Battery module, and battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

The present invention may provide a battery module comprising: a plurality of battery cells each having a storage portion and a sealing portion and stacked on each other; a module case having an internal space in which the plurality of battery cells are stored; a bus bar assembly located on a side portion of a platform portion where an electrode lead is located among the sealing portions of the battery cell so as to be electrically connected to the electrode lead; and a pressing member coupled to the bus bar assembly and pressing the platform portion when an internal pressure inside the battery cell increases.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0151093 filed on November 3, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0003] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0104118 filed on August 5, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0004] This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0152848 filed on October 31, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Background Art

[0005] 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.

[0006] These secondary batteries are attracting attention as new energy sources for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency due to a major advantage of drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels and another advantage of not generating by-products due to energy use.

[0007] Currently, widely used secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. When a higher output voltage is required, a battery module or battery pack can be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Furthermore, a battery module or battery pack can 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 battery pack can be set in various ways depending on the desired output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0008] At the same time, because battery cells undergo chemical reactions during charging and discharging, their performance may deteriorate if used at temperatures above the appropriate level, and if the temperature is not properly controlled, unexpected fires or explosions may occur. Furthermore, battery modules have a structure in which battery cells are densely stored within the module frame. Therefore, if a thermal event occurs in any battery cell, the high-temperature gases and flames emitted from it may spread to adjacent battery cells, causing a chain reaction of explosions within the battery cells, which is extremely dangerous.

[0009] In particular, if a battery module includes multiple battery cells, high-temperature gas, flames, or sparks generated during thermal runaway in a particular battery cell are likely to erupt toward the front and rear of the battery cell, where the electrode leads of the battery module are located. Consequently, components located at both ends of the battery module, such as end plates or bus bar frame components, may be damaged by the heat, potentially leading to structural collapse.

[0010] Furthermore, flames radiating from end plates can cause heat to spread to adjacent battery modules. In particular, if a flame originating in a particular battery module spreads to the end plate of another battery module, there is a high risk of heat propagation between modules, or chain fires. This could lead to thermal runaway that spreads to the entire battery pack, which includes multiple battery modules.

[0011] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a structure that can prevent the discharge of high-temperature gas or flame emitted from a battery cell where a thermal event occurs or properly control the discharge direction, thereby delaying thermal runaway between battery cells or battery modules. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Technical issues

[0013] The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore the present disclosure is committed to providing a battery module that has improved safety and reliability by effectively preventing heat propagation between battery cells or battery modules by appropriately controlling the discharge direction of high-temperature gas or flame generated from battery cells when an abnormal condition occurs in the battery module.

[0014] The present disclosure also aims to provide a battery pack including a battery module having an improved structure, and a vehicle including the battery pack.

[0015] The technical problems that the present disclosure seeks to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present invention described below.

[0016] Technical Solution

[0017] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module is provided, which includes: a plurality of battery cells, each having a storage portion and a sealing portion, and configured to be stacked on one another; a module housing, which is configured to store the plurality of battery cells in an internal space; a bus bar assembly, which is located on a side of a platform portion where electrode leads are located in the sealing portion of the battery cell and is electrically connected to the electrode leads; and a pressing member, which is connected to the bus bar assembly and is configured to pressurize the platform portion when the internal pressure of the battery cell increases.

[0018] The pressing member may be configured to be inserted into spaces between at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells.

[0019] The bus bar assembly may include a bus bar terminal and a bus bar frame, the pressing member may be located inside the bus bar frame, and the bus bar terminal may be located outside the bus bar frame.

[0020] The pressing member and the bus bar assembly may be stored in the module case while being coupled to each other.

[0021] The adjacent pressing members may be configured to pressurize the platform portion of the battery cell from both sides.

[0022] The pressing member may be configured to pressurize the storage portion of the battery cell inwardly.

[0023] A horizontal length of the pressing member may be configured to be equal to or greater than a distance between the bus bar assembly and the battery cell.

[0024] The pressing member may be configured to change in shape during assembly by passing through a storage portion of the battery cell.

[0025] The pressing member may be shaped to match a shape of an empty space between the bus bar assembly and the battery cells.

[0026] The pressing member may include an elastic body.

[0027] The pressing member may include two or more different materials.

[0028] The pressing member may include two or more materials having strengths different from each other.

[0029] The pressing member may include an insulating material or a heat-resistant material.

[0030] The pressing member may be provided to be surrounded by the bus bar assembly, the storage portion, and the sealing portion.

[0031] A vertical height of the pressing member may be greater than a vertical height of the battery cell.

[0032] The pressing member may be configured to have a vertical height greater than a distance between an upper plate and a lower plate of the module case, and the pressing member may be configured to be pressed in a vertical direction by the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0033] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes the battery according to the present disclosure.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes the battery pack according to the present disclosure.

[0035] Beneficial effects

[0036] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, when an abnormal condition such as thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, exhaust gas or flames can be prevented or suppressed from escaping toward the platform portion. In particular, within the internal space of a battery module, the space near the platform portion of the battery cell may be relatively wide. However, according to this aspect, since exhaust gas or flames are not discharged from the battery cell experiencing a thermal event toward the platform portion, the propagation of thermal runaway caused by exhaust gas or flames through the space near the platform portion to other battery cells can be suppressed or prevented.

[0037] In particular, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, even if the internal pressure of the battery cell increases, the pressing member can prevent the fused (sealed) portion of the sealing portion from opening, thereby preventing the seal of the sealing portion from rupturing. Consequently, it is possible to prevent high-temperature gas or flames from being discharged into components positioned adjacent to the platform portion, particularly electrical components such as busbar assemblies or module terminals disposed outside thereof. Consequently, it is possible to prevent damage to various components located in the corresponding direction and prevent accidental interruption of electrical connections between battery cells or battery modules.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, directional exhaust for discharging exhaust gases and the like in a desired direction can be more easily achieved. For example, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, gases or flames can be exhausted toward the top of a battery cell or battery module. In this case, the safety and reliability of a battery module comprising multiple battery cells can be further improved.

[0039] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the pressing member may be configured to be coupled to the bus bar assembly, thereby facilitating assembly of the pressing member and simplifying the manufacturing process.

[0040] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, other battery modules can be prevented from being damaged by high-temperature gas or flame heat generated from a specific battery module. In particular, according to this aspect of the present disclosure, the propagation of thermal runaway between modules can be effectively prevented or delayed.

