Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack comprising: at least one battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells and a module housing for accommodating the plurality of battery cells; a pack case for accommodating the battery module; a top cover accommodated in the pack case and configured to cover a top of the battery module while being spaced apart from the pack case; and an anti-tilt member configured to maintain a separation distance between the top cover and the pack case.

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. 10-2023-0112297, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on August 25, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] Secondary batteries are easily applicable according to product categories and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density, and are generally used in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by an electric drive source and portable devices. These secondary batteries are attracting much attention as new energy sources for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency because they have the main advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and another advantage of not generating by-products during the energy use process.

[0004] Currently widely used secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, etc. When a higher output voltage is required, a battery module or a battery pack can be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in series. In addition, a battery module or a battery pack can also be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel to increase the charge / discharge capacity. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in a battery module or a battery pack can be set in various ways according to the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] Meanwhile, since chemical reactions occur in battery cells during charging and discharging, if the battery cells are used at a temperature higher than the appropriate temperature, their performance may deteriorate, and if heat cannot be controlled at the appropriate temperature, accidental ignition or explosion is more likely to occur. Therefore, if a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack, the high-temperature gas or flame emitted from the battery cells may spread to adjacent battery modules, leading to a chain reaction of explosions in the battery modules, which is very dangerous.

[0006] A battery module is configured by accommodating battery cells in a module frame, and a battery pack accommodates these battery modules in a battery pack housing. Conventionally, high-temperature gas or flame is discharged through an exhaust hole provided on the top of the module frame and is discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing through the space between the battery pack housing and the battery module. However, since the shape of the battery pack housing is deformed by the heat of the high-temperature gas or flame, the gap between the battery pack housing and the battery module cannot be maintained, making it difficult to ensure a path for the high-temperature gas or flame to be discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing.

[0007] Therefore, a structure is needed to ensure that when thermal runaway occurs in a battery module, the high-temperature gas or flame generated inside the battery module is discharged to the outside of the battery pack, thereby preventing heat accumulation inside the battery pack.

[0008] In addition, it is necessary to develop a structure that can prevent the gas or flame discharged to the outside of the battery module from flowing back into the battery module. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical Problem

[0010] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the prior art. Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a battery pack that, when thermal runaway occurs in a battery module, smoothly discharges the gas or flame generated inside the battery module to the outside of the battery pack, thereby effectively preventing or delaying the spread of thermal runaway between battery modules.

[0011] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a battery pack that can prevent the gas or flame discharged to the outside of the battery module from flowing back into the battery module when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module, thereby improving safety and reliability.

[0012] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a vehicle including such a battery pack.

[0013] 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 below.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack is provided, the battery pack including: at least one battery module including a plurality of battery cells and a module housing accommodating the plurality of battery cells; a battery pack housing accommodating the battery module; a top cover accommodated inside the battery pack housing and configured to cover the top of the battery module while being spaced apart from the battery pack housing; and an anti-tilting member configured to maintain a separation distance between the top cover and the battery pack housing.

[0016] The battery pack housing may include a box-shaped bottom battery pack frame with an upper surface opening; and a battery pack cover covering the upper surface of the opening of the bottom battery pack frame, and the anti-tilting member may be provided on the battery pack cover.

[0017] An exhaust path may be formed in the space between the battery pack cover and the top cover, and the anti-tilting member may be configured to maintain the height of the exhaust path.

[0018] At least a portion of the anti-lifting member may be configured to project from the battery pack cover toward the top cover so as to contact the upper surface of the top cover.

[0019] The length by which the anti-lifting member projects from the battery pack cover may be configured to be equal to the gap between the battery pack cover and the top cover.

[0020] The anti-lifting member may include a projecting portion configured to project from the battery pack cover and a connecting portion configured to extend from the projecting portion and be connected to the battery pack cover.

[0021] The cross-sectional area of the projecting portion may be configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of the connecting portion.

[0022] The anti-lifting member may be configured as a rigid body.

[0023] The anti-lifting member may be made of a material having fire resistance.

