Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same. The battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction; a pack case accommodating the battery module, the pack case configured to discharge a fluid to the outside, and including a discharge passage extending along a circumferential portion of the pack case; and a guide duct coupled to the battery pack case to define a guide channel in fluid communication with the discharge channel inside the guide duct, and the guide duct includes an opening configured to fluidly communicate the guide channel with the outside when a specific pressure is reached.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0181252, filed on December 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery pack. Background Art

[0004] Recently, with the increasing awareness of environmental crises and the depletion of oil resources, research and development of electric vehicles as eco - friendly vehicles have become prominent. Electric vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "vehicles") include plug - in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

[0005] A vehicle may include a battery pack having battery modules and a battery pack housing that houses the battery modules. At the same time, a vehicle may include a first battery pack and a second battery pack, the second battery pack being separately provided from the first battery pack and being used in a case where the first battery pack does not operate.

[0006] Both the first battery pack and the second battery pack use battery cells as a power source, and when a fire occurs in the battery modules of the second battery pack as well as the first battery pack, there is a risk of thermal runaway occurring in the second battery pack.

[0007] Therefore, recently, there has been an increasing demand for vehicles provided with a second battery pack that can reduce thermal runaway and heat transfer when a fire occurs in the battery modules of the second battery pack.

[0008] The information included in the background of the present disclosure is only for enhancing the understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and may not be regarded as an admission or suggestion in any form that this information constitutes the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery pack that can discharge a fluid generated inside the second battery pack to the outside.

[0010] The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the following description.

[0011] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a battery pack housing accommodating the battery modules, the battery pack housing being configured to discharge fluid to the outside of the battery pack housing and including a discharge channel extending along a circumferential portion of the battery pack housing, and a guiding pipe coupled to the battery pack housing to define a guiding channel fluidly communicating with the discharge channel inside the guiding pipe, and the guiding pipe including an opening configured to fluidly communicate the guiding channel with the outside fluid in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the guiding channel.

[0012] The discharge channel may include a first discharge channel extending in the second direction and a second discharge channel fluidly communicating with the first discharge channel and extending in the first direction, and the battery pack housing may include a substrate supporting the battery modules and a first support member supported by the substrate, the first support member extending in the second direction from one side of the battery module in the first direction or the direction opposite to the first direction and including the first discharge channel inside the first support member.

[0013] The first support member may include a communication hole fluidly communicating with the first discharge channel in a region facing the battery module.

[0014] The battery pack housing may further include a first side member and a second side member, the first side member being arranged outside the first support member to be parallel to the first support member, the second side member extending in a direction intersecting the first side member to cover one side of the battery module in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction, and the second side member may include a second discharge channel inside the second side member.

[0015] The second side member may include: a support portion including the second discharge channel inside the support portion; and a flange portion extending from the support portion to the outside of the battery pack housing and configured to allow a coupling member to be inserted into the flange portion.

[0016] The guiding pipe may be coupled to the second side member on one side of the flange portion.

[0017] The guiding pipe may extend from the battery pack housing in a direction away from the battery module.

[0018] The battery pack housing may further include a second support member extending in a direction intersecting the first support member and including a through hole through which the coupling member passes in a region overlapping the guiding pipe in the first direction.

[0019] Each of the battery modules may include: a battery cell; a module housing covering the battery cell, disposed on one side of the battery cell in a first direction or a direction opposite to the first direction, and the module housing includes a discharge frame, and the discharge frame includes a discharge hole fluidly communicating with a communication hole; and a side cover disposed between the discharge frame and the battery cell, and the side cover includes a perforated portion or a notch portion, the perforated portion being formed along the periphery of a region facing the discharge hole; the notch portion is formed to have a thickness smaller than the thickness of the peripheral region of the notch portion.

[0020] The first support member may include a support outer wall facing the first side member and a support inner wall facing the battery module. The support inner wall may include a communication hole that fluidly communicates with the first discharge channel in a region facing the battery module, and the communication hole may be disposed to face a separation region of the side cover covering the battery module, and in response to reaching a predetermined pressure in the guide channel, the separation region of the side cover may be separated from the side cover.

