Battery pack and device including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: one or more sub-battery packs in which two battery modules among a plurality of battery modules are arranged in the same direction as each other, in which the one or more sub-battery packs are stacked in a height direction, and the sub-battery pack has a spacer disposed on one or more of the two sides of the battery module, and the sub-battery pack includes a plurality of bolt portions penetrating the battery module and the spacer together.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0036752, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on March 21, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly, to a battery pack and a device including the same that prevent deformation while improving space efficiency due to swelling phenomena between individual battery modules and adjacent battery modules. Background Art

[0004] Secondary batteries, which are easy to apply to various product groups and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are generally applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles driven by an electric drive source, an energy storage system, etc. Such secondary batteries are attracting much attention as a new eco - friendly energy source for improving energy efficiency because they have the main advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and do not produce by - products at all when using energy.

[0005] Currently, commercially available secondary batteries include nickel - cadmium batteries, nickel - metal hydride batteries, nickel - zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention because they have advantages such as hardly showing a memory effect compared to nickel - based secondary batteries, so they can be freely charged and discharged, and have a very low self - discharge rate and a high energy density.

[0006] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified based on the shape of the external material into: cylindrical or square secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and pouch - type secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate.

[0007] Recently, as the demand for large - capacity secondary battery structures (including using secondary batteries as an energy storage source) has been increasing, the demand for battery packs with medium - sized and large - sized module structures, which are components of battery modules in which multiple secondary batteries are connected in series or parallel, has also been continuously growing. In such a battery module, multiple battery cells are connected in series or parallel with each other to form a battery cell stack, thereby increasing the capacity and output. In addition, multiple battery modules can be installed together with various control and protection systems such as a BMS (Battery Management System) and a cooling system to form a battery pack.

[0008] Specifically, the battery pack must be able to control the swelling phenomenon of the battery cells contained within the battery module during charge and discharge. More specifically, during repeated charge and discharge, the battery cells may cause the internal electrolyte to decompose to generate gas and the phenomenon of battery cell swelling (i.e., the swelling phenomenon). If the swelling of the battery cells cannot be controlled, it may lead to deformation of the structure of the battery module containing multiple battery cells and may have an adverse impact on the durability and performance of the battery module.

[0009] Specifically, recently, pure Si batteries and batteries with a high SiO content have been used as battery cells for manufacturing high-capacity battery modules and battery packs, and in the case of the above cells, the degree of swelling is greater. That is, in order to manufacture high-capacity battery modules and battery packs, it is crucial to effectively control the swelling of the battery cells inside the battery module or battery pack.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology for a battery pack that can effectively control the swelling of battery cells while improving space efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical Problem

[0012] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery pack and a device including the battery pack, the battery pack preventing deformation due to the swelling phenomenon between each battery module and adjacent battery modules while improving space efficiency.

[0013] The object of the present disclosure is not limited to the above object, and those skilled in the art should clearly understand other objects not mentioned herein from the following detailed description and drawings.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery pack including: at least one sub-battery pack, in which at least two of the multiple battery modules in the at least one sub-battery pack are arranged in the same direction as each other, wherein the at least one sub-battery pack is stacked in the height direction, wherein, in the sub-battery pack, spacers are arranged on at least one of the two side surfaces of the battery module, and wherein the sub-battery pack includes a plurality of bolt portions passing through both the battery module and the spacers.

[0016] In the sub-battery pack, one spacer may be located between adjacent battery modules.

[0017] A pair of protrusions are formed on the two side surfaces of the battery module, and the pair of protrusions may include an upper protrusion protruding from the upper edge and a lower protrusion protruding from the lower edge.

[0018] With the height direction of the battery module as a reference, the upper protruding portion and the lower protruding portion can be arranged at the same position.

[0019] The spacer is arranged between a pair of protruding portions, and the bolt portion can pass through both the spacer and the pair of protruding portions.

[0020] In the sub-battery pack, adjacent battery modules can be arranged in a direction in which the side surfaces formed with a pair of protruding portions face each other.

[0021] The spacer is arranged in the space formed between adjacent battery modules and between a pair of protruding portions, and the bolt portion can pass through both the spacer and the pair of protruding portions.

[0022] Between adjacent battery modules, a pair of protruding portions formed on each battery module can be formed at positions where they cross each other on the upper surface and the lower surface of the spacer.

