy storage systems (ESS), battery packs manufactured by forming a battery module by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel and connecting the plurality of battery modules thus formed again in series or in parallel are widely used.

[0005] However, since the prior art forms battery modules by accommodating battery cells in a box-shaped metal case and then manufactures a battery pack by accommodating the battery modules in a battery pack case, there are problems in that the weight and volume of the entire battery pack increase and the energy density of the battery pack decreases. Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The present disclosure is intended to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore, the present disclosure is intended to provide a battery pack that can reduce the total weight and total volume of the battery pack and increase the energy density of the battery pack, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0008] In addition, the present disclosure is intended to provide a battery pack that can simplify the assembly process by facilitating the handling and installation of battery cells during the manufacturing process of a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, and reduce the manufacturing cost by simplifying and quantifying the structure required for installing the battery cells while preventing damage to the battery cells, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0009] In addition, the present disclosure is directed to providing a battery pack that can improve at least one of bonding performance, fixation, and thermal conductivity of a battery cell to a battery pack case, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack may be provided, comprising: a plurality of soft-pack-type battery cells; a battery pack case, wherein the plurality of soft-pack-type battery cells are accommodated in an internal space of the battery pack case and a heat sink is provided; and a battery cell cover, which at least partially surrounds and supports at least one of the plurality of soft-pack-type battery cells in the internal space of the battery pack case, wherein the heat sink is configured as a structure for pressing the battery cell cover.

[0012] In an embodiment, the battery pack may include a support rib formed to protrude from the heat sink and to contact the battery cell cover.

[0013] In an embodiment, the support rib may be configured to support the battery cell cover by pressing the battery cell cover seated on the heat sink from the outside to the inside.

[0014] In an embodiment, the support rib may be configured to contact a lower end portion of a side surface of the battery cell cover.

[0015] In an embodiment, the support rib may have a locking protrusion, and a locking groove capable of cooperating with the locking protrusion may be formed on a side of the battery cell cover.

[0016] In an embodiment, the support ribs may be arranged to be detachable from the heat sink.

[0017] In an embodiment, the support rib may be configured as a structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover may be configured in a form in which its lower end is bent outward and contacts the support rib of the structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.

[0018] In an embodiment, the support rib may be configured as a structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover may be configured in a form in which its lower end is bent inward and contacts the support rib of the structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

[0019] In an embodiment, the battery pack may include a recessed portion formed to be recessed toward an inner side of the heat sink, wherein the battery cell cover may be inserted into the recessed portion and pressed by both side walls of the recessed portion.

[0020] In an embodiment, the recessed portion may be filled with thermal resin.

[0021] In an embodiment, both side walls of the recessed portion may be configured to support the battery cell cover by pressing the battery cell cover from the outside toward the inside.

[0022] In an embodiment, a first inclined portion may be formed on at least one of two side walls of the recessed portion, and a second inclined portion corresponding to the first inclined portion may be formed on the battery cell cover.

[0023] In an embodiment, the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion may be formed at portions where both side walls contact the battery cell cover.

[0024] In an embodiment, the second inclined portion may be formed to be inclined outward from the upper side to the lower side.

[0025] In an embodiment, the second inclined portion may be formed to be inclined outward from the lower side to the upper side.

[0026] Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle including the above-mentioned battery pack may be provided.

[0027] Beneficial Effects

[0028] The embodiments of the present disclosure have the effect of reducing the total weight and total volume of a battery pack and increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0029] In addition, in the manufacturing process of a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, the assembly process can be simplified by facilitating the handling and installation of the battery cells, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced by simplifying and quantifying the structure required to install the battery cells while preventing damage to the battery cells.

[0030] In addition, at least one of the bonding performance, fixation, and thermal conductivity of the battery cell to the battery pack case may be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery cell surrounded by a battery cell cover in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the battery cell cover and battery cell in FIG.

[0034] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross section of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Magnified view of area A in FIG.

