Battery module having flame discharge blocking unit and battery pack including same

Abstract

A battery module according to the present invention may comprise: a module case; a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the module case and arranged to be stacked in one direction; a bus bar frame for supporting a bus bar connected to an electrode lead of the battery cell; and a flame discharge blocking unit connected to the bus bar frame and disposed on a plate surface of the bus bar frame and an upper surface of the battery cell, the electrode leads are located at the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell to block flame emission toward the upper surface of the battery cell and / or the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell at which the electrode leads are located.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery module, and more particularly, to a battery module as follows: wherein a heat barrier made of a flame retardant material is applied to a bus bar frame to block heat, so that high-temperature gases, flames, sparks, etc. generated during an internal fire in the battery module are guided to the bottom of the module instead of the bus bar frame for directional exhaust, thereby delaying thermal runaway.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0028012 filed in Korea on March 2, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] A semi-permanent battery that converts electrical energy into chemical energy and can be repeatedly charged and discharged is called a secondary battery, which is distinguished from a primary battery that cannot be reused after use.

[0004] Secondary batteries include lithium secondary batteries, nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries, lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, zinc-air batteries, and alkaline manganese batteries. Among them, lead-acid batteries and lithium secondary batteries are the most widely commercially available secondary batteries.

[0005] In particular, lithium secondary batteries have advantages such as high energy storage density, light weight and compact structure, excellent safety, low discharge rate and long service life, so they are currently widely used as electric vehicle batteries. For reference, lithium secondary batteries are generally classified into cylindrical, prismatic and pouch types according to their manufacturing type and their range of use from electric vehicle batteries to ESS batteries and other electrical devices.

[0006] Currently, the operating voltage of one lithium secondary battery cell is about 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, in order to apply the secondary battery to the energy source of the electric vehicle, a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells are connected in series and / or in parallel to produce a battery module, and then the battery modules are connected in series and / or in parallel to produce a battery pack.

[0007] In addition, since secondary batteries involve chemical reactions during charging and discharging, their performance may deteriorate when used at temperatures above the appropriate temperature, and failure of thermal control to the appropriate temperature may cause unexpected fire or explosion. In addition, since the battery module has a structure in which secondary batteries are centrally stored in a module housing, if a thermal event occurs in any one secondary battery, the heat may be transferred to adjacent modules or battery packs, resulting in a chain fire or thermal runaway.

[0008] In particular, exhaust gas, flames, sparks, etc. generated during thermal runaway in a particular battery cell may be discharged toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell (where the electrode leads of the relevant battery module are located) and / or the upper surface of the battery cell, which may cause thermal damage to components at both ends of the battery module (such as end plates or components adjacent to the bus bar frame) and lead to structural collapse.

[0009] Furthermore, the flame discharged to the outside through the end plate may spread to the adjacent battery modules, especially the end plates of the adjacent battery modules, thereby causing a chain fire and resulting in thermal runaway. Summary of the invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] The present disclosure has been designed to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore the present disclosure aims to provide a battery module that is capable of structurally blocking flames discharged toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cells (where the electrode leads are located) and / or the upper surface of the battery cells, thereby minimizing thermal damage to components and end plates at both ends of the battery module and preventing structural collapse, and is capable of performing directional discharge of flames to one side of the module (rather than to an adjacent battery module), thereby delaying chain fire or thermal runaway to the greatest extent.

[0012] The technical problems that the present disclosure seeks to solve are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other problems not mentioned above from the following description of the present invention.

[0013] Technical Solution

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module is provided, comprising: a module housing; a plurality of battery cells, which are accommodated in the module housing and arranged to be stacked in one direction; a bus bar frame, which is configured to support bus bars connected to electrode leads of the battery cells; and a flame exhaust blocking unit, which is connected to the bus bar frame and is disposed on a plate surface of the bus bar frame and an upper surface of the battery cells to block flame from being discharged toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cells and / or the upper surface of the battery cells, where the electrode leads are located.

[0015] The flame exhaust blocking unit may include: a frame cover member coupled to the bus bar frame to face the bus bar frame; and an upper cover member formed to be bent at an upper end of the bus bar frame and configured to partially cover an upper surface of a battery cell.

