Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a plurality of battery cells; a pack case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells therein and having an exhaust unit configured to exhaust gas generated at the battery cells to the outside; and a barrier composite member configured to cover at least a portion of the exhaust unit and prevent a flame generated within the pack case from being exposed to the outside.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0125639, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 20, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] Secondary batteries, which are easy to apply according to product groups and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are generally used in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) as well as portable devices. Because of their main advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and another advantage of not generating by-products caused by energy use, these secondary batteries are attracting attention as new energy sources for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency.

[0004] According to the charge / discharge capacity required for an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a battery pack can be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel. In this case, a battery module including at least one battery cell is generally preferentially configured, and then other components are added by using the at least one battery module to configure a battery pack or a battery rack. Alternatively, recently, a cell-to-pack-type battery pack has been manufactured, in which a plurality of battery cells are not modularized but directly stored in a battery pack housing or the like.

[0005] However, if a fire or explosion occurs in a battery pack including such a large number of lithium secondary batteries, the resulting damage will inevitably be greater. A fire that occurs in a battery pack starts from an abnormal temperature rise of the battery cells disposed inside and the internal gas generated therefrom. Therefore, if the internal pressure of the battery cells rises above a certain level, exhaust may occur, and a flame may occur inside the battery pack.

[0006] Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the use of a battery pack when a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack, the exhaust gas must be quickly discharged to the outside of the battery pack so that the internal pressure of the battery pack does not further increase. If the exhaust gas or the like is not properly discharged to the outside, the speed at which thermal runaway spreads between the battery cells may increase. In addition, this may lead to greater problems such as an explosion of the battery pack, so it is very important to discharge the exhaust gas to the outside.

[0007] Therefore, an existing battery pack is provided with an exhaust unit in a battery pack housing to discharge high-temperature exhaust gas or the like to the outside of the battery pack housing when a thermal event occurs in a specific battery cell or battery module.

[0008] However, in the case of a conventional battery pack, flames or combustible particles generated inside the battery pack may be exposed to the outside of the battery pack housing through the exhaust unit. Therefore, flames and the like may spread to other adjacent battery packs or devices equipped with the battery pack, resulting in greater problems.

[0009] Therefore, there is an increasing need for a technology that can prevent flames and the like from being exposed to the outside of the battery pack while smoothly discharging the exhaust gas to the outside of the battery pack through the exhaust unit, thereby suppressing the spread of flames or fires to the outside of the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical Problem

[0011] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the related art, and thus the present disclosure relates to providing a battery pack capable of preventing flames and the like from being exposed to the outside of the battery pack in the event of an abnormality in a battery cell or a battery module.

[0012] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a battery pack capable of smoothly discharging the exhaust gas to the outside of the battery pack in the event of an abnormality in a battery cell or a battery module.

[0013] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a battery pack capable of preventing or suppressing the propagation of thermal runaway in units of battery packs.

[0014] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a battery pack having improved safety and reliability in the event of an abnormality in a battery cell or a battery module.

[0015] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a vehicle including such a battery pack.

[0016] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other problems not mentioned above from the description of the present invention described below.

[0017] Technical Solution

[0018] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery pack including: a plurality of battery cells; a battery pack housing configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and having an exhaust unit configured to discharge gas generated from the battery cells to the outside; and a composite barrier member configured to cover at least a portion of the exhaust unit and block flames generated inside the battery pack housing from being exposed to the outside.

[0019] The composite barrier member may be disposed between the plurality of battery cells and the exhaust unit.

[0020] The battery pack housing may include: a bottom frame on which a plurality of battery cells are placed; and a side frame that extends upward from the bottom frame and on which the exhaust unit is provided, and the composite barrier member may be configured to face the side frame on which the exhaust unit is formed.

[0021] The composite barrier member may be configured to be bolted to the side frame.

[0022] The composite barrier member may be configured as a multi-structural plate configured to cover the exhaust unit.

[0023] The composite barrier member may include: a mesh member configured to filter flames and allow gases to pass therethrough; and a barrier wall provided on at least one side of the mesh member to cover at least one side of the mesh member.

[0024] The barrier wall may be configured to include a mica material.

[0025] The composite barrier member may include through-holes formed by perforating a part of the barrier wall and configured to allow gases to pass therethrough.

[0026] The composite barrier member may further include a coating formed by coating an outer surface of the barrier wall with a fire-resistant material.

[0027] The barrier wall may include a first barrier wall provided between the exhaust unit and the mesh member and a second barrier wall provided on the other side of the mesh member.