[0036] Figures 6 to 9 It is shown separately Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.10 1 is a diagram for describing an applied position and structure of a supporting rib of a heat sink in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig.11 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Fig.12 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross section of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 Magnified view of area B in FIG.

[0041] Fig.14 and Fig.15 It is shown separately Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Fig.16 are diagrams illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor appropriately defines the terms for the best interpretation. Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are only preferred examples for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalent substitutions and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] In the accompanying drawings, for the convenience and clarity of description, the size of each component or a specific part of a component is enlarged, omitted or schematically shown. Therefore, the size of each component cannot fully reflect the actual size. If it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the purpose of the present disclosure, such description will be omitted.

[0045] As used herein, the terms “coupled” or “connected” refer not only to a case where one member is directly coupled or directly connected to another member but also to a case where one member is indirectly coupled or indirectly connected to another member via a joining member.

[0046] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery cell surrounded by a battery cell cover in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the battery cell cover and battery cell in FIG.

[0047] As described above, battery cells are generally housed in a box-shaped metal housing to form a battery module, and then the battery module is housed in a battery pack housing of a battery pack to form a battery pack. However, in this case, there is a problem that the weight and volume of the entire battery pack increase and the energy density of the battery pack decreases.

[0048] In order to solve this problem, the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to remove the module case of the battery module and directly accommodate the battery cells 100 in the pack case 200 of the battery pack 10 .

[0049] Therefore, more battery cells 100 may be accommodated in a space occupied by a module case of a battery module within the battery pack 10, thereby increasing space efficiency and improving battery capacity. That is, in the present disclosure, a module case of a battery module may not be included in the configuration.

[0050] However, embodiments using a module case are not completely excluded, and if necessary, the module case provided in the battery module may also be configured to accommodate the pouch-type battery cells 100 of various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0051] Meanwhile, the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment may further include a control module configured to control the charge and discharge of the soft-pack type battery cell 100. Figure 1 The control module may include a battery management system (BMS) 500 and a battery disconnecting unit 600 , and may be accommodated inside the battery pack case 200 together with the battery cell 100 and the battery cell cover 300 .

[0052] That is, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, a battery module provided with the pouch type battery cell 100 combined with the battery cell cover 300 is also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] Also, even when simply referred to as a battery cell 100 in this specification, the battery cell 100 refers to a pouch-type battery cell 100 .

[0054] Reference Figures 1 to 3 , the battery pack 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pouch-type battery cell 100 , a battery pack case 200 , and a battery cell cover 300 .

[0055] The battery cell 100 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a soft pack outer material. That is, the battery cell 100 corresponds to a basic unit of charge and discharge, and may be manufactured by accommodating the electrode assembly and the electrolyte material inside a soft metal shell and then sealing the metal shell. In this case, the electrode assembly may be manufactured by inserting a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0056] In addition, the electrode lead 110 (see Figure 3 ) may be disposed at the front end and the rear end of the battery cell 100. The battery cell 100 may be configured in the form of a soft pack. In the battery pack 10, a plurality of soft pack type battery cells 100 may be included. Also, the plurality of soft pack type battery cells 100 may be stacked in at least one direction.

[0057] Reference Figure 1 The battery pack case 200 has an empty space formed therein, and a plurality of soft-pack type battery cells 100 may be accommodated in the inner space. In particular, in the present disclosure, the soft-pack type battery cells 100 may be directly seated on the battery pack case 200.

[0058] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross section of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Magnified view of area A in FIG.

[0059] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 , a heat sink 240 may be provided in the battery pack housing 200. The heat sink 240 may be integrally formed in the battery pack housing 200 itself, or a separate heat sink 240 may be combined with the battery pack housing 200. Hereinafter, the description will focus on the case where the heat sink 240 is integrally formed in the battery pack housing 200 itself, but is not limited thereto.

[0060] Here, the radiator 240 refers to a member that absorbs and dissipates heat from another object through direct or indirect thermal contact. The radiator 240 can be configured in various ways. For example, the radiator 240 can be provided in the form of a flow path 211 for cooling water to flow through formed inside the lower frame 210. Therefore, the total weight of the battery pack housing can be reduced, and the components can be simplified. However, this is only one embodiment, and the structure of the radiator 240 is not limited thereto, and the structure of the radiator 240 can have more variations.