[0016] The flame exhaust blocking unit may further include a pressing cover block configured to press and fix the frame cover member to the bus bar frame.

[0017] The battery module may further include a heat blocking member disposed between at least one or more battery cells in a stacking direction of the battery cells.

[0018] The bus bar frame may have a plurality of through grooves formed at regular intervals corresponding to the heat blocking member, and the bus bar frame may be coupled to the battery cells such that both ends of the heat blocking member are inserted into the through grooves.

[0019] The front end of the heat blocking member may be inserted into the bus bar frame to form a protruding partition portion protruding outward from the plate surface of the bus bar frame, and the bus bar frame may have a plurality of partition surfaces separated by the protruding partition portion, and the frame cover member and the pressing cover block may be separated from each other and provided to each of the partition surfaces, respectively.

[0020] The upper cover member may include: a coupling surface disposed parallel to the plate surface of the bus bar frame and coupled to the bus bar frame; and a bent surface bent from the coupling surface to be disposed on an edge of the upper surface of the battery cell.

[0021] A folded reinforcement portion may be provided at an end of the curved surface.

[0022] The frame cover member may be a flame retardant pad made of silicone or aerogel, and the upper cover member and the pressing cover block may be made of SUS.

[0023] The frame cover member may have a lead exposure hole through which the bus bar is exposed to the outside, and an insulating layer may be coupled to an inner wall of the pressing cover block at a position corresponding to the lead exposure hole.

[0024] The bus bar frame may include a retainer portion configured to protrude outward from an edge of the partition surface to facilitate coupling between the frame cover member and the pressing cover block.

[0025] The press cover block may be press-fitted to the holder portion.

[0026] An inclined portion may be formed on the inner wall of the holder portion for press fitting.

[0027] At least one reinforcement structure portion may be provided on a surface of the flame exhaust blocking unit, and the reinforcement structure portion may include: a protruding rib provided on the pressing cover block; and a recessed rib provided on the upper cover member.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack including one or more of the above-mentioned battery modules may be provided.

[0029] Beneficial Effects

[0030] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, flames or the like generated during a thermal event can be prevented from being discharged toward the front and rear of the battery cell (where the electrode leads are located) and / or the top of the battery cell, thereby minimizing thermal damage to components and end plates at both ends of the battery module and preventing structural collapse.

[0031] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, by performing directional exhaust to control the blocked flame to be discharged in a specific direction (eg, downward) inside the battery module, chain fire or thermal runaway to adjacent battery modules can be delayed to the greatest extent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the main configuration of the battery module.

[0034] Figure 3 is schematically shown connected to Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the busbar frame of a battery cell in FIG.

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Detailed exploded perspective view showing the detailed construction of the flame exhaust blocking unit connected to the busbar frame.

[0036] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flame exhaust blocking unit and a bus bar frame in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a bus bar frame according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 8is a longitudinal sectional view of a flame exhaust blocking unit and a bus bar frame according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Fig. 9 is a diagram of a bus bar frame and a flame exhaust blocking unit including a reinforcement structure portion according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the general meaning and dictionary meaning, but are interpreted based on the principle that the inventor is allowed to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation, based on the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure.

[0042] Therefore, the configurations proposed in the embodiments of this specification and the drawings only indicate the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than representing all technical ideas of the present disclosure, and therefore it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications may be made thereto when the present application is filed.

[0043] For ease of description and clarification, the size of each element or a specific part of each element shown in the drawings is enlarged, omitted or simplified. Therefore, the size of each element does not fully reflect its actual size. The description of the related known functions or configurations that may obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure will be omitted.

[0044] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the main structure of the battery module in Figure 3 is schematically shown connected to Figure 2 A perspective view of a busbar frame of a battery cell in FIG. 1 , and Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Detailed exploded perspective view showing the detailed construction of the flame exhaust blocking unit connected to the bus bar frame.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a module case 200, a plurality of battery cells 111 accommodated in the module case 200 and arranged to be stacked in one direction, and a bus bar frame 300 supporting bus bars 320 connected to electrode leads 112 of the battery cells 111.

