Battery device

Abstract

A battery device according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a case accommodating a plurality of cell stacks; the inner space of the shell is divided into a plurality of containing spaces by the at least one partition plate, and the partition plate can comprise a main frame forming the overall appearance of the partition plate; at least one fastening part which is provided in the main frame and into which a fastening member for fastening the housing to an external structural member is inserted; and the elastic supporting part is arranged on the main frame and is used for absorbing the expanded volume of the battery core stacking body when the battery core stacking body is expanded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery device which is easy to manufacture. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, high-power battery devices using non-aqueous electrolytes with high energy density have been developed. Such high-power battery devices can achieve large capacity by connecting multiple cells or battery devices in series or in parallel, and are used for devices requiring high power, such as motor drives for electric vehicles.

[0003] A conventional battery device is provided with at least one partition for dividing the internal space into a plurality of accommodation spaces. When the size of the battery device increases, the number or size of such partitions may increase.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a battery device provided with a separator that is easy to manufacture and can minimize the manufacturing cost. Summary of the invention

[0005] 1. Technical issues to be resolved

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery device which is easy to manufacture and capable of minimizing the manufacturing cost.

[0007] (II) Technical solution

[0008] A battery device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a shell body, accommodating a plurality of battery cell stacks; and at least one partition, dividing the internal space of the shell body into a plurality of accommodating spaces, and the partition may include: a main frame, forming the overall shape of the partition; at least one fastening portion, arranged on the main frame, for inserting a fastening component for fastening the shell body to an external structural member into the at least one fastening portion; and an elastic support portion, arranged on the main frame, absorbing the expanded volume of the battery cell stack when it expands.

[0009] In this embodiment, the fastening portion may include a cylindrical body and a fastening hole passing through the body, and the fastening hole may include: a first area formed at the lower part; and a second area formed at the upper part of the first area, and the diameter of the second area is smaller than the diameter of the first area.

[0010] In this embodiment, the partition may be formed by die casting.

[0011] In this embodiment, the battery device may further include a reinforcing rib, and the reinforcing rib is disposed on at least a portion of both sides of the main frame.

[0012] In this embodiment, the reinforcement ribs may be formed to protrude from the main frame in a lattice shape.

[0013] In this embodiment, the elastic support portion may be formed in the form of a box with an open lower surface and a hollow interior, and the support surface in contact with the battery cell stack may be formed as a flat surface.

[0014] In this embodiment, at least one reinforcing rib may be disposed inside the elastic supporting portion, and the reinforcing rib may be disposed along the up-down direction.

[0015] In this embodiment, the main frame may be provided in a plate shape along the center of the thickness direction of the partition plate, and the reinforcing rib may be formed to protrude from both sides of the main frame.

[0016] In this embodiment, the two main frames may be disposed at a predetermined distance apart, and a reinforcing rib may be disposed between the two main frames.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the battery device may further include an upper plate covering an upper portion of the internal space, and the upper plate may include a through hole into which the fastening portion is inserted.

[0018] (III) Beneficial effects

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the separator is manufactured by die casting, and a fastening portion is provided inside the separator, so there is no need to add a separate component to the battery device for fixing the battery device to the vehicle. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the mass of the separator can be minimized. Since the manufacturing process is reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the yield can be easily managed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partially exploded stereogram of .

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partially exploded stereogram of .

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of the separator shown in .

[0024] Figure 5 and Figure 6 is along Figure 4 A partially cut stereogram taken along line I-I'.

[0025] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a partition according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 is along Figure 7 A partially cut stereogram taken along line II-II'.

[0027] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a partition according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Fig.10 is along Fig. 9 A partially cut stereogram taken along line III-III'. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Some components in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated, omitted or schematically shown, and the size of each component does not completely reflect the actual size.

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partially exploded stereogram of Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Here, for the sake of convenience, Figure 3 The upper plate is omitted.

[0031] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The battery device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of battery cell stacks 10 , a case 50 , and a separator 60 .

[0032] The cell stack 10 may include a secondary battery cell such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or a nickel-hydrogen battery. Each cell stack 10 may be formed of a hexahedron formed by stacking a plurality of cells and may be housed in a separate module housing or fixed in a stacked state by a bracket or the like.

[0033] The cell stack 10 may be provided with at least one terminal 11 on one side. The terminal 11 may be a conductive component provided on the surface of the cell stack 10 in order to electrically connect the cell to the outside. The terminal 11 may include a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and each cell stack 10 may be electrically connected to each other through a bus bar 15 fastened to the terminal 11.