[0061] Meanwhile, a thermal interface material (TIM) may be interposed between the battery case 200 and the soft pack type battery cell 100, between the battery case 200 and the battery cell cover 300, or between the soft pack type battery cell 100 and the battery cell cover 300. The thermal interface material is a material that improves heat transfer performance between different components.

[0062] Here, the thermal interface material may be a thermal resin 270 , and a thermal pad may be used as needed. Therefore, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 may be further improved.

[0063] Here, the heat sink 240 is configured to press the battery cell cover 300. This will be described in detail later.

[0064] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery pack housing 200 may be configured to include a lower frame 210, a side frame 220, and an upper cover 230. The battery pack housing 200 may be made of a plastic or metal material. In addition, the battery pack housing 200 may adopt various external materials of the battery pack 10 known at the time of filing this disclosure. And, the battery pack housing 200 may be formed in a box shape.

[0065] A plurality of battery cells 100 are mounted on the lower frame 210. Also, the heat sink 240 may be formed in the lower frame 210 (see Figure 4 The side frames 220 extend upward from the edges of the lower frame 210. The upper cover 230 is combined with the side frames 220 and covers the side frames 220 and the lower frame 210.

[0066] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the battery cell cover 300 may be disposed to at least partially surround at least a portion of the plurality of soft-pack type battery cells 100. That is, the battery cell cover 300 may be configured to partially surround the soft-pack type battery cell 100 so that at least one side of the soft-pack type battery cell 100 surrounded by the battery cell cover 300 is exposed to the outside.

[0067] The battery cell cover 300 may be configured to support the pouch type battery cell 100 in an upright state. Generally, it is not easy to stack the pouch type battery cells 100 in an upright form in a vertical direction.

[0068] However, in the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell cover 300 may be configured to maintain an upright state, ie, a standing state, of the surrounded pouch type battery cells 100 while surrounding one or more pouch type battery cells 100 .

[0069] In addition, the battery cell cover 300 may be integrally formed. In this case, the battery cell cover 300 may be configured by bending a metal plate having a plate-like structure. That is, the battery cell cover 300 may be formed in the shape of bending one plate.

[0070] The battery cell cover 300 may be made of a material including stainless steel (SUS) that is easy to process, has high corrosion resistance, and has excellent mechanical strength or rigidity. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the battery cell cover 300 may be made of various materials other than SUS to ensure rigidity. In particular, the battery cell cover 300 may be made of a metal material. For example, it may be made of a chromium (CR)-based metal material. In the case of such a metal material, the stacking state of the battery cell 100 can be more stably maintained, and the battery cell 100 can be more safely protected from external impacts. In addition, as previously illustrated, when the battery cell cover 300 is made of a steel material such as SUS, in an accident where a fire breaks out from the battery cell 100, the overall structure can be stably maintained due to its high melting point. In particular, since the steel material has a higher melting point than the aluminum material, its shape can be stably maintained without being melted by the flame emitted from the battery cell 100. Therefore, the effect of preventing or delaying the flame propagation between the battery cells 100, the effect of controlling exhaust, etc. can be well ensured.

[0071] The battery cell cover 300 may include an insulating coating (not shown) on its inner surface. The insulating coating (not shown) may be formed by coating, applying or attaching any one of silicone, polyamide or rubber insulating materials. According to the configuration of the insulating coating of the battery cell cover 300 of this embodiment, the insulating coating effect can be maximized with a minimum coating amount. In addition, the insulating coating (not shown) is applied to the inner surface of the battery cell cover 300, so that the insulation between the battery cell 100 and the battery cell cover 300 can be enhanced.