[0024] The battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an insulating coating formed on an outer surface of the anti-lifting member.

[0025] A plurality of the anti-lifting members may be provided and arranged to be spaced apart from each other.

[0026] The anti-lifting member may be configured as an island type.

[0027] At least one exhaust hole may be formed on an upper surface of the module housing so that exhaust gas discharged from the battery cells is discharged through the at least one exhaust hole, and the top cover may have at least one cover hole corresponding to the exhaust hole and opened by the exhaust gas.

[0028] The anti-lifting member may be fastened to the battery pack cover, and the fastening density of the anti-lifting member may be configured differently according to the position where the cover hole is formed.

[0029] A plurality of the cover holes may be provided and arranged in a row along one direction, and the anti-lifting member may be provided between adjacent ones of the cover holes.

[0030] The area of the anti-lifting member projected onto the top cover may be configured to be smaller than the area of the cover hole.

[0031] The anti-lifting member may be bolted to the battery pack cover.

[0032] The anti-lifting member may be welded to the battery pack cover.

[0033] The top cover may be made of a mica material.

[0034] In addition, the present disclosure also provides a vehicle including a battery pack according to the present disclosure.

[0035] Beneficial effects

[0036] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the battery module is in an abnormal state, a path can be ensured for high-temperature gas or flame generated inside the battery module to be discharged to the outside of the battery pack. Therefore, thermal runaway propagation between battery modules can be effectively prevented or delayed, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery pack.

[0037] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, high-temperature gas or flame generated in the battery cells when the battery module is in an abnormal state can be prevented from flowing back into the battery module.

[0038] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, events such as fire or explosion caused by thermal runaway of a device equipped with the battery pack can be prevented or delayed.

[0039] In addition, the present disclosure can have various other effects, and these will be described in their respective embodiments, or descriptions of effects that can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art will be omitted. Description of the drawings

[0040] The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are used together with the detailed description of the present invention 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.

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

[0042] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 4 is along Figure 1 a partial cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' in, which shows the flow direction of discharged gas, etc. in the case where an anti-warping member is provided in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 5 is a perspective view of an anti-warping member included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 6Shows a comparative example in which a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure does not include a warpage prevention member.

[0047] Figure 7 Is a diagram showing a warpage prevention member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 8 Is a perspective view showing a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 9 Is along Figure 8 The cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in

[0050] Figure 10 Is a diagram showing the arrangement of a warpage prevention member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 11 Is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0052] 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 being limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted based on the principle that allows the inventor to appropriately define the terms, according to the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure.

[0053] Therefore, the configurations presented in the embodiments and the drawings of this specification only show the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and do not represent all the technical concepts of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications can be made to them when submitting an application.

[0054] In addition, the present disclosure may include various embodiments. Redundant descriptions of substantially the same or similar components will be omitted from the corresponding embodiments, and descriptions will be based on the differences between them.

[0055] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as upward, downward, left, right, forward, and backward directions are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of explanation and can vary according to the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

[0056] For example, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the X-axis direction shown in the figure may indicate the front-back direction, the Y-axis direction may indicate the left-right 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.

[0057] 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 module included in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, Figure 4 is along Figure 1 a partial cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' in Figure 5 which shows the flow direction of discharging gas, etc. in the case where an anti-warping member is provided in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and

[0058] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a battery module 100, a battery pack housing 200, a top cover 300, and an anti-warping member 400.

[0059] First, referring to Figure 1 , the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure may include a battery pack housing 200. The battery pack housing 200 constitutes the exterior of the battery pack 10. The battery pack housing 200 may have a predetermined length in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction, respectively, and may have an overall shape of an approximate rectangular parallelepiped. The battery pack housing 200 may include a bottom battery pack frame 210 in a box shape, the upper surface of the bottom battery pack frame 210 being open; and a battery pack cover 220, the battery pack cover 220 covering the upper surface of the opening of the bottom battery pack frame 210.