[0046] Reference Figure 4The battery cell 111 includes an electrode assembly, a shell accommodating the electrode assembly, and a pair of electrode leads 112 connected to the electrode assembly and extending outside the shell to serve as electrode terminals. The pair of electrode leads 112 extend to both ends of the battery cell 111 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction (±X-axis direction)).

[0047] If desired, the battery cell 111 may have the electrode lead 112 located only at one end of the battery cell 110, for example, only at one end in the +X axis direction. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or form of battery cells 111, and the cell assembly of the present disclosure may be constructed using various battery cells 111 known at the time of filing the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure will be described based on a pouch-type secondary battery having a high energy density and being easily stacked, a cylindrical or prismatic secondary battery may also be applied to the battery cell 111.

[0048] The battery cells 111 may be arranged to be stacked in at least one direction. Figure 2 , the battery cells 111 may be arranged to stand upright in the up-down direction (the Z-axis direction in the drawing) while being stacked in the horizontal direction (the Y-axis direction in the drawing).

[0049] The heat blocking member 120 may be disposed between the battery cells 111. The heat blocking member 120 may be inserted between the battery cells 111 at regular intervals (e.g., at each battery cell 111 or at each group of battery cells 111) in the stacking direction of the battery cells 111. The heat blocking member 120 may be in contact with two plate surfaces of at least some of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 111. In the present embodiment, the heat blocking member 120 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the through groove 330 of the busbar frame 300, so that the heat blocking member 120 is disposed at least every two battery cells 111.

[0050] The heat blocking member 120 may be configured in the form of a pad having a compressive force, which is made of a material having excellent heat resistance (e.g., silicone, aerogel, mica, etc.). Since the heat blocking member 120 is a pad having a compressive force, when the battery cell expands, the heat blocking member 120 may compress the battery cell 111, thereby contributing to the structural rigidity of the battery cell 111.

[0051] In addition, when a fire occurs inside the battery module 10, the heat blocking member 120 having heat resistance can perform a heat blocking function of blocking heat (such as flames) generated from the burning battery cells 111 from moving in the stacking direction of the battery cells 111. Therefore, heat propagation to adjacent battery cells 111 can be minimized.

[0052] The heat blocking member 120 may be disposed such that both ends of the heat blocking member 120 are inserted into the through grooves 330 of the bus bar frame 300 when the battery cells 111 and the bus bar frame 300 are coupled to each other, which will be explained in detail in the configuration of the flame exhaust blocking unit 400 .

[0053] The module case 200 may have an inner space to accommodate the battery cells 111 therein. The module case 200 of the present embodiment may include a case body 210 and end plates 220 provided on the front and rear surfaces of the case body 210 .

[0054] The housing body 210 may be configured in the shape of a square tube of a hollow structure having open ends O at both ends in the longitudinal direction and having an empty space therein. For example, the housing body 210 may be configured in the form of a tube having upper, lower, left and right surfaces and having openings formed at the front and rear ends, respectively.

[0055] In addition, the module housing 200 can be formed in various other forms. For example, the module body 210 can be configured in a form in which the left plate, the right plate and the bottom plate are integrated with each other. In this case, the integrated housing parts can be referred to as a "U-shaped frame". The top plate can be welded to the top of the U-shaped frame to construct a tubular shape. Alternatively, the module housing 200 may include a box-shaped lower housing (wherein the left plate, the right plate, the front plate and the rear plate are integrated with each other) and an upper cover that closes the top opening of the lower housing.

[0056] In addition, the shell body 210 may be configured so that the battery cell 111 can be inserted thereinto in the longitudinal direction. That is, the shell body 210 may be configured to insert the battery cell 111 thereinto in a sliding or press-fit manner. For the press-fit, there may be almost no gap between the lower surface of the shell body 210 and the lower end of the battery cell 111, and there may also be almost no gap between the two side surfaces of the shell body 210 and the two sides of the battery cell 111. However, a relatively small gap may be provided between the upper surface of the shell body and the top of the battery cell 111, so that the upper cover member 420 can be inserted through the small gap. Figure 6 In the figure, the distance between the battery cell 111 and the shell body is enlarged.

[0057] The case body 210 may be made of a metal material having rigidity and heat resistance so as to physically or chemically protect the battery cells 111 accommodated therein.

