Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention may comprise: a plurality of battery modules; a pack tray including an inner space having an open upper portion and receiving the plurality of battery modules, and a beam frame disposed between the battery modules adjacent to each other and partitioning the inner space; the battery pack cover is used for covering the upper part of the battery pack tray; and a flame blocking unit connected to the beam frame and disposed at a lower portion of the pack cover to cover a corresponding battery module to block a flame discharged from the battery module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack capable of suppressing heat transfer to adjacent battery modules and suppressing flame discharge to the outside of the battery pack when a specific battery module catches fire, and to a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0109366 filed in Korea on August 21, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] Recently, secondary batteries are applied to various devices. For example, secondary batteries are widely used as energy sources for multifunctional small products such as wireless mobile devices or wearable devices, and are also used in electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc. as alternatives to existing gasoline and diesel vehicles.

[0004] Generally, commercialized secondary batteries have an operating voltage of about 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, for electric vehicles or energy storage devices requiring large capacity and high output, a battery module in which a plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series and / or in parallel is connected in series and / or in parallel to form a battery pack used as an energy source.

[0005] As described above, as secondary batteries are used as large-capacity and high-output energy sources, ensuring the safety of a battery module or a battery pack has become an important issue.

[0006] Since the secondary battery uses an electrochemical reaction mechanism as its basic driving principle, a chemical explosion may occur due to various reasons, such as a strong impact from the outside, a short circuit between electrodes, or electrolyte leakage. For example, if an overcurrent flows through the secondary battery, the internal temperature of the secondary battery rises rapidly. The rapid increase in temperature may cause a decomposition reaction of the electrolyte, which may produce gas. In this case, an expansion phenomenon (which is a type of inflation phenomenon) may occur due to an increase in pressure inside the battery housing, and if this deteriorates, the secondary battery may catch fire or explode.

[0007] At the same time, if Figure 1 As shown in , a battery pack according to the prior art accommodates a battery module 1 in a battery pack case 2, and has a vent hole (not shown) in at least one side wall of the battery pack case. If a specific battery module in the battery pack catches fire and generates gas, the gas may be discharged to the outside through the vent hole so that the internal pressure of the battery pack does not increase rapidly.

[0008] However, in conventional battery packs, when gas is discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole, flames or high-temperature particles may also be discharged to the outside. In particular, if the flame leaks to the outside of the battery pack housing, it may cause fire in the surrounding structure or objects adjacent to the battery pack. In addition, if Figure 1 As shown in , when the flame moves toward the exhaust hole, it may be transferred to the adjacent battery module, so the battery module may quickly catch fire in a chain reaction. As a result, the heat and pressure inside the battery pack may increase rapidly, causing the battery pack case to collapse or melt, and the flame may spread to the outside of the battery pack more quickly.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for a method of suppressing heat transfer between battery modules and flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module. Summary of the invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the prior art, and thus the present disclosure is directed to providing a battery pack that can delay a collapse speed of the battery pack by preventing heat transfer between battery modules as much as possible when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module.

[0012] Furthermore, the present disclosure is directed to providing a battery pack that can suppress flame leakage to the outside of the battery pack as much as possible when a thermal event occurs.

[0013] The technical problems that the present disclosure attempts to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present invention described below.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack is provided, comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a battery pack tray having an open upper portion and an internal space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules, the battery pack tray comprising a beam frame, the beam frame being arranged between the battery modules adjacent to each other and separating the internal space; a battery pack cover, the battery pack cover covering the upper portion of the battery pack tray; and a flame arrester unit connected to the beam frame and configured to cover the corresponding battery modules at the lower portion of the battery pack cover to block flames ejected from the battery modules.

[0016] The flame arrester unit may be coupled to the beam frame so as to be lifted by gas exhausted from the corresponding battery module.

[0017] The flame barrier unit may include: a flame barrier cover covering one of the battery modules disposed between two beam frames; and at least one supporting member fixedly coupled to the beam frame and supporting the flame barrier cover to a predetermined height.