[0021] The battery pack may further include: a pack cover coupled to the first side member and the second side member to cover the upper side of the battery module, and a fireproof cover disposed inside the pack cover.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle includes a body frame and a battery pack. The body frame defines a pack accommodation portion provided in the rear portion of the vehicle, and defines an outlet formed on one side of the pack accommodation portion in the leftward and rightward directions of the pack accommodation portion. The battery pack is installed in the pack accommodation portion, and the battery pack may include: a battery pack housing coupled to the body frame and defining a discharge channel extending along a circumferential portion of the battery pack housing; a battery module accommodated inside the battery pack housing; and a guide pipe coupled to one side of the battery pack housing. The guide pipe includes a guide channel that fluidly communicates the discharge channel and the outlet, and the guide pipe includes an opening portion configured to fluidly communicate the guide channel with the outside of the battery pack housing in response to reaching a predetermined pressure in the guide channel.

[0023] The battery module may extend in a first direction and may be disposed in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The discharge channel may include a first discharge channel extending in the second direction and a second discharge channel fluidly communicating with the first discharge channel and extending in the first direction. The battery pack housing may include a substrate and a first support member supported by the substrate. The first support member covers one side of the battery module in the first direction, and the first discharge channel is included inside the first support member.

[0024] The battery pack housing may further include a first side member and a second side member. The first side member is disposed outside the first support member and parallel to the first support member, and the second side member extends in a direction intersecting the first side member to cover one side of the battery module in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction, and includes a second discharge channel inside the second side member.

[0025] The second side member may include a support portion and a flange portion. The support portion defines the second discharge channel, the flange portion protrudes from the support portion to the outside of the battery pack housing and is coupled to the vehicle body frame, and the guiding pipe may be coupled to the second side member at the rear side of the flange portion.

[0026] The outlet may be disposed at the rear side of the second side member, and the guiding pipe may extend from the second side member toward the outlet to the rear side of the vehicle.

[0027] The battery pack housing may further include a second support member. The second support member extends in a direction intersecting the first support member and includes a through hole through which the coupling member passes in a region overlapping the guiding pipe in the first direction.

[0028] The vehicle body frame may include a seat space provided at the front side of the battery pack accommodation portion and a luggage space provided at the rear side or the upper side of the battery pack accommodation portion, and the outlet may be formed at one side of the luggage space.

[0029] The battery module may include battery cells and a module housing configured to cover the battery cells. The module housing is disposed on one side of the battery cells in the first direction or the direction opposite to the first direction, and the module housing includes a discharge frame. The discharge frame includes discharge holes that are in fluid communication with communication holes. The first support member may include communication holes that are in fluid communication with the first discharge channel and includes a separation region. In response to reaching a predetermined pressure in the guiding channel, the separation region of the side cover may be separated from the side cover.

[0030] The separation region of the side cover may include a perforated portion or a notch portion. The perforated portion is formed along the periphery of the region facing the discharge holes, and the notch portion is formed to have a thickness smaller than the thickness of the peripheral region of the notch portion.

[0031] The methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure have other features and advantages that will be apparent from or more particularly set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, which are incorporated herein and together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle equipped with a first battery pack and a second battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 2 Schematic view of the rear part of a vehicle equipped with a second battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 3 Schematic view of a body frame and a second battery pack including an outlet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 4 Plan view of a second battery pack without a group cover according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 5 Side view of a battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 6 Side view of a battery module according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 7 Schematic view of a first support member, a second support member, and a peripheral component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 8 Is along Figure 4 Longitudinal sectional view of the battery pack taken along the line A - A' shown in; and

[0040] Figure 9 Is along Figure 4 Longitudinal sectional view of the second side member taken along the line B - B' shown in.

[0041] It can be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the drawings present a slightly simplified representation of various features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. Specific design features of the present disclosure as included herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and the usage environment.

[0042] In the drawings, throughout several views of the drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present disclosure to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0044] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. In the drawings, when attaching reference numerals to components, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are provided to the same components as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present disclosure, if a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may impede understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the detailed description of the related known configuration or function will be omitted.

[0045] In addition, when describing components of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish components, and the nature, sequence, and order of the corresponding components are not limited by these terms. Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical or scientific terms include the same meanings as those commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Commonly used terms (such as terms defined in a dictionary) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of the related art and not be interpreted as an ideal or overly formal meaning unless clearly defined in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 .