[0060] Further referring to Figure 2 , the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure may include at least one battery module 100, preferably including a plurality of battery modules 100. The battery module 100 may be accommodated in Figure 1 the battery pack housing 200 in

[0061] In addition, each of the plurality of battery modules 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110. In this case, the plurality of battery cells 110 included in the battery module 100 may be electrically connected to each other. That is, the battery pack 10 according to the present disclosure may include a plurality of battery modules 100, and the plurality of battery cells 110 included in the battery pack 10 may be divided and included in the plurality of battery modules 100.

[0062] The battery cell 110 may be provided in a pouch type. The cell housing of the pouch type battery cell 110 may be configured as a pouch in which an aluminum metal layer is interposed between polymer layers.

[0063] In addition, although not shown in the figures, the pouch-type battery cell 110 may include an electrode assembly, a cell case that houses the electrode assembly, and electrode leads that are connected to the electrode assembly and extend outside the cell case to serve as electrode terminals. The cell case may include a receiving portion that houses the electrode assembly and a sealing portion that seals the periphery of the receiving portion.

[0064] In this case, as Figure 2 shown, a plurality of battery cells 110 may be arranged side by side in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) while standing upright in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). In this case, each battery cell 110 may have a sealing portion facing the front-back direction (X-axis direction) and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction), and a receiving portion facing the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0065] In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or shape of the battery cell 110, and various battery cells 110 known at the time of filing the present disclosure may be used to constitute the battery pack 10 of the present disclosure. Although a pouch-type secondary battery having a high energy density and being easy to stack as shown in the figures will be described in the present embodiment, it is obvious that cylindrical or square secondary batteries may be used as the battery cell 110.

[0066] Furthermore, the battery module 100 may include a module case 120. The module case 120 may be configured to have an internal space formed therein such that at least some of the plurality of battery cells 110 can be housed in the internal space. In particular, the module case 120 may be included in each battery module 100 and may be a boundary that groups the plurality of battery cells 110 into several battery modules 100 and physically confines the internal space of each battery module 100. The module case 120 may be configured of a metal material having rigidity and heat resistance in order to physically or chemically protect the housed battery cells 110.

[0067] Meanwhile, referring to Figure 2 , the module case 120 may be provided as a U-shaped frame. The U-shaped frame type module case 120 may be configured to cover two side surfaces and the lower surface of the battery cell 110. The module case 120 may include a left plate and a right plate that cover two side surfaces of the battery cell 110, and a lower plate that covers the lower surface of the battery cell 110. In addition, the left plate, the right plate, and the lower plate may be configured in an integrated form. In this case, the module case 120 may have an upper opening and front and rear openings.

[0068] In this case, the battery module 100 may further include a top plate 130. In the case where the module case 120 is configured as a U-shaped frame, the top plate 130 may be coupled to the upper opening of the module case 120. In this case, the coupling of the top plate 130 and the module case 120 may result in a square tube having front and rear openings.

[0069] In addition, the module housing 120 can be formed into various other shapes. For example, the module housing 120 can include a box-shaped lower housing having an upper opening and an upper cover that closes the upper opening of the lower housing. In this case, the lower housing can be arranged such that a left plate and a right plate covering two side surfaces of the battery cell 110 and a front plate and a rear plate covering the front surface and the rear surface of the battery cell 110 are integrally formed.

[0070] Alternatively, the module housing 120 can be arranged as a single frame. For example, the module housing 120 can be configured as a square tube having an upper surface, a lower surface, a left surface, and a right surface and having a front opening and a rear opening.

[0071] Meanwhile, the battery module 100 can include end plates 140 provided on the front opening and the rear opening of the module housing 120. The end plates 140 can be welded to the module housing 120. Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawings for convenience, the end plates 140 can be configured such that, for example, the inner side is made of an insulating material and the outer side is made of a metallic material. In addition, the end plates 140 can be partially provided with holes or slits for exposing components that need to be exposed to the outside, such as the positive and negative terminals or connectors of the battery module 100.

[0072] In addition, although not shown in the figures, the battery module 100 can include a bus bar assembly and / or module terminals electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells 110 accommodated therein.