[0041] Therefore, it is possible to prevent or delay an event such as fire or explosion due to thermal runaway in a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules or a device equipped with the battery pack.

[0042] In particular, in the case of electric vehicles, suppressing or delaying the propagation of thermal runaway between battery cells or battery modules can ensure that occupants have sufficient time to escape or drive away.

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

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

[0045] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of the battery module.

[0047] Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of battery cells included in a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 4a is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module are coupled according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module are coupled when viewed from above according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module are coupled to a battery cell according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0052] Figure 7a is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0053] Figure 7b is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0054] Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member are coupled to battery cells at the front side of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member are coupled to battery cells at the front side of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0057] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly, a pressing member, and a battery cell are coupled according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly, a pressing member, and a battery cell are coupled according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module including a pressing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module including a pressing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a battery pack including a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Figure 20 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] 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 interpreted as being limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted according to the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure based on the principle of allowing the inventor to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation.

[0068] Therefore, the configurations proposed in the embodiments and drawings of this specification only indicate the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and do not represent all technical concepts of the present disclosure, so it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications may be made thereto when an application is filed.

[0069] Furthermore, the present disclosure may include various embodiments. Redundant descriptions of substantially the same or similar configurations will be omitted from the respective embodiments, and will be described based on the differences therebetween.

[0070] For ease of illustration and explanation, the sizes of some elements shown in the drawings may be exaggerated rather than reflecting their actual sizes. In addition, the same reference numerals may be assigned to the same elements between the embodiments.

[0071] Although "first", "second", etc. are used to describe various elements, these elements are not limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, and unless otherwise specified, the first element may also be the second element.

[0072] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, various elements may consist of a single or plural elements.

[0073] The configuration of an element being set "in the upper part (or lower part)" or "at the top (or bottom)" of a target element may indicate that the element may be positioned to contact the upper surface (or lower surface) of the target element, and may indicate that another element may be inserted between the target element and the element set at the top (or bottom) of the target element.

[0074] In addition, the expression “one element is ‘connected’, ‘coupled’ or ‘fastened’ to another element” should be understood as the elements being directly connected, coupled or fastened to each other, and as the other element being “interposed” between the elements, or the elements being “connected,” “coupled” or “fastened” via the other element.

[0075] A single element herein should be interpreted as including multiple elements. In this specification, the expression "an element is configured to be" or "includes" other elements or steps should be understood to mean that the element may exclude some other elements or steps, and that the element may also include additional elements or steps.

[0076] Throughout the specification, "A and / or B" may mean A or B, or A and B, unless otherwise specified.

[0077] Meanwhile, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the X-axis direction in which the plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked will be referred to as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction, which is the horizontal direction orthogonal to the cell stacking direction, will be referred to as the front-to-back direction, and the Z-axis direction, which is orthogonal to the XY plane, will be referred to as the up-down direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, in the case of pouch-type cells, the Y-axis direction may also be referred to as the longitudinal direction of the cell. Furthermore, the left-right direction, the front-to-back direction, and the up-down direction may also be referred to as the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction, respectively.

[0078] At the same time, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, forward, and backward are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs that these terms are merely for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the position of the target object or the position of the observer.

[0079] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of the battery module. Figure 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery cell 100 included in a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4a 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module 10 are coupled according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4b 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module 10 are coupled when viewed from above according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which a pressing member and a bus bar assembly of a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0080] Reference Figures 1 to 5 , a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a battery cell 100 , a module case 200 , a bus bar assembly 300 , and a pressing member 400 .

[0081] The battery cell 100 may include an electrode assembly, a cell case 110 accommodating the electrode assembly, and an electrode lead 120 connected to the electrode assembly and extending outward from the cell case 110 to serve as an electrode terminal.

[0082] The battery cell 100 may be a pouch-type secondary battery. Such a pouch-type secondary battery may be configured as a pouch in which a metal layer made of aluminum is interposed between polymer layers in a cell case 110.

[0083] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 , the battery cell 100 may include a storage portion R and a sealing portion S. The storage portion R may store the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. For example, the cell case 110 may have two bags, such as a left bag and a right bag, and the storage portion R may be located between the left bag and the right bag so that the edge of the storage portion R can be sealed. In this case, the storage portion R in at least a portion of the two bags may have an inner space formed in a concave shape facing the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly may be installed in the inner space. Although Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment shows a double-cup configuration in which the storage portion R is formed on both sides of the cell case 110, but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the shape of the cell case 110. For example, the battery cell 100 may be configured in a single-cup shape in which the storage portion R is formed only on one side of the cell case 110.

[0084] The sealing portion S may be configured to surround the storage portion R, and may be a portion where the edge of the storage portion R is heat-fused. That is, the sealing portion S may be formed by sealing the edge of the storage portion R. In particular, the battery cell 100 may have four sides (edges) of the storage portion R. In this case, all four sides may be sealed, or only three sides may be sealed. A cell having four sealed sides may be referred to as a four-side sealed cell, and a cell having three sealed sides may be referred to as a three-side sealed cell. For example, in Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the battery cell 100 is arranged in an upright position, with the front, rear, and top sides of the left and right pouches sealed, and the bottom sides of the left and right pouches folded over rather than sealed to connect to each other. In other words, the battery cell 100 is configured to have three sealed sides.

[0085] Each battery cell 100 may have electrode leads 120. The electrode leads 120 may include a positive lead and a negative lead, and the positive lead and the negative lead may be arranged to protrude from the same side (edge) or different sides of the battery cell 100. A battery cell in which the positive lead and the negative lead are located on the same side may be referred to as a unidirectional battery cell, while a battery cell in which the positive lead and the negative lead are located on different sides, particularly on opposite sides, may be referred to as a bidirectional battery cell.

[0086] The electrode lead 120 may be configured to extend to the front and / or rear of the sealing portion S of the battery cell 100. In this case, the sealing portion S from which the electrode lead 120 extends outward may be defined as a terrace portion T.

[0087] A plurality of battery cells 100 may be included in a battery module. In addition, a plurality of battery cells 100 may be stacked on each other in at least one direction. For example, a plurality of battery cells 100 may be arranged side by side in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) while standing upright in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). In particular, in the case of a three-side sealed cell, each battery cell 100 may be arranged to stand upright so that the side without the sealing portion S is located at the bottom. In this case, each battery cell 100 may have a sealing portion S pointing in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) and the upward direction (+Z-axis direction), and a storage portion R pointing in the left-to-right direction (X-axis direction).

