Battery module and battery pack and vehicle including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module comprising: a cell assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells; the module shell is configured to accommodate the battery core assembly; the heat-conducting adhesive is arranged between the battery cell assembly and the module shell so as to fix the battery cell assembly; and a spill-proof member disposed between the cell assembly and the module case to form a space in which the thermally conductive adhesive can be accommodated.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0019193, filed on February 7, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND

[0003] Secondary battery cells that are easy to apply depending on product groups and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density are commonly used in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by an electrical driving source and in portable devices. These secondary battery cells are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency due to the primary advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and the other advantage of not generating by-products caused by energy use.

[0004] Secondary batteries that are widely used at present include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and the like. When a high output voltage is required, a battery module or a battery pack can be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. In addition, a battery module or a battery pack can be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel in order to increase the charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] A common method of configuring a battery pack by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel is to preferentially configure a battery module including at least one battery cell, and then add other elements to one or more battery modules, thereby configuring a battery pack or a battery rack. Alternatively, recently, a battery pack has been manufactured in a cell-to-pack type in which a plurality of battery cells are directly stored in a battery pack housing, rather than modular.

[0006] Further, in the case of a conventional battery module, a thermally conductive adhesive can be applied to a side of a cell assembly in which battery cells are stacked in order to cool the battery cells or fix the cell assembly. Such a conventional battery module can have various problems when swelling occurs in the battery cells during a charge / discharge cycle.

[0007] For example, when swelling occurs in the battery cells, all of the battery cells of the cell assembly tend to move toward the outermost side, and the side of the cell assembly that is in direct contact with the thermally conductive adhesive is fixed by the hardened thermally conductive adhesive. This can cause a problem in which a portion of the cell case having a lower elongation is damaged.

[0008] In particular, if the thermally conductive adhesive overflows to the side of the cell assembly, the battery cell can be damaged by the hardened thermally conductive adhesive when swelling occurs in the battery cell. In addition, the battery cell can be separated from the thermally conductive adhesive during the process, which can reduce the heat dissipation performance of the battery cell.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to develop a structure capable of preventing damage to the battery cell by inhibiting overflow of the thermally conductive adhesive. SUMMARY

[0010] TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0011] The present disclosure was designed to solve the problems of the related art, and thus aims to provide a battery module having an improved structure capable of minimizing damage to a battery cell even when swelling occurs, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the same.

[0012] However, the technical problems that the present disclosure aims 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.

[0013] TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0014] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module is provided, including: a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a module case configured to store the cell assembly; a thermally conductive adhesive interposed between the cell assembly and the module case and configured to fix the cell assembly; and an overflow prevention member disposed between the cell assembly and the module case and configured to form a space in which the thermally conductive adhesive is to be received.

[0015] The overflow prevention member can be configured to receive the thermally conductive adhesive within the receiving space and inhibit the thermally conductive adhesive from flowing.

[0016] The battery cell can be provided as a pouch-type battery cell configured to be stacked with surfaces contacting each other such that a side surface not having an electrode lead extending therefrom faces downward, and the overflow prevention member can be configured to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive from overflowing to a portion other than the side surface of the battery cell along an interface extending from the side surface of the battery cell.

[0017] The thermally conductive adhesive can be provided only at a bottom of the cell assembly to fix a lower portion of the cell assembly.

[0018] A plurality of receiving spaces can be provided to be disposed on the module case in a horizontal direction.

[0019] The overflow prevention member can include a mesh pad configured in a mesh shape.

[0020] The battery module may also include stops on both sides of the spill prevention member.

[0021] The spill containment component may include multiple spill containment pads, which are configured such that the storage space is formed in spaces that are spaced apart from each other.

[0022] The spill pad can be configured as a thermally conductive cooling pad.

[0023] Overflow pads can be made of adhesive materials.

[0024] The spill containment pad may include a first pad configured to be spaced apart from each other along a first direction.

[0025] The first pad can be configured to face both ends of the cell assembly longitudinally.