[0023] A pair of protruding portions formed on each battery module can cover the entire upper and lower portions of the spacer.

[0024] A pair of protruding portions includes at least one protruding portion hole through which the bolt portion passes, the spacer includes at least one spacer hole through which the bolt portion passes, and at least one protruding portion hole and at least one spacer hole can be arranged at corresponding positions.

[0025] The protruding portion hole and the spacer hole can each have a size corresponding to the bolt portion.

[0026] A pair of protruding portions includes a pair of first protruding portions and a pair of second protruding portions, and the pair of first protruding portions and the pair of second protruding portions can be arranged spaced apart from each other on the side surface of the battery module.

[0027] A pair of first protruding portions is formed at positions adjacent to the side edge of the battery module, and a pair of second protruding portions can be formed at positions adjacent to the center of the side surface of the battery module.

[0028] In the sub-battery pack, adjacent battery modules are arranged in a direction in which the side surfaces formed with a pair of protruding portions face each other, and between adjacent battery modules, a pair of first protruding portions and a pair of second protruding portions formed in each battery module can be formed at positions where they cross each other on the upper surface and the lower surface of the spacer.

[0029] A pair of first protruding portions and a pair of second protruding portions formed in each battery module can cover the entire upper and lower portions of the spacer.

[0030] In a sub-battery pack stacked in the height direction, a battery module arranged at the upper part with respect to the height direction includes a plurality of first bolt portions, and a battery module arranged at the lower part with respect to the height direction includes a plurality of second bolt portions, and one end of the plurality of first bolt portions and one end of the plurality of second bolt portions can be in contact with each other.

[0031] In a sub-battery pack stacked in the height direction, a plurality of bolt portions can pass through both a battery module arranged at the same position with respect to the height direction and a spacer arranged on one side surface of the battery module.

[0032] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a device including the above-described battery pack.

[0033] Advantageous Effects

[0034] According to an embodiment, the battery pack of the present disclosure and the device including the battery pack include a spacer and a plurality of bolt portions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deformation due to the expansion phenomenon between each battery module and adjacent battery modules while improving space efficiency.

[0035] The effects obtainable by the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not mentioned herein from the specification and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 2 is a view showing Figure 1 a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack.

[0038] Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of a spacer and bolt portions arranged on two side surfaces of the Figure 2 battery module.

[0039] Figure 4 is a Figure 2 front view of the battery module.

[0040] Figure 5 is a view showing Figure 1 a perspective view of some sub-battery packs included in the battery pack.

[0041] Figure 6 is a Figure 5 top view of the sub-battery pack.

[0042] Figure 7 is a Figure 5 perspective exploded view of a spacer and bolt portions arranged between adjacent battery modules in the sub-battery pack.

[0043] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing some battery modules disposed at the upper and lower parts of a battery pack disposed in Figure 1 .

[0044] Figure 9 is Figure 8 a side view of the battery module of DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily implement these embodiments. The present disclosure can be modified in various different ways and is not limited to the embodiments presented herein.

[0046] For clarity, descriptions of parts irrelevant to the specification will be omitted, and the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification.

[0047] In addition, in the drawings, for ease of description, the dimensions and thicknesses of each element are arbitrarily shown, and the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the dimensions and thicknesses shown in the drawings. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers, regions, etc. are exaggerated for clarity. In the drawings, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for ease of description.

[0048] In addition, throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as "including" or "comprising" a certain component, unless otherwise stated, this means that the part may also include other components without excluding other components.

[0049] In addition, throughout the specification, when referred to as "plane", this means when observing the target part from the upper side, and when referred to as "section", this means when observing the target part from one side of the section cut vertically.

[0050] Now, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0051] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Referring to Figure 1 , a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one sub - battery pack 10, wherein at least two battery modules 100 are arranged in the same direction, and wherein at least one or more sub - battery packs 10 are stacked in the height direction.

[0053] More specifically, the sub-battery pack 10 can be configured such that at least two battery modules 100 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the battery module 100. Here, the longitudinal direction of the battery module 100 can be the direction of the relatively long width (long width) among the widths of the battery module 100. As an example, as Figure 1 shown, the battery module 100 can be formed such that the width in the y-axis direction is longer than the width in the x-axis direction, and the sub-battery pack 10 can be configured such that at least two battery modules 100 are arranged along the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the battery module 100. As another example, although Figure 1 not shown in the figure, the longitudinal direction of the battery module 100 can be the same as the stacking direction of the battery cell stack included in the battery module 100. However, the arrangement direction of the battery modules 100 in the sub-battery pack 10 is not limited thereto, and the battery pack 1000 can be arranged in an appropriate direction according to the device on which it is mounted.