[0018] The supporting member may include: a fixed bracket, the fixed bracket having a supporting plate fixedly connected to the upper end of the beam frame and extending in the height direction, and an anti-separation plate extending from the upper end of the supporting plate in the horizontal direction and having a through hole; a supporting rod, the supporting rod extending downward from the flame-blocking cover and passing through the through hole, the supporting rod having a head formed at its lower end, the diameter of the head being larger than the diameter of the through hole; and a compression spring, the compression spring being assembled on the supporting rod between the head of the supporting rod and the anti-separation plate.

[0019] The support plate may include the first support plate and the second support plate arranged to be spaced apart from each other and extending in parallel in the height direction, and the anti-separation plate may have one end connected to the first support plate and the other end connected to the second support plate.

[0020] The flame barrier cap may have at least one exhaust hole.

[0021] The flame barrier cap may further include an insulating material attached to an upper surface of the flame barrier cap.

[0022] The flame barrier cap may have at least one exhaust hole, and the insulating material may include a cutting portion provided in a region corresponding to the exhaust hole and configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure.

[0023] The flame blocking cover may include: an upper blocking plate covering the upper portion of the battery module; a first side blocking plate bent downward from one side edge of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame located on the left side of the battery module; and a second side blocking plate bent downward from the other side edge of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame located on the right side of the battery module.

[0024] The upper blocking plate may include a protrusion and a recessed portion, the protrusion protruding outward from one of the two beam frames relative to one of the battery modules, and the recessed portion recessed inward from the other beam frame, and the protrusion of one of the flame barrier covers may be configured to match the shape of the recessed portion of the other flame barrier cover, so that each of the battery modules is respectively covered by each of the flame barrier covers.

[0025] The first side barrier may be bent downward from an edge of the protrusion in one side edge of the upper barrier, and the second side barrier may be bent downward from an edge excluding the recess in the other side edge of the upper barrier.

[0026] An air flow channel may be provided between an upper portion of the flame barrier unit and a lower portion of the battery pack cover.

[0027] The flame arrester may be made of metal.

[0028] The insulating material may be made of mica or silicone.

[0029] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle including the above-mentioned battery pack is provided.

[0030] Beneficial Effects

[0031] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a battery pack that can delay a collapse speed of the battery pack by preventing heat transfer between battery modules as much as possible when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module.

[0032] According to the present disclosure, when a thermal event occurs, the leakage of flame to the outside of the battery pack can be suppressed or delayed as much as possible.

[0033] Effects obtainable from the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present invention described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a battery pack according to the related art.

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing main components of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 2 Schematic exploded perspective view of a flame arrester unit.

[0037] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 5 is a diagram showing a flame barrier cap and a support member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 6 Shown from different angles Figure 5 Figure 1. Support structure of the vehicle.

[0040] Figure 7is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a battery pack when a flame arrester unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is lifted.

[0042] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a portion of a battery pack to which a flame arrester unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied.

[0043] Fig.10 The flame arrester unit is shown as being applied alone Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of all battery modules in FIG.

[0044] Fig.11 is a diagram showing a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] 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 meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the principle of allowing the inventor to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation. Therefore, the description presented herein is only a preferred embodiment for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] Furthermore, when explaining the present disclosure, if it is judged that a detailed description of a related known structure or function may obscure the main points of the present disclosure, such a detailed description will be omitted.

[0047] Since the embodiments of the present disclosure are provided to explain the present disclosure more completely to those skilled in the art, the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings may be enlarged, omitted or schematically shown for a clearer explanation. Therefore, the size or ratio of each component does not fully reflect the actual size or ratio.

[0048] Reference Figures 2 to 4 , a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery modules 100 , a pack case 200 , and a flame arrester unit 300 .

[0049] The battery module 100 may include a plurality of battery cells and a module housing for accommodating the battery cells, but is not shown for ease of illustration. A battery cell refers to a secondary battery including an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery housing. The battery cell may be a secondary battery of any shape, such as a pouch-shaped, cylindrical, or rectangular secondary battery. In addition, the module housing may be made of a metal material such as steel or a non-metallic material with high rigidity to protect the battery cells from external impacts, etc. In addition, the module housing may accommodate the battery cells and have a module exhaust hole on at least one side. In the case of the battery module 100, when an internal fire occurs, gases, etc. may be discharged from the module housing through the module exhaust hole.

[0050] The battery modules 100 are mounted in the pack case 200 and may be electrically connected to each other using an interconnection bus bar (not shown) or a cable.