[0026] The spill containment pad may include a second pad disposed between the first pads and configured to be spaced apart from each other along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

[0027] The spill pad can be configured by perforating it at least partially, and the storage space can be defined by the perforated portion of the spill pad.

[0028] The spill pad may include a guide portion that is configured to tilt toward the storage space.

[0029] In another aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack including a battery module according to this disclosure is provided.

[0030] In another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle including a battery module according to this disclosure is provided.

[0031] Beneficial effects

[0032] According to embodiments of this disclosure, stability against expansion of the battery device (i.e., battery module or battery pack) including battery cells can be ensured.

[0033] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, in a battery module or battery pack comprising multiple stacked battery cells, the cell stacking state can be stably maintained in a normal state. Furthermore, damage to components of the battery module (such as battery cells) under expansion conditions can be prevented.

[0034] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, it is possible to prevent or suppress the collapse of the battery device structure due to damage to the curable adhesive when expansion occurs.

[0035] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, deterioration of heat dissipation due to separation of the battery cell from the thermally conductive adhesive caused by expansion can be prevented. Therefore, the cooling performance of the battery device can be maintained at all times.

[0036] Therefore, according to these aspects of the present disclosure, the cycle performance of the battery device can be improved. That is, the various aspects of the present disclosure can provide a battery device with improved lifespan for stable use over a long period of time.

[0037] In addition, this disclosure may have various other effects, which will be described in various embodiments, or descriptions of effects that can be readily deduced by those skilled in the art will be omitted. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, serve to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure; therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited to the drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be along... Figure 2 The cross-sectional view taken from line I-I' in the diagram.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module incorporating an anti-overflow component according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating a stop member applied to a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module with an anti-overflow component applied according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0047] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module with an anti-overflow component applied according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0050] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating the guide portion of an anti-overflow pad applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 14 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 15 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0054] In the following, 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 terminology used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to its general and dictionary meanings, but rather interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure, on the basis of allowing the inventors to appropriately define the terms for best interpretation.

[0055] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are merely preferred examples for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0056] Furthermore, this disclosure may include various embodiments. Redundant descriptions of substantially the same or similar configurations will be omitted from the various embodiments, and descriptions will be based on the differences between them.

[0057] Furthermore, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used in this specification, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains that these terms are merely for ease of interpretation with reference to the accompanying drawings and may vary depending on the position of the target object or the observer's position.

[0058] For example, in embodiments of this disclosure, the X-axis direction shown in the figure can indicate the left-right direction (i.e., the stacking direction of the battery cells), the Y-axis direction can indicate the front-back direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane (XY plane) (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the battery cells), and the Z-axis direction can indicate the up-down direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions (i.e., the height direction of the battery cells).

[0059] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Additionally, Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be along... Figure 2 The cross-sectional view taken from line I-I' in the diagram.

[0060] Reference Figures 1 to 3 According to this disclosure, the battery module 10 includes a cell assembly 100, a module housing 200, a thermally conductive adhesive 300, and an anti-overflow component 400.

[0061] The battery cell assembly 100 may include one or more battery cells 110, particularly multiple battery cells 110. Here, each battery cell 110 may refer to a secondary battery or a group of secondary batteries. In this specification, the battery cell 110 will be described based on the assumption that it is a secondary battery.

[0062] Multiple battery cells 100 may include electrode assemblies, cell housings for storing electrode assemblies, and electrode leads 111 connected to the electrode assemblies and extending outside the cell housings to serve as electrode terminals.

[0063] In this configuration, the battery casing can be configured in various shapes, and the battery cell 110 can be classified as a pouch cell, a cylindrical cell, or a prismatic cell based on the shape of the battery casing. Since the types of battery cells 110 are widely known at the time of this disclosure, their detailed description will be omitted. This disclosure is applicable to all types of secondary batteries known at the time of this disclosure, and is not limited to any particular type of secondary battery.

