Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack mounted to a lower portion of a chassis, the battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a battery pack case in which the plurality of battery cells are accommodated, and an upper portion of which is configured to be coupleable to the chassis; and a fixing member interposed between the pack case and the chassis, and configured to suppress deformation of the pack case.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The disclosure relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack with enhanced safety and a vehicle including the same.

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0042026, filed on March 27, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND

[0003] Secondary batteries, which are easy to apply according to 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 electric driving source, as well as in portable devices. These secondary batteries 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 another advantage of not generating by-products caused by energy use.

[0004] The 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 higher 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 to increase the charge and discharge capacity. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery module or the battery pack can be variously set according to the required output voltage or the charge and discharge capacity.

[0005] In addition, since the battery cells undergo a chemical reaction during charge and discharge, the performance of the battery cells can deteriorate if used at a temperature higher than an appropriate temperature, and if heat cannot be controlled to an appropriate temperature, an unexpected fire or explosion is highly likely to occur. Therefore, if a thermal event such as thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack, high-temperature gas or flames emitted from the battery cells can spread to adjacent battery modules, thereby causing a chain reaction of explosions in the battery modules, which is very dangerous.

[0006] The battery module is configured by storing the battery cells in a module frame, and the battery pack stores these battery modules in a battery pack case. In the related art, high-temperature gas or flames are discharged through an exhaust hole provided on the top of the module frame and are discharged to the outside of the battery pack case through a space between the battery pack case and the battery module.

[0007] However, the heat from high-temperature gases or flames deforms the shape of the battery pack casing, making it impossible to maintain a proper gap between the casing and the battery modules. This makes it difficult to ensure a path for the exhaust of high-temperature gases or flames to the outside of the casing. In particular, when the battery pack cover forming the upper part of the casing thermally deforms and sags downwards, the exhaust channels located above the battery modules may be blocked. Therefore, the possibility of explosion may increase due to heat propagation to adjacent battery modules and increased internal pressure.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to develop a structure that can ensure a path for high-temperature gases or flames generated inside the battery module to escape to the outside of the battery pack when thermal runaway occurs, thereby preventing heat buildup inside the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] This disclosure aims to address the problems of the prior art, and therefore aims to provide a battery pack with improved safety and reliability by smoothly venting gases or flames generated inside the battery module to the outside of the battery pack in the event of thermal runaway in the battery module.

[0011] This disclosure also provides a vehicle that includes such a battery pack.

[0012] However, the technical problems sought to be solved by this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the following description of the invention that other problems not mentioned above will be addressed.

[0013] Technical solution

[0014] In one aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided mounted on the bottom of a chassis. The battery pack may include: a plurality of battery cells; a battery pack housing configured to store the plurality of battery cells, and the upper part of the battery pack housing is connectable to the chassis; and a fixing member inserted between the battery pack housing and the chassis and configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing.

[0015] The battery pack housing may include: a housing body with an opening on its upper surface and configured to house a plurality of battery cells, and a battery pack cover configured to cover the upper surface of the opening in the housing body.

[0016] An exhaust space can be formed between the battery cell and the battery pack casing, allowing exhaust gases generated from the battery cell to flow through the exhaust space, and the fixing member can be configured to maintain the height of the exhaust space at a predetermined interval or greater.

[0017] The battery pack may also include a module housing configured to group multiple battery cells together, and the module housing has vents formed on its upper side to discharge internally generated exhaust gases to the outside.

[0018] At least one fixing member may be provided at a position corresponding to the central part of the module housing.

[0019] The fixing member may include: a first connecting portion configured to pass through the chassis from the outside; and a second connecting portion configured to connect from the inside of the battery pack housing to the first connecting portion.

[0020] The fixing member may include a compression portion disposed between the battery pack housing and the chassis, and the compression portion is configured to at least partially surround the first coupling portion.

[0021] Multiple fixing members can be provided, and the elastic coefficients of the compression parts of at least a portion of the fixing members can be configured differently from each other.

[0022] The fixing member may include a heat insulation portion configured to at least partially surround the compression portion.

[0023] The fixing member can be configured such that one end can be fixed to the chassis and the other end is fixed to the battery pack housing, so that it can move in the vertical direction.

[0024] The fixing member can be configured as a spring having one end connected to the battery pack housing and the other end connected to the chassis, respectively.

[0025] In another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes a battery pack according to this disclosure.

[0026] In another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle comprising: a chassis; a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells and a battery pack housing having an upper portion connected to the chassis and the battery pack housing configured to store the plurality of battery cells; and a fixing member inserted between the battery pack housing and the chassis and configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing.

[0027] Beneficial effects

[0028] According to one aspect of this disclosure, by providing a fixing member, the formation of a negative gap due to thermal deformation of the battery pack cover can be suppressed. Therefore, according to the above aspect of this disclosure, a path can be ensured for the exhaust of high-temperature gases or flames generated in the battery module to the outside of the battery pack in the event of an anomaly. This effectively prevents or delays the propagation of thermal runaway between battery modules, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery pack.

[0029] In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent high-temperature gas or flame generated in the battery cell from flowing back into the battery module in the event of an abnormality in the battery module.