[0034] The housing 50 may provide a storage space for accommodating other components. Therefore, the housing 50 may be configured to wrap the entire cell stack 10 , and a plurality of cell stacks 10 may form at least one row and be arranged side by side in the storage space of the housing 50 .

[0035] The housing 50 may be made of a metal material to ensure rigidity, but is not limited thereto. In addition, in order to improve the heat dissipation effect, at least a portion of the housing 50 may be made of aluminum.

[0036] The housing 50 may include a side wall portion 51 forming an inner space, a lower plate 52 covering a lower portion of the inner space, and an upper plate 53 covering an upper portion of the inner space.

[0037] The side wall portion 51 may form an outer side surface of the case 50 and define an inner space. Therefore, the battery cell stack 10 may be accommodated in the inner space defined by the side wall portion 51 and seated on the lower plate 52.

[0038] The lower plate 52 may support the lower surface of the cell stack 10 and may simultaneously cool the cell stack 10. In addition, the cell stack 10 according to the present embodiment may be fastened to the lower plate 52 or a separator 60 described later.

[0039] The housing 50 may be provided with a partition plate 60 disposed to cross an inner space formed by the side wall portion 51 to partition the inner space into a plurality of accommodation spaces. Therefore, at least a portion of the partition plate 60 may be fastened to the side wall portion 51.

[0040] The separator 60 may be coupled to the case 50 to enhance the overall rigidity of the case 50. In addition, the separator 60 may be disposed between the cell stacks 10 to suppress the propagation of gas or flame between the cell stacks 10.

[0041] In this embodiment, the partition 60 can be respectively arranged between two battery cell stacks 10 arranged side by side. Both ends of the partition 60 can be fastened to the side wall portion 51 of the housing 50, or fastened to other partitions 60, so that the internal space formed by the side wall portion 51 can be divided into a plurality of accommodation spaces. Therefore, a plurality of battery cell stacks 10 can be respectively dispersedly arranged in a plurality of accommodation spaces divided by the side wall portion 51 and the partition 60.

[0042] The partition plate 60 may be welded to the housing 50 or may be fixed and fastened to the housing 50 by fastening means such as bolts, screws, etc.

[0043] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of the partition shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 is along Figure 4 A partially cut stereogram taken along line I-I'.

[0044] Reference Figures 4 to 6 The separator 60 of the present embodiment can be manufactured by die casting process. In this case, the manufacturing cost can be reduced compared with the extrusion method.

[0045] The spacer 60 may be made of aluminum, but various materials such as resin compounds and composite materials may be used as long as they can be manufactured by injection molding.

[0046] The partition plate 60 may be integrally formed to have the same thickness, and specifically, may include a main frame 61 , a reinforcing rib 62 , a fastening portion 70 , and an elastic supporting portion 80 .

[0047] The main frame 61 may be formed of a plate forming the overall outer shape of the partition 60. In the present embodiment, the main frame 61 may be provided along the center in the thickness direction of the partition 60. In this case, it is difficult to provide the main frame 61 in a portion where a fastening portion 70 or an elastic supporting portion 80 described later is provided. Therefore, the main frame 61 may be provided in an area other than the fastening portion 70 or the elastic supporting portion 80 in the partition 60.

[0048] However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the main frame 61 may be disposed on one side of the thickness direction reference of the partition plate 60 instead of the center.

[0049] The reinforcing rib 62 may be formed on at least a portion of both sides of the partition plate 60. For example, the reinforcing rib 62 may be formed on both sides of the main frame 61, or only on one side. In addition, the reinforcing rib 62 may be formed on the outside of the main frame 61 and the fastening portion 70 described later.

[0050] The reinforcing ribs 62 can enhance the rigidity of the partition 60. To this end, the reinforcing ribs 62 of the present embodiment can be formed to protrude from the main frame 61 in a grid shape. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reinforcing ribs 62 can protrude from the main frame 61 in various shapes as long as the rigidity of the partition 60 can be enhanced.

[0051] The fastening portion 70 may include a space into which the fastening member 90 is inserted.

[0052] The battery device 1 of this embodiment can be fixed and fastened to an external structural member of a vehicle or the like by a fastening member 90 such as a bolt. For example, the fastening member 90 can pass through the battery device 1 and be combined with a structural member such as a frame of the vehicle. Therefore, the battery device 1 of this embodiment can be provided with a fastening portion 70 inside the partition 60.

[0053] The fastening portion 70 may include a body in a long cylindrical shape disposed in the up-down direction of the partition plate 60 , and a fastening hole 72 penetrating the body in the up-down direction may be formed inside the body.