[0051] The pack case 200 may be configured to have an internal space capable of accommodating a plurality of battery modules 100 and protecting the battery modules 100 from external impacts and the like.

[0052] In this embodiment, the battery pack housing 200 may include a battery pack tray 210 and a battery pack cover 220. Figure 2 The battery pack tray 210 may be provided in a box shape with an open top and have an inner space capable of accommodating a plurality of battery modules 100. The battery pack cover 220 may be provided in a plate-like shape and have an area capable of covering at least the upper portion of the battery pack tray 210.

[0053] Specifically, the battery pack tray 210 includes a base plate 211 supporting the battery module 100 at a lower portion of the battery module 100 and a wall 212 forming a wall body along the periphery of the base plate 211. An internal space of the battery pack tray 210 is formed by the base plate 211 and the wall 212. In addition, the battery pack tray 210 includes a plurality of beam frames 215 partitioning the internal space.

[0054] The battery pack tray 210 may be configured such that the beam frame 215 is positioned between two battery modules 100 adjacent to each other when the battery modules 100 are mounted on the substrate 211 of the battery pack tray 210. In other words, one battery module 100 may be positioned in the space between the two beam frames 215.

[0055] In addition, the battery pack tray 210 according to the present embodiment may include a center beam 216 that extends in the horizontal direction (Y direction) inside the battery pack tray 210 and divides the internal space of the battery pack tray 210 into two parts, such as Figure 2In addition, the beam frame 215 may extend in the vertical direction (X direction) inside the battery pack tray 210, and may have one end connected to the center beam 216 and the other end connected to the wall 212. The beam frame 215 may be arranged in the battery pack tray 210 at predetermined intervals along the horizontal direction (Y direction). The battery pack tray 210 has a partition space formed by surrounding the wall 212, the center beam 216, and the beam frame 215. The battery modules 100 may be accommodated in each partition space one by one.

[0056] In addition, the battery pack tray 210 may have at least one vent hole 214 in the wall 212. In this embodiment, the battery pack tray 210 has the vent hole 214 in the wall 212 extending in the vertical direction (X direction). For example, the vent hole 214 may be provided at Figure 2 In at least one of the wall 212 located in the +Y direction and the wall 212 located in the -Y direction. In this case, when exhaust gas is generated in the battery module 100, the exhaust gas can move in the vertical direction (Y direction) along the air flow channel VS in the battery pack housing 200 and be discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust hole 214. Here, the air flow channel VS refers to an empty space formed between the upper part of the battery module 100 and the lower part of the battery pack cover 220 in the internal space of the battery pack housing 200. When the battery pack tray 210 and the battery pack cover 220 are connected, the left space and the right space based on the center beam 216 can be configured to be blocked. In this case, for example, the exhaust gas generated from the battery module 100 accommodated in the left space of the center beam 216 can move in the vertical direction (Y direction), but the movement in the horizontal direction (X direction) can be limited by being blocked by the center beam 216.

[0057] The battery pack cover 220 may be provided in the form of a cover capable of covering the upper portion of all battery modules 100. The battery pack cover 220 may be connected to the battery pack tray 210, for example, by bolting. The border of the battery pack cover 220 may be fixed to the border of the upper end of the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210 and bolted. Although not shown, a sealing gasket may be arranged on the upper end of the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210, and the border of the battery pack cover 220 may be placed thereon to enhance the sealing property.

[0058] The battery pack cover 220 may be configured to be fastened to the center beam 216 of the battery pack tray 210 by bolts. In some cases, the bolt fastening between the battery pack cover 220 and the center beam 216 may be omitted.

[0059] In addition, the battery pack cover 220 may be configured not to contact the upper end of the beam frame 215 or the upper surface of the battery module 100 in order to ensure the above-mentioned air flow channel VS within the battery pack case 200. For example, the upper end of the wall 212 may be higher than the upper end of the beam frame 215 or the upper surface of the battery module 100, and the boundary of the battery pack cover 220 may be placed on the upper end of the wall 212 so that the battery pack cover 220 does not contact the upper end of the beam frame 215 or the upper surface of the battery module 100.