[0054] Although Figure 1 not specifically shown in the figure, the battery cells included in the battery module 100 are preferably pouch-type battery cells. As an example, a battery cell can be produced by accommodating an electrode assembly in a bag-shaped housing of a laminate including a resin layer and an inner layer, and then heat-sealing the sealing portion of the bag-shaped housing. Such a battery cell can be formed into a rectangular sheet-like structure. The battery cells can be configured in a plurality, and the plurality of battery cells are stacked to be electrically connected to each other to form a battery cell stack. Here, the number of battery cells constituting the battery cell stack can be adjusted according to circumstances.

[0055] In the battery pack 1000 of the present embodiment, the battery module 100 can have a relatively larger width than a conventional battery module. In other words, compared with a conventional battery module, the battery module 100 can have a relatively large number of battery cells included in the battery cell stack included in the battery module 100. As an example, the width of the battery module 100 can be two to three times larger than the width of a conventional battery module. However, the battery module is not limited thereto, and can have an appropriate width according to the device on which the battery pack 1000 is mounted.

[0056] Therefore, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment can be configured such that the sub-battery pack 10 has a relatively larger width compared to the conventional case, so that it can include a relatively large number of battery cells, and further increases the energy density of the battery module 100.

[0057] In the battery pack 1000 of the present embodiment, each sub-battery pack 10 can include the same number of battery modules 100, but is not limited thereto, and can include different numbers of battery modules 100 according to the conditions required by the device on which the battery pack 1000 is mounted. In addition, as Figure 1As shown, the respective sub-battery packs 10 can be stacked in the height direction. Here, the respective sub-battery packs 10 can be stacked such that the battery module 100 can be arranged at the same position with respect to the height direction (z-direction).

[0058] Therefore, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment can adjust the number of battery modules 100 included in the sub-battery packs 10 arranged in the longitudinal direction and / or the number of sub-battery packs 10 stacked in the height direction, which provides the following advantages: It is possible to easily adjust the size of the battery pack 1000 or to easily change the energy capacity according to the conditions required for the device on which the battery pack 1000 is mounted.

[0059] Specifically, when the battery pack 1000 is mounted on a device such as a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle, the battery pack 1000 of the present disclosure has the following advantages: It can be easily mounted on various devices because the length and height need to be adjusted differently.

[0060] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing Figure 1 the battery modules included in the battery pack. Figure 3 is Figure 2 an exploded perspective view of the spacers and bolt portions disposed on two side surfaces of the battery module. Figure 4 is Figure 2 a front view of the battery module.

[0061] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 FIG. [reference number not provided], the sub-battery pack 10 included in the battery pack 1000 of the present embodiment can be configured such that the spacer 300 is disposed on at least one of the two side surfaces of the battery module 100, and can include a plurality of bolt portions 400 passing through both the battery module 100 and the spacer 300.

[0062] In the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the spacer 300 can be disposed on at least one of the two side surfaces of the battery module 100. Here, the two side surfaces of the battery module 100 can be the sides where no electrical connection structure (such as a low voltage (LV) connection structure) is located. However, the side surfaces are not limited thereto, and as long as they are surfaces that can ensure a space where the spacer 300 can be located, they can be included in the present embodiment.

[0063] More specifically, a pair of protrusions 210 and 250 can be formed on the two side surfaces of the battery module 100. The battery module 100 can include a module frame 200 that houses a battery cell laminate (not shown), and a pair of protrusions 210 and 250 can be formed on the two side surfaces of the module frame 200.

[0064] As an example, the module frame 200 may be a single frame in the form of a metal plate where the upper surface, the lower surface, and the two side surfaces are integrated. As another example, the module frame 200 may include a lower frame in the form of a metal plate where the upper surface and the two side surfaces are integrated, and an upper cover covering the upper surface of the lower frame. As another example, the module frame 200 may be a frame in the form of two L-shaped frames joined together. As another example, the module frame 200 may be a frame with a four-plate structure where the upper surface plate, the lower surface plate, the left plate, and the right plate are joined together. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and any frame can be applied to the present embodiment as long as it can protect the internal components of the battery module 100.