[0073] Meanwhile, at least one exhaust hole 150 can be formed in the module housing 120. Preferably, a plurality of exhaust holes 150 can be formed. The exhaust holes 150 can be configured to discharge the exhaust gas generated from the battery cells 110 to the outside of the module housing 120. The exhaust holes 150 can be formed on one side of the module housing 120 so that directional exhaust can be performed in one direction. For example, the exhaust holes 150 can be formed on the upper surface of the module housing 120. In Figure 2 the example shown, the exhaust holes 150 can be formed on the top plate 130. According to the configuration of the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the remaining portion of the module housing 120 except for the exhaust holes 150 is sealed so that gas or flame can be discharged linearly toward the exhaust holes 150.

[0074] Meanwhile, referring to Figure 3, the battery pack housing 200 can be configured to accommodate a plurality of battery modules 100. That is, the battery pack housing 200 can provide a space for accommodating the plurality of battery modules 100. The battery pack housing 200 can be made of a material capable of ensuring mechanical strength, such as a metal such as SUS or a fiber-reinforced plastic, or can include such a material to safely protect the battery modules 100 accommodated therein.

[0075] The bottom battery pack frame 210 can include a base frame 211 and side frames 212.

[0076] The base frame 211 can be configured to have a plurality of battery modules 100 disposed thereon. The base frame 211 can form the lower surface of the battery pack housing 200 and can be configured as a square plate. In addition, the base frame 211 can have a flat upper surface such that the module housing 120 can be stably disposed thereon.

[0077] The side frames 212 can extend upward from respective edges of the base frame 211. The side frames 212 can have a plurality of unit walls and can be provided to surround the plurality of battery modules 100. More specifically, the side frames 212 can include a right wall in the +Y-axis direction at an end of the base frame 211, a front wall in the +X-axis direction at an end of the base frame 211, a left wall in the -Y-axis direction at an end of the base frame 211, and a rear wall in the -X-axis direction at an end of the base frame 211, thereby constituting the side surface of the battery pack housing 200.

[0078] Meanwhile, the plurality of battery modules 100 can be arranged adjacent to each other along a plurality of rows in the front-back direction and / or the left-right direction. For example, as Figure 3 shown, the plurality of battery modules 100 can be arranged in two rows in the front-back direction (X-axis direction) and four rows in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0079] In addition, referring to Figure 3 , the bottom battery pack frame 210 can include transverse members 213. The transverse members 213 can be configured to partition the plurality of battery modules 100. A plurality of transverse members 213 can be provided. The transverse members 213 can be provided on the base frame 211 so as to be coupled to the base frame 211. The transverse members 213 can be bolted or welded to the base frame 211.

[0080] The battery pack cover 220 can be coupled to the top of the side frames 212 to form the upper surface of the battery pack housing 200. In this case, the battery pack cover 220 can be provided to be spaced apart from the top of the transverse members 213 and the top of the battery modules 100 by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0081] In addition, the battery pack housing 200 may include an exhaust device 230. The exhaust device 230 may be disposed on a side surface of the battery pack housing 200, i.e., on the side frame 212. The exhaust device 230 may be configured to discharge gas generated from the accommodated battery cells 110 to the outside of the battery pack housing 200. In this case, the exhaust device 230 may be configured to generate forced convection. Specifically, a space may be provided between the battery pack cover 220 and the lateral member 213. Thus, the gas discharged upward through the exhaust holes 150 of the battery module 100 may move to the space between the battery pack cover 220 and the lateral member 213. The gas may be discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 through the exhaust device 230.

[0082] Meanwhile, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a top cover 300.

[0083] The top cover 300 may be configured to cover the top of the battery module 100. The top cover 300 may be provided to be joined to the top plate 130. The top cover 300 may be joined to the top plate 130 through an adhesive member. The adhesive member may include an adhesive, a tape, etc. In addition, the top cover 300 may be accommodated inside the battery pack housing 200 so as to be spaced apart from the battery pack cover 220 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0084] The top cover 300 may be made of a material having excellent heat resistance and / or fire resistance, such as mica or a combined pad of FRB (fire barrier) and silicon. The FRB may include an inorganic material that is easily transformed and may be configured as a material having excellent flame retardancy and ignition resistance.