[0060] In this embodiment, the battery pack cover 220 has a plate shape, but the battery pack cover 220 can also be configured as a hexahedron with an open lower surface. In this case, the battery pack cover 220 can be configured to more reliably not contact the upper end of the beam frame 215 or the upper surface of the battery module 100.

[0061] When, for example, a fire occurs in a specific battery module 100 within the pack case 200 , the flame-blocking unit 300 serves to block the flame from spreading to the battery modules 100 adjacent to the specific battery module 100 .

[0062] Reference Figures 2 to 4 The flame blocking unit 300 is connected to the beam frame 215 and may be configured to cover the corresponding battery module 100 at a lower portion of the battery pack cover 220 so as to block the flame ejected from the battery module 100 .

[0063] Specifically, the flame-blocking unit 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a flame-blocking cover 310 and at least one supporting member 320, wherein the flame-blocking cover 310 covers a battery module 100 arranged between two beam frames 215, and the at least one supporting member 320 is fixedly connected to the beam frame 215 and supports the flame-blocking cover 310 to a predetermined height.

[0064] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The flame blocking cover 310 includes: an upper blocking plate 312, which covers the upper part of the battery module 100; a first side blocking plate 313, which is bent downward from one side edge of the upper blocking plate 312 and extends to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame 215 located on the left side of the battery module 100; and a second side blocking plate 314, which is bent downward from the other side edge of the upper blocking plate 312 and extends to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame 215 located on the right side of the battery module 100.

[0065] The flame blocking cover 310 may be made of a metal material having excellent heat resistance and rigidity so as not to be deformed even at high temperatures. In addition, the flame blocking cover 310 has at least one exhaust hole 311 in the upper blocking plate 312 .

[0066] According to the configuration of the flame barrier cover 310, the upper portion of the left beam frame 215 of the battery module 100, the upper portion of the battery module 100, and the upper portion of the right beam frame 215 of the battery module 100 are entirely surrounded by the flame barrier cover 310. Therefore, when a battery module 100 covered with the flame barrier cover 310 catches fire, the flame can be blocked by the flame barrier cover 310 and does not spread to the adjacent battery module 100. Therefore, the thermal damage to the adjacent battery module 100 can be significantly reduced. At the same time, even if the battery module 100 is not covered with the flame barrier cover 310, the flame can be blocked by the flame barrier cover 310 and does not spread to the adjacent battery module 100. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the flame barrier caps 310 may cover the battery modules 100 in the battery pack housing 200 and cover the battery modules 100 covered by the flame barrier caps 310, and may also protect the battery modules 100 adjacent thereto and covered by the flame barrier caps 310 from the flame. As described later, all battery modules 100 accommodated in the battery pack housing 200 may be covered with flame barrier caps 310, respectively, or, as in this embodiment, the flame barrier caps 310 may cover the battery modules 100 alternately in one direction (Y direction) to reduce the weight of the battery pack 10 and simplify assembly.

[0067] Main reference Figure 3 as well as Figures 5 and 6 The support member 320 includes a support rod 321 , a compression spring 322 and a fixing bracket 323 , and at least one support member 320 may be arranged at the upper end of the left beam frame 215 and the upper end of the right beam frame 215 relative to the battery module 100 .

[0068] The fixing bracket 323 may include a support plate 324 fixedly connected to the upper end of the beam frame 215 and extending in the height direction, and an anti-separation plate 325 extending in the horizontal direction from the upper end of the support plate 324 and having a through hole 325a. Here, the support plate 324 may be fixedly connected to the upper end of the beam frame 215 by welding, bonding, or hooking.

[0069] The support plate 324 includes a first support plate 324a and a second support plate 324b that are spaced apart from each other and extend in parallel in the height direction, and the anti-separation plate 325 may have one end connected to the first support plate 324a and the other end connected to the second support plate 324b. Different from this embodiment, one support plate 324 or three or more support plates 324 may be provided.

[0070] The support rod 321 is arranged to extend downward from the flame-blocking cover 310 and pass through the through hole 325a to penetrate the anti-separation plate 325. That is, the support rod 321 has an upper end connected to the upper blocking plate, and extends to the lower part of the anti-separation plate 325 through the through hole 325a. The support rod 321 has a head 321a provided at its lower end, and the diameter of the head 321a is larger than the diameter of the through hole 325a. The support rod 321 can be arranged so that its upper end is fixed to the flame-blocking cover 310. For example, the upper end of the support rod 321 and the flame-blocking cover 310 can be threaded, welded or adhered. As another embodiment, the flame-blocking cover 310 and the support rod 321 can be integrally formed. In this case, the support rod 321 without the head 321a can be inserted into the through hole 325a of the fixing bracket 323, and then the head 321a can be assembled to the lower end of the support rod 321.

