Battery pack and energy storage system including same

Abstract

The battery pack according to the present invention comprises: at least one cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells; a housing that accommodates the at least one unit assembly and has an insertion portion along a length direction thereof, the insertion portion being provided in a form in which an outer side surface of the housing is recessed inward; and a rod-shaped reinforcing member which is inserted into the insertion portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and an energy storage system including the battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack having an improved assembly method between a housing and components and an energy storage system including the battery pack. This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0138105 filed in Korea on October 25, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] Secondary batteries have a wide range of applications depending on the product group, and due to their electrical properties such as high energy density, they are often used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by power supplies. These batteries offer the major advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and, because they produce no byproducts when using energy, are attracting attention as a new energy source that can improve eco-friendliness and energy efficiency.

[0003] Currently widely used secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, etc. The operating voltage of a unit secondary battery cell, that is, a unit battery cell, is about 2.5 V to 4.2 V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a plurality of battery cells can be connected in series to form a battery pack. In addition, according to the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack, a plurality of battery cells can be connected in parallel to form a battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be set differently according to the required output voltage or the required charge / discharge capacity.

[0004] Energy storage systems (ESS), which have recently attracted much attention, are devices that maximize electricity usage efficiency by storing generated electricity in battery packs and supplying it to consumers when needed. In an energy storage system, multiple battery packs form a battery rack, with dozens to hundreds of racks grouped together to form a system. These energy storage systems are also used in conjunction with uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) to ensure a stable power supply in response to sudden power outages or anomalies, and solar photovoltaic systems, which convert sunlight into electrical energy. Furthermore, with the full-scale commercialization of electric vehicles, these ESSs are also being used in charging stations that can charge electric vehicles.

[0005] When a battery pack is used in an ESS, it is typically constructed in such a way that multiple battery cells are housed in a housing, often referred to as a battery pack case. The ESS battery pack case is typically made of a high-strength metal material (usually steel) to support the high loads of the multiple battery cells.

[0006] However, in this case, electrical insulation between the housing and electrical components, particularly between the housing and the battery cells, becomes problematic. To address this, an additional insulating structure or separate insulating components must be installed between the housing and the battery cells. This, in turn, increases the manufacturing time, cycle time, and manufacturing costs of the battery pack.

[0007] Meanwhile, conventional ESS battery packs have a structure that uses bolt-nut connections to secure internal battery pack components. Furthermore, when assembling terminal blocks, bolts are used to prevent rotation due to torque and to secure the terminal blocks in place.

[0008] When bolts and nuts are used, as in the prior art, structural considerations are necessary to achieve this. For example, designs should be designed to avoid inserts or undercuts. Furthermore, design considerations for potential insulation degradation should be considered. Furthermore, from a process management perspective, bolts and nuts must be continuously inspected and managed to ensure proper tightening torque, prevent missed tightening, and prevent loosening after tightening due to product use. The additional process required for tightening and confirming tightening also increases production cycle time.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology for a housing structure that has improved structural rigidity and safety to securely support a plurality of battery cells while ensuring electrical insulation between the housing and electrical components. Furthermore, there is a need to develop a technology for a battery pack that requires fewer design variables to be considered for securing internal battery pack components than when using bolts and nuts. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] The present disclosure is intended to solve the problems of the related art, and thus the present disclosure is intended to provide a battery pack ensuring electrical insulation and structural safety, and an energy storage system including the battery pack.

[0012] The present disclosure also relates to providing a battery pack and an energy storage system including the battery pack: compared with the case where bolts and nuts are used, the battery pack needs to consider fewer design variables for fixing internal battery pack components, is easier to manage in terms of process control than when bolts and nuts are used, and does not increase the production cycle time.

[0013] Technical Solution

[0014] The battery pack disclosed herein for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: at least one cell assembly, the at least one cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a housing, the housing accommodating the cell assembly and having an insertion portion along a longitudinal direction, the insertion portion being configured in a form in which an outer surface thereof is concave in an inward direction; and a rod-shaped reinforcing member, the reinforcing member being inserted into the insertion portion.

[0015] The housing includes a base plate on which the battery cells are seated, and support frame portions provided on both sides of the base plate and constituting an insertion portion.

[0016] The base plate and support frame portion may be integrally injection moulded.

[0017] The reinforcement members may be a pair of steel pipes.

[0018] The housing may be made of a plastic material, and the reinforcement member may be made of a metal material.

[0019] The battery pack of the present disclosure may further include a base clip for fixing a position of the reinforcement member.

[0020] The at least one single body assembly may be a plurality of single body assemblies disposed side by side with each other, and the single body assembly may include a bus bar frame assembly.

[0021] The support frame portion of the base plate may be provided in a boundary region extending in an arrangement direction of the cell assemblies and protrude upward at predetermined intervals along the arrangement direction of the cell assemblies to support the bus bar frame assembly of each cell assembly.

[0022] The substrate may further include a recessed portion arranged between adjacent support frame portions, the busbar frame assembly of each single assembly may include a busbar frame made of an electrically insulating material, and the busbar frame may include: a mounting plate arranged on an upper surface of the support frame portion; and a placement guide block protruding downward from the mounting plate to be inserted into the corresponding recessed portion.

[0023] The mounting plate and the seating guide block may be integrally injection molded into the busbar frame.