[0085] Therefore, according to the configuration of the above embodiment of the present disclosure, even if high-temperature heat is generated, the top cover 300 may maintain its morphological stability without shrinkage, thereby stably blocking high-temperature gas or flame generated from the battery cells 110. In addition, due to the provision of the top cover 300, even if a thermal event occurs inside the battery module 100, heat such as high-temperature gas or flame can be prevented from spreading to the outside.

[0086] A cover hole 310 may be formed in the top cover 300. A plurality of cover holes 310 may be provided to correspond to the exhaust holes 150. That is, the cover hole 310 may be configured to have the same shape and size as the exhaust hole 150 at the position where the exhaust hole 150 is formed. The cover hole 310 may be provided to cover the exhaust hole 150.

[0087] The cover hole 310 can be configured to open by the pressure of the exhaust gas or flame discharged from the battery cell 110. Specifically, when the gas is discharged from the exhaust hole 150 corresponding to the cover hole 310, only the cover hole 310 disposed above the exhausted battery cell 110 can rupture in the top cover 300. For this purpose, a cutting groove can be formed along the shape of the cover hole 310. Alternatively, a groove or notch can be formed as a dotted line or a solid line in a part of the cover hole 310.

[0088] As a result, in the normal state, the top cover 300 can close the exhaust hole 150 to protect the battery cell 110 inside the module housing 120. In addition, when a thermal event occurs such that exhaust gas or flame is generated in some of the battery cells 110, the cover hole 310 is separated from the top cover 300 so as not to interfere with the path of the exhaust gas or flame moving linearly through the exhaust hole 150, thereby effectively discharging the exhaust gas or flame to the outside of the battery module 100. At the same time, the remaining cover holes 310 remain in a coupled state with the top cover 300, thereby preventing the discharged gas from flowing back into the battery module 100.

[0089] As Figures 3 to 5 shown, the battery pack 10 of the present disclosure includes an anti-warping member 400. The anti-warping member 400 can be configured to maintain a separated distance between the top cover 300 and the battery pack housing 200.

[0090] As described above, the top cover 300 and the battery pack cover 220 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance such that the exhaust gas or flame can move through this space. That is, an exhaust path S can be formed in the space between the anti-warping member 400, the battery pack cover 220, and the top cover 300. In this case, the anti-warping member 400 can be disposed on the battery pack cover 220 to keep the height d of the exhaust path S constant. Here, the height d of the exhaust path S represents the length in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and can represent the vertical distance from the upper surface of the top cover 300 to the lower surface of the battery pack cover 220.

[0091] The adhesive material disposed between the top plate 130 and the top cover 300 may be melted due to high-temperature heat such as exhaust gas or flame, thereby reducing the adhesive strength. In this case, if a part of the top cover 300 remains in an adhered state with the top plate 130 while the adhesive strength of the adhesive material is reduced, the top cover 300 may be separated from the top plate 130, such that the gap d between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300 can be reduced. In this case, the exhaust path S may not be fixed, and thus the exhaust gas or flame may not be discharged to the outside of the battery pack 10, resulting in thermal runaway.

[0092] However, according to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, the anti-lifting member 400 can apply pressure to the top cover 300, thereby preventing the top cover 300 from separating from the module housing 120. Therefore, the height d of the exhaust path S can be ensured such that the discharged gas or flame can move smoothly through the exhaust path S as shown by the arrow in Figure 4 and

[0093] In addition, according to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the discharged gas or flame discharged to the outside of the battery module 100 from moving through the lifted interface between the top cover 300 and the top plate 130 and flowing back into the battery module 100. Therefore, thermal runaway of the battery cells 110 in the battery module 100 can be suppressed or prevented. Therefore, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 10 can be ensured.