[0064] In the cell assembly 100, a plurality of battery cells 110 can be configured to be stacked in at least one direction. For example, the plurality of battery cells 110 can be stacked in a horizontal direction, particularly as shown in the figure. Figure 2 As shown, they are arranged in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). In addition, multiple battery cells 110 disposed in the cell assembly 100 can be electrically connected to each other in series and / or in parallel via busbars (not shown) or the like.

[0065] In addition, refer to Figure 2 The module housing 200 can be configured to store the battery cell assembly 100. Specifically, the module housing 200 can have a storage space formed therein and store the battery cell assembly 100 in the storage space.

[0066] For example, the module housing 200 may be configured to have a housing body 210, a top plate 220, and an end plate 230 to limit storage space. Additionally, the cell assembly 100 may be positioned within the limited storage space. The module housing 200 may be at least partially configured to be made of metal and / or plastic materials.

[0067] At least some of the various plates constituting the module housing 200 can be configured in an integrated manner. For example, the module housing 200 can be configured to have a housing body 210 in the shape of a U-frame, in which the lower plate 210a, left plate, and right plate 210b are arranged as follows: Figure 2 The components are integrated with each other, and the top plate 220 and the end plate 230 can cover or seal the upper, front and rear sides of the housing body 210.

[0068] In this case, various fastening methods such as welding, joining, bolting and hooking can be used to connect and fix the top plate 220 and the end plate 230 to the housing body 210.

[0069] Alternatively, the module housing 200 can be manufactured as a single frame in which the top plate 220 and the housing body 210 are integrated with each other. Alternatively, the plates can be manufactured separately and then joined together by welding or the like to form the module housing 200. However, this disclosure is not limited to a particular material or shape of the module housing 200.

[0070] Thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be inserted between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. For example, see reference... Figure 3 Thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be disposed between one side of the cell assembly 100 (e.g., the bottom of the cell assembly 100) and the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200.

[0071] Additionally, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be configured to secure the cell assembly 100 to the module housing 200. For this purpose, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 may include an adhesive assembly. For example, as... Figure 3 As shown, when the thermally conductive adhesive 300 is positioned at the bottom of the cell assembly 100, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can bond and fix the bottom of the cell assembly 100 to the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200.

[0072] Additionally, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be configured to transfer heat between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. The battery cell 110 may generate heat during use, and if this heat is not properly dissipated, the performance of the battery cell 110 cannot be stably ensured, which in the worst case could lead to thermal runaway, fire, and explosion of the battery cell. In this regard, the heat generated in the battery cell 110 needs to be properly dissipated to the outside through the module housing 200. In this case, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can ensure good heat transfer between the battery cell 110 and the module housing 200, thereby ensuring stable cooling performance of the battery module 10.

[0073] The thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be made of a material capable of transferring heat. In particular, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be made of a resin material, and in this case, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be referred to as a thermal resin. The thermally conductive adhesive 300 may include various materials such as polyurethane, silicone resin, and epoxy resin. The thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be referred to by other terms such as thermal interface material (TIM), potting resin, etc., and various thermally conductive adhesives or TIMs known at the time of filing this disclosure may be used as materials for the thermally conductive adhesive 300 of the battery module 10 according to this disclosure.

[0074] The thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be interposed between all the battery cells 110 disposed in the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. That is, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be configured to directly contact all the battery cells 110 included in the cell assembly 100. According to this implementation configuration of the present disclosure, heat dissipation of all the battery cells 110 included in the battery module 10 can be performed through the thermally conductive adhesive 300. Therefore, the overall cooling performance of the battery module 10 can be further improved.

[0075] The thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be applied to the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200 and cured before the cell assembly 100 is stored in the module housing 200. If the cell assembly 100 is placed on the incompletely cured thermally conductive adhesive 300, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 may overflow onto the side of the cell assembly 100, for example, onto the portion where the electrode leads 111 are located. If the thermally conductive adhesive 300 cures while it is overflowing onto the side of the cell assembly 100, the side of the cell assembly 100 in contact with the overflowed thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be fixed in place. As a result, if expansion occurs in the battery cell 110, the battery cell 110 may be damaged or destroyed.