[0065] Here, the respective components of the module frame 200 may be joined by welding or the like in a state where they are in contact with each other at the corresponding edge portions, or may be fixed to each other by separate fastening members. In addition, each component of the module frame 200 may be composed of a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0066] Next, one side surface of the module frame 200 will be mainly described, and the opposite side surface of the module frame 200 may be described similarly.

[0067] In the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may include upper protrusions 211 and 251 protruding from the upper edge and lower protrusions 215 and 255 protruding from the lower edge. Here, the upper edge may refer to the corner where the upper surface and the side surface of the module frame 200 are in contact with each other, and the lower edge may refer to the corner where the lower surface and the side surface of the module frame 200 are in contact with each other.

[0068] As an example, the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may be integrated with the module frame 200. In other words, the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may be integrated with the upper part of the module frame 200 and / or the module frame 200. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may be joined to the module frame 200 by a method such as welding.

[0069] In addition, among the pair of protrusions 210 and 250, the upper protrusions 211 and 251 and the lower protrusions 215 and 255 may be arranged at the same position with respect to the height direction (z-axis direction) of the battery module 100. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and in the present embodiment, there may also be a case where the upper protrusions 211 and 251 and the lower protrusions 215 and 255 are arranged at different positions with respect to the height direction (z-axis direction) of the battery module 100.

[0070] As an example, a pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may include a pair of first protrusions 210 and a pair of second protrusions 250. Here, the pair of first protrusions 210 includes a first upper protrusion 211 and a first lower protrusion 215, and the pair of second protrusions 250 includes a second upper protrusion 251 and a second lower protrusion 255. In addition, the pair of first protrusions 210 and the pair of second protrusions 250 may be arranged spaced apart from each other on the side surface of the battery module 200. However, this embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number of the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may be appropriately changed as needed.

[0071] As an example, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, a pair of first protrusions 210 are formed at positions adjacent to the side edges of the battery module, and a pair of second protrusions 250 may be formed at positions adjacent to the center of the side surface of the battery module 100. Here, the spacing distance between the pair of first protrusions 210 and the pair of second protrusions 250 may be greater than the length of the pair of first protrusions 210. In addition, the spacing distance between the pair of first protrusions 210 and the pair of second protrusions 250 may be greater than the length of the pair of second protrusions 250.

[0072] In the battery module 100 according to this embodiment, as Figures 2 to 4 shown, spacers 300 may be arranged on two side surfaces of the battery module 100. However, this embodiment is not limited thereto, the spacers 300 may be arranged on only one of the two side surfaces of the battery module 100, and the spacers 300 may not be arranged on the remaining one side surface.

[0073] More specifically, in the battery module 100 according to this embodiment, the spacers 300 may be arranged between a pair of protrusions 210 and 250 formed on two side surfaces of the module frame 200. As an example, as Figure 2 and 4 shown, the spacers 300 may be arranged between the upper protrusions 211 and 251 and the lower protrusions 215 and 255.

[0074] Here, the height of the spacers 300 may correspond to the distance between the upper protrusions 211 and 251 and the lower protrusions 215 and 255. As an example, the height of the spacers 300 may be equal to or less than the distance between the upper protrusions 211 and 251 and the lower protrusions 215 and 255.

[0075] In addition, the width d1 of both ends of the spacer 300 may correspond to the protruding degrees of a pair of protrusions 210 and 250. As an example, the width d1 of both ends of the spacer 300 may be about 20 mm, but is not limited thereto, and may be appropriately changed according to the degree of occurrence of the swelling phenomenon in the battery module 100.

[0076] Accordingly, the battery module 100 can prevent deformation due to the swelling phenomenon of the battery cells located within the battery module 100 by the rigidity of the spacer 300.

[0077] In addition, the central portion of the spacer 300 may have a relatively small width compared to the ends of the spacer 300. As an example, the spacer 300 may have a structure with a cross-section similar to the cross-section of "I". As another example, the width difference d2 between the ends and the central portion of the spacer 300 may be about 3 mm. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the shape of the spacer 300 may be appropriately changed according to the degree of occurrence of the swelling phenomenon in the battery module 100.