[0058] In addition, although not shown in the figure, a vent hole may be provided on the housing body 210 so that directional exhaust can be achieved in one direction. For example, a plurality of vent holes may be formed on the lower surface of the housing body, and downward directional exhaust of the battery module 10 is possible through the vent holes.

[0059] The end plate 220 may be coupled to the open end O of the case body 210 so that the electrode lead 112 of the battery cell 111 and the portion of the bus bar 320 to which the electrode lead 112 is fixedly connected to the bus bar frame 300 are not exposed to the outside. In addition, although not shown in the drawings for convenience, the end plate 220 may be made of an insulating material on the inside and a metal material on the outside, and may be partially provided with holes or slits to expose components that need to be exposed to the outside, such as the positive and negative terminals or connectors of the battery module 10.

[0060] Reference Figure 4 The bus bar frame 300 is configured as a plate having a size capable of covering both ends of the battery cell 111 , ie, the front (+X-axis direction) or the rear (−X-axis direction) of the battery cell 111 .

[0061] The bus bar frame 300 may include a lead groove 310 through which the electrode lead 112 passes, and a plurality of bus bars 320 electrically connected to the electrode lead 112 .

[0062] The busbar frame 300 may have a plurality of lead grooves 310 through which the electrode leads 112 of the battery cells 111 may pass in the +X axis direction or the −X axis direction, and the plurality of lead grooves 310 may be arranged in the stacking direction (Y axis direction) of the battery cells 111. Therefore, the electrode leads 112 may pass through the lead grooves 310.

[0063] The bus bar 320 may be disposed between the lead grooves 310. The bus bar 320 may be made of a conductive material and may be configured to be in direct contact with the electrode lead 112. For example, the bus bar 320 may be made of a material such as copper or aluminum. In particular, the bus bar 320 may be configured to maintain contact with the electrode lead 112 by welding or the like.

[0064] The bus bar frame 300 may have a plurality of through grooves 330 formed at regular intervals corresponding to the heat blocking member 120. The heat blocking member 120 may be disposed such that both ends thereof are inserted into and pass through the through grooves 330, so that the front end of the heat blocking member 120 (i.e., the protruding partitioning portion 121) is exposed through the surface of the bus bar frame 300. Therefore, the bus bar frame 300 may have a plurality of partition surfaces 340 partitioned by the protruding partitioning portion 121.

[0065] The busbar frame 300 may be injection molded with an electrically insulating material. For example, the busbar frame 300 may be made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic to support the busbars 320 .

[0066] Figure 5is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flame exhaust blocking unit and a bus bar frame in a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] Since the bus bar frame 300 is generally made of an electrically insulating material, it may not be sufficient to effectively block exhaust gas, flames, sparks, etc. generated during thermal runaway in a specific battery cell 111. In particular, the flames, etc. may move along the module case 200 to the open end O of the module case 200 to be discharged to the front surface of the bus bar frame 300 provided at the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111, or be discharged through the gap between the upper surface of the module case 200 and the upper end of the bus bar frame 300.

[0068] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the flame exhaust blocking unit 400 may be disposed on the bus bar frame 300. Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the flame exhaust blocking unit 400 may be provided to be connected to the bus bar frame 300 so as to block a gap between a front surface of the bus bar frame 300 or an upper surface of the module case 200 and an upper end of the bus bar frame 300 .

[0069] That is, the flame discharge blocking unit 400 can be configured to cover the plate surface of the busbar frame 300 on which the electrode lead 112 is formed and which is disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111, and the upper surface of the battery cell 111, and can be configured to block the flame from being discharged in a specific direction (for example, toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111 (where the electrode lead 112 is located) and / or the upper surface of the battery cell 111).

[0070] For this reason, Figures 2 to 6 As shown, the flame exhaust blocking unit 400 may include: a frame cover member 410, which is connected to the bus bar frame 300 so as to face the bus bar frame 300; an upper cover member 420, which is bent at the upper end of the bus bar frame 300 to partially cover the upper surface of the battery cell 111; and a pressing cover block 430, which is used to press and fix the frame cover member 410 to the bus bar frame 300.