[0076] To prevent this problem, the battery module 10 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include an anti-overflow member 400. The anti-overflow member 400 may be disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. For example, as... Figure 3As shown, the spill prevention member 400 can be disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200. The spill prevention member 400 can be configured to form a storage space S for accommodating the thermally conductive adhesive 300.

[0077] In other words, since the spill prevention member 400 is configured to have a predetermined thickness, a storage space S can be formed inside, thereby preventing the injected thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing.

[0078] More specifically, the spill prevention member 400 can be configured to store the thermally conductive adhesive 300 within the storage space S to inhibit the flow of the thermally conductive adhesive 300. By providing a space for storing the thermally conductive adhesive 300 on the side where it is disposed, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be prevented from flowing along the interface of the battery cell 110 to the outside of the cell assembly 100.

[0079] In particular, such as in Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the battery cell 110 can be configured as a pouch-type battery cell, which is stacked with its surfaces in contact with each other, such that the side without the electrode leads 111 extending from it faces downwards, and the overflow prevention member 400 can be configured to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing along the interface extending from the side of the battery cell 110 to portions other than said side of the battery cell 110. That is, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be configured to be disposed only at the bottom of the cell assembly 100 to secure the lower part of the cell assembly 100.

[0080] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, since the anti-overflow member 400 is disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be stored in the storage space S and prevented from overflowing onto the sides of the cell assembly 100, particularly onto the sides where the electrode leads 111 extend from the cell assembly 100. Therefore, damage to the battery cell 110 can be prevented when expansion occurs. Thus, the battery module 10 according to this disclosure can ensure stability or safety against expansion.

[0081] Additionally, the overflow prevention member 400 can be configured to transfer heat between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. The overflow prevention member 400 can be provided with a heat-transferring material. According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the overflow prevention member 400 not only prevents the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing, but also ensures good heat transfer between the battery cell 110 and the module housing 200, as well as the thermally conductive adhesive 300 stored in the storage space S, thereby stably ensuring the cooling performance of the battery module 10.

[0082] Additionally, the spill containment member 400 can be configured to be electrically insulating. Furthermore, the spill containment member 400 can be made of a material with flame-retardant properties. For example, the spill containment member 400 can be made of a material that meets the flame-retardant rating UL-94 V0.

[0083] Furthermore, multiple storage spaces S can be provided. These multiple storage spaces S can be arranged horizontally on the module housing 200. For example, the multiple storage spaces S can be spaced apart from each other on the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200. According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, even if the thermally conductive adhesive 300 overflows at any location, it can still be contained.

[0084] Furthermore, multiple storage spaces S can be arranged on the same plane. All storage spaces S can be configured to have the same height. According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, when the cell assembly 100 is placed on the spill prevention member 400, the contact area between the cell assembly 100 and the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be increased by gravity, allowing the cell assembly 100 to make uniform contact with the thermally conductive adhesive 300 stored in the storage space S. Therefore, the fixing force between the cell assembly 100 and the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200 or the cooling performance of the cell assembly 100 can be ensured.

[0085] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module incorporating an anti-overflow component according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0086] As an example, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The spill containment component 400 may include a mesh pad 410 configured in a grid pattern. The mesh pad 410 may be configured to have holes densely arranged like a mesh. Therefore, multiple storage spaces S can be provided in the mesh pad 410. Specifically, thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be applied to the mesh pad 410 via a dispenser 600, and the thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be stored in the storage spaces S by its own weight.

[0087] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, since the storage space S capable of accommodating the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be densely formed in the mesh pad 410, the overflow of the thermally conductive adhesive 300 along the interface of the battery cell 110 to the portion other than the side of the battery cell 110 facing the module housing 200 can be minimized.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, since the mesh pad 410 has a plurality of small and densely packed storage spaces S formed therein, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be suppressed from flowing while being guided to be coated in an approximately flat manner.