[0088] Meanwhile, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type or shape of the battery cell 100, and various battery cells 100 known at the time of filing this disclosure can be applied to realize the cell assembly of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, although a pouch-type secondary battery having high energy density and easy stacking will be described as shown in the drawings, it is obvious that a cylindrical or square secondary battery can also be applied to the battery cell 100.

[0089] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the module housing 200 can be configured to accommodate multiple battery cells 100 within an internal space. Specifically, the module housing 200 can have a void space formed therein, and the multiple battery cells 100 can be accommodated within this void space. For example, the module housing 200 can have an upper plate, a lower plate, a left plate, a right plate, a front plate, and a rear plate to form an internal space. Furthermore, the multiple battery cells 100 can be stored within the confined internal space. The module housing 200 can comprise metal and / or plastic materials.

[0090] In addition, at least some of the boards constituting the module housing 200 may be configured in an integrated form. Figure 2, the module housing 200 can be configured as a single frame in which the upper plate, the lower plate, the left plate and the right plate are integrated with each other. In this case, the single frame can have a front opening and a rear opening, and the front plate and the rear plate as end frames can be connected to the front opening and the rear opening of the single frame, thereby sealing the internal space of the single frame. As another example, the module housing 200 can be configured as a U-shaped frame in which the lower plate, the left plate and the right plate are integrated with each other. In this case, the upper plate, the front plate and the rear plate can be connected to the top, the front end and the rear end of the U-shaped frame. At the same time, the various components of the module housing 200 can be connected by various fastening methods such as welding or bolting. However, the present disclosure is not limited to a specific material, shape or connection method of the module housing 200.

[0091] According to one embodiment, although not shown in the drawings, at least one of the plates comprising the module housing 200, such as the upper plate, may include at least one venting region through which exhaust gases emitted from the battery cells 100 are exhausted. For example, the venting region may be configured as either a vent hole or a preliminary fracture line. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper plate of the module housing 200 may be provided with a venting region to direct directional exhaust gas toward the top of the battery module 10.

[0092] The bus bar assembly 300 may be configured to be electrically connected to the electrode leads 120. The bus bar assembly 300 may be configured to connect the electrode leads 120 of a plurality of battery cells 100 to each other. More specifically, the bus bar assembly 300 may be configured to support the electrode leads 120, facilitate interconnection of the electrode leads 120, and enable voltage sensing, etc., from the electrode leads 120.

[0093] The bus bar assembly 300 may be located on a side of the platform portion T where the electrode lead 120 is located in the sealing portion S of the battery cell 100. For example, the bus bar assembly 300 may be located adjacent to the platform portion T where the electrode lead 120 is located in the sealing portion facing the front side of the battery cell 100 (the side facing the -Y axis direction).

[0094] Reference Figure 4a , the pressing member 400 may be coupled to the bus bar assembly 300. Here, "coupled" may mean that the members are directly fixed and coupled to each other, or that the members are in (close) contact with each other. According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may be located inside the bus bar assembly 300.

[0095] Reference Figure 4a, the pressing member 400 may be configured to extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) along the platform portion T. Here, the platform portion T may refer to a sealing portion S extending in the vertical direction at the front and / or rear of the battery cell 100. In order to prevent gas from being discharged through the platform portion T, the pressing member 400 may be configured to extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) corresponding to the shape of the platform portion T and pressurize the entire length of the platform portion T. For example, the vertical length of the pressing member 400 may be substantially the same as or greater than the vertical length of the platform portion T. That is, the pressing member may pressurize the entire platform portion T from bottom to top, thereby preventing the entire platform portion T from opening or rupturing.

[0096] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, it is possible to completely prevent the gas or flame from being discharged through the platform portion T, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the platform portion T from being ruptured due to the pressure of the discharged gas or flame.

[0097] A plurality of pressing members 400 may be provided. The plurality of pressing members 400 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the stacking direction of the battery cells 100. In this case, the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 may be located between the spaced apart pressing members 400, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 That is, the electrode lead 120 of the battery cell 100 may be disposed between the spaced-apart pressing members 400 .

[0098] The pressing member 400 may be provided outside the battery cell 100 and configured to pressurize at least a portion of the battery cell 100. Figure 5 As shown in part B of the battery cell 100, the pressing member 400 may be configured to pressurize the sealing portion S, particularly the platform portion T, of the battery cell 100. The pressing member 400 may be disposed in a space where the platform portion T is disposed inside the module housing 200. For example, the pressing member 400 may be disposed at a front region (e.g., in the -Y axis direction) inside the module housing 200 where the bus bar assembly 300 is disposed. Figure 3 , the pressing member 400 may be provided on the entire sealing portion S on the front side of the battery cell 100. For example, the pressing member 400 may be located between the platform portion T (which may be defined as the "first platform portion") of a battery cell 100 (which may be defined as the "first battery cell") and the platform portion T (which may be defined as the "second platform portion") of a battery cell 100 adjacent to the first battery cell (which may be defined as the "second battery cell").

[0099] The pressing member 400 may be disposed to be surrounded by the bus bar assembly 300 , the storage portion R, and the sealing portion S.

[0100] The pressing member 400 may be configured to pressurize the platform portion T when the internal pressure of the battery cell 100 increases. In particular, the pressing member 400 may be configured to pressurize the platform portion T so that the fused state of the platform portion T is not damaged or interrupted when the internal pressure of the battery cell 100 increases. That is, the pressing member 400 may pressurize the entirety or a portion of the platform portion T and the electrode lead 120, thereby preventing any portion of the platform portion T from opening.

[0101] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the pressing member 400 coupled to the bus bar assembly 300 is assembled to be interlocked with the battery cell 100 , so that assembly and disassembly of the pressing member 400 may be easily performed and position fixing force may be enhanced.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may be configured to be inserted into the space between at least some of the plurality of battery cells 100. Here, the space between the battery cells 100 may refer to the space between the platform portions T of the plurality of battery cells 100 arranged side by side. That is, the pressing member 400 may be provided between the bus bar assembly 300 and the battery cells 100. The bus bar assembly 300 and the pressing member 400 may be configured to be inserted between the battery cells 100 in the rearward direction (+Y-axis direction).