[0072] In addition, the battery cell cover 300 may be configured so that at least one side of the surrounding soft-pack type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the bottom surface of the battery pack 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this case, the lower portion of the soft-pack type battery cell 100 may be in direct contact with the lower frame 210 of the battery pack housing 200, and the heat released from each soft-pack type battery cell 100 may be directly transferred to the battery pack housing 200, thereby improving the cooling performance of the battery cell 100. Here, due to the above structure, even if a separate cooling structure is not provided between the soft-pack type battery cell 100 and the battery pack housing 200 (i.e., the soft-pack type battery cell 100 is in direct contact with the lower frame 210 of the battery pack housing 200), sufficient cooling performance may be expected, but in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the radiator 240 is formed in the lower frame 210 of the battery pack housing 200, thereby having the effect of further improving the cooling performance of the battery cell 100.

[0073] Reference Figure 1 The battery cell cover 300 configured to surround at least a portion of the plurality of soft-pack type battery cells 100 may be accommodated in the inner space of the battery pack case 200 .

[0074] The battery cell cover 300 may be configured to surround different numbers of soft-pack type battery cells 100. For example, one battery cell cover 300 may be configured to surround one soft-pack type battery cell 100. Alternatively, one battery cell cover 300 may be configured to surround two soft-pack type battery cells 100. Alternatively, one battery cell cover 300 may be configured to surround three or more soft-pack type battery cells 100.

[0075] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the battery cell cover 300 may include a first cover portion 310 , a second cover portion 320 , and a third cover portion 330 .

[0076] The first cover portion 310 may be configured to cover one side of at least one battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100. The first cover portion 310 may be configured to extend in a downward direction from one end portion of the third cover portion 330. Figure 2 , the first cover portion 310 may be configured to extend in a downward direction from a right end portion of the third cover portion 330. Also, the first cover portion 310 may be configured to surround a wide surface of the battery cell 100 accommodated therein.

[0077] The second cover portion 320 may be configured to cover the other side of at least one battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100. The second cover portion 320 may be spaced apart from the first cover portion 310 in the horizontal direction. Also, the second cover portion 320 may be configured to extend in a downward direction from the other end portion of the third cover portion 330. For example, based on Figure 2 , the second cover portion 320 may be configured to extend in a downward direction from a left end portion of the third cover portion 330. Also, the second cover portion 320 may be configured to surround a wide surface of the battery cell 100 accommodated therein.

[0078] The third cover portion 330 connects the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 , and covers an upper end portion of at least one battery cell 100 .

[0079] Furthermore, at least a portion of the plurality of soft-pack type battery cells 100 may be bonded and fixed to the inner surfaces of the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320. The member used for bonding may be heat conductive. Through such bonding, the battery cell cover 300 is firmly combined with the battery cell 100 and can help discharge the heat generated in the battery cell 100 to the outside of the battery cell 100.

[0080] The inner space of the battery cell cover 300 may be defined by the first cover portion 310 , the second cover portion 320 , and the third cover portion 330 thereof. And, one or more battery cells 100 may be accommodated in the defined inner space of the battery cell cover 300 .

[0081] The battery cell cover 300 may be configured in an “n” shape, a “u” shape, or a “convex” shape surrounding three sides of at least one battery cell 100. Also, refer to Figure 1 , the battery cell cover 300 may be configured such that a plurality of battery cells 100 may be stacked in a horizontal direction in a state of standing upright in a vertical direction.

[0082] For example, refer to Figure 1 , each battery cell cover 300 may be configured to surround one or more battery cells 100, and the plurality of battery cells 100, each surrounded by the battery cell cover 300, may be Figure 1 In this case, the configuration in which the plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked side by side in an upright state in the Y-axis direction can be stably maintained by the battery cell cover 300 .

[0083] In addition, the battery cell cover 300 surrounds three sides of at least one battery cell 100, so that the busbars or terminals of each unit can be easily located on the sides that are not surrounded by the respective battery cell covers 300. This can also be described as the battery cell 100 (e.g., a soft-pack type battery cell 100) being formed into a substantially hexahedral shape. And, the electrode leads 110 (i.e., the negative electrode lead and the positive electrode lead) can be formed on two of the six sides, respectively. And, the battery cell cover 300 is provided to surround at least a portion of three of the remaining four sides of the six-sided battery cell 100 except for the two sides on which the electrode leads 110 are formed.