[0089] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating a stop member applied to a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] Reference Figure 6 The battery module 10 according to embodiments of this disclosure may further include a stop 500. The stop 500 may be configured to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing to the outside. That is, the stop 500 may be configured to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive 300 in the receiving space S from overflowing the anti-overflow member 400. The stop 500 may be disposed on both sides of the anti-overflow member 400. Specifically, as in... Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the stop 500 can be disposed on both sides of the mesh pad 410.

[0091] Any material capable of isolating the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from the outside can be used in the stop 500 without limitation. As an example, the stop 500 may include, but is not limited to, a resin material.

[0092] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the stop member 500 can guide the thermally conductive adhesive 300 to the area where the thermally conductive adhesive 300 is disposed together with the anti-overflow member 400, thereby also preventing the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from being injected into unnecessary areas.

[0093] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow member applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module incorporating an anti-overflow component according to another embodiment of this disclosure. Additionally, Figure 9 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] As an example, the spill containment component 400 may include a plurality of spill containment pads 420. The plurality of spill containment pads 420 may be configured to be spaced apart from each other. The storage space S may be defined as the space formed by the spaced-apart spill containment pads 420. Therefore, thermally conductive adhesive 300 may be applied to the storage space S between the spill containment pads 420 by a dispenser 600.

[0095] The overflow pad 420 can be configured to transfer heat between the cell assembly 100 and the module housing 200. The overflow pad 420 can be made of a material capable of conducting heat. As a more specific example, the overflow pad 420 can be configured as a thermally conductive cooling pad. A thermally conductive cooling pad is a heat dissipation pad that controls the heat generated from the battery cell 110 and can transfer the heat generated from the battery cell 110 to the outside. The overflow pad 420 can be made of materials such as acrylic or silicone.

[0096] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the anti-overflow pad 420 can ensure good heat transfer between the battery cell 110 and the module housing 200, thereby ensuring the stable cooling performance of the battery module 10.

[0097] Additionally, the spill pad 420 can be made of an adhesive material. Therefore, the spill pad 420 can be configured to adhere to the battery cell 110 included in the cell assembly 100.

[0098] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the adhesion between the cell assembly 100 and the anti-overflow pad 420 can be ensured, thereby preventing significant disturbance to the overall structure of the cell assembly 100 even when subjected to impacts such as vibration. Therefore, the structural rigidity and stability of the entire cell assembly 100 can be ensured.

[0099] In addition, according to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, when the cell assembly 100 is placed on the anti-overflow pad 420, it can help to fix the cell assembly 100 to the anti-overflow pad 420, which can improve the heat transfer performance through the anti-overflow pad 420.

[0100] Furthermore, the thickness of the thermally conductive adhesive 300 filling the storage space S can be configured to correspond to the thickness of the spill pad 420. Therefore, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 and the spill pad 420 can be configured to form an approximately flat plane.

[0101] In this configuration, the cell assembly 100 can be configured to make uniform contact not only with the spill-proof pad 420 but also with the thermally conductive adhesive 300. In the above-described implementation of this disclosure, the contact area between all the battery cells 110 included in the cell assembly 100 and the heat transfer material can be maximized. That is, all the battery cells 110 included in the cell assembly 100 can contact the heat transfer material, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery cells 110.

[0102] As a more specific example, refer to Figures 7 to 9 The anti-overflow pad 420 may include a first pad 421. Multiple first pads 421 may be provided. The multiple first pads 421 may be configured to be spaced apart from each other along a first direction. Here, the first direction may be defined as the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (the Y-axis direction in the figure).

[0103] The first pad 421 can be configured in a plate shape. In this case, a plurality of first pads 421 can be configured as plates and arranged parallel to each other along a first direction. For example, refer to Figure 7 In the configuration shown, the two first pads 421 can be configured as flat plates and arranged parallel to each other in a first direction. In this case, a storage space S can be provided between the two first pads 421, and thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be applied to the storage space S by a dispenser 600.