[0103] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the pressing member 400 can be configured to suppress the platform portion T from opening or separating. In particular, the sealing portion S (e.g., the platform portion T) of the battery cell 100 is a fused portion having lower durability against high temperature, pressure, flame, etc. than the storage portion R of the battery cell 100. However, according to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, since the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 is protected by the pressing member 400, the platform portion T can be prevented from being affected by exhaust gas or flames discharged from other battery cells 100. Therefore, the propagation of thermal runaway between the battery cells 100 inside the battery module 10 can be effectively prevented.

[0104] like Figure 2 As shown, the bus bar assembly 300 may include a bus bar terminal 310 and a bus bar frame 320 .

[0105] The bus bar terminal 310 may be configured to electrically connect two or more electrode leads 120 , or to be connected to one or more electrode leads 120 and transmit sensing information to a control unit such as a BMS (Battery Management System).

[0106] In addition, the busbar frame 320 can be made of an electrically insulating material such as a plastic material. The busbar frame 320 can be configured so that the busbar terminal 310 is placed and fixed thereto. In addition, the busbar frame 320 can have a slit formed thereon. In addition, the busbar terminal 310 can be attached to the outer surface of the busbar frame 320, such as its front side (in the -Y axis direction). In this case, the electrode lead 120 can pass through the slit of the busbar frame 320 and contact the busbar terminal 310 located on the outer surface. In particular, a single electrode lead 120 or two or more electrode leads 120 stacked on each other can be fixed to the busbar terminal 310. In this case, the connection between the electrode lead 120 and the busbar terminal 310 can be performed by laser welding or ultrasonic welding, but various other connection methods can also be applied.

[0107] In this case, the pressing member 400 may be positioned inside the busbar frame 320, and the busbar terminal 310 may be positioned outside the busbar frame 320. That is, the pressing member 400 and the busbar terminal 310 may be provided on opposite sides of the busbar frame 320. In this case, the electrode lead 120 may pass through the slit 321 of the busbar frame 320 and contact the busbar terminal 310 located on the outside.

[0108] Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell. Figure 7a is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell. Figure 7b is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 and the bus bar assembly 300 may be configured to be stored in the module housing while being coupled to each other. That is, the pressing member 400 may be directly coupled to the bus bar assembly 300. Specifically, the pressing member 400 may be coupled to the bus bar frame 320.

[0110] The pressing member 400 may be in contact with the inner surface of the bus bar frame 320. Figure 4b, the pressing member 400 can be adhered to the inner surface of the busbar frame 320. In this case, an adhesive (not shown) can be further included between the pressing member 400 and the busbar frame 320. The adhesive can include, for example, tape. As another example, a fastening recess can be formed in the busbar frame 320, and a fastening protrusion can be formed on one surface of the pressing member 400 so that the fastening protrusion is inserted into the fastening recess. On the other hand, a fastening protrusion can be formed on the busbar frame 320, and a fastening recess can be formed on one surface of the pressing member 400 so that the fastening protrusion is inserted therein. However, the method of connecting and fixing the pressing member 400 and the busbar assembly 300 is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and can be designed in various ways.

[0111] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the assembly of the battery module 10 can be improved. More specifically, the pressing member 400 is configured to be assembled simultaneously with the bus bar assembly 300 while being combined with the bus bar frame 320, thereby facilitating assembly and reducing assembly time. In addition, according to this embodiment, errors in the assembly and arrangement of the pressing member 400 relative to the battery cells 100 can be minimized.

[0112] According to one embodiment, when a plurality of pressing members 400 are included, slits 321 may be formed in the bus bar frame 320 between adjacent pressing members 400. That is, the pressing member 400 may be adhered to one surface of the bus bar frame 320 where the slits 321 are not formed. Therefore, the electrode lead 120 and / or the terrace portion T may be disposed so as to pass through the slits 321 between adjacent pressing members 400.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may be configured to extend from the inner surface of the bus bar frame 320 toward the inside of the battery module 10. For example, referring to Figure 7a In the configuration, the pressing members 400 may be configured to protrude from the inner surface of the bus bar frame 320 in the longitudinal direction (+Y axis direction), and each pressing member 400 may be configured to face the storage portion R of the facing battery cell 100 .

[0114] The pressing member 400 may be positioned to face at least a portion of the surface of the battery cell 100. In particular, the pressing member 400 may be positioned to face the sealing portion S of the battery cell 100. Furthermore, the pressing member 400 may be disposed to face the platform portion T, where the electrode lead 120 is located, within the sealing portion S of the battery cell 100. The pressing member 400 may be positioned to face at least one surface of the platform portion T on both surfaces (e.g., the left and right surfaces) of the platform portion T. That is, the space surrounding the platform portion T in the module housing 200 may be filled with the pressing member 400.

[0115] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, when the internal pressure increases due to an abnormal condition such as thermal runaway occurring in the battery cell 100 , exhaust toward the terrace portion T can be prevented or suppressed.

[0116] In particular, there may be more space around the platform portion T inside the module housing 200 than in other areas of the battery cell 100, particularly the area where the storage portion R is located. Therefore, exhaust gas or flames emitted from the battery cell 100 may easily concentrate thereon. Therefore, the platform portion T may be more susceptible to the thermal chain reaction than other parts of the battery cell 100. However, according to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, even if the internal pressure of the battery cell 100 increases, the platform portion T is configured to be pressurized by the pressing member 400, thereby suppressing or preventing exhaust toward the platform portion T.

[0117] Therefore, according to the above-described implementation configuration, the transfer of thermal damage from the battery cell 100 where the event occurred to adjacent battery cells 100 can be reduced, thereby suppressing heat propagation between the battery cells 100 and preventing or delaying thermal runaway of the battery module 10. Therefore, according to the above-described aspects of the present disclosure, the safety and reliability of the battery module 10 can be improved.

[0118] In particular, the pressing member 400 may be provided only on the front platform portion T, and the pressing member 400 may not be provided on the rear platform portion T. Alternatively, the pressing member 400 may be provided on the entire front platform portion T, and the pressing member 400 may also be partially provided on the rear platform portion T.