[0028] The mesh member, the first barrier wall, and the second barrier wall may be configured to be stacked in one direction.

[0029] The composite barrier member may include one or more first through-holes and one or more second through-holes respectively formed on the first barrier wall and the second barrier wall and configured to allow gases to pass therethrough.

[0030] The first through-holes and the second through-holes may be configured to be staggered from each other in one direction.

[0031] The plurality of first through-holes may be arranged in rows and columns, and the second through-holes may be arranged in rows and columns to be staggered from the first through-holes in one direction.

[0032] The mesh member may be configured to completely cover the front portion of the exhaust unit, and the barrier wall may be provided to cover the upper portion of the exhaust unit at a position more inward than the mesh member, thereby blocking flames.

[0033] The battery pack may further include a module housing configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells in its internal space and having an exhaust hole formed in an upper side in communication with the internal space.

[0034] The composite barrier member may further include a lower bent portion configured to bend from a lower end of the barrier wall in a direction away from the mesh member.

[0035] The lower bent portion may be configured to form an obtuse angle with the barrier wall.

[0036] In addition, a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include a battery pack according to the present disclosure.

[0037] Advantageous Effects

[0038] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, flames or combustible particles generated in the event of an abnormality in a battery cell or a battery module can be prevented from being exposed to the outside of the battery pack, thereby ensuring safety and reliability.

[0039] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, flames can be prevented from being exposed to the outside of the battery pack, thereby effectively ensuring the thermal runaway propagation prevention performance of the battery pack as a unit.

[0040] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, exhaust gases generated in the event of an abnormality in a battery cell can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing. Therefore, other battery cells or battery modules can be prevented from being thermally damaged, thereby preventing further chain fires.

[0041] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, events such as fires or explosions caused by thermal runaway in a battery pack or a device equipped with the battery pack can be prevented or delayed.

[0042] In particular, in the case of an electric vehicle, sufficient time for passengers to escape or drive can be ensured by suppressing or delaying the thermal runaway propagation between battery cells or battery modules.

[0043] In addition, the present disclosure may have various other effects, and these effects will be described in corresponding embodiments, or descriptions of effects that can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art will be omitted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description of the invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the technical concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited to the drawings.

[0045] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 3is a perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be, for example, a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 1 line I-I' in

[0050] Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from above, which may be a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 1 line II-II' in

[0056] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 1 line I-I' in

[0057] Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Figure 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Figure 16It is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Embodiments

[0061] Hereinafter, 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 construed as limited to the general meaning and dictionary meaning, but should be interpreted according to the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the principle that allows the inventor to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation.

[0062] Therefore, the embodiments in this specification and the configurations presented in the drawings only indicate the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and do not represent all the technical concepts of the present disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications can be made thereto at the time of filing this application.

[0063] In addition, the present invention includes various embodiments. Redundant descriptions of the same or similar configurations between the embodiments will be omitted, and descriptions will be made based on the differences between them.

[0064] Furthermore, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of explanation and can vary depending on the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

[0065] For example, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the X-axis direction shown in the figure may indicate the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction may indicate the front-rear direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane (X-Y plane), and the Z-axis direction may indicate the up-down direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0066] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Additionally, Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Additionally, Figure 5 is a view illustrating a composite barrier member included in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be, for example, a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 1 I-I' line in

[0067] Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , a battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes battery cells 100, a battery pack housing 200, and a composite barrier member 300.

[0068] First, referring to Figure 1 , the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may include a battery pack housing 200. The battery pack housing 200 constitutes the exterior of the battery pack 1. The battery pack housing 200 may have an overall shape similar to a rectangular parallelepiped having a predetermined length in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively.

[0069] Further referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may include at least one battery module 10, and preferably, includes a plurality of battery modules 10. The battery module 10 may be accommodated in the Figure 1 battery pack housing 200 in

[0070] In addition, each of the plurality of battery modules 10 may include a plurality of battery cells 100. In this case, the plurality of battery cells 100 included in the battery module 10 may be electrically connected to each other. That is, the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may include a plurality of battery modules 10, and the plurality of battery cells 100 included in the battery pack 1 may be divided and included in the plurality of battery modules 10.

[0071] Referring to Figure 3 , a plurality of battery cells 100 may be included. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the plurality of battery cells 100 may include an electrode assembly, a cell housing that houses the electrode assembly, and electrode leads that are connected to the electrode assembly and extend to the outside of the cell housing to serve as electrode terminals. In this case, the plurality of battery cells 100 may be electrically connected to each other.