[0094] The anti-lifting member 400 can be configured as a rigid body. Here, a rigid body refers to a body opposite to an elastic body. For example, the anti-lifting member 400 can be configured with a material such as metal or fiber-reinforced plastic like SUS. As a result, the mechanical stiffness of the anti-lifting member 400 can be increased with little elastic deformation, so that the gap d between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300 can be kept constant even when an external impact is applied.

[0095] In addition, the anti-lifting member 400 can be made of a material having fire resistance. For example, the anti-lifting member 400 can be made of a material such as flame-retardant plastic or mica. According to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the anti-lifting member 400 from melting or disappearing due to the high-temperature heat of the flame. Therefore, even when a flame occurs, the anti-lifting member 400 can reliably maintain the gap d between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300.

[0096] The structure of the anti-lifting member 400 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 4 and Figure 5 At least a part of the anti-lifting member 400 can be configured to protrude from the battery pack cover 220 toward the top cover 300 and can contact the upper surface of the top cover 300.

[0097] In this case, the anti-lifting member 400 can be configured in the shape of a bolt. Specifically, the anti-lifting member 400 can include a protruding portion 410 protruding from the battery pack cover 220 and a connecting portion 420 extending from the protruding portion 410 to be connected to the battery pack cover 220. In this case, preferably, the protruding portion 410 serving as a bolt head has a flat head instead of a round head to ensure the contact area with the top cover 300.

[0098] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the length of the anti-warping member 400 protruding from the battery pack cover 220, that is, the vertical height L of the protrusion 410, can be set to be equal to the gap d between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300. Therefore, the lower surface of the protrusion 410 can be configured to contact the upper surface of the top cover 300, and the upper surface of the protrusion 410 can be set to contact the lower surface of the battery pack cover 220. According to the configuration of the above-mentioned implementation of the present disclosure, when the top cover 300 is about to be lifted and separated from the top plate 130, the lower surface of the protrusion 410 can press the upper surface of the top cover 300, thereby preventing the top cover 300 from being lifted.

[0099] In addition, the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion 410 in the direction perpendicular to the Z axis can be configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the coupling portion 420. Therefore, the protrusion 410 can stably fix both the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300, thereby further preventing the shape from being deformed due to high temperature heat, etc.

[0100] at the same time, Figure 6 A comparative example in which the anti-warping member included in the battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is not provided is shown.

[0101] If the comparative example Figure 6 If the anti-warping member 400 is not provided as shown, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module 100, the shape of the battery pack cover 220 may be deformed due to the pressure of the gas discharged from the battery cell 110 and / or high temperature heat such as dust or flame. For example, a portion of the battery pack cover 220 located above the exhaust hole 150 and the cover hole 310 through which the gas or flame is discharged may expand upward (along the Figure 6 The adjacent part may be recessed downward (in the direction indicated by the thick arrow in FIG. Figure 6 ). Therefore, at the portion where the battery pack cover 220 is recessed downward, the gap between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300 may be reduced, so that the exhaust path cannot be ensured, and thus exhaust gas or flame may be blocked from moving toward the exhaust device 230.

[0102] However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the coupling portion 420 of the anti-uplift member 400 is firmly coupled to the battery pack cover 220, the battery pack cover 220 can be prevented from being bent or deformed due to the pressure and / or heat of the exhaust gas. Figure 5 As shown, the coupling portion 420 may have threads formed thereon, and the battery pack cover 220 may have threaded holes corresponding to the threads, so that the coupling portion 420 may be coupled to the battery pack cover 220. That is, the battery pack cover 220 is nut-processed, and the anti-lifting member 400 having a bolt shape is coupled thereto.

[0103] Therefore, according to the configuration implemented as described above of the present disclosure, since the gap d between the battery pack cover 220 and the top cover 300 is maintained, the exhaust path S can be ensured. Therefore, the exhaust gas or flame can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 10, thereby suppressing or preventing thermal runaway between the battery modules 100. Therefore, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 10 can be guaranteed.