[0071] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the frame cover member 410 may be coupled to the bus bar frame 300 to face the bus bar frame 300. The frame cover member 410 may be coupled to the outside of the bus bar frame 300. The frame cover member 410 may have a lead exposure hole 411 through which the bus bar 320 is exposed. The exposed bus bar 320 may be electrically connected to the electrode lead 112 or the terminal.

[0072] However, although the lead exposure hole 411 may deteriorate a flame blocking function or the like, the bus bar 320 may be fitted into the lead exposure hole 411 to cover the bus bar 320 so that discharge of flame or the like through the lead exposure hole 411 may be minimized.

[0073] Finally, the frame cover member 410 may be provided to cover the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111 (where the electrode lead 112 is located). That is, the frame cover member 410 may be coupled to the outside of the busbar frame 300 to block the flame from moving to the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111.

[0074] To this end, the frame cover member 410 may be made of a material having low thermal conductivity and excellent heat resistance. For example, the frame cover member 410 may be made of a flame retardant mat such as silicone or aerogel. Alternatively, the frame cover member 410 may be made of a flame retardant mica material.

[0075] In addition, it is necessary to supplement the structural rigidity of the frame cover member 410, so in the present embodiment, a pressing cover block 430 may be provided. The pressing cover block 430 may press and fix the frame cover member 410 to the bus bar frame 300. The pressing cover block 430 may be fixed to the bus bar frame 300 by a coupling member, and in the process may press the frame cover member 410.

[0076] The pressing cover block 430 may be arranged to cover the outer surface of the frame cover member 410 and the bus bar 320. The pressing cover block 430 may be made of a material having flame retardant properties while ensuring structural rigidity. For example, the pressing cover block 430 is preferably made of SUS. In addition, an insulating layer 431 may be provided on the inner wall of the pressing cover block 430 (where the bus bar 320 is located). The insulating layer 431 is accommodated in the lead exposure hole 411 to press the bent electrode lead 112 toward the bus bar 320.

[0077] Since the pressing cover block 430 fully covers the bus bar 320 and the frame cover member 410, the frame cover member 410 made of flame-retardant material can effectively support the bus bar frame 300 when flames, etc. are directly sprayed through the bus bar frame 300 to the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111, can withstand internal pressure, and can block the flame from being discharged toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111.

[0078] Reference Figure 6 When a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell 111, flames or the like are ejected toward the end plate (along the X-axis direction), and in this process, the frame cover member 410 pressed by the pressing cover block 430 and fixed to the bus bar frame 300 can block the advancement of the flame, thereby preventing the flame from being discharged to the front surface of the battery cell 111.

[0079] In addition, refer to Figure 4 When the heat blocking member 120 is coupled to the bus bar frame 300, the front end of the heat blocking member 120 may protrude outward from the plate surface of the bus bar frame 300, thereby forming a protruding partition part 121. The bus bar frame 300 may have a plurality of partition surfaces 340 partitioned by the protruding partition part 121.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the frame cover member 410 and the pressing cover block 430 may be separated from each other and respectively provided to each partition surface 340. Therefore, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell 111, the pressing cover block 430 and the frame cover member 410 corresponding to the battery cell 111 may perform a local flame blocking function so that adverse effects caused by the flame may be minimized in other separated frame cover members 410 and pressing cover blocks 430.

[0081] The upper cover member 420 may be bent toward the center of the battery cell 111 at the upper end of the bus bar frame 300. Figure 5 The upper cover member 420 may include: a coupling surface 421 which is disposed parallel to the plate surface of the bus bar frame 300 and coupled to the bus bar frame 300 ; and a bent surface 422 which is bent from the coupling surface 421 and disposed on an edge of an upper surface of the battery cell 111 .

[0082] The coupling surface 421 may be coupled to the plate surface of the busbar frame 300. In the drawings, although the coupling surface 421 is shown coupled to slightly protrude from the surface of the busbar frame 300, the upper surface of the busbar frame 300 may be recessed with a step corresponding to the thickness of the coupling surface 421 so that the coupling surface 421 may be coupled to the step portion so that the outer surface of the coupling surface 421 is substantially flush with the surface of the busbar frame 300. The coupling surface 421 may be used to fix the upper cover member 420 to the busbar frame 300.