[0072] The battery cell 100 may be a pouch-type secondary battery. The cell housing of the pouch-type secondary battery may be configured as a pouch in which an aluminum metal layer is interposed between polymer layers.

[0073] In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may include an electrode assembly, a cell housing that houses the electrode assembly, and electrode leads that are connected to the electrode assembly and extend to the outside of the cell housing to serve as electrode terminals. The battery housing may include a storage portion that houses the electrode assembly and a sealing portion that seals an edge of the storage portion.

[0074] As Figure 3 shown, the plurality of battery cells 100 may be arranged side by side in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) while standing upright in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). In this case, the sealing portion of each battery cell 100 may face the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction), and its storage portion may face the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction).

[0075] In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or shape of the battery cell 100, and various battery cells 100 known at the time of filing the present disclosure can be applied to configure the battery pack 1 of the present disclosure. Although the present embodiment describes a pouch-type secondary battery having a high energy density and being easy to stack as shown in the drawings, it is obvious that a cylindrical secondary battery or a square secondary battery can also be applied to the battery cell 100 of the present disclosure.

[0076] The battery module 10 may include a module housing 11. The module housing 11 may be configured to form a space therein and accommodate at least some of the plurality of battery cells 100 in the internal space. Specifically, the module housing 11 may be included in each battery module 10 to group the plurality of battery cells 100 into several battery modules 10, thereby serving as a boundary that physically limits the internal space of each battery module 10. The module housing 11 may be formed of a metal material having rigidity and heat resistance to physically or chemically protect the accommodated battery cells 100.

[0077] In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the battery module 10 may include a bus bar assembly and / or module terminals electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells 100 accommodated therein.

[0078] The battery module 10 may include an exhaust hole 12. The exhaust hole 12 may be configured to allow the gas generated from the battery cells 100 accommodated inside the module housing 11 to be discharged to the outside of the module housing 11.

[0079] Specifically, the exhaust hole 12 may be provided in the module housing 11 so that the exhaust can be directed in a specific direction. For example, as Figure 3 shown, the exhaust hole 12 may be provided on the top of the module housing 11. According to this implementation configuration, the discharged gas and / or flame can be guided to be discharged upward from the battery module 10.

[0080] Referring to Figure 2 the battery pack housing 200 may be configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells 100 or a plurality of battery modules 10. That is, the battery pack housing 200 may provide an accommodation space for receiving a plurality of battery cells 100 or a plurality of battery modules 10. The battery pack housing 200 may be made of a material exhibiting mechanical strength, for example, a metal such as steel or SUS or plastic, or may include such a material to safely protect the battery cells 100 accommodated therein.

[0081] In addition, the battery pack housing 200 may be equipped with an exhaust unit V. The exhaust unit V may be configured to discharge the gas generated from the battery cells 100 accommodated therein to the outside of the battery pack housing 200. The exhaust unit V may be configured in the form of a hole penetrating between the inside and outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0082] Alternatively, the exhaust unit V may be configured as an exhaust device to be installed in a hole of the battery pack housing 200 and operate when exhaust gas is generated inside the battery pack housing 200.

[0083] For example, the exhaust unit V may have an exhaust valve or may be implemented as an exhaust valve. In this case, a mounting hole may be formed in the battery pack housing 200 such that the exhaust unit V can be installed in the mounting hole. If the exhaust unit V is provided with or implemented as an exhaust valve, the exhaust valve may open when the internal pressure of the battery pack housing 200 increases, thereby discharging the exhaust gas to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0084] In addition, the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a composite barrier member 300. The composite barrier member 300 may be configured to cover at least a part of the exhaust unit V. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the composite barrier member 300 may be configured to prevent flames or the like generated inside the battery pack housing 200 from passing through the exhaust unit V and being exposed to the outside of the battery pack housing 200. The composite barrier member 300 may be made of a material having low thermal conductivity and excellent heat resistance and / or fire resistance.

[0085] A flame having strong straightness may be emitted from the battery cell 100 and may impact the internal structure of the battery pack housing 200 and move to the exhaust unit V. According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the flame can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust unit V by the composite barrier member 300. Therefore, the thermal runaway propagation prevention performance in units of battery packs can be effectively ensured. Therefore, according to the above aspects of the present disclosure, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 1 can be guaranteed.