[0104] Figure 7 FIG. is a view showing an anti-warping member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0105] Meanwhile, referring to Figure 7 , the battery pack 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an anti-warping member 400 on which an insulating coating 500 is formed. The insulating coating 500 may be formed on the outer surface of the anti-warping member 400. The insulating coating 500 may be configured to electrically insulate the anti-warping member 400 and prevent heat conduction and the like. To this end, the insulating coating 500 may be made of a material such as polyurethane or silicone.

[0106] As Figure 7 shown, the insulating coating 500 may be formed on a portion of the anti-warping member 400 that is exposed from the battery pack cover 220. That is, the insulating coating 500 may be formed on the remaining surface of the protruding portion 410 excluding the surface where the protruding portion 410 contacts the battery pack cover 220. For example, the insulating coating 500 may be provided to surround the lower surface and the side surface of the protruding portion 410. According to the configuration implemented as described above of the present disclosure, since the insulating coating 500 is provided, the insulation and / or heat conduction prevention effect can be reliably maintained in a portion of the anti-warping member 400 that is exposed to the exhaust gas or flame.

[0107] The insulating coating 500 may be a coating that foams directly on the outer surface of the anti-warping member 400 after the anti-warping member 400 is assembled to the battery pack cover 220. According to the configuration implemented as described above of the present disclosure, compared with attaching a separately prepared sheet-like insulating member, the outer surface of the anti-warping member 400 can be easily covered. In addition, the process of separately manufacturing an insulating member that conforms to the size of the outer surface of the anti-warping member 400 can be omitted, thereby reducing the cost and time when manufacturing the battery module.

[0108] Figure 8 FIG. is a perspective view of a main part of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 9 FIG. is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 8 . In addition, Figure 10 FIG. is a view showing the arrangement of an anti-warping member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] Referring to Figures 8 to 10, a plurality of anti-warping members 400 may be provided and arranged to be spaced apart from each other. The anti-warping member 400 may be configured in an island shape. According to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, since the anti-warping member 400 is configured in an island shape rather than a long beam shape, the position of the anti-warping member 400 can be freely set. Therefore, the design freedom can be increased, thereby improving productivity. The anti-warping member 400 may be isotropic in the X-Y plane. When the anti-warping member 400 is coupled to the battery pack cover 220, the direction of the anti-warping member 400 does not need to be considered, thus improving the assembly efficiency.

[0110] The anti-warping member 400 may be welded to the battery pack cover 220. Alternatively, the anti-warping member 400 may be bolted to the battery pack cover 220. According to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, even if the anti-warping member 400 is erroneously assembled to the battery pack cover 220, it can be easily disassembled and corrected, so that the assembly efficiency can be improved when manufacturing the battery pack 10.

[0111] In this case, the density (fastening density) of the anti-warping member 400 fastened to the battery pack cover 220 may be configured differently according to the position where the cover holes 310 are formed. Here, the fastening density may refer to the number of anti-warping members 400 per unit area of the battery pack cover 220 or the area occupied by the anti-warping member 400. The area or number of the anti-warping members 400 may be freely adjusted according to the area or number of the cover holes 310. For example, as Figure 10 shown in the embodiment of, the portions where the top cover 300 may warp can be pre-checked through experiments, and then the battery pack 10 can be manufactured such that the anti-warping members 400 are more densely arranged in the corresponding portions. According to the configuration of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, the design freedom can be increased, thereby further improving productivity, and the design of other parts of the battery pack 10 does not need to be changed, thus obtaining higher flexibility to cope with event situations.

[0112] Specifically, the anti-warping member 400 may be provided between adjacent cover holes 310 among the plurality of cover holes 310. That is, the anti-warping member 400 may be provided at a portion of the top cover 300 adjacent to the cover holes 310. For example, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 shown, a plurality of cover holes 310 may be arranged in a row in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), and among the cover holes 310 arranged in a row, three anti-warping members 400 may be provided in each portion between adjacent cover holes 310 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). In addition, the anti-warping member 400 may also be provided at both ends of the top cover 300 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0113] When the exhaust gas or flame is discharged from the exhaust hole 150, the portion of the top cover 300 adjacent to the cover hole 310 that is broken due to the heat of the exhaust gas or flame is more likely to warp and separate from the top plate 130. Therefore, as in the configuration of the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, since the anti-warping member 400 is provided in the portion adjacent to the cover hole 310, the portion of the top cover 300 adjacent to the cover hole 310 can be effectively prevented from warping.