[0104] Alternatively, the first pad 421 can be configured as a rod extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second direction can be defined as the stacking direction of the battery cells 110 (the X-axis direction in the figure). For example, refer to... Figure 9 In the configuration shown, the five first pads 421 extending in the second direction can be arranged parallel to each other along the first direction. In this case, four storage spaces S can be provided between the five first pads 421, so that the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be applied to the storage spaces S by the dispenser 600.

[0105] The width (length in the first direction) of the first pad 421 can be designed with the volume of the storage space S in mind to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing. Additionally, the length of the first pad 421 (in the second direction) can be configured to correspond to the length of the bottom surface 210a of the module housing 200 in the left-right direction.

[0106] Furthermore, the first pad 421 can be configured to face both longitudinal ends of the cell assembly 100. For example, a plurality of first pads 421 can be disposed at the bottom of the cell assembly 100, and the outermost first pad 421 of the plurality of first pads 421 can face both longitudinal ends of the cell assembly 100.

[0107] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, since the first pad 421 is disposed at both ends of the cell assembly 100, the overflow of the thermally conductive adhesive 300 onto the side of the cell assembly 100 where the electrode leads 111 are disposed can be further suppressed. Therefore, damage to the cell casing of the battery cell 110 at the side of the cell assembly 100 can be prevented.

[0108] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow member applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery module with an anti-overflow component applied according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0109] Reference Figure 10 and Figure 11The spill mat 420 can be configured in a grid shape. As a more specific example, the spill mat 420 may include a second mat 422. The second mat 422 can be disposed between the first mats 421. That is, the second mat 422 can be disposed between the first mats 421 spaced apart from each other. The width (length in the first direction) of the second mat 422 can be configured to correspond to the distance between the first mats 421. The second mat 422 can be configured such that its two sides in the first direction contact the first mats 421.

[0110] Additionally, multiple second pads 422 can be provided. The multiple second pads 422 can be configured to be spaced apart from each other along a second direction. A storage space S can be formed between adjacent second pads 422. As a result, second pads 422 and storage spaces S can be alternately provided between first pads 421.

[0111] For example, refer to Figure 10 The configuration shown allows for the placement of four second pads 422 arranged along a second direction between adjacent first pads 421. In this case, three storage spaces S can be provided between the four second pads 422, and thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be applied to the storage spaces S via a dispenser 600.

[0112] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the storage space S can be divided into multiple spaces by the grid-shaped anti-overflow pad 420, thereby more reliably suppressing the flow of the thermally conductive adhesive 300. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing along the interface extending from the side of the battery cell 110 to portions other than the side of the battery cell 110.

[0113] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of an anti-overflow component applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] Reference Figure 12 The first pad 421 and the second pad 422 can be configured as a single unit. More specifically, the spill pad 420 can be configured by at least partially perforating it. In this case, the storage space S can be defined by the perforated portion of the spill pad 420.

[0115] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, the storage space S can be formed by perforating the anti-overflow pad 420 without separately manufacturing the first pad 421 and the second pad 422, thereby reducing costs and time. Therefore, productivity can be improved when manufacturing the battery module 10.

[0116] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating the guide portion of an anti-overflow pad applied to a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] Furthermore, the spill mat 420 may be provided with a guide portion 420a. The guide portion 420a may be configured to guide the thermally conductive adhesive 300 toward the storage space S. Specifically, the guide portion 420a may be configured to be inclined toward the storage space S. The guide portion 420a may be provided on at least one side of the spill mat 420. For example, as Figure 13 In the embodiment shown, multiple spill pads 420 can be positioned along a first direction ( Figure 13 The Y-axis direction is set, and the guide portion 420a can be set on the sides of the plurality of spill pads 420 facing each other.

[0118] According to the above-described implementation configuration of this disclosure, when the thermally conductive adhesive 300 is applied, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 can be guided along the guide portion 420a to the storage space S and stored therein. Therefore, leakage of the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from the storage space S or the spill pad 420 can be prevented more effectively.