[0084] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 Together, the bus bar frame 120 may be combined with the battery cell cover 300. It may be configured to support a bus bar electrically connected to the electrode lead 110 of at least one battery cell 100 covered by the battery cell cover 300. In this case, the bus bar frame 120 may include a terminal electrically connected to the bus bar.

[0085] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the support rib 250 may be formed on the heat sink 240. In an embodiment, the support rib 250 may be formed to protrude from the heat sink 240, and the support rib 250 may contact the battery cell cover 300 to press the battery cell cover 300, for example, the first cover part 310 and the second cover part 320. Here, the support rib 250 may protrude from the upper surface of the heat sink 240.

[0086] The support rib 250 may be configured to support the battery cell cover 300 by pressing the battery cell cover 300 seated on the heat sink 240 from the outside to the inside. For example, the support rib 250 may be configured to contact the lower end of the side of the battery cell cover 300 to press the lower end of the side.

[0087] In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, the pouch type battery cell 100 may be accommodated inside the battery cell cover 300 while being pressed by the first cover part 310 and the second cover part 320 of the battery cell cover 300 .

[0088] One or more soft pack type battery cells 100 may be accommodated in the battery cell cover 300. For example, Figure 4As shown, three soft-pack type battery cells 100 can be accommodated in the battery cell cover 300, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this case, the gap between the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 corresponds to the total thickness of the three soft-pack type battery cells 100, and a slight elastic force can be applied to press the three soft-pack type battery cells 100. However, due to the assembly tolerance of manufacturing the battery cell cover 300, for example, the gap between the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 may be manufactured to be larger than the preset gap, or the lower end portion of the first cover portion 310 and the lower end portion of the second cover portion 320 may be manufactured to expand further outward. In this case, the soft-pack type battery cell 100 is not accommodated inside the battery cell cover 300 in a pressed state, which may significantly reduce assemblability, fixity, stability, etc.

[0089] However, if Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the support rib 250 is formed on the heat sink 240, the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 can be supported by the support rib 250 so as not to expand outward. Therefore, when the battery cell cover 300 is manufactured, the battery cell cover 300 can be prevented from expanding due to assembly tolerance, and the battery cell cover 300 can also be prevented from expanding due to expansion of the battery cell 100 that occurs during charging and discharging.

[0090] In addition, the lower end of the first cover 310 or the lower end of the second cover 320 and the support rib 250 are configured to contact each other, so that heat exchange can be performed. Here, the support rib 250 can be manufactured integrally with the radiator 240, or can be manufactured to be directly combined with the radiator 240 to maintain a low temperature. The cooling efficiency can be improved by the support rib 250 in close contact with the first cover 310 or the second cover 320 of the battery cell cover 300.

[0091] Meanwhile, the compression pad 400 may be disposed in the upper space of the support rib 250 of the heat sink 240. That is, the support rib 250 forms a space between one battery cell cover and another adjacent battery cell cover 300, and the compression pad 400 may be disposed in the space.

[0092] Here, when external shock or vibration occurs, the compression pad 400 has the effects of blocking the external shock or vibration from being transmitted to the battery cell 100 through the battery cell cover 300 , preventing damage caused by mutual friction, and absorbing expansion pressure during expansion of the battery cell 100 .

[0093] Figures 6 to 9 It is shown separately Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] Reference Figure 6The support rib 250 of the heat sink 240 may have a locking protrusion 251 , and a locking groove 340 that may cooperate with the locking protrusion 251 may be formed on a side of the battery cell cover 300 , for example, a side of the first cover portion 310 or a side of the second cover portion 320 .

[0095] For example, the locking protrusion 251 may be formed to protrude from the support rib 250 in a direction toward the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320, and the locking groove 340 may be concavely formed in a shape matching the locking protrusion 251 in the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320. In another modified embodiment, it may be configured such that a locking protrusion (not shown) is formed on the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320, and a locking groove (not shown) is formed on the support rib 250 of the heat sink 240. In this way, when the locking protrusion 251 and the locking groove 340 are respectively formed on the support rib 250 and the battery cell cover 300, the combination between the battery cell cover 300 and the heat sink 240 can be more tightly and stably achieved.