[0119] In this case, directional exhaust (e.g., rear exhaust) can be implemented toward the rear of the battery module 10. According to this configuration of the present disclosure, a directional exhaust structure that induces exhaust in a desired direction can be easily achieved by appropriately arranging the pressing member 400. In addition, another battery module 10 or an electrical connection configuration such as a module terminal or a bus bar between modules for connection to another battery module 10 can be provided on the front side of the battery module 10. However, if the exhaust to the front is blocked or suppressed as described in the above embodiment, the high-temperature gas or flame can be prevented or reduced from moving to another battery module 10 or the electrical connection configuration.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the adjacent pressing members 400 may be configured to pressurize the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 from both sides.

[0121] For example, Figures 5 to 7a As shown, the pressing member 400 may include a first pressing member 400a and a second pressing member 400b. The first pressing member 400a may be disposed to face the first surface of the platform portion T (eg, Figure 3 The second pressing member 400b may be provided on an opposite surface of the first surface 111 facing the second surface 112 of the platform portion T (eg, Figure 3 Here, the first surface 111 of the platform portion T may be a surface facing the left direction (eg, −X-axis direction), and the second surface 112 may be a surface facing the right direction (eg, +X-axis direction).

[0122] That is, the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b may be located on both sides of the platform portion T. For example, referring to Figure 5 , the first pressing member 300a disposed on the left side of the platform portion T may pressurize the platform portion T to the right, and the second pressing member 400b disposed on the right side of the platform portion T may pressurize the platform portion T to the left.

[0123] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the platform portion T can be prevented from opening toward both sides or moving in one direction by applying pressure on both sides of the platform portion T. That is, when the platform portion T is pressed from both sides as described above, since the platform portion T is reliably pressurized, the sealing maintenance performance of the platform portion T can be further improved.

[0124] The plurality of pressing members 400 may have substantially the same shape. That is, the plurality of pressing members 400 may have substantially the same size and shape, regardless of their placement, spatial shape, or specifications. However, the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b may have symmetrical shapes about the Y-axis. According to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, the pressing members 400 can be simplified and easily mass-produced or manufactured.

[0125] like Figure 7a As shown, the pressing member 400 may include a front surface 401 facing the bus bar frame 320 and in contact with the bus bar frame 320, a rear surface 402 facing the battery cell 100, and side surfaces 403 and 404 connecting the front surface 401 and the rear surface 402 and extending in the longitudinal direction. Figure 7a In the embodiment, the front surface 401 may include a front surface 401a of the first pressing member 400a and a front surface 401b of the second pressing member 400b. Figure 7a In the embodiment, the rear surface 402 may include a rear surface 402a of the first pressing member 400a and a rear surface 402b of the second pressing member 400b. Figure 7a , the side surfaces 403 and 404 may include side surfaces 403 a and 404 a of the first pressing member 400 a and side surfaces 403 b and 404 b of the second pressing member 400 b .

[0126] In this case, at least one surface of the pressing member 400 may include an inclined surface 405. At least a portion of the side surfaces 403 and 404 of the pressing member 400 may have an inclined surface 405 inclined at a predetermined angle. Specifically, among the side surfaces 403 and 404 of the pressing member 400, the side surface 403 facing the platform portion T to be pressed may include an inclined surface 405. For example, a portion of the left side surface (surface facing the -X axis direction) 403a of the first pressing member 400a facing the platform portion T may include a first inclined surface 405a inclined at a specified angle. For example, a portion of the right side surface (surface facing the +X axis direction) 403b of the second pressing member 400b facing the platform portion T may include a second inclined surface 405b inclined at a specified angle. The inclined surfaces 405a and 405b of the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b may face each other with the platform portion T to be pressed interposed therebetween. The first pressing member 400 a and the second pressing member 400 b may have symmetrical shapes with respect to the platform portion T.

[0127] The inclined surface 405 may be configured to be inclined inward as it is closer to the rear on the side surface 403. Therefore, the distance between the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b may be configured to increase toward the rear direction (+Y axis direction) through the first inclined surface 405a and the second inclined surface 405b.

[0128] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 7a , the maximum thickness H1 of the pressing member 400 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) may be less than the first distance G1 corresponding to half the length of the storage portion R of the battery cell 100 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). Therefore, the rear surface of the pressing member 400 may be smaller than the front surface of the pressing member 400. The thickness H2 of the rear surface of the pressing member 400 facing the battery cell 100 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) may be configured to be smaller than the thickness H1 of the front surface 401 of the pressing member 400 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction).

[0129] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pressing member 400 is assembled with the battery cells 100, the rear surface of the pressing member 400 can be inserted between the battery cells 100. In this embodiment, since the rear surface is relatively small, such insertion and / or assembly can be easy. That is, the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 can be easily inserted between the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b. However, the pressing member 400 is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be variously designed and modified as long as its rear surface is smaller than the front surface.

[0130] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 7b, Figure 7a The first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b may be formed integrally. That is, the first surface (e.g., Figure 7b The pressing member 400 is provided with a first surface 111 in the figure and a second surface (e.g., Figure 7b The pressing member 400 of the second surface 112 in the battery cell 100 (which may be defined as the "first battery cell") may have the same configuration. That is, the pressing member 400 may be positioned to closely contact the platform portion T (which may be defined as the "first platform portion") of the battery cell 100 (which may be defined as the "first battery cell") and the platform portion T (which may be defined as the "second platform portion") of the battery cell 100 adjacent to the first battery cell (which may be defined as the "second battery cell").

[0131] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the same function may be performed without the two pressing members 400 disposed between the first and second platform portions T, so that design and assembly may be facilitated. Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member are coupled to battery cells at the front side of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member are coupled to battery cells at the front side of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure may further include a barrier 500. The barrier 500 may be provided between adjacent battery cells 100 or between the battery cells 100 and the module housing 200. For example, the barrier 500 may be a plate arranged in a vertical direction. That is, in a state where the battery cells 100 are stacked in at least one direction, the barrier 500 may be interposed between the battery cells 100 of the stack. For example, referring to Figure 8 In the configuration described above, when a plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked along the X-axis direction, the barrier 500 may be inserted between adjacent battery cells 100. One or more barriers 500 may be provided in each battery module 10. In particular, in the case of including three or more battery cells 100, a plurality of barriers 500 may be provided such that each barrier 500 is inserted between each pair of battery cells 100.