[0024] The recess may include a step on an upper surface thereof, and a lower surface of the seating guide block may have a shape corresponding to the step.

[0025] When the single unit assembly is positioned on a substrate and each positioning guide block is inserted into a corresponding recess, each of the positioning guide blocks and the supporting frame portion may be configured to form a continuous assembly wall along an arrangement direction of the single unit assembly, and the assembly wall may define the insertion portion.

[0026] The seating guide block and the support frame portion may constrain the position of the reinforcement member in the longitudinal direction and the height direction of the reinforcement member, and the housing and the busbar frame assembly may be fixed to each other by the reinforcement member.

[0027] The component wall may include an upper receiving wall, a lower receiving wall and a side receiving wall, and the reinforcing member may be a rectangular steel tube, wherein the upper portion of the steel tube may contact the upper receiving wall, the lower portion of the steel tube may contact the lower receiving wall, and one side portion of the steel tube may contact the side receiving wall.

[0028] The housing may further include a front plate on at least one side of the base plate, the battery pack may further include a terminal block, and a front cover having a snap-fit ​​structure to prevent separation of the terminal block may be mounted on the front plate.

[0029] The base plate and the front plate may be integrally injection molded.

[0030] The front plate may be in the form of a vertical plate arranged on one edge of the bottom plate, the terminal block may be mounted on an outer surface of the front plate, and the battery pack may further include a top cover having an opening, and the front cover may be removed from the front plate through the opening of the top cover, so that the terminal block can be exposed or shielded.

[0031] Furthermore, the present disclosure provides an energy storage system including at least one battery pack according to the present disclosure.

[0032] Beneficial effects

[0033] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, insulation between a case and a battery cell may be ensured by manufacturing the case by injection molding, and structural stability may be ensured by inserting a reinforcement member into the case to improve mechanical characteristics of the case.

[0034] Specifically, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack can be provided that is configured to achieve perfect insulation by using an injection-molded housing without requiring a separate insulating component. Thus, electrical insulation between the housing and the battery cells can be achieved without requiring an additional insulating structure or separate insulating components, thereby reducing the manufacturing man-hours, cycle time, and manufacturing costs of the battery pack.

[0035] Furthermore, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the housing and the busbar frame assembly are fixed to each other by a reinforcement member to provide a secure fastening structure, thereby improving resistance to bending or sagging.

[0036] In addition, the fixing structure achieved by the reinforcing member can minimize the use of bolt-nut fixing structures. Therefore, in particular, according to the present disclosure, by minimizing the use of bolt-nut fixing structures in the battery pack, a structure for structurally assembling and fixing internal components is proposed. According to the present disclosure, the design and management control factors of the battery pack can be minimized, thereby suppressing problems that may arise therefrom. That is, a battery pack can be provided that has fewer design variables to consider when fixing internal battery pack components than when using bolts and nuts, is easier to manage in terms of process management, and does not increase the production cycle time.

[0037] According to the present disclosure, material costs are reduced as the structure is simplified and the number of parts is reduced. According to the present disclosure, productivity is improved due to the reduction in production cycle time. According to the present disclosure, there is also an effect of reducing the weight of the battery pack through process simplification and structural simplification. According to the present invention, since an injection-molded plastic housing is used instead of steel, not only is the weight light, but compared with the existing bolt-nut structure, there is no need for the resin used to implement the fixed injection structure and the weight of the bolts and nuts, thereby further reducing the weight.

[0038] Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the reinforcing member has a significant effect of reinforcing the rigidity of the substrate manufactured by injection molding, and a battery pack configured to stably fix the cell assembly to the substrate and reduce the weight of the battery pack can be provided.

[0039] Also, by including such a battery pack, the energy storage system is safer, easier to transport and install, and can reduce production costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, are used to provide further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure, so the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 2 The top cover and Figure 1 A view of the battery pack separated.

[0043] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of the main parts of the battery pack.

[0044] Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a cell assembly of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 5is a perspective view illustrating a substrate and a reinforcing member of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of .

[0047] Figure 7 is shown in more detail Figure 4 A view of the busbar frame.

[0048] Figure 8 and Figure 9 1 is a view illustrating an assembly process or an assembly structure of a substrate and a plurality of unit components according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 10 It is shown in Figure 9 A view of the state in which the base clip is assembled after the reinforcing member is inserted.

[0050] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of a battery pack.

[0051] Figure 12 is a view showing a terminal block portion in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 13 is a view for describing a terminal block assembly and a fixing structure in a battery pack according to the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 14 Corresponding to Figure 13 , and is a view after assembling the front cover.

[0054] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of an energy storage system according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before describing, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but are interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the principle that allows the inventor to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation. Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are merely preferred examples for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 The top cover and Figure 1 A view of the battery pack detached, and Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of the main parts of the battery pack.

[0057] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure may be a three-dimensional structure having predetermined lengths, widths, and heights in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively. The battery pack 10 includes a cell module assembly (CMA) 100, a housing 400, and a reinforcement member 500. The battery pack 10 may also include a base clamp for securing the position of the reinforcement member 500 and a top cover 410.

[0058] The battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure includes one or more cell assemblies 100. Here, the cell assembly 100 refers to a plurality of battery cells 101 grouped together.