[0083] The bent surface 422 may be bent from the coupling surface 421 and disposed on an edge of an upper surface of the battery cell 111. A folded reinforcement portion 423 may be disposed at an end of the bent surface 422, thereby ensuring rigidity.

[0084] The upper cover member 420 may be made of the same material (ie, SUS) as the pressing cover block 430 to withstand the discharge of flames, etc. Figure 6, when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell 111 and a flame is generated, some of the flame may rise to the top of the battery cell 111 and then move to the open end O. Therefore, the upper cover member 420 disposed in the gap between the upper portion of the bus bar frame 300 and the case body may partially reinforce both upper sides of the battery cell 111, thereby preventing the flame, etc. from being discharged through the above-mentioned gap. As a result, the flame may be blocked from moving to the left side of the upper cover member 420, thereby minimizing thermal damage to the components and end plates at both ends of the battery module 10.

[0085] According to the configuration of this implementation, flames generated during a thermal event and the like can be blocked from being discharged toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111 (where the electrode leads 112 are located) and / or the upper surface of the battery cell 111, thereby minimizing thermal damage to components at both ends of the battery module 10 and the end plates 220 and preventing structural collapse.

[0086] In addition, this implemented configuration can delay the heat accumulation or thermal runaway from spreading to adjacent battery modules 10 to the greatest extent by performing directional exhaust to control the discharge of blocked flames, etc. in a specific direction (e.g., downward) inside the battery module 10.

[0087] Next, we will refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 Other embodiments of the battery module 10 of the present disclosure are briefly described.

[0088] Figure 7 is a perspective view schematically showing a bus bar frame according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a flame exhaust blocking unit and a bus bar frame according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] The same reference numerals as in the aforementioned drawings denote the same components, and repeated description of the same components will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0090] Compared with the above-described embodiment, the battery module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with an additional configuration of the bus bar frame 300. That is, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the bus bar frame 300 may include a retainer portion 450 protruding outward from an edge of the partition surface 340 to facilitate coupling between the frame cover member 410 and the pressing cover block 430 .

[0091] Reference Figure 8, the retainer portion 450 may be disposed along the outer periphery of the busbar frame 300. The retainer portion 450 may be configured to protrude from the outer surface of the busbar frame 300 toward the front surface of the battery cell 111 (in the X-axis direction), and the frame cover member 410 may be accommodated therein. In addition, the pressing cover block 430 may be press-fitted to the retainer portion 450. In addition, in order to maximize the coupling force of the press-fit, an inclined portion 451 may be formed on the inner wall of the retainer portion 450. Therefore, the pressing cover block 430 may be more firmly coupled to the retainer portion 450, thereby improving the fixing force of the frame cover member 410 for pressing the pressing cover block 430. Therefore, it is possible to more completely block the movement of flames or the like generated during a thermal event to the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell 111 (where the electrode lead 112 is located on the front and rear surfaces).

[0092] According to the configuration of this implementation, flames generated during a thermal event and the like can be blocked from being discharged toward the electrical front and rear of the battery cell 111 (the electrode leads 112 are located at the front and rear) and / or the top of the battery cell 111, thereby minimizing thermal damage to components at both ends of the battery module 10 and the end plates 220 and preventing structural collapse.

[0093] In addition, the configuration of this implementation can delay the heat accumulation or thermal runaway from spreading to adjacent battery modules 10 to the greatest extent by performing directional exhaust to control the discharge of blocked flames, etc., in a specific direction (e.g., downward) inside the battery module 10.

[0094] The flame exhaust blocking unit 400 of the battery module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided with a reinforcement structure portion 460 .

[0095] The reinforcing structure portion 460 is designed to improve the structural rigidity of the flame exhaust blocking unit 400, and is particularly intended to withstand the lateral pressure or shear stress applied to the plate surface (flame pressure generated when a thermal event occurs). To this end, the reinforcing structure portion 460 in the form of a protruding rib or a recessed rib can be provided on the plate surface of the pressing cover block 430 and the plate surface of the upper cover member 420.

[0096] Reference Fig. 9 The reinforcing structure portion 460 may include: a protruding rib 461 provided on the pressing cover block 430 ; and a recessed rib 462 provided on the upper cover member 420 .