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle equipped with a first battery pack and a second battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a schematic view of the rear part of a vehicle equipped with a second battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a schematic view of a body frame and a second battery pack including an outlet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle. The vehicle 1 may include a body frame 10 that defines the frame of the vehicle 1, a first battery pack 20 mounted on the body frame 10, and a second battery pack 100.

[0049] The first battery pack 20 can be used as a main battery pack that supplies an energy source to the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 is traveling normally, and the second battery pack 100 can be used as an auxiliary battery pack that supplies an energy source to the vehicle 1 when the first battery pack 20 malfunctions during its discharge.

[0050] The first battery pack 20 can be installed in a substantially middle region in the front / rear direction of the vehicle 1, and the second battery pack 100 can be installed in a rear region in the front / rear direction of the vehicle 1.

[0051] The body frame 10 can define a group accommodation part 11 provided in the rear part of the vehicle 1, a seat space 12 provided on the front side of the group accommodation part 11, and a luggage space 13 provided on the rear side or upper side of the group accommodation part 11.

[0052] The group accommodation part 11 can be a space in which the second battery pack 100 is installed. The seat space 12 can be a space in which a seat for a user of the vehicle 1 is provided. The luggage space 13 can be a space provided on the rear side of the seat space 12 to accommodate items and the like.

[0053] The first battery pack 20 can be arranged under the seat space 12 and can be fixed to the body frame 10, and the second battery pack 100 can be arranged in the rear part of the vehicle 1 and can be fixed to the body frame 10.

[0054] The second battery pack 100 can be provided in a smaller size and can be coupled to the body frame 10 through the luggage space 13 opened by the rear hatch. In addition, the second battery pack 100 can be coupled to the body frame 10 not through a coupling member "F", but can be coupled by welding.

[0055] Meanwhile, the seat space 12 is a space where a user is seated, and it is necessary to prevent high-temperature gas flowing when a fire occurs inside the second battery pack 100 from being guided to the seat space 12.

[0056] To achieve this, the body frame 10 can define an outlet 14 for discharging high-temperature gas inside the second battery pack 100 to the outside of the vehicle 1. The outlet 14 can be located on the left and right sides of the rear region of the group accommodation part 11. The outlet 14 can be formed on the opposite side of the luggage space 13.

[0057] The second battery pack 100 can be coupled to the body frame 10 through a coupling member "F" passing through a flange part 153. The second battery pack 100 can include a guiding pipe 180 defining a guiding channel 181 (see Figure 4 ) that fluidly connects the inside of the second battery pack 100 and the outlet 14.

[0058] The guiding pipe 180 may include an opening 14a disposed adjacent to the outlet 14. The opening 14a may be formed to put the guiding channel 181 into communication with the external fluid when the pressure of the gas flowing through the guiding channel 181 reaches a specific pressure.

[0059] Figure 4 is a plan view of a second battery pack without a group cover according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Reference Figure 4 , the second battery pack 100 may include a plurality of battery modules 200 extending in a first direction as a front / rear direction and disposed in a second direction as a left / right direction, and a battery pack housing 110 accommodating the battery modules 200.

[0061] The battery pack housing 110 may include a substrate 111 (see Figure 7 ) for supporting the battery modules 200, and a first side member 140 and a second side member 150 coupled to the substrate 111 along the circumferential direction of the substrate 111.

[0062] The first side member 140 may be supported by the substrate 111 and extend from the front side or the rear side of the battery module 200 in the second direction as a left / right direction.

[0063] A pair of first side members 140 may be provided to be coupled to the front circumferential portion and the rear circumferential portion of the substrate 111. The pair of first side members 140 may be arranged parallel to each other.

[0064] The second side member 150 may extend in a front / rear direction intersecting (crossing) the first side member 140 to cover the left side or the right side of the battery module 200.

[0065] A pair of second side members 150 may be provided to be coupled to the left circumferential portion and the right circumferential portion of the substrate 111. Each of the pair of second side members 150 may include a support portion 152 coupled to the substrate 111, and a flange portion 153 protruding from the support portion 152 to the outside of the battery pack housing 110.

[0066] A flange hole 153a may be formed in the flange portion 153, and a coupling member "F" (see Figure 3 ) is inserted into the flange hole. That is, the flange portion 153 may be a component extending from the support portion 152 to the outside of the battery pack housing 110 and into which the coupling member "F" is inserted. In this manner, the battery pack housing 110 may be coupled to the vehicle body frame 10 through the flange portion 153.