[0030] In addition, according to another aspect of this disclosure, events such as fires or explosions caused by thermal runaway in a device equipped with a battery pack can be prevented or delayed.

[0031] In addition, this disclosure may have various other effects, which will be described in various embodiments, or descriptions of effects that can be easily deduced by those skilled in the art will be omitted. Attached Figure Description

[0032] 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.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be along... Figure 1 The sectional view taken by line I-I' in the middle.

[0036] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of part A in the image.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a comparative example of battery pack cover deformation when the fixing member included in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is not provided.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the connection positions of the fixing members included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 This is an assembly perspective view of the fixing components included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the fixing members included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the state in which deformation of the battery pack cover is suppressed when a fixing member included in the battery pack is provided, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating a fixing member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a diagram showing a state in which deformation of the battery pack cover is suppressed when a fixing member included in the battery pack is provided, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below 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 according to the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure, based on the principle of allowing the inventors to appropriately define the terminology for the best interpretation.

[0046] Therefore, the description presented herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and does not represent the full 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.

[0047] Furthermore, this disclosure may include various embodiments. In each embodiment, repeated descriptions of substantially the same or similar configurations will be omitted, and descriptions will be based on the differences between them.

[0048] Furthermore, although directional terms 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.

[0049] For example, in embodiments of this disclosure, the X-axis direction shown in the figure can indicate the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction can indicate the front-back direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane (XY plane), and the Z-axis direction can indicate the up-down direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be along... Figure 1The sectional view taken by line I-I' in the middle. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of part A in the image. Additionally, Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a comparative example of battery pack cover deformation when the fixing member included in the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is not provided.

[0051] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the battery pack 1 can be configured to be mounted on the bottom of a chassis C. The chassis C can be located outside the battery pack 1. For example, the chassis C can be a frame on which the battery pack 1 is mounted in a vehicle.

[0052] Additionally, refer to Figures 1 to 4 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack 1 includes a battery cell 100, a battery pack housing 200, and a fixing member 300.

[0053] Reference Figure 2 Multiple battery cells 100 can be provided. Additionally, although not shown, the multiple battery cells 100 may include electrode assemblies, a cell housing storing the electrode assemblies, and electrode leads connected to the electrode assemblies and extending to the outside of the cell housing, thereby serving as electrode terminals. In this case, the multiple battery cells 100 can be electrically connected to each other.

[0054] The battery cell 100 can be a pouch-type secondary battery. The cell casing of this pouch-type secondary battery can be configured as a pouch with metal layers made of aluminum inserted between polymer layers.

[0055] like Figure 2 As shown, multiple battery cells 100 can be arranged in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) when standing upright in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0056] This disclosure is not limited to a specific type or shape of battery cell 100, and various battery cells 100 known at the time of submission of this disclosure can be used to configure the battery pack 1 of this disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown in the figures, a pouch-type secondary battery with high energy density and easy stacking will be described, but it is obvious that cylindrical or prismatic secondary batteries can also be applied to battery cell 100.

[0057] The battery pack housing 200 can be configured to store multiple battery cells 100. The battery pack housing 200 can be configured as a box comprising multiple frames. The battery pack housing 200 can be made of a material capable of ensuring mechanical strength (e.g., a metal or plastic such as steel or SUS) or may include such a material to securely protect the battery cells 100 stored therein.

[0058] The battery pack housing 200 can be configured to be connected to the chassis C. Specifically, the battery pack housing 200 can be configured such that its upper portion is connected to the chassis C. That is, the battery pack housing 200 can be located below the chassis C and configured to be connected to the bottom of the chassis C.

[0059] Furthermore, when thermal runaway occurs in any of the battery modules 10 located within the battery pack 1, the shape of the battery pack casing 200 may deform due to the pressure and / or high-temperature heat of the exhaust gases emitted from the battery cells 100. For example, as Figure 5 As shown in the comparative example, the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 can sag downwards, resulting in a negative gap.

[0060] In this case, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a fixing member 300 may be provided in the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The fixing member 300 may be inserted between the battery pack housing 200 and the chassis C. The fixing member 300 may be configured to connect the battery pack housing 200 and the chassis C.

[0061] The fixing member 300 can be configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing 200. In particular, the fixing member 300 can be configured to hold the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 when the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 is about to sag downwards, thereby preventing the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 from sag downwards to a certain level or more.

[0062] According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, the fixing member 300 can suppress the battery pack housing 200 from bending or deforming due to pressure and / or heat, such as exhaust gases. In particular, it can prevent the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 from sagging excessively due to thermal deformation.

[0063] Therefore, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, a path can be ensured for the high-temperature gas or flame generated from the battery cell 100 to the outside of the battery pack 1 in the event of an abnormal condition of the battery module 10. This effectively prevents or delays the propagation of thermal runaway within the battery pack, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery pack 1.

[0064] In addition, according to the above-implemented configuration of this disclosure, the high-temperature gas or flame generated in the battery cell 100 can be quickly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1, thereby preventing the high-temperature gas or flame from flowing back into the battery cell 100.