[0086] Referring to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the composite barrier member 300 may be provided between the plurality of battery cells 100 and the exhaust unit V. That is, the composite barrier member 300 may be provided on the inner side of the battery pack housing 200, particularly on the inner side of the exhaust unit V. Specifically, the exhaust gas and / or flame generated from the battery cell 100 may move to the exhaust unit V. That is, an exhaust passage through which the exhaust gas and / or flame flows may be formed between the plurality of battery cells 100 and the exhaust unit V. In this case, the composite barrier member 300 may be provided to cross the exhaust passage. That is, the composite barrier member 300 may be provided on the exhaust passage to suppress the movement of flames or the like.

[0087] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, since the flame generated from the battery cell 100 is blocked before reaching the exhaust unit V of the battery pack housing 200, the flame can be more effectively suppressed from being discharged to the outside.

[0088] In addition, referring to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the battery pack housing 200 may include a bottom frame 210 and a side frame 220.

[0089] The bottom frame 210 may form the bottom of the battery pack housing 200 and may be configured as an approximately square plate. Additionally, the bottom frame 210 may be configured such that a plurality of battery cells 100 are placed on its upper surface. Further, the bottom frame 210 may be configured to have a flat upper surface such that a plurality of battery cells 100 or module housings 11 can be stably placed thereon.

[0090] The side frame 220 may extend upward from the respective edges of the bottom frame 210. The side frame 220 may be configured as a plurality of unit walls to surround the plurality of battery cells 100 or battery modules 10. More specifically, the side frame 220 may include a rear wall at the end of the bottom frame 210 in the -Y axis direction, a right wall at the end in the +X axis direction, a front wall at the end in the +Y axis direction, and a left wall at the end in the -X axis direction, thereby forming the side surface of the battery pack housing 200.

[0091] The battery pack housing 200 may further include a battery pack cover 230. The battery pack cover 230 may be configured to cover the tops of the plurality of battery cells 100. To this end, the battery pack cover 230 may be coupled to the top of the side frame 220 to form the upper surface of the battery pack housing 200.

[0092] The battery pack cover 230 may protect components stored inside, such as the battery cells 100, and prevent exhaust gases and / or flames released from the battery cells 100 from being discharged to the outside, particularly towards the upper part of the battery pack housing 200. In particular, the battery pack cover 230 may direct the exhaust gases and flames from the internal space of the battery pack housing 200 towards the exhaust unit V.

[0093] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , the battery pack housing 200 may further include a cross-beam 240. The cross-beam 240 may be provided to partition the plurality of battery cells 100 or battery modules 10. The cross-beam 240 may be provided between the plurality of battery cells 100 and the side frame 220 provided with the exhaust unit V. For example, the cross-beam 240 may be configured as a partition extending in the left-right direction and may be inserted between battery modules 10 arranged adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. Additionally, the cross-beam 240 may be configured as a partition extending in the front-rear direction and may be inserted between battery modules 10 arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

[0094] The cross beam 240 can be set to be spaced apart from the battery pack cover 230 by a predetermined distance. That is to say, the cross beam 240 can be configured to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance such that at least a part of the top does not contact the lower surface of the battery pack cover 230.

[0095] According to this implementation configuration, it is possible to prevent heat or flame from directly moving between the battery cell assemblies or battery modules 10 whose storage spaces are separated by the cross beam 240. In addition, according to the above implementation configuration, the space between the cross beam 240 and the battery pack cover 230 can further guide the gas or flame generated from the battery cells 100 to move upward from the internal space of the battery pack housing. For example, as Figure 5 shown by the dashed arrow in, flames F, etc. can move into the space between the cross beam 240 and the battery pack cover 230, and can be reflected on the battery pack cover 230, or can flow along the lower surface of the battery pack cover 230 towards the exhaust unit V to reach the composite barrier member 300 covering the exhaust unit V. According to the above implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the composite barrier member 300 can more reliably block the flame flowing towards the exhaust unit V.

[0096] In addition, the exhaust unit V can be provided on the side surface of the battery pack housing 200 (i.e., on the side frame 220). In this case, the composite barrier member 300 can be provided on the side surface of the side frame 220 to cover the exhaust unit V.

[0097] A plurality of exhaust units V and a plurality of composite barrier members 300 can be provided. In particular, the exhaust unit V can be located in at least some of the unit walls of the side frame 220. In addition, the exhaust unit V can be separately formed on two or more unit walls, or two or more exhaust units V can be formed on one unit wall. For example, referring to Figure 2 , a plurality of exhaust units V can be respectively provided on the front wall and the rear wall. The plurality of exhaust units V and the composite barrier members 300 can be symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the side frame 220.