[0067] A pair of first side members 140 and a pair of second side members 150 may be coupled along the circumferential direction of the substrate 111 to protect the outside of the battery modules 200.

[0068] The battery pack housing 110 may include a first support member 160 disposed between the battery module 200 and the first side member 140. The first support member 160 may extend in the left / right direction of the battery module 200.

[0069] The battery pack housing 110 may include a second support member 170 that extends in the front / rear direction intersecting the first support member 160 and is disposed between the plurality of battery modules 200. A through hole 170a may be formed in a rear region of the second support member 170.

[0070] The first side member 140 may be disposed outside the first support member 160 in parallel with the first support member 160, and the second side member 150 may be connected to the first support member 160.

[0071] The second side member 150 or the second support member 170 may press the battery module 200 to prevent the expansion of the battery module 200 while supporting the side surface of the battery module 200.

[0072] Meanwhile, the battery pack housing 110 may define a discharge passage 130 configured to discharge the high-temperature gas generated from the battery module 200 to the outside and extend along the circumferential portion of the battery pack housing 110.

[0073] The discharge passage 130 may include: a first discharge passage 161 formed inside the first support member 160 and extending in the left / right direction; and a second discharge passage 151 fluidly connected to the first discharge passage 161, formed inside the support portion 152 of the second side member 150 and extending in the front / rear direction of the support portion 152. The second discharge passage 151 may be fluidly connected to the first discharge passage 161.

[0074] The second discharge passage 151 may be fluidly connected to a guiding passage 181. In this way, the high-temperature gas generated in the battery module 200 may be discharged in the front / rear direction of the battery module 200 and may flow into the first discharge passage 161 and the second discharge passage 151, and may be discharged to the outside of the vehicle 1 through an outlet 14 on the guiding passage 181 (see Figure 3 ) (see Figure 1 ).

[0075] For this structure, the second battery pack 100 may include a guiding pipe 180 coupled to one side of the battery pack housing 110 to define a guiding passage 181 inside thereof.

[0076] The opening 14a can be provided on the guiding passage 181. The opening 14a closes the guiding passage 181 during the normal operation of the battery module 200. However, when a fire occurs in the battery module 200 and the pressure of the gas flowing through the guiding passage 181 reaches a specific pressure, the opening 14a may rupture and connect the guiding passage 181 to the outside of the guiding passage. The opening 14a can be provided as a separate discharge device or a rupture disk.

[0077] The guiding pipe 180 can be coupled to the second side member 150 on the rear side of the flange portion 153. More specifically, the guiding pipe 180 can be coupled to the support portion 152.

[0078] A pair of guiding pipes 180 and a pair of outlets 14 can be provided (see Figure 3 ). The pair of guiding pipes 180 can be respectively coupled to the pair of second side members 150 and can respectively extend in a direction farther away from the second side member 150. For example, as Figure 4 shown, the guiding pipe 180 provided on the right side can extend rearward to the right side, and the guiding pipe 180 provided on the left side can extend rearward to the left side of the guiding pipe. That is, the pair of guiding pipes 180 can also extend from the battery pack housing 110 in a direction farther away from the battery module 200. Thus, the pair of guiding pipes 180 can be coupled to opposite sides of the battery pack housing 110 to be in fluid communication with the second discharge passage 151 and the outlet 14.

[0079] Since the outlet 14 is arranged on the rear side of the second side member 150, the guiding pipe 180 can extend from the second side member 150 toward the outlet 14 to the rear side of the vehicle 1 (see Figure 1 ).

[0080] The flange portion 153 is provided with a plurality of flange holes 153a arranged in the front / rear direction, and thus, the front portion of the battery pack housing 110 can be stably coupled to the vehicle body frame 10 (see Figure 3 ).

[0081] On the other hand, due to the structure of the guiding pipe 180 on the rear side of the flange portion 153, the coupling force of the battery pack housing 110 to the vehicle body frame 10 may be relatively weak. To prevent this, the second support member 170 of the battery pack housing 110 can define a through hole 170a, and the coupling member "F" passes through the through hole in a region overlapping the guiding pipe 180 in the front / rear direction.

[0082] Thus, since the battery pack housing 110 is fixed to the vehicle body frame 10 through the through hole 170a, the rear portion of the battery pack housing 110 can also be stably supported by the vehicle body frame 10.