[0071] With the support rod 321, the flame barrier cover 310 can be supported from the beam frame 215 by the length of the support rod 321. Here, the upper blocking plate of the flame barrier cover 310 is located at a height higher than the upper surface of the battery module 100 and lower than the battery pack cover 220 with the support rod 321. In addition, the head 321a of the support rod 321 simply contacts the beam frame 215. That is, the support rod 321 is not fixedly connected to the upper end of the beam frame 215. Therefore, when pressure is applied upward from the lower part of the flame barrier cover 310, the flame barrier cover 310 can be lifted upward. For example, if the battery module 100 covered with the flame barrier cover 310 catches fire and generates a large amount of gas, the head 321a of the support rod 321 can be separated from the beam frame 215 by the pressure of the gas, and the flame barrier cover 310 can be lifted upward. However, since the head 321 a of the support rod 321 is designed not to pass through the through hole 325 a of the anti-separation plate 325 , the lifting of the flame blocking cover 310 can be limited within a certain range.

[0072] The compression spring 322 is a component that is compressed when the flame barrier cover 310 is lifted to prevent the flame barrier cover 310 from suddenly rising, and may be assembled into the support rod 321 between the head 321 a of the support rod 321 and the separation prevention plate 325 .

[0073] Without the compression spring 322, when the gas pressure is very strong, the head 321a of the support rod 321 may strongly collide with the anti-separation plate 325 and be damaged. Therefore, it is impossible to prevent the flame-blocking cover 310 from being completely separated from the beam frame 215, thereby preventing the flame of the battery module 100 from spreading to the surrounding environment.

[0074] However, in this embodiment, the compression spring 322 is compressed in the space between the head 321a of the support rod 321 and the anti-separation plate 325, thereby reducing the rising speed of the flame blocking cover 310 and thus preventing the head 321a of the support rod 321 from being damaged. In addition, when the amount of gas generated from the battery module 100 decreases, the flame blocking cover 310 can return to its original position by means of the elastic restoring force of the compression spring 322.

[0075] Refer again Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the flame barrier cover 310 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an insulating material 330 attached to the upper surface of the flame barrier cover 310. The insulating material 330 may block the inflow of gas discharged above the flame barrier cover 310 and rebounded on the battery pack cover 220. In addition, the insulating material 330 may play a role in preventing heat damage caused by flame or gas generated by another battery module 100.

[0076] The insulating material 330 may be made of mica or silicone, and may preferably be provided in the form of a pad having an area corresponding to the upper blocking plate 312 of the flame-blocking cap 310 .

[0077] The insulating material 330 may include a cutting portion 331 configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure. The cutting portion 331 may be provided in an area vertically corresponding to the exhaust hole 311 of the flame-blocking cover 310. The cutting portion 331 of the insulating material 330 may be torn and opened due to the gas pressure of the battery module 100 that has caught fire, so that the gas may be discharged to the upper portion of the flame-blocking cover 310. The cutting portion 331 may be configured to be torn in a slit shape. In this case, it is difficult for the flame to easily escape to the outside through the cutting portion 331 compared to the gas.

[0078] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , an embodiment of the operation of the flame arresting unit 300 when a specific battery module 100 catches fire will be briefly described below.

[0079] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the battery pack 10 when the flame barrier unit 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is lifted.

[0080] The flame barrier cover 310 of this embodiment may be positioned at a predetermined height by being supported by the support member 320 coupled to the beam frame 215, such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure 7, the flame-blocking cover 310 surrounds the outer side of the left beam frame 215, the upper side of the battery module 100, and the outer side of the right beam frame 215. In addition, in the battery pack 10 of the present disclosure, the battery pack cover 220 is positioned higher than the flame-blocking cover 310, so that the airflow channel VS is provided at the lower part of the battery pack cover 220 and the upper part of the flame-blocking unit 300.