[0098] According to the above implementation configuration of the present disclosure, when the battery cells 100 are in an abnormal state, high-temperature gas, etc. can be discharged in two directions of the battery pack housing 200, thereby facilitating the rapid discharge of the gas to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0099] In addition, Figure 2 the installation quantity and position of the exhaust unit V and the composite barrier member 300 described in the implementation manner of are only examples, and it is obvious that their quantity or position can be changed.

[0100] The composite barrier member 300 may be configured to face the side frame 220 in which the exhaust unit V is provided. In this case, the composite barrier member 300 may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the side frame 220. According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the distance fixed between the composite barrier member 300 and the side frame 220 may form a space through which the exhaust gas can flow. In addition, in this case, the exhaust gas may also be discharged through the portion covered by the composite barrier member 300 in the exhaust unit V. Therefore, the exhaust gas can be more smoothly discharged to the exhaust unit V through the space provided at the rear of the composite barrier member 300.

[0101] Therefore, according to the configuration of the present disclosure, flames and the like can be blocked by the composite barrier member 300, and at the same time, the exhaust gas can be discharged smoothly. Therefore, when an abnormal situation occurs in the battery cell 100, the exhaust gas can be quickly discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust unit V, thereby preventing an increase in the internal pressure of the battery pack housing 200 and preventing further chain fires of other battery cells 100.

[0102] The composite barrier member 300 may be connected to the side frame 220 through a coupling member 400. For example, as Figure 5 shown, the coupling member 400 may be configured as a bolt, and the composite barrier member 300 may be bolted to the side frame 220.

[0103] According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the connection and fixation between the composite barrier member 300 and the side frame 220 can be achieved through a simple structure. In this case, since the composite barrier member 300 is firmly fixed by the coupling member 400 and is not easily moved due to the pressure of flames and the like, the flame blocking effect of the exhaust unit V can be more stably achieved. In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the assembly of the battery pack 1 can be promoted, thereby improving productivity.

[0104] As another example, the composite barrier member 300 may be attached to the side frame 220. As another example, the composite barrier member 300 may be configured as a partition other than the side frame 220, or may replace the side frame 220.

[0105] Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] The composite barrier member 300 may be configured as a plate configured to cover the exhaust unit V. The composite barrier member 300 manufactured as a plate may be disposed parallel to the ground facing the exhaust unit V or the side frame 220. According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the composite barrier member 300 may more easily cover the exhaust unit V. Additionally, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the battery pack 1 may be easily assembled, thereby reducing time and cost.

[0107] The composite barrier member 300 may be configured as a multi-structured plate. For example, the composite barrier member 300 may be constructed in a dual structure or a triple structure. Specifically, referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the composite barrier member 300 may include a mesh member 310 and a barrier wall 320. As described above, the composite barrier member 300 may be configured as a multi-structured plate configured to cover the exhaust unit V.

[0108] The mesh member 310 may be configured to filter flames and allow gases to pass therethrough. The mesh member 310 may be configured such that a plurality of pores are formed in the plate-like member, or such that a plurality of wires are woven like a net. In this case, the pores may be configured to have a size capable of filtering flames discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200. That is, the mesh member 310 may capture flames and the like to delay or prevent their discharge to the outside. Additionally, the mesh member 310 may be configured to allow the exhaust gas G to pass therethrough.

[0109] According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, exposure of flames to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 may be minimized, and the exhaust gas may be quickly discharged. Additionally, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the mesh member 310 may form an insulating air layer, thereby delaying or blocking heat transfer.

[0110] The barrier wall 320 may be configured to block the flame F from the inside of the battery pack housing 200 toward the exhaust unit V. The barrier wall 320 may be made of a material having excellent heat resistance and / or fire resistance. For example, the barrier wall 320 may be configured to include a mica material. According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, even if high-temperature heat is generated, shrinkage does not occur and morphological stability may be maintained, such that high-temperature gases or flames generated from the battery cells 100 may be stably blocked.

[0111] The barrier wall 320 may be disposed on at least one side of the mesh member 310 so as to cover at least one side of the mesh member 310. The barrier wall 320 may be disposed on the front side and / or the rear side of the mesh member 310. For example, as Figure 6As shown, the mesh member 310 can be disposed on the rear side relative to the exhaust unit V, and the blocking wall 320 can be disposed on the rear side of the mesh member 310 to cover the rear side of the mesh member 310. According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the flame can be mainly blocked by the blocking wall 320 and secondly by the mesh member 310, thereby more effectively preventing the exhaust unit V from being exposed to the flame.