[0133] The barrier 500 may be configured to inhibit the transfer of heat, flame, pressure, impact, etc. between the battery cells 100. For example, the barrier 500 may be a thermal barrier configured to prevent the transfer of heat or flame between the battery cells 100. Alternatively, the barrier 500 may be a compression pad configured to absorb pressure or shape changes caused by expansion between the battery cells 100. The barrier 500 according to the present disclosure may be used in a conventional battery module or battery pack (e.g., Figure 15 Various components inserted between the battery cells 100 in the battery pack 1).

[0134] In particular, the barrier 500 may be interposed between the storage portions R of adjacent battery cells 100. That is, as described above, each battery cell 100 may have a storage portion R in its central portion, and the barrier 500 may be interposed between the storage portions R of adjacent battery cells 100 so as to face the storage portions R of the battery cells 100.

[0135] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 9 , the barrier 500 interposed between the storage portions R of adjacent battery cells 100 may have an end portion protruding therefrom and extending to a space between the sealing portions S (particularly, the terrace portions T) of the adjacent battery cells 100. For example, the barrier 500 may be configured to protrude and extend toward the terrace portion T where the electrode lead 120 is located among the sealing portions S of the battery cells 100.

[0136] Meanwhile, the barrier 500 may be configured such that at least one end contacts the bus bar assembly 300. For example, referring to Figure 8 and Figure 9 , the front surface of the barrier 500 may be in direct contact with the inner surface (at the rear) of the bus bar assembly 300 . In particular, the barrier 500 may be in contact with the inner surface of the bus bar frame 320 provided in the bus bar assembly 300 .

[0137] According to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, the safety of the battery module 10 can be further improved. More specifically, if high-temperature exhaust gas or flames are emitted from a battery cell 100, the exhaust gas or flames can be effectively prevented from affecting other nearby battery cells 100. In particular, the sealed portion S of the battery cell 100, which is a fused portion, can have lower durability against high temperatures, pressure, flames, etc., compared to the storage portion R of the battery cell 100.

[0138] However, according to the above aspects of the present disclosure, since the sealed portion S of the battery cell 100 is protected by the protruding portion of the barrier 500, it can be prevented from being affected by exhaust gas or flames emitted from other battery cells 100. Therefore, the propagation of thermal runaway between the battery cells 100 inside the battery module 10 can be effectively prevented.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may be provided to face one side of the barrier 500. For example, at least a portion of a side surface of the pressing member 400 may face one side of the barrier 500.

[0140] According to the above embodiments of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 9 , the barrier 500 may support the pressing member 400 so that the pressing member 400 may pressurize the platform portion T. One surface (eg, the side surface 404 ) of the pressing member 400 may be in contact with the barrier 500 .

[0141] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may be attached to the barrier 500. The battery module 10 may further include an adhesive member (not shown) disposed between the pressing member 400 and the barrier 500. That is, the pressing member 400 may be adhered to the barrier 500. In addition, the pressing member 400 may be fixed to the barrier by various other fastening methods.

[0142] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, since the pressing member 400 is attached to the barrier 500 , the fixing force of the pressing member 400 may be further improved.

[0143] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 9 , a maximum thickness H1 of the pressing member 400 in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) may be smaller than a second distance G2 between the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 and the barrier 500 .

[0144] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pressing member 400 is assembled with the battery cell 100, the rear surface of the pressing member 400 can be inserted between the battery cell 100 and the barrier 500. In this embodiment, since the rear surface is relatively small, such insertion and / or assembly can be facilitated. That is, the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 can be easily inserted between the first pressing member 400a and the second pressing member 400b. However, the pressing member 400 is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be variously designed and modified as long as its rear surface is smaller than the front surface.

[0145] Figure 10 : is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a bus bar assembly and a pressing member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled to a battery cell. Figure 10 In FIG. 4 , for convenience of explanation, a state before pressing of one pressing member 400 a is shown by a dotted line.

[0146] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 10As shown in the figure, the pressing member 400 may be configured to pressurize the storage portion R of the battery cell 100 inwardly, as indicated by the arrow pointing in the Y-axis direction. In this case, the pressurization may be performed by the pressure generated by the contact between the storage portion R and the pressing member 400. In addition, the storage portion R of the battery cell 100 may be configured to pressurize the pressing member 400 outwardly. That is, while the shape of the pressing member 400 is deformed by the combination of the pressing member 400 and the battery cell 100, the pressing member 400 and the storage portion R may exchange pressure with each other.

[0147] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the pressing member 400 may be configured to extend in the thickness direction (X-axis direction) while being pressed in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction).

[0148] Reference Figure 10 , the width (length along the Y-axis direction) of the pressing member 400 before being pressed (before the battery cell is assembled) can be configured to be equal to or greater than the distance between the bus bar assembly 300 and the battery cell 100. The width (length along the Y-axis direction) of the pressing member 400 can be configured to be equal to or greater than the distance between the bus bar assembly 300 and the battery cell 100. Specifically, the maximum width (length along the Y-axis direction) of the pressing member 400 is a first width W1. In a state where the bus bar assembly 300, the pressing member 400, and the battery cell 100 are coupled, the distance between the inner surface of the bus bar frame 320 and the storage portion R of the battery cell 100 can be a second length W2 that is smaller than the first width W1.

[0149] The pressing member 400 may be configured to deform by the storage portion R of the battery cell 100 during assembly. That is, when the bus bar assembly 300 of the battery module 10, the pressing member 400, and the battery cell 100 are assembled, the pressing member 400 may be compressed so that its width may be reduced to match the distance between the bus bar frame 320 and the storage portion R of the battery cell 100. That is, the first width W1 of the pressing member 400 may be changed to the second length W2.

[0150] In addition, as the width of the pressing member 400 decreases, the thickness (length in the X-axis direction) of the pressing member 400 may increase. Figure 9 and Figure 10, the third thickness H3, which is the thickness of the rear surface of the pressing member 400 in the assembled state of the battery cell, can be increased to a thickness greater than the second thickness H2, corresponding to the thickness before pressurization. In this case, the third thickness H3 can be substantially equal to the second distance G2 between the barrier 500 and the platform portion T. As described above, when the pressing member 400 and the battery cell 100 are assembled together, the width of the pressing member 400 decreases and the thickness of the pressing member 400 increases, thereby pressurizing the platform portion T.