[0059] The battery pack 10 may be constructed to include a plurality of cell assemblies 100. For example, Figure 2 As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the battery pack 10 may include four cell assemblies 100 arranged side by side. In addition, the battery pack 10 includes a housing 400 for protecting the four cell assemblies 100 from external influences.

[0060] The housing 400 is a portion that accommodates the monomer assembly 100. Figure 1 As shown, when the top cover 410 is coupled to the housing 400 , a hollow space for accommodating the cell assembly 100 may be formed, and the cell assembly 100 may be accommodated in the hollow space.

[0061] The housing 400 can support the cell assembly 100. Specifically, the housing 400 can primarily support the lower surface of the cell assembly 100. The housing 400 can be mounted on a machine or device that uses the battery pack 10 as an energy source. For example, the housing 400 can be mounted on an energy storage system, an electric vehicle, or the like.

[0062] In this embodiment, the housing 400 may include a base plate 420 that supports the four cell assemblies 100 at their bottoms. The base plate 420 supports the cell assemblies 100 and constitutes a major portion of the housing 400. Specifically, the base plate 420 may cover the lower surface of the cell assemblies 100.

[0063] The top cover 410 mainly covers the upper surface of the cell assembly 100 and is coupled to the base plate 420. The top cover 410 may be provided in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped box with an open bottom, and the base plate 420 may be provided in a generally plate-like form having an area capable of accommodating a plurality of cell assemblies 100.

[0064] In particular, each of the base plate 420 and the top cover 410 may include two unit portions disposed to extend in one direction (the Y-axis direction in this embodiment), and the two unit portions may be connected to each other. Figure 3 The portion located on the left side of the two unit parts is shown. In addition, on the side of the unit parts facing each other, fastening protrusions protruding in the direction facing each other and fastening receiving grooves connected to these fastening protrusions are provided, so that the unit parts can be assembled in a step-free manner at the connecting portion between them. When the size of the housing 400 is enlarged in order to manufacture a large-capacity battery pack, manufacturing it as a single unit may cause manufacturing difficulties or inconvenience during the operation process. According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, since each unit part of the substrate 420 and the top cover 410 can be manufactured in an appropriate size and then assembled in a simple manner to complete the process, it has the advantage of convenient manufacturing and operation process. In addition, the structural strength of the substrate 420 can be further improved at the connecting portion of each unit part, and there is an effect of further improving the resistance to bending or sagging in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction).

[0065] Next, we will refer to Figure 4 The detailed structure of the single body assembly 100 will be described.

[0066] Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a cell assembly of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] Further references Figure 4 The cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 101. A predetermined number of battery cells 101 may be collected to construct one cell assembly 100.

[0068] Each cell assembly 100 may include a cell stack 110, 120 including a plurality of battery cells 101. Preferably, the cell stacks 110, 120 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance to provide an air layer K1.

[0069] The number of battery cells 101 forming the cell stacks 110 and 120 can be set in various ways depending on the desired output voltage or charge / discharge capacity. As shown in the figure, a single cell assembly 100 can include two cell stacks 110 and 120, or it can be configured to include three or four cell stacks. Of course, it is also possible to include only one cell stack. Here, the cell stack refers to an assembly of battery cells 101, in which a predetermined number of battery cells 101 having a roughly plate-like shape are stacked.

[0070] The air layer K1 can be used to prevent heat transfer between the cell stacks 110 and 120. For example, if a thermal runaway event occurs in one of the battery cells 101 in the cell stack 120, the air layer K1 can prevent heat from being transferred from the cell stack 120 on one side to the cell stack 110 on the other side. Therefore, if a thermal runaway event occurs in a specific battery cell 101, chain heat propagation to all battery cells 101 included in the cell assembly 100 can be prevented. Furthermore, if gas is generated in the battery cell 101, the air layer K1 can serve as a channel for the gas to move.

[0071] The battery cell 101 may be formed of a pouch-type secondary battery and may be provided in plurality and electrically connected to each other. For electrical connection, the cell assembly 100 includes a bus bar frame assembly 300 .

[0072] Each battery cell 101 may include an electrode assembly, a battery case housing the electrode assembly, and an electrode lead 102 protruding from the battery case and electrically connected to the electrode assembly. The electrode lead 102 may include a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead, wherein the positive electrode lead may be connected to the positive electrode plate of the electrode assembly, and the negative electrode lead may be connected to the negative electrode plate of the electrode assembly.

[0073] In the example shown, each battery cell 101 includes a pair of electrode leads 102 protruding from both sides in its longitudinal direction (X-axis direction). In other words, the electrode leads 102 can be respectively provided at the front and rear of the battery cell 101 as a pouch-type secondary battery along the longitudinal direction.

[0074] In this embodiment, the cell stacks 110 and 120 are assemblies of multiple battery cells 101 stacked in one direction (the Y-axis direction). The battery cells 101 can be arranged side by side in a horizontal direction (the Y-axis direction) while standing upright in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction). In other words, the battery cells 101 can be arranged in a horizontal stack with their wide surfaces perpendicular to the ground.

[0075] The busbar frame assemblies 300 are respectively disposed in front of and behind the cell stacks 110 and 120. The cell stacks 110 and 120 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) and are arranged side by side. In other words, the busbar frame assemblies 300 are disposed in front of and behind the cell stacks 110 and 120 in a direction intersecting the stacking direction of the battery cells 101.