[0114] Referring to Figure 9 , the area of the anti-warping member 400 projected onto the top cover 300 can be configured to be smaller than the area of the cover hole 310. More specifically, the cross-sectional area of the protrusion 410 of the anti-warping member 400 can be configured to be smaller than the area of the space between the adjacent cover holes 310. Therefore, the anti-warping member 400 can not cover the exhaust hole 150 or the cover hole 310, and thus does not hinder the discharge of the exhaust gas or flame through the exhaust hole 150 or the cover hole 310.

[0115] Therefore, since the anti-warping member 400 is provided in a partial area of the top cover 300, the exhaust gas or flame can move between the anti-warping members 400 as shown by the arrows in Figure 9 . That is, according to the configuration of the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the exhaust path S can be further ensured, thereby effectively preventing or delaying the spread of thermal runaway between the battery modules 100.

[0116] Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] Referring to Figure 11 , the vehicle 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure or one or more battery modules 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 20 according to the present disclosure may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle 20 includes a four-wheel vehicle and a two-wheel vehicle. The vehicle 20 travels by receiving power from the battery pack 10 or the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0118] As described above, although the present disclosure is described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can make various modifications and variations within the equivalent scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure and the claims described in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery pack, characterized in that: The battery pack comprises: at least one battery module, the at least one battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells and a module housing accommodating the plurality of battery cells; a battery pack housing, the battery pack housing accommodating the battery module; a top cover received inside the battery pack case and configured to cover a top of the battery module while being spaced apart from the battery pack case; and An anti-lifting member is configured to maintain a separation distance between the top cover and the battery pack case.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery pack housing comprises: a box-shaped bottom battery pack frame, the upper surface of which is open; and a battery pack cover covering an upper face of the opening of the bottom battery pack frame, and The anti-warping member is disposed on the battery pack cover.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: forming an exhaust path in a space between the battery pack cover and the top cover, and The lift prevention member is configured to maintain a height of the exhaust path.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least a portion of the lift-preventing member is configured to protrude from the battery pack cover toward the top cover so as to come into contact with an upper surface of the top cover.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, characterized in that: The length of the anti-warping member protruding from the pack cover is configured to be equal to a gap between the pack cover and the top cover.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: The anti-tilting component comprises: a protrusion configured to protrude from the battery pack cover; and A coupling portion is configured to extend from the protrusion and be coupled to the battery pack cover.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the coupling portion.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-warping member is configured as a rigid body.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-warping member is made of a fire-resistant material.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery pack further includes an insulating coating formed on an outer surface of the warping prevention member.

11. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The warping prevention member is provided in plurality so as to be arranged to be spaced apart from each other.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, characterized in that: The warping prevention member is configured in an island type.

13. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least one exhaust hole is formed on the upper surface of the module housing so that exhaust gas exhausted from the battery cell is exhausted through the at least one exhaust hole, and The top cover has at least one cover hole corresponding to the exhaust hole and opened by the exhaust gas.

14. The battery pack according to claim 13, characterized in that: The anti-lift member is fastened to the battery pack cover, and The fastening density of the warping prevention member is configured differently depending on the position where the cover hole is formed.

15. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that: A plurality of the cover holes are provided so as to be arranged in a row along one direction, and The anti-lifting member is disposed between adjacent cover holes.

16. The battery pack according to claim 15, characterized in that: An area of ​​the anti-lifting member projected onto the top cover is configured to be smaller than an area of ​​the cover hole.

17. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that: The anti-lift member is bolted to the battery pack cover.

18. The battery pack according to claim 14, characterized in that: The warp-prevention member is welded to the battery pack cover.

19. The battery pack according to claim 13, characterized in that: The top cover is made of mica material.

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

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