[0112] The composite blocking member 300 can include a through-hole H. The through-hole H can be configured to perforate a part of the blocking wall 320 so that the exhaust gas G can pass therethrough. According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, as Figure 6 shown by the thick arrow in, the exhaust gas G can be introduced through the through-hole H and then discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust unit V. Therefore, when an abnormal situation occurs in the battery cell 100, the exhaust gas can be quickly discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust unit V, thereby preventing the internal pressure of the battery pack housing 200 from increasing and suppressing or delaying further chain fires of other battery cells 100.

[0113] In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, as Figure 6 shown by the dashed arrow in, most of the flame may be blocked in the part of the through-hole H where the blocking wall 320 is not provided, and the flame that is not blocked by the blocking wall 320 and flows through the through-hole H can be filtered by the mesh member 310 and thus not discharged to the exhaust unit V.

[0114] Referring to Figure 8 , the composite blocking member 300 can further include a coating 330. The coating 330 can be formed by coating the outer surface of the blocking wall 320. The coating 330 can include a material having fire resistance. Therefore, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, since the coating 330 is provided on the outer surface of the blocking wall 320, heat conduction and heat radiation to the outside of the blocking wall 320 can be prevented. Therefore, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the spread of thermal runaway in units of the battery pack 1 can be effectively prevented or delayed.

[0115] For example, the coating 330 can be a ceramic coating. Existing ceramic coatings are formed by adding ceramics as additives to organic substances (e.g., fluororesins). The coating 330 can be a ceramic coating that does not include organic substances and has ceramics as the main raw material. The ceramic coating can be formed by coating a coating material including ceramic powder and naturally curing or curing at a low temperature of about 200 °C. The coating material can be a slurry made by mixing fine ceramic powders such as alumina and silica with water, an inorganic dispersant, etc. The coating material can further include an inorganic oxide (K 2O, BaO, etc.). However, the slurry does not contain an organic solvent or an organic binder. If it contains an organic solvent or an organic binder, the heat resistance becomes low, and it deteriorates over time after the coating is formed. The slurry-type coating material can be applied to the surface of the barrier wall 320 and then cured to form a ceramic coating. The application can be performed by any method such as dip coating, spin coating, spray coating, or brush coating. The slurry-type coating material can be directly coated on the barrier wall 320 to perform low-temperature fusion, can be environmentally friendly and harmless to the human body, and can have excellent corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and adhesion.

[0116] The ceramic coating can block flames at 1000 degrees Celsius or higher. Therefore, the effect of preventing the flame from spreading to the adjacent composite barrier member 300 can be increased. In addition, the ceramic coating can further improve the durability of the composite barrier member 300.

[0117] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack when viewed from above according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be a cross-sectional view taken along Figure 1 the line II-II' in

[0118] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the composite barrier member 300 can be configured as a triple-structured plate. Specifically, the barrier wall 320 can include a first barrier wall 320a and a second barrier wall 320b. The first barrier wall 320a and the second barrier wall 320b can be configured to cover the mesh member 310 on both sides of the mesh member 310. For example, as Figures 9 to 11 shown, the first barrier wall 320a can be provided on one side of the mesh member 310 (i.e., on its front side). That is, the first barrier wall 320a can be provided between the exhaust unit V and the mesh member 310. In addition, the second barrier wall 320b can be provided on the other side of the mesh member 310 (i.e., on its rear side). Here, the front side can point in the +Y axis direction, and the rear side can point in the -Y axis direction.

[0119] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the mesh member 310 can delay or block the discharge of the flame F, etc. to the outside. The second barrier wall 320b can delay or block the discharge of the flame F, etc. that is not blocked by the mesh member 310. As a result, the composite barrier member 300 having a triple structure can more reliably suppress heat propagation, thereby improving the thermal safety of the battery pack 1.

[0120] The mesh member 310, the first barrier wall 320a, and the second barrier wall 320b may be configured to be stacked in one direction. For example, the mesh member 310, the first barrier wall 320a, and the second barrier wall 320b may be stacked in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction). That is, the exhaust unit V, the second barrier wall 320b, the mesh member 310, and the first barrier wall 320a may be arranged in sequence along the front-rear direction. The first barrier wall 320a and the second barrier wall 320b may support the mesh member 310 from both sides. According to this configuration of the present disclosure, the mesh member 310 may be stably fixed by the first barrier wall 320a and the second barrier wall 320b provided on both sides. Therefore, the mesh member 310 may be prevented from deforming due to high-temperature flames or the like, thereby more stably suppressing the release of flames or the like.