[0076] The busbar frame assembly 300 can be configured to correspond to the number of cell stacks. That is, in this embodiment, the busbar frame assembly 300 is designed to correspond to two cell stacks 110 and 120. However, if the number of cell stacks is three, for example, the busbar frame assembly 300 can also be configured to support and electrically connect the three cell stacks.

[0077] The busbar frame assembly 300 includes a busbar frame 310 and a plurality of busbars 320 .

[0078] The busbar frame 310 is made of an electrically insulating material and can be sized to integrally cover the front or rear surface of the battery cell stacks 110 and 120. Furthermore, the busbar frame 310 can have lead slots, each of which allows a predetermined number of electrode leads 102 to pass through in the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction). The lead slots can be arranged at predetermined intervals along the stacking direction of the battery cells 101.

[0079] The plurality of bus bars 320 may be provided in the form of rods or plates made of a conductive metal material such as copper, aluminum, or nickel. The plurality of bus bars 320 may be mounted on the bus bar frame 310 to be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along the stacking direction of the battery cells 101.

[0080] In the battery cells 101 that constitute the cell stacks 110 and 120, respectively, the electrode leads 102 of the battery cells can be pulled outward from the busbar frame 310 through the corresponding lead grooves. The electrode leads 102 pulled out to the outside of the busbar frame 310 can be bent and fixedly attached to the surface of the corresponding busbar 320. For example, the busbar 320 and the electrode leads 102 can be fixedly coupled to each other by laser welding or ultrasonic welding. For example, the positive leads of two battery cells 101 are overlapped and attached to a specific busbar 320, and the negative leads of the other two battery cells 101 are overlapped and attached to a specific busbar 320. Then, the four battery cells 101 can be connected in series and / or in parallel to each other. By attaching the electrode leads 102 of the battery cells 101 to the corresponding busbars 320 in this way, all the battery cells 101 included in the cell stacks 110 and 120 can be connected in series and / or in parallel.

[0081] The busbar frame 310 can achieve electrical insulation. Since the busbar frame 310 can be manufactured as a plastic structure through injection molding, no separate insulation treatment or insulating part is required for electrical insulation. This also helps to reduce weight.

[0082] Furthermore, the busbar frame is preferably constructed as an injection-molded structure to realize a mating portion for mating with the base plate 420. In the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, the busbar frame 310 of the busbar frame assembly 300 may further include a mounting plate 314 and a placement guide block 315, wherein the mounting plate is placed on the upper surface of the support frame portion 422 of the base plate 420, and the placement guide block 315 protrudes downward from the mounting plate 314. The mounting plate 314 and the placement guide block 315 are components for improving the assembly and fixation between the plurality of cell assemblies 100 and the base plate 420. The mounting plate 314 and the placement guide block 315 may be integrally injection-molded into the busbar frame 310. The mounting plate 314 and the placement guide block 315 will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the base plate 420.

[0083] Reference again Figures 1 to 3 The housing 400 can be made of a plastic material. The housing 400 can be made entirely of a plastic material. In particular, the housing 400 can be constructed in the form of a plastic injection molded product. In this way, when the housing 400 is manufactured in a plastic injection molded manner, insulation from the battery cell 101 can be ensured.

[0084] A plurality of cell assemblies 100 may be mounted and supported on a substrate 420. In the illustrated example, four cell assemblies 100 having electrode leads 102 protruding in both directions of the X-axis are arranged side by side along the Y-axis, and bus bar frame assemblies 300 connecting the electrode leads 102 in the cell assemblies 100 are placed on both sides of the substrate 420. If cell assemblies having electrode leads protruding in one direction of the X-axis are included, the bus bar frame assembly may be placed on one side of the substrate.

[0085] In particular, the base plate 420 can achieve electrical insulation and is preferably constructed as an injection-molded structure for realizing a mating portion for mating with the unit assembly 100. Since the base plate 420 can be manufactured as a plastic structure by injection molding, a separate insulating process or insulating portion for electrical insulation is not required. In addition, it can be manufactured to be lighter than when the housing is made of a metal material.

[0086] Conventional battery pack housings have substrates made by extrusion or with rigid materials such as steel sheets. This requires additional insulation, which increases weight and cost. Since the battery pack 10 of the present disclosure uses an injection-molded housing, no additional insulation is required. Consequently, weight and cost can be reduced.

[0087] However, when applied as a plastic injection molded product, there may be problems with the structural safety of the housing 400. In addition, as the size of the housing 400 increases, the structure of the housing 400 made of plastic injection molding may be more susceptible to bending or sagging compared to conventional housings made of steel, and may be weaker in strength or rigidity, thereby limiting its firm support force.

[0088] Therefore, in this embodiment, a reinforcement member 500 is provided within the housing 400. Specifically, the structural rigidity of the injection-molded housing is supplemented by the reinforcement member 500, which may be a steel tube for mechanical structure. Compared to the steel base plate of a conventional battery pack housing, the reinforcement member 500 can fully supplement the desired strength with a smaller volume and weight. Therefore, compared to conventional battery packs, the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure can reduce weight and cost.