[0151] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the assembly and safety of the battery module 10 can be further improved. In particular, before the pressing member 400 is assembled, the height of the pressing member 400 is less than the first distance G1 and the second distance G2, making assembly easier. In addition, after the pressing member 400 is assembled, the height of the pressing member 400 can be increased to the first distance G1 and the second distance G2, thereby pressurizing the platform portion T, so that gas or flames can be prevented from being discharged from the platform portion T. In addition, the platform portion T of another battery cell 100 can be prevented from rupturing due to the pressure of the discharged gas or flame.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may include an elastomer. That is, the pressing member 400 may be formed of a material that deforms when an external force is applied and returns to its original shape when the force is removed. The pressing member 400 may include, for example, rubber, polyurethane, silicone, etc. For example, the entire pressing member 400 may include an elastic material, or only a portion of the pressing member 400 may include an elastic material.

[0153] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of the pressing member 400 disposed in the space between the battery cell 100 and the bus bar assembly 300 can be deformed according to the shape and size of the space. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture the pressing member 400 to conform to the shape of the space, which enables mass production, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and shortening the manufacturing time.

[0154] In addition, according to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may include an insulating material or a heat-resistant material. For example, the pressing member may be made of or include an insulating material or a heat-resistant material. For example, the pressing member 400 may include a material having high insulation and / or heat-resistant (including fire-resistant) properties, such as at least one of plastic, rubber, silicon, aerogel, metal, and GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic). For example, the pressing member 400 may include a metal material having rigidity and heat resistance to prevent the platform portion T from breaking physically or chemically.

[0155] According to this embodiment configuration, even when high-temperature exhaust gas or flames are emitted from the battery cells, the pressing member can stably maintain structural rigidity.

[0156] According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, it is possible to more stably ensure the heat insulation or flame retardancy of the platform portion T. More specifically, according to the above-described configuration, the exhaust gas or flame can be effectively prevented from moving to other battery cells 100 in the space around the platform portion T by the pressing member 400 having insulation or heat resistance.

[0157] However, the material of the pressing member 400 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any material may be applied as long as it includes a deformable material such as an elastomer, or exhibits predetermined insulation or heat resistance.

[0158] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly, a pressing member, and a battery cell are coupled according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a bus bar assembly, a pressing member, and a battery cell are coupled according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0159] The pressing member 400 may be directly coupled and / or fixed to the bus bar assembly 300 , or may be configured to face and / or contact the bus bar assembly 300 instead of being coupled to the bus bar assembly 300 .

[0160] The pressing member 400 may be shaped to match the shape of the empty space between the bus bar assembly 300 and the battery cell. The pressing member 400 may be shaped to substantially correspond to the shape of the empty space between the bus bar assembly 300 and the battery cell 100. The pressing member 400 may be shaped to substantially match the space between the bus bar frame 320, the battery cell 100, and / or the barrier 500.

[0161] According to the above embodiment of the present disclosure, the empty space around the platform portion T formed on the front side of the battery cell 100 is substantially filled with the pressing member 400 , so that when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 100 , exhaust toward the platform portion T can be prevented or suppressed.

[0162] like Figure 12 As shown in section C of FIG. , at least a portion of the pressing member can be inserted into the busbar frame. The pressing member 400 can be divided into a first portion 406 configured to be inserted into the busbar frame 320 and a second portion 407 configured not to be inserted into the busbar frame 320. For example, the first portion 406 can be positioned between the platform portion T of the battery cell and the busbar frame 320. For example, the second portion 407 can be positioned between the barrier 500 and the platform portion T.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the busbar frame 320 may include a main body portion 322 formed to extend in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and a protrusion 323 formed to extend inward (along the +Y-axis direction) from the main body portion 322. The protrusion 323 may be formed at a position adjacent to the slit 321 formed in the main body portion 322. The protrusion 323 may include a third inclined surface 324 formed by at least a portion of the side surface formed with the slit 321 being inclined at a specific angle. Specifically, the third inclined surface 324 may be formed on the side surface formed with the slit 321 and configured to face the platform portion T. The third inclined surface 324 may be formed to incline in a direction away from the platform portion T as it approaches the rear. Therefore, the platform portion T and / or the electrode lead 120 of the battery cell 100 can easily pass through the slit 321 along the third inclined surface 324. However, as Figure 9 As shown, the protrusion 323 may be omitted, and the shape of the bus bar frame 320 may be designed in various ways.

[0164] The first portion 406 may include a fourth inclined surface 408 corresponding to the third inclined surface 324. In this case, the inclination angle of the fourth inclined surface 408 may be different from the inclination angle of the third inclined surface 324. In addition, the third distance G3 between the third inclined surface 324 and the platform portion T may be smaller than the fourth height H4 between the fourth inclined surface 408 and the side surface.

[0165] Therefore, refer to Figure 12 When the first portion 406 is inserted between the protrusion 323 of the busbar frame 320 and the platform portion T, the shape of the first portion 406 may be deformed. Specifically, the fourth height H4 between the fourth inclined surface 408 and the side surface may be reduced to a sixth height H6. The sixth height H6 is less than the fourth height H4 and may be substantially equal to the third distance G3 between the third inclined surface 324 and the platform portion T. Therefore, the first portion 406 may be configured to pressurize the platform portion T between the platform portion T and the protrusion 323 of the busbar frame 320.

[0166] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the pressing member 400 can pressurize the platform portion T during assembly, thereby preventing gas or flame from being discharged through the platform portion T and preventing the platform portion T from being ruptured by the pressure of the discharged gas or flame.

[0167] The second portion 407 may have a shape corresponding to the space between the platform portion T of the battery cell 100, the storage portion R, and the barrier 500. One surface of the second portion 407 may be in contact with the platform portion T, and the other surface may be in contact with the storage portion R. In addition, the other surface may be in contact with the barrier 500. For example, it may have a rectangular shape.

[0168] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module 10 including a pressing member 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery module 10 including a pressing member 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0169] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may include two or more materials. The pressing member 400 may be composed of multiple layers. The pressing member 400 may include a first pressing layer 410 including a first material and a second pressing layer 420 including a second material different from the first material. The first pressing layer 410 may be arranged to face the platform portion T, and the second pressing layer 420 may be arranged to face the barrier 500.

[0170] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the pressing member 400 may have different materials between layers, thereby providing a function of supporting the adjacent terrace portion T and a function of absorbing expansion occurring in the battery cell 100 .