[0119] Furthermore, although the various figures in this specification illustrate the thermally conductive adhesive 300 and the overflow prevention member 400 disposed at the bottom of the battery module 10, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 and the overflow prevention member 400 may be located on other parts, such as the top of the battery module 10. Additionally, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 and the overflow prevention member 400 may be located on two or more sides of the battery module 10. For example, the thermally conductive adhesive 300 and the overflow prevention member 400 may be applied to the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly 100, respectively.

[0120] Figure 14 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0121] Reference Figure 14 The battery pack 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more battery modules 10 as described above according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may also include a battery pack housing 2 for storing the above-described components, and a battery management system (BMS) for integrating and controlling the charging and discharging of one or more battery modules, current sensors, fuses, etc.

[0122] Alternatively, the battery pack 1 according to this disclosure may include the battery module 10 according to this disclosure, and may be configured such that the module housing 200 of the battery module 10 serves as the battery pack housing 2 without including the battery pack housing 2. In this case, components of the battery pack such as the BMS, busbars, or relays may be included 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 110 are directly stored in the battery pack housing 2. Recently, the development of such CTP type battery packs has been active, and this disclosure can also be applied to such CTP type battery packs.

[0123] In particular, the overflow prevention member 400 can be provided on the inner surface (i.e., the bottom surface) of the outer shell that serves as the battery pack housing 2 and the module housing 200, thereby preventing the thermally conductive adhesive 300 from overflowing.

[0124] Figure 15 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0125] Reference Figure 15 The vehicle 3 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 1 or battery modules 10 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The vehicle 3 according to the present disclosure may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The vehicle 3 includes four-wheeled vehicles and two-wheeled vehicles. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the vehicle 3 can be operated by electricity supplied from the battery pack 1 or battery module 10.

[0126] As described above, although this disclosure has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations are possible for those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure and the equivalents of the described claims.

Claims

1. A battery module, the battery module comprising: The battery cell assembly includes a plurality of battery cells; A module housing configured to store the battery cell assembly; A thermally conductive adhesive, which is inserted between the cell assembly and the module housing and configured to secure the cell assembly; as well as An overflow prevention member is disposed between the cell assembly and the module housing and is configured to form a storage space for receiving the thermally conductive adhesive.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The spill prevention component is configured to house the thermally conductive adhesive within a storage space and inhibit the flow of the thermally conductive adhesive.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The battery cells are configured as pouch cells, stacked face-to-face such that the sides without electrode leads extending from the pouch cells face downwards. The anti-overflow member is configured to prevent the thermally conductive adhesive from overflowing along the interface extending from the side of the battery cell to portions other than the side of the battery cell.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The thermally conductive adhesive is applied only at the bottom of the battery cell assembly to secure the lower part of the battery cell assembly.

5. The battery module according to claim 1, in, Multiple storage spaces are configured to be arranged horizontally on the module housing.

6. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The spill prevention component includes: A grid pad, wherein the grid pad is configured in a grid shape.

7. The battery module according to claim 1, The battery module also includes stop members disposed on both sides of the spill prevention member.

8. The battery module according to claim 1, in, The spill prevention component includes: Multiple spill pads are configured such that the storage space is formed in spaces that are spaced apart from each other.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, in, The spill-proof pad is configured as a thermally conductive cooling pad.

10. The battery module according to claim 8, in, The spill pad is made of an adhesive material.

11. The battery module according to claim 8, in, The spill containment pad includes: The first pad is configured to be spaced apart from each other along a first direction.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, in, The first pad is configured to face both longitudinal ends of the cell assembly.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, in, The spill containment pad includes: The second pad is disposed between the first pads and configured to be spaced apart from each other along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

14. The battery module according to claim 8, in, The spill containment pad is configured by at least partially perforating the spill containment pad, and The storage space is defined by the perforated portion of the spill-proof pad.

15. The battery module according to claim 8, in, The spill containment pad includes: The guide portion is configured to tilt toward the storage space.

16. A battery pack comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A vehicle comprising a battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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