[0078] Accordingly, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the central portion of the spacer 300 may be spaced apart from the side surface of the battery module 100 by a predetermined distance, so that when a swelling phenomenon occurs in the lateral directions of the battery module 100, an empty space in which the battery module 100 can expand in the lateral directions can be ensured.

[0079] As an example, the spacer 300 may be made of a material such as aluminum (Al). However, the spacer is not limited thereto, and may be applied to the present embodiment as long as it is made of a material having sufficient rigidity to prevent the battery module 100 from deforming due to the swelling phenomenon of the battery cells.

[0080] Referring to Figures 2 to 4 , in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the bolt portions 400 may pass through both the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 and the spacer 300. More specifically, a plurality of bolt portions 400 may pass through the spacer 300, or the spacer 300 and the pair of protrusions 210 and 250. In other words, among the plurality of bolt portions 400, the bolt portions 400 located at positions corresponding to the spacer 300 may pass through the spacer 300, and the bolt portions 400 located at positions corresponding to the pair of protrusions 210 and 250 may pass through the spacer 300 and the pair of protrusions 210 and 250.

[0081] As an example, the bolt portions 400 may be made of a material such as stainless steel or carbon steel (e.g., SC45C) for mechanical structures. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and the bolt portions may be applied to the present embodiment as long as they are made of a material having sufficient rigidity to stably fix the battery module 100 and the spacer 300.

[0082] Therefore, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, since the battery module 100 and the spacer 300 are fixed by the bolt portion 400, deformation due to the swelling phenomenon of the battery cells located in the battery module 100 can be more effectively prevented by the rigidity of the spacer 300 and the bolt portion 400.

[0083] Referring to Figure 3 , in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the pair of protruding portions 210 and 250 may include at least one or more protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, and 255h through which the bolt portion 400 passes.

[0084] More specifically, in the pair of first protruding portions 210, the first upper protruding portion 211 may include the first protruding portion holes 211h and 215h, and the bolt portion 400 passes through the bolt portion 400 and the first lower protruding portion 215 through the first protruding portion holes 211h and 215h, respectively. In addition, the pair of second protruding portions 250 further includes second protruding portion holes 251h and 255h, and the bolt portion 400 passes through the second upper protruding portion 251 and the second lower protruding portion 255 through the second protruding portion holes 251h and 255h, respectively. However, the number of the protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, and 255h is not limited to Figure 2 and Figure 3 the number shown, and may be appropriately changed according to the sizes of the pair of first protruding portions 210 and the pair of second protruding portions 250.

[0085] In addition, the spacer 300 may include at least one spacer hole 300h through which the bolt portion 400 passes. More specifically, on one side surface of the battery module 100, the spacer 300 is disposed at a position where at least one of the protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, 255h and at least one of the spacer holes 300h correspond to each other.

[0086] As an example, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the spacer 300 may include a plurality of spacer holes 300h spaced apart at a predetermined interval. As another example, the spacer 300 may have a spacer hole 300h that may be formed only at a position corresponding to at least one of the protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, and 255h.

[0087] However, the number of the spacer holes 300h is not limited to Figure 2 and Figure 3 the number shown, and may be appropriately changed according to the sizes of the pair of first protruding portions 210 and the pair of second protruding portions 250 or the size of the spacer 300.

[0088] In addition, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, and 255h and the spacer hole 300h may each have a size corresponding to the size of the bolt portion 400. More specifically, the protruding portion holes 211h, 215h, 251h, and 255h and the spacer hole 300h may have a size that allows the bolt portion 400 to be stably fastened.

[0089] Therefore, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the bolt portion 400 simultaneously passes through a pair of protruding portions 210 and 250 integrated with the battery module 100 and the spacer 300, which provides the following advantages: the battery module 100 and the spacer 300 are stably fixed, and the ease of assembly and space efficiency are improved.

[0090] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing Figure 1 some of the sub-battery packs included in the battery pack. Figure 6 is Figure 5 a top view of the sub-battery pack. Figure 7 is Figure 5 an exploded perspective view of the spacer and the bolt portion disposed between adjacent battery modules in the sub-battery pack.

[0091] Referring to Figure 1 and Figures 5 to 7 , in the sub-battery pack 10 included in the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment, one spacer 300 may be located between adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b. More specifically, the sub-battery pack 10 may be configured such that the first battery module 100a and the second battery module 100b are arranged in the same direction.