[0171] According to one embodiment, the pressing member 400 may include two or more materials having different strengths. For example, the first material and the second material may have different strengths. Here, strength can have substantially the same meaning as hardness, strength, elasticity, etc. For example, the first material and the second material may have different elasticities. In this case, the first material of the first pressing layer 410 facing the platform portion T may have a lower hardness than the second material of the second pressing layer 420.

[0172] According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pressing layer 410 facing the platform portion T is configured with a material having a lower hardness than the second pressing layer 420. Therefore, if the battery cell 100 expands to a certain level or higher, the first pressing layer 410 can be compressed to absorb or allow the expansion of the battery cell 100 to a certain extent. However, because the second pressing layer 420 has a higher hardness than the first pressing layer 410, the expansion of the battery cell 100 can be limited. Therefore, when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 100, the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 can be prevented from completely opening.

[0173] According to another embodiment, referring to Figure 14, the pressing member 400 may further include a third pressing layer 430 comprising a third material different from the second material. For example, the first pressing layer 410 and the third pressing layer 430 may be positioned to face the adjacent platform portion T or the barrier 500, respectively. For example, the third material may have a different hardness than the second material. For example, the third material may have a different elasticity than the second material. For example, the first material and the third material may be different materials, or may be substantially the same material. According to one embodiment, the first pressing layer 410 and the third pressing layer 430 may have a lower hardness than the second pressing layer 420.

[0174] According to the above-described implementation configuration of the present disclosure, it is possible to allow the battery cell 100 to expand to a certain level or higher and prevent the platform portion T of the battery cell 100 from opening when a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 100 .

[0175] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0176] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 15 , the vertical height D1 of the pressing member 400 may be greater than the vertical height D2 of the battery cell 100. According to the above-described embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, since the entire area of ​​the battery cell 100 can be pressurized in the vertical direction, any portion of the platform portion T can be reliably prevented from being broken.

[0177] According to another embodiment, referring to Figure 16 , the vertical height D1 of the pressing member 400 may be smaller than the vertical height D2 of the battery cell 100. According to the above embodiment of the present disclosure, the central portion of the platform portion T, which is likely to rupture in the battery cell 100, may be strongly pressurized to effectively prevent the platform portion T from rupturing.

[0178] According to another embodiment, referring to Figure 17, the vertical height D1 of the pressing member 400 can be configured to be greater than the distance L between the upper plate and the lower plate of the module housing 200. That is, the pressing member 400 can be pressurized in the vertical direction by the upper plate and the lower plate of the module housing 200. Therefore, the vertical height of the pressing member 400 can be reduced from the height D1 before it is pressed to the height D3 after it is pressed. According to the above-mentioned embodiment configuration of the present disclosure, the position of the pressing member 400 can be stably fixed by being pressed by the upper plate and the lower plate of the module housing 200, and will not move due to external impact. Therefore, even if an external impact or thermal runaway occurs, the position of the pressing member 400 can remain unchanged and pressurize the platform portion T.

[0179] Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a battery pack 1 including a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0180] Reference Figure 18 The battery pack 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules 10 according to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, in addition to the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure, the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may also include various other components. For example, the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may further include components of the battery pack 1 known at the time of filing this disclosure, such as a BMS (battery management system), bus bars, relays, current sensors, etc.

[0181] In addition, if Figure 18 As shown, the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may further include a battery pack housing 11. The battery pack housing 11 may provide a space for storing the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure. In particular, when the battery pack 1 includes multiple battery modules 10, the battery pack housing 11 may be divided into spaces for storing the multiple battery modules 10 by cross beams.

[0182] Figure 19 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack 1 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0183] Reference Figure 19 , the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may include the battery module 10 according to the present disclosure, and may be configured so that the battery pack housing is excluded and the module housing 200 of the battery module is used as the battery pack housing. In this case, components of the battery pack, such as a BMS, a bus bar, or a relay, may be provided inside the module housing 200. This type of battery pack is also referred to as a cell-to-pack (CTP) type in which the battery cells 100 are directly stored in the battery pack housing. Today, active development of the CTP type battery pack 1 is underway, and the present disclosure can also be applied to the CTP type battery pack 1.

[0184] Figure 20 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle V including a battery pack 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0185] Reference Figure 20 A vehicle V according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure or battery modules 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle V according to the present disclosure may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle V includes four-wheeled vehicles and two-wheeled vehicles. The vehicle V may be operated by power supplied from the battery pack 1 or the battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0186] As described above, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may make various modifications and variations within the technical concept of the present disclosure and the equivalent scope of the claims to be described.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells each having a storage portion and a sealing portion, and the plurality of battery cells being configured to be stacked on one another; a module housing configured to store the plurality of battery cells in an interior space; a bus bar assembly located on a side of a platform portion of the sealed portion of the battery cell where electrode leads are located and electrically connected to the electrode leads; as well as A pressing member is coupled to the bus bar assembly and is configured to pressurize the platform portion when an internal pressure of the battery cell increases.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member is configured to be inserted into spaces between at least a portion of the plurality of battery cells.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The busbar assembly includes a busbar terminal and a busbar frame, The pressing member is located inside the busbar frame, and Wherein, the busbar terminal is located outside the busbar frame.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member and the bus bar assembly are stored in the module case while being coupled to each other.

5. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The adjacent pressing members are configured to pressurize the platform portion of the battery cell from both sides.

6. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member is configured to pressurize the storage portion of the battery cell inwardly.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, in, The horizontal length of the pressing member is configured to be equal to or greater than a distance between the bus bar assembly and the battery cell.

8. The battery module according to claim 6, in, The pressing member is configured to change in shape during assembly by passing through the storage portion of the battery cell.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member is formed in a shape matching a shape of an empty space between the bus bar assembly and the battery cells.

10. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member includes an elastic body.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member includes two or more different materials.

12. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member includes two or more materials having strengths different from each other.

13. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member includes an insulating material or a heat-resistant material.

14. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The pressing member is provided to be surrounded by the bus bar assembly, the storage portion, and the sealing portion.

15. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The vertical height of the pressing member is greater than the vertical height of the battery cell.

16. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The vertical height of the pressing member is configured to be greater than the distance between the upper plate and the lower plate of the module housing, and The pressing member is configured to be pressed in a vertical direction by the upper plate and the lower plate. 17 . A battery pack comprising the battery module according to claim 1 . 18 . A vehicle comprising the battery module according to claim 1 .

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