[0097] Here, the configuration of the protruding ribs 461 and the recessed ribs 462 is arbitrarily selected, and the arrangement position, rib shape, and number of the reinforcing structure portion 460 may vary as long as the lateral pressing resistance can be increased.

[0098] According to the configuration of this implementation, flames generated during a thermal event and the like can be blocked from being discharged toward the front and rear of the battery cell 111 (the electrode leads 112 are located at the front and rear) and / or the top of the battery cell 111, thereby minimizing thermal damage to components at both ends of the battery module 10 and the end plates 220 and preventing structural collapse.

[0099] In addition, the configuration of this implementation can delay the heat accumulation or thermal runaway from spreading to the adjacent battery module 10 to the greatest extent by performing directional exhaust to control the blocked flame, etc. to be discharged in a specific direction (e.g., downward) inside the battery module 10. In addition, a battery pack (not shown) according to the present disclosure may include one or more of the above-mentioned battery modules.

[0100] The battery pack according to the present disclosure may further include a main BMS (Battery Management System) for integrated control of charging and discharging of one or more battery modules, a current sensor, a fuse, etc., and may include a battery pack case for accommodating the above components.

[0101] The battery pack according to the present disclosure may be applied to an energy storage device or a vehicle (eg, an electric scooter, an electric vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle).

[0102] As described above, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art within the technical concept of the present disclosure and the equivalent scope of the claims to be described below.

[0103] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front and rear directions are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of description and may vary depending on the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: module housing; a plurality of battery cells accommodated in the module housing and arranged to be stacked in one direction; a bus bar frame configured to support bus bars connected to electrode leads of the battery cells; as well as a flame exhaust blocking unit connected to the bus bar frame and disposed on a plate surface of the bus bar frame and an upper surface of the battery cell to block flame exhaust toward the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell and / or the upper surface of the battery cell, where the electrode leads are located.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The flame exhaust blocking unit comprises: a frame cover member coupled to the bus bar frame to face the bus bar frame; and An upper cover member is formed to be bent at an upper end of the bus bar frame and is configured to partially cover an upper surface of the battery cell.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, in, The flame exhaust blocking unit further includes a pressing cover block configured to press and fix the frame cover member to the bus bar frame.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, The battery module further includes a heat blocking member disposed between at least one or more battery cells in a stacking direction of the battery cells.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, in, The bus bar frame has a plurality of through grooves formed at regular intervals corresponding to the heat blocking member, and Wherein, the bus bar frame is coupled to the battery cell so that both ends of the heat blocking member are inserted into the through groove.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, in, The front end of the heat blocking member is inserted into the bus bar frame to form a protruding partition portion protruding outward from the plate surface of the bus bar frame, wherein the busbar frame has a plurality of partition surfaces separated by the protruding partition portions, and wherein the frame cover member and the pressing cover block are separated from each other and are provided to each of the partition surfaces, respectively.

7. The battery module according to claim 2, in, The upper cover member comprises: a coupling surface disposed parallel to the plate surface of the bus bar frame and coupled to the bus bar frame; and A curved surface is bent from the coupling surface to be disposed on an edge of the upper surface of the battery cell.

8. The battery module according to claim 7, in, A folded reinforcement portion is provided at an end of the curved surface.

9. The battery module according to claim 3, in, The frame cover member is a flame retardant pad made of silicone or aerogel, and Wherein, the upper cover member and the pressing cover block are made of SUS.

10. The battery module according to claim 9, in, The frame cover member has a lead wire exposure hole through which the bus bar is exposed to the outside, and Wherein, the insulating layer is coupled to the inner wall of the pressing cover block at a position corresponding to the lead wire exposing hole.

11. The battery module according to claim 6, in, The bus bar frame includes a retainer portion configured to protrude outward from an edge of the partition surface to facilitate coupling between the frame cover member and the pressing cover block.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, in, The pressing cover block is press-fitted to the holder portion.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, in, An inclined portion is formed on an inner wall of the holder portion for press-fitting.

14. The battery module according to claim 3, in, At least one reinforcement structure portion is disposed on a surface of the flame exhaust blocking unit, and wherein the reinforcement structure portion comprises: a protruding rib, the protruding rib being disposed on the pressing cover block; and A recessed rib is provided on the upper cover member.

15. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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