[0054] In order to enable the bolt head 91 of the fastening member 90 to support the partition plate 60, at least a portion of the fastening hole 72 may be formed with different diameters. For example, the fastening hole 72 may include a first region 72a having a larger diameter and a second region 72b having a smaller diameter than the first region 72a. The first region 72a may be formed with a diameter into which the bolt head 91 of the fastening member 90 can be inserted, while the second region 72b may be formed with a diameter into which the bolt head 91 cannot be inserted.

[0055] The second region 72b of the fastening portion 70 of this embodiment is disposed above the first region 72a. Therefore, the fastening member 90 can be inserted into the first region 72a from the bottom of the battery device 1 and then pass through the fastening hole 72 to be coupled to the structural member of the vehicle.

[0056] A plurality of fastening parts 70 may be spaced apart and the main bodies of the fastening parts 70 may be connected to the main frame 61. In addition, the outer surface of the fastening part 70 may be formed with a reinforcing rib 62, but the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0057] Since the fastening member 90 is coupled to the structural member of the vehicle through the fastening portion 70, at least a portion of the fastening portion 70 may be exposed outside the upper plate 53. To this end, the upper plate 53 may include a plurality of through holes 53a into which the fastening portion 70 is inserted.

[0058] In addition, the upper surface of the partition 60 may be provided with a fastening hole P1 for fastening the cell stack 10 to the partition 60. Although not shown, the cell stack 10 may be arranged so that at least a portion overlaps with the fastening hole P1, and a bolt or screw may pass through the overlapping portion and be fastened. In addition, the upper surface of the partition 60 may be provided with a fastening hole P2 for fastening the upper plate 53 to the partition 60. In this case, the upper plate 53 may be placed on the above-mentioned fastening hole P2, and the bolt or screw may pass through the upper plate 53 and be fastened to the fastening hole P2.

[0059] In addition, although not shown, the lower surface of the partition plate 60 may also be provided with fastening holes for fastening the partition plate 60 to the lower plate 52. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereto, and these fastening holes may be variously modified as needed.

[0060] The elastic support portion 80 may elastically support the battery cell stack 10 .

[0061] Among the cells forming the cell stack 10 , swelling may occur in at least one cell depending on the situation. In this case, the volume of the cell increases, thereby increasing the volume of the cell stack 10 , and the resulting pressure may be applied to the separator 60 .

[0062] Therefore, the elastic support part 80 can be provided in the area where the pressure applied by the cell stack 10 is concentrated. The above pressure is mainly concentrated in the central part of the surface in contact with the separator 60. Therefore, the elastic support part 80 of this embodiment can be provided in the central part of the area of ​​the separator 60 facing the cell stack 10.

[0063] The elastic support portion 80 may be formed in the form of a box with an open lower surface, and the support surface 81 in contact with the battery cell stack 10 may be formed as a flat surface. If the reinforcing rib 62 is formed outside the support surface 81, when the battery cell stack 10 expands, the reinforcing rib 62 is pressurized, so that the pressure is concentrated on a part of the battery cell stack 10 due to the reinforcing rib 62, thereby causing damage to the battery cell stack 10.

[0064] Therefore, the support surface 81 of the elastic support part 80 of the present embodiment is formed as a flat surface. The area of ​​the support surface 81 can be limited according to the area of ​​the battery cell stack 10. If the elastic support part 80 is formed to be too large, the rigidity of the partition 60 may be reduced. On the contrary, if the elastic support part 80 is formed to be too small, due to the expansion of the battery cell stack 10, the pressure may be concentrated on the side of the reinforcing rib 62 instead of the support surface 81. Therefore, the support surface 81 of the elastic support part 80 of the present embodiment can be configured to be more than 1 / 4 and less than 1 / 2 of the area where the battery cell stack 10 contacts the partition 60. However, it is not limited to this.

[0065] like Figure 5 As shown, the interior of the elastic support portion 80 of this embodiment is formed as an empty space S. Therefore, when the battery cell stack 10 expands and applies pressure to the support surface 81 side, the support surface 81 can be elastically deformed in the form of shrinking the empty space S, so that the elastic support portion 80 can accommodate the expanded volume of the battery cell stack 10.

[0066] On the other hand, since the inside of the elastic support part 80 is formed as an empty space S, the rigidity of the elastic support part 80 may be weaker than the main frame 61 formed with the reinforcing ribs 62. Figure 6 As shown, at least one reinforcing rib 62 may also be provided inside the elastic support portion 80. As described above, since the partition plate 60 of this embodiment is manufactured by die casting, the internal space of the elastic support portion can be formed by the slider core (or insert core). In this case, the moving direction of the slider core needs to be considered. Therefore, as in this embodiment, when only the lower surface of the elastic support portion 80 is open, the reinforcing rib 62 provided inside the elastic support portion 80 can only be provided in the up-down direction.