[0083] Meanwhile, in order to discharge the high-temperature gas through the above-described discharge passage 130, a structure for discharging the high-temperature gas formed on the front / rear direction sides of the battery module 200 needs to be provided.

[0084] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figure 5 and Figure 6 to describe the structure of the battery module 200.

[0085] Figure 5 is a side view of a battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0086] Referring to Figure 5 , the battery module 200 may include a plurality of battery cells 201 (see Figure 8 ) and a module housing 210 that covers the plurality of battery cells 201.

[0087] The module housing 210 may include discharge frames 220 disposed on the front and rear sides of the battery cells 201. The discharge frames 220 may define a plurality of discharge holes 221 that are spaced apart from each other in the left / right direction of the battery cells. The discharge holes 221 may be holes through which the high-temperature gas is discharged from the battery cells 201 to the outside of the module housing 210 through the discharge holes.

[0088] The battery module 200 may include side covers 230 disposed between the discharge frames 220 and the battery cells 201. The side covers 230 may be formed of a fireproof material. A perforated portion 232 may be formed in the side covers 230 around the region facing the discharge holes 221.

[0089] When the battery cells 201 are operating normally, the side covers 230 may cover the front and rear sides of the battery cells 201. However, when a fire occurs in the battery cells 201, due to the pressure of the gas, the separation region 231 may be separated from the side covers 230 along the perforated portion 232, and thus, the internal space of the module housing 210 and the discharge holes 221 are in fluid communication with each other, whereby the high-temperature gas contained inside the module housing 210 can be discharged to the front or rear side of the module housing 210.

[0090] Figure 6 is a side view of a battery module according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] Referring to Figure 6 , the battery module 200 may include side covers 230 that are disposed between the discharge frames 220 and the battery cells 201 (see Figure 8 ). The side covers 230 may be formed of a metal plate.

[0092] As shown in Figure 6As shown in the cross-sectional view taken along line C-C' of the middle section, a notch 233 can be formed in the region facing the discharge hole 221, and the notch has a thickness smaller than the thickness of the peripheral region that can be formed.

[0093] Even with this structure, different from when the battery cell 201 is operating normally, due to the pressure of the gas when a fire occurs in the battery cell 201, the separation region 231 can be separated from the side cover 230 along the notch 233, whereby the separation region can be in fluid communication with the internal space of the module housing 210 and the discharge hole 221, and thus the high-temperature gas contained inside the module housing 210 can be discharged to the front side or the rear side of the module housing 210.

[0094] For Figure 6 the structure not described in Figure 5 the description in

[0095] Hereinafter, a structure for discharging high-temperature gas from the battery module 200 to the outside of the second battery pack 100 will be described.

[0096] Figure 7 is a schematic view of a first support member, a second support member, and a peripheral component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 is along Figure 4 a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along the line A-A' shown in Figure 9 is along Figure 4 a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the second side member taken along the line B-B' shown in

[0097] Referring to Figure 4 and Figures 7 to 9 , the first support member 160 can include a support outer wall 163 facing the first side member 140 and a support inner wall 162 facing the module accommodation space 120 in which the battery module 200 is accommodated.

[0098] The support inner wall 162 can face the battery module 200, and a communication hole 162a in fluid communication with the first discharge channel 161 can be defined in the region facing the battery module 200.

[0099] Thus, when a fire occurs in the battery cell 201, as the separation region 231 is separated from the side cover 230, the high-temperature gas can be guided to the communication hole 162a and the first discharge channel 161 that are in fluid communication with the discharge hole 221.

[0100] Meanwhile, in this pair of first support members 160, in Figure 7 only one first support member 160 formed on the front side of the substrate 111 is shown, but the corresponding structure can also be applied to the other first support member 160 formed on the rear side of the substrate 111.

[0101] Thereafter, the high-temperature gas can flow through a second discharge channel 151 formed inside the support portion 152. The support portion 152 can include a side outer wall 152b connected to the flange portion 153 and a side inner wall 152a facing the battery module 200.

[0102] The second discharge channel 151 can be formed between the side inner wall 152a and the side outer wall 152b and can extend in the front / rear direction of the substrate 111.

[0103] Meanwhile, the support portion 152 can include a shape that protrudes from the side inner wall 152a to press the battery module 200.

[0104] In addition, the second battery pack 100 can include a pack cover 113 covering the upper side of the battery module 200. The pack cover 113 can be coupled to the first side member 140 and the second side member 150.