[0081] In the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure, as Figure 8 As shown in , when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery module 100, the flame of the specific battery module 100 may be blocked by the flame barrier cover 310. Therefore, the flame of the specific battery module 100 may be captured without moving to an adjacent battery module 100 or the air flow channel VS. At this time, the exhausted gas may be introduced into the air flow channel VS through the exhaust hole 311 of the flame barrier cover 310 and the cut portion 331 of the insulating material 330. For reference, the exhaust hole 311 of the flame barrier cover 310 may be disposed at a position vertically corresponding to the module exhaust hole 101 disposed in the battery module 100.

[0082] Meanwhile, the flame barrier cover 310 according to the embodiment is designed to be lifted by gas, which can be considered to prevent the flame barrier cover 310 from being damaged due to a rapid increase in internal pressure. In other words, if the flame barrier cover 310 is installed on the beam frame 215 in a non-lifting structure, the flame barrier cover 310 is at a high risk of being damaged because the flame barrier cover 310 cannot withstand the pressure when a large amount of gas is discharged from the battery module 100. However, as described above, the flame barrier cover 310 according to the embodiment is installed on the beam frame 215 so as to be lifted. Therefore, if a large amount of gas is discharged from a specific battery module, the flame barrier cover 310 is lifted, so that the space between the upper surface of the battery module 100 and the flame barrier cover 310 can be expanded. Therefore, the pressure increase due to the gas can be alleviated. In addition, the compression spring 322 can prevent damage to the flame barrier cover 310 by buffering the pressure applied to the flame barrier cover 310.

[0083] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a portion of a battery pack 10 to which a flame arresting unit 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied, and Fig.10 The flame arresting unit 300 is respectively applied to Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of all battery modules 100 .

[0084] Next, we will refer to Fig. 9 and Fig.10 A battery pack 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is briefly described.

[0085] The same reference numerals as in the previous embodiment denote the same components and will not be described in detail, and features different from the previous embodiment will be explained in detail.

[0086] A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured such that all battery modules 100 accommodated in a pack case 200 are respectively covered by flame-blocking units, compared to the battery pack 10 according to the previous embodiment.

[0087] To this end, the upper blocking plate of the flame blocking cover 410 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may have a protrusion 411 and a recessed portion 412, wherein the protrusion 411 protrudes outward more than one of the two beam frames 215 relative to one battery module 100, and the recessed portion 412 is recessed inward more than the other beam frame 215. For example, Fig. 9 As shown in , the protrusion 411 may be provided at the center of one side edge line of the upper blocking plate, and the recessed portion 412 may be provided at the center of the other side edge line of the upper blocking plate. In addition, a flame blocking cover 410 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first side blocking plate and a second side blocking plate, the first side blocking plate being bent downward at an edge of the protrusion 411 in one side edge of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame 215, and the second side blocking plate being bent downward from the other side edge of the upper blocking plate not including the recessed portion 413 and extending to a position lower than the upper end of the beam frame 215.

[0088] In addition, the support member 320 can be installed at the upper end of the left beam frame 215 to support the protrusion 411, and can be installed at the upper end of the right beam frame 215 to respectively support the two edges of the other side edge line of the upper blocking plate. In addition, the protrusion 411 of one flame blocking cover 410 can be configured to match the shape of the recessed portion 412 of the other flame blocking cover 410.

[0089] According to the above embodiment, Fig.10 As shown in , the recessed portion 412 of the flame barrier cover 410 covering the battery module 100 located on the left side of the beam frame 215 and the protruding portion 411 of the flame barrier cover 410 covering the battery module 100 located on the right side may be form-fitted. In addition, if the support member 320 is installed in the areas indicated as "A", "B", and "C" in the upper end of the beam frame 215 between two battery modules 100, each of the battery modules 100 may be covered by each of the flame barrier covers 410, respectively.

[0090] Next, we will refer to Fig.11 A vehicle according to the present disclosure is briefly described.

[0091] Fig.11 is a diagram showing a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] Reference Fig.11The vehicle according to the present disclosure may be configured to include the above-described battery pack according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 20, an inverter 30, and a motor 40. Preferably, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle.