[0067] In the battery device 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above, since the fastening portion 70 is provided inside the partition 60, there is no need to add a separate component for fastening the battery device 1 to the vehicle. For example, in the case where the partition 60 is manufactured by extrusion, in order to form the fastening portion 70, it is necessary to manufacture a separate component capable of supporting the fastening component 90 and to combine with the partition 60. However, the partition 60 of the present embodiment is manufactured by die casting, so the above-mentioned separate component can be omitted. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the mass of the partition 60 can be minimized. In addition, since the manufacturing process of combining the above-mentioned separate component to the partition 60 is omitted, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and it is easier to manage the yield.

[0068] In addition, considering the expansion of the battery cell stack 10, the separator 60 of the present embodiment is provided with an elastic support portion 80, so that even if the battery cell stack 10 expands, the separator 60 can absorb the expanded volume. Therefore, the outer shape of the battery device 1 can be prevented from being deformed due to the expansion of the battery cell stack 10.

[0069] On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible.

[0070] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a partition according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8 is along Figure 7 A partially cut stereogram taken along line II-II'.

[0071] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 According to the present embodiment, the partition plate 60a may include two elastic supporting parts 80. The main frame 61 or the fastening part 70 may be disposed between the two elastic supporting parts 80.

[0072] like Figure 7 As shown, the above configuration can be performed considering that the battery cell stack 10 is arranged in two rows, or the battery cells are arranged in two rows inside the battery cell stack 10. For example, each elastic support portion 80 can correspond to each row of the battery cell stack 10 arranged in two rows, or each row of the battery cells stacked in two rows inside the battery cell stack 10.

[0073] Therefore, when the battery cell stacks 10 are arranged in three rows, the separator 60 a of the present embodiment may include three elastic support portions 80 .

[0074] Fig. 9 is a three-dimensional diagram of a partition according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig.10 is along Fig. 9 A partially cut stereogram taken along line III-III'.

[0075] Reference Fig. 9and Fig.10 In the partition plate 60 b according to the present embodiment, two main frames 61 may be disposed at a predetermined distance apart, and the reinforcing rib 62 may be disposed between the two main frames 61 .

[0076] In such a configuration, both surfaces of the separator 60 facing the cell stack 10 can be formed as flat surfaces. Therefore, the supporting surface of the elastic supporting portion 80 can be formed by a part of the main frame 61 .

[0077] In addition, the elastic support part 80 of the present embodiment may be formed in a form in which both the lower surface and the upper surface are open. In this case, the slider core may be provided in two directions (the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the partition), so that the inner part of the elastic support part 80 may form a reinforcing rib 62 along the length direction of the partition 60b. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0078] The above detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the present invention, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. In addition, the embodiments can be implemented by combining with each other.

Claims

1. A battery device comprising: A housing for accommodating a plurality of battery cell stacks; as well as at least one partition, dividing the internal space of the housing into a plurality of accommodation spaces, The partition comprises: A main frame, forming the overall shape of the partition; at least one fastening portion, disposed on the main frame, into which a fastening member for fastening the housing to an external structural member is inserted; and The elastic support part is arranged on the main frame and absorbs the expanded volume of the battery cell stack when the battery cell stack expands.

2. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein: The fastening portion includes a cylindrical body and a fastening hole penetrating the body. The fastening hole comprises: a first region formed at the lower portion; and The second region is formed on an upper portion of the first region, and a diameter of the second region is smaller than a diameter of the first region.

3. The battery device according to claim 2, wherein: The partition is formed by die casting.

4. The battery device according to claim 1, further comprising: The reinforcing rib is arranged on at least a portion of the two sides of the main frame.

5. The battery device according to claim 4, wherein: The reinforcement ribs are formed to protrude from the main frame in a lattice shape.

6. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic support portion is formed in a box shape with an open lower surface and a hollow interior, and a support surface in contact with the battery cell stack is formed as a flat surface.

7. The battery device according to claim 6, wherein: At least one reinforcing rib is disposed inside the elastic support portion. The reinforcing ribs are arranged along the up-down direction.

8. The battery device according to claim 4, wherein: The main frame is provided in a plate shape along the center of the thickness direction of the partition plate, and the reinforcing ribs are formed to protrude from both surfaces of the main frame.

9. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein: The two main frames are disposed at a predetermined distance apart, and a reinforcing rib is disposed between the two main frames.

10. The battery device according to claim 1, further comprising: an upper plate, covering the upper portion of the inner space, The upper plate includes a through hole into which the fastening part is inserted.

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