[0105] The second battery pack 100 can include a fireproof cover 112 disposed inside the pack cover 113. With this structure, even when a fire breaks out inside the second battery pack 100, the pack cover 113 can be prevented from being damaged.

[0106] In addition, although not shown in the drawings, a separate fireproof member can be provided between the first support member 160 and the first side member 140.

[0107] With the above structure, even when a fire breaks out in the second battery pack 100 (see Figure 1 ) installed on the rear portion of the vehicle 1, high-temperature gas can be prevented from being discharged into the seat space 12. In addition, the high-temperature gas can be introduced into the guide channel 181 along the discharge channel 130 formed in the circumferential portion of the second battery pack 100, and an opening 14a (see Figure 2 ) provided on the guide channel 181 can rupture, so that the high-temperature gas can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle 1 through the outlet 14, and thus, a thermal runaway phenomenon can be prevented from occurring inside the second battery pack 100. In addition, heat transfer inside the battery module 200 can be prevented using the same principle.

[0108] According to the present technology, with a structure for solving the above problems, and because the fluid generated inside the second battery pack can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle instead of the vehicle's seat space, the safety of the vehicle can be improved.

[0109] In addition, according to the present technology, when the vehicle is operating normally, the airtight performance of the second battery pack can be maintained, and when a fire breaks out inside the second battery pack, the fluid inside the second battery pack can also be discharged to the outside.

[0110] In addition, various effects directly or indirectly recognizable by the present disclosure may be provided.

[0111] The above description is a simple exemplary description of the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can make various corrections and modifications without departing from the basic features of the present disclosure.

[0112] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle may be referred to based on the concept including various transportation means. In some cases, a vehicle may be interpreted as based on not only various land transportation means (such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses) traveling on roads but also various transportation means such as airplanes, drones, ships, etc.

[0113] For the sake of easy explanation and accurate definition of the appended claims, referring to the positions of such features shown in the drawings, terms such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "back", "interior", "exterior", "inward", "outward", "inside", "outside", "forward", and "backward" are used to describe the features of the exemplary embodiments. It will also be understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to both direct connection and indirect connection.

[0114] The term "and / or" may include combinations of multiple related listed items or any of the multiple related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" includes all three cases, namely "A", "B", and "A and B".

[0115] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, "at least one of A and B" may refer to "at least one of A or B" or "at least one of the combinations of at least one of A and B". In addition, "one or more of A and B" may refer to "one or more of A or B" or "one or more of the combinations of one or more of A and B".

[0116] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, singular expressions include plural expressions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0117] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be understood that terms such as "including" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the possibility of adding or existing one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0118] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, components may be combined with each other to be implemented as one, or some components may be omitted.

[0119] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For the purpose of explaining certain principles of the disclosure and their practical application, exemplary embodiments have been chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may make and utilize the various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and their various alternatives and modifications. The scope of the disclosure is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery modules extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a battery pack case accommodating the battery module, the battery pack case being configured to discharge a fluid to an outside of the battery pack case and including a discharge passage extending along a circumferential portion of the battery pack case; as well as A guide duct is coupled to the battery pack housing to define a guide channel in the interior thereof that is in fluid communication with the exhaust channel, and the guide duct includes an opening portion configured to allow the guide channel to communicate with the external fluid in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the guide channel.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The discharge channel comprises: a first exhaust passage extending in the second direction; and a second discharge passage in fluid communication with the first discharge passage and extending in the first direction, and Wherein, the battery pack housing further comprises: a substrate supporting the battery module; and A first support member is supported by the base plate, extends in the second direction from one side of the battery module in the first direction or in a direction opposite to the first direction, and includes the first exhaust passage inside the first support member.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The first supporting member includes a communication hole in fluid communication with the first exhaust passage in a region facing the battery module.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The battery pack housing further comprises: a first side member disposed outside the first supporting member to be parallel to the first supporting member; and a second side member extending in a direction crossing the first side member to cover one side of the battery module in the second direction or in a direction opposite to the second direction, and Wherein, the second side member includes the second exhaust passage inside the second side member.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein: The second side member comprises: a support portion, including the second discharge passage in an interior of the support portion; and A flange portion extends from the support portion to the outside of the battery pack case and is configured such that a coupling member is inserted into the flange portion.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein: The guide duct is coupled to the second side member at one side of the flange portion.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The guide duct extends from the battery pack housing in a direction away from the battery module.

8. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The battery pack housing further comprises: The second support member extends in a direction crossing the first support member and includes a through hole through which a coupling member passes in a region overlapping the guide duct in the first direction.

9. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: Each of the battery modules comprises: Battery cells; a module housing configured to cover the battery cell, arranged on one side of the battery cell in the first direction or a direction opposite to the first direction, and comprising a discharge frame including a discharge hole in fluid communication with the communication hole; and A side cover is arranged between the discharge frame and the battery cell, and includes a perforated portion or a notch portion, the perforated portion is formed along the periphery of the area facing the discharge hole, and the notch portion is formed to have a thickness smaller than a thickness of a peripheral area of ​​the notch portion.

10. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein: The first supporting member comprises: a supporting outer wall facing the first side member; and A supporting inner wall facing the battery module; wherein the supporting inner wall includes the communicating hole, the communicating hole being in fluid communication with the first exhaust channel in an area facing the battery module, and wherein the communication hole is arranged to face a separation area of ​​a side cover covering the battery module, and Wherein, in response to the predetermined pressure being reached in the guide passage, the separation area of ​​the side cover is separated from the side cover.

11. The battery pack according to claim 4, further comprising: a pack cover coupled to the first side member and the second side member to cover an upper side of the battery module; as well as A refractory cover is arranged on the inner side of the group cover.

12. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body frame defining a group accommodating portion provided in a rear portion of the vehicle and defining an outlet formed on one side of the group accommodating portion in a left direction and a right direction of the group accommodating portion; as well as a battery pack mounted in the pack accommodation portion, Wherein, the battery pack comprises: a battery pack housing coupled to the vehicle body frame and defining a drain passage extending along a circumferential portion of the battery pack housing; a battery module housed inside the battery pack housing; and A guide duct is coupled to one side of the battery pack housing, the guide duct includes a guide channel that connects the exhaust channel and the outlet fluid, and the guide duct includes an opening portion, the opening portion is configured to connect the guide channel with the external fluid of the battery pack housing in response to a predetermined pressure being reached in the guide channel.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, in, The battery modules extend in a first direction and are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction, Wherein, the discharge channel comprises: a first exhaust passage extending in the second direction; and a second discharge passage in fluid communication with the first discharge passage and extending in the first direction, and Wherein, the battery pack housing comprises: substrate; and A first support member is supported by the substrate, covers one side of the battery module in the first direction, and includes the first exhaust passage inside the first support member.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein: The battery pack housing further comprises: a first side member disposed outside the first supporting member to be parallel to the first supporting member; and The second side member extends in a direction crossing the first side member to cover one side of the battery module in the second direction or a direction opposite to the second direction, and includes the second exhaust passage inside the second side member.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, in, The second side member comprises: a support portion including the second discharge channel; and a flange portion protruding from the support portion to the outside of the battery pack case and coupled to the vehicle body frame, and Wherein, the guide duct is coupled to the second side member at a rear side of the flange portion.

16. The vehicle according to claim 14, in, The outlet is arranged at the rear side of the second side member, and The guide duct extends from the second side member toward the outlet to the rear side of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein: The battery pack housing further comprises: The second support member extends in a direction crossing the first support member and includes a through hole through which a coupling member passes in a region overlapping the guide duct in the first direction.

18. The vehicle according to claim 16, in, The vehicle body frame includes a seat space provided at a front side of the group accommodation portion, and a luggage space provided at a rear side or an upper side of the group accommodation portion, and Wherein, the exit is formed on one side of the luggage space.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein: The battery module comprises: Battery cells; a module housing configured to cover the battery cell, arranged on one side of the battery cell in the first direction or a direction opposite to the first direction, and comprising a discharge frame including a discharge hole in fluid communication with the communication hole, wherein the first support member includes a communication hole in fluid communication with the first discharge channel; and a side cover disposed between the discharge frame and the battery cell and including a separation area, Wherein, in response to the predetermined pressure being reached in the guide passage, the separation area of ​​the side cover is separated from the side cover.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein: The separation area of ​​the side cover includes a perforated portion or a notch portion formed along a periphery of an area facing the discharge hole, and the notch portion is formed to have a thickness smaller than a thickness of a peripheral area of ​​the notch portion.

Images