[0092] Here, the first battery module 100a and the second battery module 100b correspond to adjacent battery modules, and one spacer 300 may be located between the first battery module 100a and the second battery module 100b. In other words, one spacer 300 may be located between the facing side surfaces of the first battery module 100a and the second battery module 100b.

[0093] More specifically, the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b may be arranged in a direction in which the side surfaces formed with a pair of protruding portions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b face each other. As an example, one side surface of the first battery module 100a formed with a pair of protruding portions 210a and 250a and one side surface of the second battery module 100b formed with a pair of protruding portions 210b and 250b may be arranged in a direction facing each other.

[0094] That is, in the sub-battery pack 10 according to the present embodiment, the spacer 300 may be disposed in the spaces formed between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b and between a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b. More specifically, between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b, a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b formed in each of the battery modules 100a and 100b may be formed at positions where they intersect on the upper surface of the spacer 300.

[0095] As an example, as Figures 5 to 7 shown, between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b, a pair of first protrusions 210a and 210b and a pair of second protrusions 250a and 250b formed in the respective battery modules 100a and 100b may be formed at positions where they cross on the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer 300. That is, on the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer 300, a pair of first protrusions 210a and a pair of second protrusions 250a formed on the first battery module 100a, and a pair of first protrusions 210b and a pair of second protrusions 250b formed on the second battery module 100b may be formed at positions where they cross each other.

[0096] Therefore, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b of the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b may cross each other, which provides the following advantages: the spacing and components between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b can be minimized, and the space loss between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b can be minimized.

[0097] In addition, in the sub-battery pack 10 according to the present embodiment, the upper and / or lower portions of the spacer 300 may be covered by a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b formed on the respective battery modules 100a and 100b. As an example, a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b formed on the respective battery modules 100a and 100b may cover the entire upper and lower portions of the spacer 300. More specifically, a pair of first protrusions 210a and 210b and a pair of second protrusions 250a and 250b formed on the respective battery modules 100a and 100b may cover the entire upper and lower portions of the spacer.

[0098] In addition, referring to Figures 5 to 7, in the sub-battery pack 10 according to the present embodiment, the bolt portion 400 can pass through the spacer 300 located between the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b and a pair of protrusions 210a, 210b, 250a, and 250b formed on each of the battery modules 100a and 100b.

[0099] Therefore, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b can be fixed to the same spacer 300 by the bolt portion 400, which provides the following advantages: improving space efficiency while minimizing components. In addition, it has the advantage that it can prevent deformation caused by the expansion of the battery cells in the adjacent battery modules 100a and 100b at the same time.

[0100] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing some of the battery modules arranged at the Figure 1 upper and lower parts of the battery pack. Figure 9 is Figure 8 a side view of the battery module.

[0101] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 , in the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment, the sub-battery packs 10 can be stacked in the height direction (z-axis direction). More specifically, the battery pack 1000 can include a first battery module 100a arranged at the upper part and a third battery module 100c arranged at the lower part with respect to the height direction (z-axis direction).

[0102] Here, as Figure 9 shown, the first battery module 100a can include a plurality of first bolt portions 400a passing through the first battery module 100a and the first spacer 300a, and the third battery module 100c can include a plurality of second bolt portions 400c passing through the third battery module 100c and the second spacer 300c. Here, the plurality of first bolt portions 400a and the plurality of second bolt portions 400c can be arranged at corresponding positions to each other.

[0103] As Figure 9 shown, one end of the plurality of first bolt portions 400a and one end of the plurality of second bolt portions 400c can be in contact with each other. As an example, one end of the plurality of first bolt portions 400a and one end of the plurality of second bolt portions 400c can be joined to each other by a method such as welding.

[0104] In addition, although Figure 9Not shown in the figure, but a plurality of bolt portions can pass through all the spacers 300a and 300c that are arranged on one side surface of the first battery module 100a and the third battery module 100c and are arranged at the same position based on the height direction. In other words, the plurality of bolt portions are not divided into a plurality of first bolt portions 400a and a plurality of bolt portions 400c as shown in Figure 9 the figure, but can be long bolts extending from the upper part of the first battery module 100a to the lower part of the third battery module 100c.