[0096] Reference Figure 7 The support ribs 250 may be configured to be detachable from the heat sink 240. Since only a portion of the plurality of battery cell covers 300 may require the support ribs 250 in some cases, the support ribs 250 may be removed at locations where the support ribs 250 are not required, thereby allowing the support ribs 250 to be selectively detached.

[0097] To this end, for example, the support rib 250 may be configured to include a base 252 and a support portion 253. The base 252 may be combined with the radiator 240 in various ways (e.g., by a fastening member such as a bolt). However, the fastening member is not limited to the bolt, and the fastening method is not limited to the fastening member. The support portion 253 protrudes from the base 252 and is provided to support the battery cell cover 300.

[0098] Reference Figure 8 , the support rib 250 can be set to a structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover 300 can be set to a form in which its lower end is bent outward and contacts the support rib 250 of the structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Therefore, the first cover part 310 and the second cover part 320 of the battery cell cover 300 can be supported so as not to expand on both sides, and their movement in the vertical direction can be restricted, thereby improving the combination and fixation of the battery cell unit and the heat sink 240.

[0099] And, refer to Fig. 9, the support rib 250 can be set to a structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover 300 can be set to a form in which its lower end is bent inward and contacts the support rib 250 of the structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. Therefore, the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 can be supported so as not to expand on both sides, and when the battery cell cover 300 is placed on the radiator 240, the process is simpler than in other embodiments.

[0100] Fig.10 1 is a diagram for describing an applied position and structure of a supporting rib of a heat sink in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] The support rib 250 of the heat sink 240 may be configured to support the entire lower end portion of the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300, or, for example, as shown in FIG. Fig.10 As shown, it is also possible to configure that only a portion of the battery cell cover 300 along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell cover 300 is supported on the heat sink 240. For example, in order to support one battery cell cover 300, at least one supporting rib 250 may be formed on each of the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320. Fig.10 In the embodiment, the support ribs 250 are formed, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the number of the support ribs 250 may be two, four, or eight or more.

[0102] Fig.11 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig.12 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross section of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig.13 yes Fig.12 Magnified view of area B in FIG.

[0103] The second embodiment of the present disclosure is different from the first embodiment described above in configuration in that a recessed portion 260 is formed in the heat sink 240 instead of the support rib 250. However, the same contents as those of the first embodiment described above are replaced by the above description of the first embodiment. In addition, the parts described in the second embodiment that are applicable to the first embodiment can be applied to the first embodiment.

[0104] Reference Figures 11 to 13 , the heat sink 240 provided in the battery pack 10 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a recessed portion 260. Here, the recessed portion 260 may be formed to be recessed toward the inner side of the heat sink 240. And, the recessed portion 260 may be set to have an area corresponding to the area of ​​the lower portion of the battery cell cover 300. Then, the battery cell cover 300 may be inserted into the recessed portion 260 and pressed by both side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260. The reason and necessity for pressing the battery cell cover 300 will be replaced by the above description.

[0105] Reference Fig.12 and Fig.13 , the recess 260 may be filled with the thermal resin 270 . If the recess 260 is filled with the thermal resin 270 , when the battery cell 100 surrounded by the battery cell cover 300 is seated on the lower frame 210 , the lower side of the battery cell cover 300 may contact the thermal resin 270 .

[0106] Therefore, when the battery cell unit is seated in the recess 260 and the thermal resin 270 is filled inside the recess 260 , a large amount of thermal resin 270 may be introduced into the battery cell cover 300 , which has the effect of expanding the contact area between the battery cell 100 and the thermal resin 270 .