[0089] The housing 400 has an insertion portion 424a along the longitudinal direction, and the insertion portion 424a is arranged in a form in which its outer surface is recessed in the inward direction. In particular, the insertion portion 424a can be arranged on both sides of the substrate 420 of the housing 400, and the substrate 420 includes a support frame portion 422 so as to construct the insertion portion 424a. The substrate 420 and the support frame portion 422 can be injection molded as a whole. Since the housing 400 is manufactured by plastic injection molding in this way, in addition to ensuring the advantage of insulation from the battery cell 101, the convenience of processing can also be ensured, and the manufacturing man-hours can be reduced. In this way, by manufacturing the housing 400 by plastic injection molding, electrical insulation can be performed without the need for an additional insulating structure or a separate insulating portion, thereby reducing the production cycle time and manufacturing cost of the battery pack 10.

[0090] The reinforcing member 500 can be inserted into the outer shell 400. The reinforcing member 500 can be inserted into the insertion portion 424a of the outer shell 400. In particular, the reinforcing member 500 can be configured as a rod extending long in one direction to be inserted into the insertion portion 424a. The insertion portion 424a can be provided on both sides of the outer shell 400. Therefore, the reinforcing member 500 can be inserted from the side of the battery pack 10. Since the insertion portion 424a is provided in a form in which its outer surface is recessed inward from the outer shell 400, the reinforcing member 500 can be easily inserted into the insertion portion 424a by a simple operation of sliding the reinforcing member 500 inward from the outer surface of the outer shell 400, that is, in the lateral direction.

[0091] The reinforcement member 500 may be made of a metal material. For example, the reinforcement member 500 may be a pair of steel pipes. Figure 3As shown, the reinforcing member 500 can be a rectangular parallelepiped steel pipe with a rectangular cross section. In addition, the reinforcing member 500 can be provided in the form of a hollow tube as shown in the figure. In this case, the weight can be further reduced.

[0092] Such reinforcement members 500 can be arranged to be inserted into the insertion portion 424a of the housing 400 in pairs. This provides a secure support for both sides of the housing 400. In this way, even if the housing 400 is manufactured using plastic injection molding, the mechanical properties of the housing 400 can be improved by the reinforcement members 500 to ensure structural stability. Compared to a case where the unit assembly 100 is supported solely by the base plate 420, the use of the reinforcement members 500 allows the entire coupling structure to support the load of the unit assembly 100, thereby ensuring structural safety.

[0093] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a substrate and a reinforcing member of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of .

[0094] First, if Figure 5 As shown, the substrate 420 may have a lower vent hole 425 formed therethrough. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the top cover 410 may have an upper vent hole 411 formed therethrough. The upper vent hole 411 and the lower vent hole 425 may be formed to have a vertically symmetrical structure. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The air layer K1 and the lower vent hole 425 shown in the figure can be configured to match in the vertical direction. The gas exhausted from the battery cell 101 can be discharged to the outside of the battery pack 10 through the upper vent hole 411 and / or the lower vent hole 425 via the air layer K1. In this way, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated from the battery cell 101 can be evenly dispersed and discharged to the outside of the housing 400. Therefore, when the gas is exhausted from the battery cell 101, the collapse or deformation of the battery pack 10 can be prevented.

[0095] At the same time, if Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the support frame portion 422 of the substrate 420 is provided in a boundary region extending along the arrangement direction of the cell assembly 100 and protrudes upward at predetermined intervals along the arrangement direction of the cell assembly 100. In addition, the substrate 420 may further include recesses 423 provided between adjacent support frame portions 422. Here, the arrangement direction of the cell assembly 100 is the same as the stacking direction of the battery cells 101, and the boundary region extending in the arrangement direction of the cell assembly 100 includes Figure 5 The substrate 420 has boundary areas in both directions of the X axis.

[0096] In addition, the support frame portion 422 has a shape in which its outer surface is concave in the inward direction so that the insertion portion 424a can be formed. The concave shape is set to approximately ' ' shape, and this shape can match the shape of the reinforcing member 500. On the other hand, the concave shape may not necessarily be ' ' shape, as long as it is a shape that matches the reinforcing member 500. The recess 423 can be located between two adjacent support frame parts 422, such as Figure 6 shown.

[0097] Figure 7 is shown in more detail Figure 4 A view of the busbar frame. Figure 8 and Figure 9 1 is a view illustrating an assembly process or an assembly structure of a substrate and a plurality of unit components according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 It is shown in Figure 9 A view of the state in which the base clip is assembled after the reinforcing member is inserted.

[0098] The recess 423 may be configured to fit the shape of the seating guide block 315 of the busbar frame 310, such as Figure 7 and 8 As shown. Specifically, recess 423 includes a step on its upper surface, and the lower surface of seating guide block 315 may have a shape corresponding to the step. The step provides positional guidance and may be configured to include an inclined portion to facilitate positional guidance and assembly of seating guide block 315 within recess 423. Thus, unit assembly 100 can be stably mounted and accommodated on base plate 420.

[0099] Next, refer to Figures 8 to 10 , describing the assembly structure and fixing structure between the substrate 420 and the plurality of monomer components 100.

[0100] Each cell assembly 100 includes a busbar frame assembly 300 having seating guide blocks 315, and a base plate 420 having recesses 423 at predetermined positions. The number of seating guide blocks 315 provided in the cell assembly 100 and the number of recesses 423 provided in the base plate 420 are the same.