[0121] The composite barrier member may include a first through-hole H1 and a second through-hole H2 configured to allow gas to pass therethrough. One or more first through-holes H1 and second through-holes H2 may be formed respectively. The first through-hole H1 and the second through-hole H2 may be formed on the first barrier wall 320a and the second barrier wall 320b respectively. In this case, the flame may also pass through the first through-hole H1 and the second through-hole H2. Therefore, as Figure 11 shown, the first barrier wall 320a may block the flame F or the like, and the gas G or the flame F that is not blocked by the first barrier wall 320a may flow into the mesh member 310 through the first through-hole H1. At this time, the mesh member 310 may capture the flame F or the like and allow the gas G to pass therethrough. In addition, the second barrier wall 320b may allow the gas G to reach the exhaust unit V through the second through-hole H2.

[0122] According to this configuration of the present disclosure, when a thermal event occurs, the composite barrier member 300 may block the flame F or the like and smoothly discharge the gas G to the outside, thereby suppressing heat propagation. As a result, the thermal safety of the battery pack 1 may be improved.

[0123] Referring to Figures 9 to 11 , a plurality of first through-holes H1 and a plurality of second through-holes H2 may be provided. In this case, the first through-hole H1 may be configured to be smaller than the second through-hole H2. That is, the second through-hole H2 that is closer to the exhaust unit V than the first through-hole H1 may be provided more than the first through-hole H1 so that the gas may be smoothly discharged to the exhaust unit V.

[0124] The first through-hole H1 and the second through-hole H2 may be configured to be staggered from each other in one direction (front-rear direction). That is, the plurality of first through-holes H1 may be arranged in rows and columns, and the second through-holes H2 may be arranged in rows and columns along one direction so as to be staggered with respect to the first through-holes H1. For example, as Figure 10As shown, the first through-holes H1 may be arranged on the first barrier wall 320a in, for example, 2 rows by 5 columns, and the second through-holes H2 may be arranged between the first through-holes H1 in, for example, 3 rows by 6 columns such that they do not overlap each other in the front-rear direction.

[0125] According to this embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first through-holes H1 and the second through-holes H2 are arranged in a staggered manner, when a thermal event occurs, the movement paths of the gas G, the flame F, etc. can be increased. In order for the flame F to reach the exhaust unit V, the flame F must pass through the first through-holes H1 and the mesh member 310, and then pass through the second through-holes H2 positioned to be staggered with the first through-holes H1. For example, if the composite barrier member 300 is not provided, the flame F may be discharged in the Y-axis direction, and if the composite barrier member 300 is provided, the flame F may be discharged in a zigzag direction with respect to the Y-axis. Therefore, the movement path of the flame or the like can be extended, thereby reducing the intensity of the flame. As a result, the composite barrier member 300 can further reliably suppress or block the discharge of the flame F or the like to the outside of the battery pack 1. In addition, the number and arrangement of the first through-holes H1 and the second through-holes H2 can be changed to further increase the movement path.

[0126] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be, for example, a cross-sectional view taken along the Figure 1 line I-I' in Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of a composite barrier member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0127] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the composite barrier member 300 may include a mesh member 310 and a barrier wall 320 having different sizes. Specifically, the mesh member 310 may be configured to completely cover the front portion of the exhaust unit V, and the barrier wall 320 may be configured to cover the upper portion of the exhaust unit V at a position set more inward than the mesh member 310, thereby blocking the flame. For example, the barrier wall 320 may be configured to only cover the upper portions of the mesh member 310 and the exhaust unit V. In this case, the barrier wall 320 may not have through-holes H. Therefore, the gas or flame flowing toward the exhaust unit V may not pass through the barrier wall 320.

[0128] The exhaust gas or flame released from the battery cell 100 may be in a high-temperature state and may have a strong tendency to move upward. In particular, in the case where the exhaust holes 12 are provided in the upper portion of the battery module 10, as Figure 12 shown by the dashed arrows in

[0129] Therefore, as in the above-described embodiment, in the case where the blocking wall 320 is configured to cover the upper part of the exhaust unit V, it is possible to more reliably prevent the flame with strong linearity from being discharged to the outside by ensuring that the flame collides with the blocking wall 320. In addition, the flame or the like not blocked by the blocking wall 320 can be blocked by the mesh member 310. At the same time, as Figure 12 shown by the thick arrow in, due to the internal pressure, the exhaust gas can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the lower part of the mesh member 310 that is exposed and not covered by the blocking wall 320.