[0107] Here, the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260 may be configured to support the battery cell cover 300 by pressing the battery cell cover 300 from the outside to the inside. Fig.13 The lower end of the side surface of the battery cell cover 300 (ie, the lower end of the first cover portion 310) may be configured to contact the right wall 261a of the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260 and relative to Fig.13 , the lower end of the second cover portion 320 may be configured to contact the left wall 261b of the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260. In this case, the right wall 261a of the recessed portion 260 supports the first cover portion 310 by pressing the first cover portion 310 from the right (outer side) to the left (inner side), and the left wall 261b of the recessed portion 260 supports the second cover portion 320 by pressing the second cover portion 320 from the left (outer side) to the right (inner side).

[0108] In this manner, the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 are pressed by the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260 provided in the heat sink 240, so that the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320 can be supported without expanding outward. Therefore, when the battery cell cover 300 is manufactured, the battery cell cover 300 can be prevented from expanding due to assembly tolerance, and the battery cell cover 300 can also be prevented from expanding due to expansion of the battery cell 100 occurring during charging and discharging.

[0109] At the same time, the lower end of the first cover portion 310 and the lower end of the second cover portion 320 are configured to contact each other with the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, so that heat exchange can be performed. Here, the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260 can be manufactured integrally with the radiator 240, or can be manufactured to be directly combined with the radiator 240, thereby maintaining a low temperature. The cooling efficiency can be improved by the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260 in close contact with the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300. That is, the heat of the battery cell 100 is transferred to the battery cell cover 300, and is quickly transferred from the battery cell cover 300 to the radiator 240, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency.

[0110] Fig.14 and Fig.15 It is shown separately Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] Reference Fig.14 and Fig.15 A first inclined portion 262 may be formed on at least one of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260 to increase the contact area between the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260 and the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300, and a second inclined portion 350 corresponding to the first inclined portion 262 may be formed on the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300.

[0112] For example, the first inclined portion 262 and the second inclined portion 350 may be respectively formed at portions where both side walls 261 a and 261 b of the recessed portion 260 contact the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 .

[0113] Reference Fig.14 , the second inclined portion 350 may be formed to be inclined outward from the upper side to the lower side. For example, the angle θ formed by the bottom surface of the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 and the second inclined portion 350 is 1 Can be configured as an acute angle. Here, angle θ 1 The size of can be 30° to 60°, but is not limited thereto.

[0114] Furthermore, the lower end of the first cover portion 310 or the lower end of the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 may be bent and correspond to each of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, or may be formed to gradually increase in thickness from the upper side to the lower side and match the shape of each of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, such as Fig.14 shown.

[0115] Reference Fig.14 When the battery cell cover 300 surrounding the battery cell 100 is placed in the recessed portion 260, the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 may interfere with the upper end of the recessed portion 260, and therefore, the lower end of the first cover portion 310 of the battery cell cover 300 may first be inserted into the right wall 261a of the recessed portion 260 in a diagonal direction, and then, the lower end of the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 may be bent inward by applying a slight force to fit into the left wall 261b of the recessed portion 260.

[0116] Alternatively, the battery cell cover 300 may be combined with the recessed portion 260 by pushing the battery cell cover 300 in the longitudinal direction rather than in the vertical direction. That is, first, the longitudinal end of the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 may be hooked to one side of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, and then, by moving the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 in the longitudinal direction of the recessed portion 260, the entire lower end of the battery cell cover 300 may be combined with the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260. That is, the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 may be combined with the recessed portion 260 as if it were inserted into the recessed portion 260 along a track. In this case, the combining and fixing force may be further increased, and the contact area between the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 and the side walls 261 of the recessed portion 260 may also be larger, thereby achieving better adhesion with the battery cell cover 300. Fig.13 Compared with the embodiment of the present invention, the fixation and cooling efficiency are improved.

[0117] Reference Fig.15 , the second inclined portion 350 may be formed to be inclined outward from the lower side to the upper side. For example, the angle θ formed by the bottom surface of the first cover portion 310 or the second cover portion 320 and the second inclined portion 350 is 2 Can be configured as an obtuse angle. Here, the angle θ 2 The size of can be 120° to 150°, but is not limited thereto.