[0101] The support frame portion 422 protrudes around the recess 423. The placement guide block 315 can be inserted into the recess 423 while passing between adjacent support frame portions 422 from top to bottom (i.e., in the Z-axis direction). In addition, the recess 423 can be constructed in the boundary area of ​​the substrate 420, so that when the placement guide block 315 of each cell assembly 100 is inserted into each corresponding recess 423, the cell assemblies 100 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other on the substrate 420 by a predetermined distance. In addition, the busbar frame 310 of each cell assembly 100 has a mounting plate 314, which can be arranged to face the upper surface of the support frame portion 422, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 7 shown.

[0102] According to the battery pack 10 of the present disclosure, including the above-described configuration, when each cell assembly 100 is assembled to the base plate 420 so that the placement guide block 315 and the recess 423 are engaged with each other, each of the plurality of cell assemblies 100 can be easily placed in position relative to the base plate 420, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 shown.

[0103] In addition, Figure 8 In the embodiment, since the seating guide block 315 is inserted and fitted into the recess 423 between the two support frame portions 422, each cell assembly 100 can be fixed relative to the base plate 420 in the Y-axis direction. In other words, since the seating guide block 315 of the bus bar frame 310 is inserted into the recess 423 of the base plate 420 and the support frame portion 422 protrudes around the recess 423 and is constrained to the left and right sides (Y-axis direction) of the recess 423, once each cell assembly 100 is seated on the base plate 420, movement in the Y-axis direction is restricted.

[0104] refer to Figure 9 , when each seating guide block 315 is inserted into each corresponding recess 423 and seated on the base plate 420, the cell assembly 100 may be configured such that each of the seating guide blocks 315 and the support frame portion 422 forms a continuous assembly wall 424 along the arrangement direction of the cell assembly 100. That is, the seating guide blocks 315 and the support frame portion 422 may be arranged such that predetermined internal spaces communicate not only with each other but also with other adjacent seating guide blocks 315 and support frame portions 422, and the reinforcement member 500 may be inserted and disposed within such spaces.

[0105] Since the component wall 424 can be provided in a form in which its outer surface is recessed in the inward direction, it defines an insertion portion 424a of the housing 400. Figure 9 As shown, the reinforcement member 500 may be inserted into the insertion portion 424a from the side.

[0106] The reinforcing member 500 may be provided in a rod shape having a length corresponding to the length of the assembly wall 424. The reinforcing member 500 may be applied to both boundary areas of the base plate 420 substantially equally.

[0107] More specifically, the assembly wall 424 includes an upper receiving wall 424_1, a lower receiving wall 424_2, and a side receiving wall 424_3. The reinforcement member 500 is a rectangular parallelepiped steel pipe. The upper portion of the reinforcement member 500 can contact the upper receiving wall 424_1, the lower portion of the reinforcement member 500 can contact the lower receiving wall 424_2, and one side portion of the reinforcement member 500 can contact the side receiving wall 424_3.

[0108] The upper receiving wall 424_1 formed by the support frame portion 422 of the base plate 420 and the upper receiving wall 424_1 formed by the seating guide block 315 of the busbar frame 310 are formed side by side without a step. The lower receiving wall 424_2 formed by the support frame portion 422 and the lower receiving wall 424_2 formed by the seating guide block 315 are also formed side by side without a step. The side receiving walls 424_3 formed by the support frame portion 422 and the side receiving walls 424_3 formed by the seating guide block 315 are also formed side by side without a step. Therefore, the internal space formed by the assembly wall 424 is connected to each other in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions to define an insertion portion 424a with an integrated space. Therefore, the reinforcement member 500 can be stably inserted into the insertion portion 424a. Furthermore, after the reinforcement member 500 is inserted into the insertion portion 424a, its position is constrained in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions.

[0109] At the same time, if Figure 10 As shown, a base clip 510 may be mounted on the base plate 420 to prevent the reinforcement member 500 from easily sliding out of the insertion portion 424a. For example, after the reinforcement member 500 is inserted into the insertion portion 424a, the base clip 510 may be coupled to the support frame portion 422 of the base plate 420. The base clip 510 is used to secure the reinforcement member 500 to the base plate 420 and may be a bracket structure made of steel.

[0110] According to this embodiment, all cell assemblies 100 can be secured to the base plate 420 in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions. Specifically, each cell assembly 100 is sandwiched between the support frame portion 422 (two boundary regions) of the base plate 420, restricting its movement in the X-axis direction. Because the support frame portion 422 and the placement guide block 315 are secured by the reinforcement member 500, the placement guide block 315 is restricted in its movement in the Y- and Z-axis directions. The top cover 410 can then be assembled to further prevent movement of the reinforcement member 500, completing the battery pack 10.

[0111] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a battery pack. A cross section perpendicular to the Y-axis is shown.

[0112] like Figure 11 As shown, the reinforcing member 500 is inserted into the inner side of the positioning guide block 315 of each monomer assembly 100, thereby restricting movement in the X-axis and Z-axis directions. Furthermore, as described above, the positioning guide block 315 of each monomer assembly 100 is inserted into the recess 423, thereby restricting movement in the Y-axis direction. Thus, the positioning guide block 315 and the support frame portion 422 also constrain the position of the reinforcing member 500 in the longitudinal and height directions of the reinforcing member 500.

[0113] In addition, since the reinforcement member 500 is inserted through the installation guide block 315 of the busbar frame 310 of the cell assembly 100 and the support frame portion 422 of the base plate 420, the reinforcement member 500 can fix the base plate 420 and the cell assembly 100. That is, the housing 400 and the busbar frame assembly 300 can be fixed to each other by the reinforcement member 500. This confirms that the reinforcement member 500, the base plate 420, and the busbar frame 310 can be constrained in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction without bolts and nuts.