[0130] In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, in the case where high-temperature gas or the like is discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 in the case of thermal runaway or the like, the discharged gas can be prevented from being guided upward. In particular, in the case where a passenger is located above the battery pack 1 in an electric vehicle, if the upward discharge of gas or flame is suppressed, the safety of the passenger can be further improved. That is, according to the implementation configuration of the present disclosure, directional exhaust toward the bottom of the battery pack 1 can be performed, so the safety of users such as passengers located above the battery pack can be improved.

[0131] Figure 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] The composite blocking member 300 may further include a lower bending portion 340. The lower bending portion 340 may be configured to extend from the lower end of the blocking wall 320. The lower bending portion 340 may be configured to bend at a predetermined angle from the lower end of the blocking wall 320 in a direction away from the mesh member 310 (toward the inside of the battery pack housing 200). In addition, the lower bending portion 340 may be configured to bend such that as the lower bending portion 340 further extends inward (in the Figure 15 -Y axis direction in), it gradually approaches the bottom frame 210. Here, the lower bending portion 340 may be configured in a diagonal form. For example, the lower bending portion 340 may be configured to form an obtuse angle with the blocking wall 320.

[0133] According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, the flame that collides with the blocking wall 320 and is reflected downward can be guided toward the inside of the battery pack housing 200. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the flame from returning to the exhaust unit V, thereby more effectively suppressing the discharge of the flame to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0134] Figure 16 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] Refer to Figure 16, a vehicle 3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 1 according to the above-described embodiments. The vehicle 3 according to the present disclosure may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle 3 includes a four-wheel vehicle and a two-wheel vehicle. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle 3 may be driven by receiving power from the battery pack 1 or the battery module 10.

[0136] 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 within the scope equivalent to the described claims in the technical concept of the present disclosure and by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: Multiple battery cells; a battery pack case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells and having a gas exhaust unit configured to exhaust gas generated from the battery cells to the outside; as well as A composite blocking member is configured to cover at least a portion of the exhaust unit and block a flame generated inside the battery pack case from being exposed to the outside.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The composite barrier member is disposed between the plurality of battery cells and the exhaust unit.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The battery pack housing comprises: a bottom frame on which the plurality of battery cells are placed; and a side frame extending upward from the bottom frame and having the exhaust unit disposed thereon, and Herein, the composite blocking member is configured to face the side frame on which the exhaust unit is formed.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The composite barrier member is configured to be bolted to the side frame.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The composite barrier member is configured as a multi-structure plate configured to cover the exhaust unit.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The composite barrier member comprises: a mesh member configured to filter the flame and allow the gas to pass therethrough; and A barrier wall is provided on at least one side of the mesh member so as to cover at least one side of the mesh member.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The barrier wall is configured to include a mica material.

8. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The composite barrier member comprises: A through hole is formed by perforating a portion of the barrier wall and is configured to allow the gas to pass through the through hole.

9. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The composite barrier member further comprises: A coating layer is formed by coating the outer surface of the barrier wall with a fire-resistant material.

10. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The barrier wall comprises: a first barrier wall provided between the exhaust unit and the mesh member; and A second blocking wall is provided on the other side of the mesh member.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, in, The mesh member, the first barrier wall, and the second barrier wall are configured to be stacked in one direction.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, in, The composite barrier member comprises: One or more first through holes and one or more second through holes are formed on the first barrier wall and the second barrier wall, respectively, and are configured to allow the gas to pass therethrough.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, The first through holes and the second through holes are arranged to be staggered with each other along the one direction.

14. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, A plurality of first through holes are arranged in rows and columns, and The second through holes are arranged in rows and columns to be staggered with the first through holes along the one direction.

15. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The mesh member is configured to completely cover the front portion of the exhaust unit, and The blocking wall is provided to cover an upper portion of the exhaust unit at a position further inside than the mesh member, thereby blocking the flame.

16. The battery pack according to claim 15, The battery pack further includes a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells in an internal space thereof and having a vent hole formed at an upper side in communication with the internal space.

17. The battery pack according to claim 15, in, The composite barrier member further includes a lower bent portion configured to be bent from a lower end of the barrier wall in a direction away from the mesh member.

18. The battery pack according to claim 17, in, The lower bent portion is configured to form an obtuse angle with the barrier wall.

19. A vehicle comprising the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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