[0118] Here, the lower end of the first cover portion 310 or the lower end of the second cover portion 320 of the battery cell cover 300 may be bent and correspond to each of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, or may be formed to gradually increase in thickness from the lower side to the upper side and match the shape of each of the two side walls 261a, 261b of the recessed portion 260, such as Fig.15 shown.

[0119] Reference Fig.15 The contact area between the lower end of the battery cell cover 300 and the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260 may be greater than Fig.13The contact area in the embodiment of the present invention is increased, thereby improving the cooling efficiency and facilitating the process of combining the battery cell cover 300 with the heat sink 240. That is, due to the Fig.15 The second inclined portion 350 of the battery cell cover 300 of the modified embodiment can slide along the first inclined portion 262 of the side wall 261 of the recessed portion 260 to be seated on the recessed portion 260, so there is an effect of facilitating the process.

[0120] By including the above configuration, the battery pack 10 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can accommodate the soft-pack type battery cell 100 in the battery pack case 200 in a space-saving manner, have a higher energy density than the conventional battery pack 10, and simplify the assembly process. In addition, the bonding performance, fixation, and thermal conductivity of the battery cell cover 300 surrounding the battery cell 100 and the battery pack case 200 can be improved.

[0121] Fig.16 are diagrams illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0122] The vehicle 20 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 10 according to the above-described various embodiments. Here, the vehicle 20 includes various vehicles configured to use electric energy, for example, an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

[0123] The terms indicating directions used herein, such as up, down, left, and right, are used for convenience of description only, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the terms may be changed according to the positions of the elements or observers.

[0124] The present disclosure has been described above with respect to a limited number of embodiments and drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made to it within the equivalent scope of the technical aspects of the present disclosure and the appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered from an illustrative perspective rather than a restrictive perspective. That is, the scope of the true technical concept of the present disclosure is shown in the claims, and all differences within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the present disclosure.

[0125] Industrial Applicability

[0126] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery pack, and is particularly applicable to industries related to secondary batteries.

Claims

1. A battery pack, include: Multiple soft pack battery cells; A battery pack housing, wherein the plurality of soft-pack battery cells are accommodated in an internal space of the battery pack housing and a heat sink is provided; as well as a battery cell cover, the battery cell cover at least partially surrounding and supporting at least one of the plurality of soft-pack type battery cells in the inner space of the battery pack housing, Wherein, the heat sink is configured as a structure for pressing the battery cell cover. 2 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , comprising a support rib formed to protrude from the heat sink and to contact the battery cell cover.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The support rib is configured to support the battery cell cover by pressing the battery cell cover seated on the heat sink from the outside to the inside.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The support rib is configured to contact a lower end portion of a side surface of the battery cell cover.

5. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The supporting rib has a locking protrusion, and a locking groove capable of cooperating with the locking protrusion is formed on a side surface of the battery cell cover.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The supporting rib is configured to be detachable from the heat sink.

7. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The support rib is configured to be a structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover is configured to have its lower end bent outward and contact the support rib of the structure that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.

8. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The supporting rib is configured as a structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the side surface of the battery cell cover is configured in a form in which the lower end portion thereof is bent inward and contacts the supporting rib of the structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, comprising a recessed portion formed to be recessed toward an inner side of the heat sink, in, The battery cell cover is inserted into the recessed portion and is pressed by both side walls of the recessed portion.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, in, The recessed portion is filled with thermal resin.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, in, The two side walls of the recessed portion are configured to support the battery cell cover by pressing the battery cell cover from the outside toward the inside.

12. The battery pack according to claim 9, in, A first inclined portion is formed on at least one of the two side walls of the recessed portion, Wherein, a second inclined portion corresponding to the first inclined portion is formed on the battery cell cover.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, The first inclined portion and the second inclined portion are formed at portions where the two side walls contact the battery cell cover.

14. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, The second inclined portion is formed to be inclined outward from the upper side to the lower side.

15. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, The second inclined portion is formed to be inclined outward from the lower side to the upper side.

16. A vehicle comprising the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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