[0114] In this way, the base plate 420 and the bus bar frame 310 can be manufactured into a plastic structure through an injection process, and the base plate 420 and the bus bar frame 310 divided into two parts can be assembled and fixed to each other by inserting and side fixing the reinforcing member 500. The base plate 420 and the bus bar frame 310 can be coupled without bolts and nuts, and structural safety can be enhanced.

[0115] In terms of process management, bolts and nuts must be continuously inspected and managed to ensure the torque required for tightening, prevent missed tightening, and prevent loosening after tightening due to product use. The additional process required for tightening and confirming tightening also increases production cycle time. According to the present disclosure, the use of bolts and nuts can be minimized, making process management easier and preventing any increase in production cycle time.

[0116] At the same time, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The housing 400 further includes a front plate 427 located on at least one side of the substrate 420. The battery pack 10 further includes a terminal block 700. A front cover 701 may be mounted on the front plate 427. The front cover has a snap-fit ​​702 structure that prevents separation of the terminal block 700. The front cover 701 is configured to be detachable from the front plate 427.

[0117] Figure 12is a view showing a terminal block portion in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 is a view for describing a terminal block assembly and a fixing structure in a battery pack according to the present disclosure. Figure 14 Corresponding to Figure 13 , and is a view after assembling the front cover.

[0118] refer to Figure 2 and Figures 12 to 14 , the base plate 420 and the front plate 427 may be integrally injection molded.

[0119] The front plate 427 is in the form of a vertical plate provided on one edge of the substrate 420 and may be an electrical component mounting portion. For example, the terminal block 700 may be mounted on the outer surface of the front plate 427, and the BMS assembly 600 may also be mounted thereon. Here, the BMS assembly 600 may be configured to measure the current and temperature of the battery cell 101 within the battery pack 10 and control the charge / discharge of the battery cell 101. The terminal block 700 may include electrode terminals, fuses, and the like of the battery pack 10. In order to install the BMS assembly 600 and the terminal block 700, a BMS mounting portion 600A and a terminal block mounting portion 700A may be provided on the outer surface of the front plate 427. In particular, the terminal block mounting portion 700A may be configured to include a step portion 428.

[0120] The top cover 410 may include an opening 412. Through the opening 412 of the top cover 410, the terminal block 700 may be exposed or concealed using a front cover 701 that is configured to be detachable from the front plate 427.

[0121] refer to Figure 12 , the terminal block 700 can be mounted on the step portion 428 of the front plate 427. Conventionally, when assembling the terminal block, bolts are used to prevent rotation due to torque and to fix the position of the terminal block. In the present disclosure, the terminal block 700 can be prevented from rotating by a structural step, and the front cover 701 of the terminal block 700 can be fixedly positioned on the front plate 427 by a snap-fit ​​702 structure.

[0122] The step wall at the step portion 428 provides a position guide during assembly and prevents rotation after assembly. The snap fit 702 structure prevents the terminal block 700 from being separated after assembly.

[0123] Conventionally, when assembling a terminal block, bolt fastening is used to prevent rotation due to torque and to fix the position of the terminal block. According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, the step portion 428 is used, thereby minimizing the use of bolts and nuts.

[0124] Meanwhile, the BMS assembly 600 may also be mounted on the front plate 427 by the embedded nuts 610. The front plate 427 may be provided considering that the BMS assembly 600 may be mounted on the BMS mounting portion 600A by the embedded nuts 610 during plastic injection without a separate BMS housing.

[0125] In this way, the front plate 427 can be manufactured by injection molding the BMS mounting portion 600A and the terminal block mounting portion 700A as a single piece. Plastic injection molding provides satisfactory insulation and has the effect of reducing weight and cost. In addition, bolt-nut fastening is not required to fix the position of the terminal block 700.

[0126] In terms of process management, bolts and nuts must be continuously inspected and managed to manage the torque required for tightening, prevent missed tightening, and prevent loosening after tightening due to product use. The additional process for tightening and confirming tightening also increases production cycle time. According to the present disclosure, by minimizing the use of bolt and nut fixing structures in the battery pack 10, a structure for structurally assembling and fixing internal components is proposed.

[0127] According to the present disclosure, the design and management control factors of the battery pack 10 can be minimized, thereby suppressing problems that may arise therefrom. In other words, a battery pack 10 can be provided that requires fewer design variables to be considered for securing internal battery pack components than when bolts and nuts are used; is easier to manage in terms of process management than when bolts and nuts are used, and does not increase production cycle time. According to the present disclosure, as the structure is simplified and the number of components is reduced, material costs are reduced. According to the present disclosure, productivity is improved due to the reduction in production cycle time.

[0128] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of an energy storage system according to the present disclosure.

[0129] The energy storage system 20 may include one or more battery packs 10 according to the present disclosure described above. Specifically, the energy storage system 20 may include multiple battery packs 10 according to the present disclosure, which are electrically connected to each other to provide a large energy capacity. Furthermore, the energy storage system 20 according to the present disclosure may also include various other components of energy storage systems known at the time of filing this disclosure. Furthermore, the energy storage system 20 may be used in various locations or devices, such as smart grid systems or charging stations.