[0105] Therefore, in the battery module 100 according to the present embodiment, the battery modules 100a and 100c arranged at the same position based on the height direction can be fixed by the bolt portions 400a and 400c arranged at corresponding positions with respect to each other, which provides the following advantages: while minimizing components, the battery modules 100a and 100c and the spacers 300a and 300c are fixed more stably.

[0106] In addition, although Figure 1 and Figure 9 are not shown in detail in the figure, when the sub-battery pack 10 is located at the lowermost end of the battery pack 1000, the bolt portion 400 extends relatively longer than the lower part of the battery module 100, which provides the following advantage: the bolt portion 400 can also function to mount the battery pack 1000 to the device on which the battery pack 1000 is mounted.

[0107] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a device including the above battery pack is provided. Such a device can be applied to transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to various devices that can use battery modules and battery packs including the battery modules, which also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0108] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention defined within the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0109] 10: Sub-battery pack

[0110] 100: Battery module

[0111] 200: Module frame

[0112] 210: A pair of first protruding portions

[0113] 211: First upper protruding portion

[0114] 215: First lower protruding portion

[0115] 250: A pair of second protrusions

[0116] 251: Second upper protrusion

[0117] 255: Second lower protrusion

[0118] 300: Spacer

[0119] 400: Bolt part

[0120] 1000: Battery pack

Claims

1. A battery pack, the battery pack comprising: At least one sub - battery pack, in the at least one sub - battery pack, at least two of a plurality of battery modules are arranged in the same direction as each other, Wherein, the at least one sub - battery pack is stacked in the height direction, Wherein, in the sub - battery pack, spacers are arranged on at least one of two side surfaces of the battery module, and Wherein, the sub - battery pack includes a plurality of bolt parts passing through both the battery module and the spacer.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: In the sub - battery pack, one spacer is located between adjacent battery modules.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: A pair of protrusions are formed on two side surfaces of the battery module, and The pair of protrusions includes an upper protrusion protruding from the upper edge and a lower protrusion protruding from the lower edge.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: Based on the height direction of the battery module, the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion are arranged at the same position.

5. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: The spacer is arranged between the pair of protrusions, and The bolt part passes through both the spacer and the pair of protrusions.

6. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: In the sub - battery pack, the adjacent battery modules are arranged in a direction in which side surfaces on which the pair of protrusions are formed face each other.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein: The spacer is arranged in a space formed between the adjacent battery modules and between the pair of protrusions, and The bolt part passes through both the spacer and the pair of protrusions.

8. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein: Between the adjacent battery modules, the pair of protrusions formed on each battery module are formed at positions where they cross each other on the upper surface and the lower surface of the spacer.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein: The pair of protrusions formed on each battery module cover the entire upper and lower parts of the spacer.

10. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: The pair of protrusions includes at least one protrusion hole through which the bolt part passes, The spacer includes at least one spacer hole through which the bolt part passes, and The at least one protrusion hole and the at least one spacer hole are arranged at corresponding positions to each other.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein: The protrusion hole and the spacer hole each have a size corresponding to the bolt part.

12. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: The pair of protrusions includes a pair of first protrusions and a pair of second protrusions, and The pair of first protrusions and the pair of second protrusions are arranged spaced apart from each other on the side surface of the battery module.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein: The pair of first protrusions are formed at positions adjacent to the side edge of the battery module, and The pair of second protrusions are formed at positions adjacent to the center of the side surface of the battery module.

14. The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein: in the sub-battery pack, the adjacent battery modules are arranged in a direction in which the side surfaces on which the pair of protrusions are formed face each other, and between the adjacent battery modules, the pair of first protrusions and the pair of second protrusions formed in each battery module are formed at positions where they cross each other on the upper surface and the lower surface of the spacer.

15. The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein: the pair of first protrusions and the pair of second protrusions formed in each battery module cover the entire upper and lower portions of the spacer.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: in the sub-battery packs stacked in the height direction, the battery module arranged at the upper part with respect to the height direction includes a plurality of first bolt portions, and the battery module arranged at the lower part with respect to the height direction includes a plurality of second bolt portions, and one end of the plurality of first bolt portions and one end of the plurality of second bolt portions are in contact with each other.

17. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: in the sub-battery packs stacked in the height direction, the plurality of bolt portions pass through both the battery modules arranged at the same position with respect to the height direction and the spacers arranged on one side surface of the battery modules.

18. An apparatus including the battery pack according to claim 1.

Images