[0093] The battery pack 10 can be used as an electric energy source to drive the vehicle by providing a driving force to the motor 40. The battery pack 10 can be charged or discharged by the inverter 30 according to the drive of the motor 40 and / or the internal combustion engine (not shown). The battery pack 10 can be charged by a regenerative charging device combined with a brake. The battery pack 10 can be electrically connected to the motor 40 of the vehicle via the inverter 30.

[0094] ECU 20 is an electronic control device that controls the state of the vehicle. For example, it determines torque information based on information such as accelerator, brake, speed, etc., and controls the output of motor 40 to comply with the torque information. In addition, ECU 20 conducts a control signal to inverter 30 so that the battery pack 10 can be charged or discharged based on the state information received from BMS (such as SOC and SOH of the battery pack 10). Inverter 30 charges or discharges the battery pack 10 based on the control signal from ECU 610. Motor 40 uses the electric energy of battery pack 10 to drive the vehicle based on the control information (e.g., torque information) conducted from ECU 20.

[0095] As described above, when a thermal event occurs in the battery module, the battery pack 10 can suppress the flame from leaking to the outside of the battery pack housing. Therefore, even if an internal fire problem occurs in the battery pack 10 while the vehicle is running, the time required for the fire to spread to the outside of the battery pack 10 can be delayed as much as possible.

[0096] 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 are possible within the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0097] In addition, although terms indicating directions (such as upward, downward, left, right, forward, and backward directions) are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of explanation and may change depending on the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: Multiple battery modules; a battery pack tray having an open upper portion and an inner space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery modules, the battery pack tray comprising a beam frame disposed between the battery modules adjacent to each other and partitioning the inner space; a battery pack cover, the battery pack cover covering the upper portion of the battery pack tray; as well as A flame arrester unit is connected to the beam frame and is disposed to cover the corresponding battery module at a lower portion of the battery pack cover to block flame ejected from the battery module.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The flame-blocking unit is coupled to the beam frame so as to be lifted by gas exhausted from the corresponding battery module.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The flame arresting unit comprises: a flame barrier cover covering one of the battery modules disposed between two beam frames; and At least one support member is fixedly coupled to the beam frame and supports the flame barrier cap to a predetermined height.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The supporting member comprises: a fixed bracket having a support plate fixedly coupled to an upper end of the beam frame and extending in a height direction and an anti-separation plate extending in a horizontal direction from an upper end of the support plate and having a through hole; a support rod extending downward from the flame barrier cover and passing through the through hole, the support rod having a head formed at a lower end thereof, the diameter of the head being greater than the diameter of the through hole; and A compression spring is assembled on the support rod between the head of the support rod and the anti-separation plate.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, in, The support plate includes a first support plate and a second support plate, the first support plate and the second support plate are arranged to be spaced apart from each other and extend in parallel in the height direction, and The anti-separation plate has one end connected to the first support plate and the other end connected to the second support plate.

6. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The flame barrier cap has at least one exhaust hole.

7. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The flame barrier cap also includes an insulating material attached to an upper surface of the flame barrier cap.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, in, The flame arrester has at least one exhaust hole, and The insulating material includes a cutting portion, which is disposed in a region corresponding to the exhaust hole and is configured to be torn by a predetermined pressure.

9. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The flame arrester cap comprises: an upper blocking plate, the upper blocking plate covering an upper portion of the battery module; a first side blocking plate bent downward from one side edge of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than an upper end of the beam frame located on a left side of the battery module; and a second side blocking plate bent downward from the other side edge of the upper blocking plate and extending to a position lower than an upper end of the beam frame located on the right side of the battery module.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, in, The upper blocking plate includes a protrusion and a recess, the protrusion protruding outward from one of the two beam frames relative to one of the battery modules, the recess being recessed inward from the other beam frame, and The protrusion of one of the flame barrier covers is configured to match the shape of the recessed portion of the other flame barrier cover, so that each of the battery modules is covered by each of the flame barrier covers.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, in, The first side barrier is bent downward from an edge of the protrusion in one side edge of the upper barrier, and the second side barrier is bent downward from an edge excluding the recess in the other side edge of the upper barrier.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, An air flow channel is provided between the upper portion of the flame arresting unit and the lower portion of the battery pack cover.

13. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The flame arrester cap is made of metal.

14. The battery pack according to claim 7, in, The insulating material is made of mica or silicone.

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

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