[0130] For example, the energy storage system 20 may include a plurality of battery racks including the battery packs 10 according to the present disclosure. The battery packs 10 may be configured to be housed in a battery rack housing (not shown) in a vertical arrangement. Within the battery rack housing, a plurality of battery packs 10 may be installed while being spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The battery rack housing may have a receiving space having an open structure for vertical communication between the plurality of battery packs 10. The battery rack may include a battery rack battery management system (BMS) located at the top of the plurality of battery packs 10. Here, the battery rack BMS may be a battery management system that centrally controls the charging / discharging of the plurality of battery packs 10 disposed in the battery rack. Furthermore, these plurality of battery racks may be electrically connected to each other via battery rack bus bars (not shown).

[0131] The energy storage system 20 according to the present disclosure includes the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure, thereby utilizing the inherent advantages of the battery pack 10. Since the electrical insulation and structural safety of the battery pack 10 are ensured, the energy storage system 20 including the battery pack is safe. The structural safety of the battery pack 10 is ensured, and its weight is reduced, thereby facilitating transportation and installation of the battery pack 10. Since the material cost of the battery pack 10 is reduced and the productivity is improved, the production cost of the energy storage system 20 including the battery pack 10 can also be reduced.

[0132] Terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear used herein are used only for convenience of description, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the terms may vary depending on the position of the elements or observers.

[0133] The present disclosure has been described above with respect to a limited number of embodiments and drawings, but the disclosure is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made thereto within the technical aspects of the disclosure and the equivalent scope of the appended claims.

[0134] [Reference Signs List]

[0135] 10: Battery pack 20: Energy storage system

[0136] 100: Single cell assembly 101: Battery cell

[0137] 102: Electrode lead 100, 120: Monomer stack

[0138] K1: Air layer 300: Busbar frame assembly

[0139] 310: Busbar frame 314: Mounting plate

[0140] 315: Guide block 320: Bus bar

[0141] 400: Shell 410: Top cover

[0142] 412: opening 420: substrate

[0143] 422: Support frame portion 423: Recess

[0144] 424: Component wall 424a: Receiving portion

[0145] 427: front plate 428: step part

[0146] 500: Reinforcement member 510: Base clip

[0147] 700: Terminal block 701: Front cover

[0148] 702: snap fit

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: at least one cell assembly, the at least one cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells; a housing that accommodates the single body assembly and has an insertion portion along a longitudinal direction, the insertion portion being configured in such a manner that an outer surface of the insertion portion is recessed in an inward direction; as well as A rod-shaped reinforcement member is inserted into the insertion portion.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The housing comprises: a substrate on which the battery cells are mounted; and A supporting frame portion is provided on both sides of the substrate and constitutes the insertion portion.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The base plate is integrally injection molded with the support frame portion.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The reinforcing members are paired steel pipes.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The housing is made of a plastic material, and the reinforcing member is made of a metal material. 6 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a base clip for fixing a position of the reinforcement member.

7. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one monomer component is a plurality of monomer components arranged side by side with each other, The monolithic assembly includes a busbar frame assembly, and The support frame portion of the base plate is disposed in a boundary region extending in an arrangement direction of the cell assemblies and protrudes upward at predetermined intervals in the arrangement direction of the cell assemblies to support a bus bar frame assembly of each cell assembly.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, wherein: The base plate further includes a recessed portion provided between the supporting frame portions adjacent to each other, The busbar frame assembly of each cell assembly includes a busbar frame made of an electrically insulating material, and The busbar frame comprises: a mounting plate disposed on an upper surface of the support frame portion; and A seating guide block protrudes downward from the mounting plate to be inserted into the corresponding recess.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein: The mounting plate and the seating guide block are integrally injection-molded into the busbar frame.

10. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein: The recess includes a step on an upper surface thereof, and a lower surface of the seating guide block has a shape corresponding to the step.

11. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein: When the monomer component is seated on the substrate and each of the seating guide blocks is inserted into the corresponding recess, each of the seating guide blocks and the supporting frame portion is configured to form a continuous component wall along an arrangement direction of the monomer component, and the component wall defines the insertion portion.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein: The seating guide block and the support frame portion constrain the position of the reinforcement member in the longitudinal and height directions of the reinforcement member, and the housing and the bus bar frame assembly are fixed to each other through the reinforcement member.

13. The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein: The assembly wall includes an upper receiving wall, a lower receiving wall and a side receiving wall, and The reinforcing member is a rectangular steel pipe. An upper portion of the steel pipe contacts the upper receiving wall, a lower portion of the steel pipe contacts the lower receiving wall, and one side portion of the steel pipe contacts the side receiving wall.

14. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The housing further comprises a front plate located on at least one side of the base plate, The battery pack also includes a terminal block, and A front cover is mounted on the front plate, and the front cover has a snap-fit ​​structure to prevent the terminal block from being separated.

15. The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein: The base plate is integrally injection molded with the front plate.

16. The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein: The front plate is in the form of a vertical plate and is arranged on one edge of the base plate. The terminal block is mounted on the outer surface of the front plate, The battery pack further includes a top cover formed with an opening, and The front cover is configured to be detachable from the front plate through the opening of the top cover, thereby exposing the terminal block or shielding the terminal block.

17. An energy storage system comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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