[0065] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery pack housing 200 may have a housing body 210 and a battery pack cover 220.

[0066] The housing body 210 can be configured to have an upper opening, allowing multiple battery cells 100 to be installed. More specifically, the housing body 210 may include a bottom frame 211 and side frames 212.

[0067] The bottom frame 211 can be configured to allow multiple battery modules 10 to be mounted thereon. The bottom frame 211 can form the bottom surface of the battery pack housing 200 and can be configured as a square plate. In addition, the bottom frame 211 can have a flat upper surface, allowing the module housing 120 to be stably mounted thereon.

[0068] Side frames 212 can extend upward from each edge of the bottom frame 211. Side frames 212 may have multiple unit walls to surround multiple battery modules 10. More specifically, multiple side frames 220 may each have a right wall at the end in the +X-axis direction, a rear wall at the end in the +Y-axis direction, a left wall at the end in the -X-axis direction, and a front wall at the end in the -Y-axis direction to form the side surface of the battery pack housing 200.

[0069] Additionally, the battery pack housing 200 may include a crossbeam 213. The crossbeam 213 may be configured to divide the internal space of the battery pack housing 200. The crossbeam 213 may be configured to separate and group multiple battery cells 100. The crossbeam 213 may be configured to extend along the left-right direction and / or front-back direction of the battery pack housing 200.

[0070] Additionally, multiple crossbeams 213 can be provided. Crossbeams 213 may include main beams 213a and sub-beams 213b. Main beams 213a and sub-beams 213b can be provided in directions perpendicular to each other.

[0071] The main beam 213a can be configured to connect at least a portion of the side frames 220. For example, as... Figure 2 As shown, the main beam 213a can be configured to extend in the front-rear direction to connect the front and rear walls in the side frame 220.

[0072] Sub-beam 213b can be configured to connect the side frame 212 and the main beam 213a to each other. For example, as Figure 2 As shown, sub-beam 213b can be configured to extend in the left-right direction to connect the left and / or right walls of the side frame 220 to the main beam 213a. Multiple sub-beams 213b can be provided in the front-back direction.

[0073] The battery pack cover 220 can be configured to cover the upper opening of the housing body 210. The battery pack cover 220 can be configured to be attached to the top of the side frame 212 to form the upper side of the battery pack housing 200. In this case, the battery pack cover 220 can be configured to be spaced a predetermined distance from the top of the crossbeam 213 and the battery cell 100 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0074] Reference Figure 2 The battery pack housing 200 may include an exhaust device 230. The exhaust device 230 may be configured to exhaust gases generated from the battery cell 100 to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0075] The exhaust device 230 can be configured to open by the pressure of the exhaust gas when the internal pressure of the battery pack housing 200 increases due to the exhaust gas generated therein, thereby venting the exhaust gas to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0076] For example, the venting device 230 can be configured to open and close according to the internal pressure within the battery pack housing 200. Alternatively, the venting device 230 can be configured in the form of an orifice. This disclosure is not limited to a particular type or form of the venting device 230, and various venting devices 230 known at the time of filing of this disclosure can be applied to configure the battery pack 1 of this disclosure.

[0077] Specifically, the venting device 230 can be disposed on the side of the battery pack housing 200 (that is, on the side frame 220). The venting device 230 can be disposed on one or more of the multiple side frames 220. Additionally, the venting device 230 can be located between the main beam 213a and the side frame 212. For example, as... Figure 2 In the embodiments shown, the exhaust device 230 may be located on the front frame 212 and the rear frame 212, and may be disposed between the left frame 212 and / or the right frame 212 and the main beam 213a.

[0078] Multiple exhaust devices 230 may be provided. The exhaust devices 230 may be formed on two or more side frames 220 respectively, or two or more exhaust devices 230 may be formed on one side frame 220.

[0079] exist Figure 2 The number or position of the exhaust devices 230 described in the embodiments are merely examples and can be changed to various other numbers or positions.

[0080] As described above, since the battery cell 100 and the battery pack cover 220 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, exhaust gas or flame can move into the space between the battery cell 100 and the battery pack cover 220. That is, an exhaust space S can be formed in the space between the battery pack cover 220 and the battery cell 100. The exhaust space S can be configured to extend along the direction in which the exhaust device 230 is positioned.

[0081] In this case, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the fixing member 300 can be configured to maintain the height d of the exhaust space S at a predetermined interval or greater. Here, the height d of the exhaust space S indicates the length in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and can refer to the vertical distance from the upper surface of the battery cell 100 to the lower surface of the battery pack cover 220. Here, the predetermined interval can indicate the distance that allows for the smooth movement of exhaust gases or flames when a thermal event occurs. For example, the height d of the exhaust space S is preferably maintained at or greater than the distance between the undeformed battery pack cover 220 and the battery cell 10 or the battery module 10, which will be described later.

[0082] With the battery pack 1 connected to the chassis C, the chassis C can be connected to the edge of the battery pack cover 220, i.e., the side frame 212. In this case, due to the strong constraint applied to the edge of the battery pack cover 220, the center of the battery pack cover 220 is more prone to thermal deformation due to the pressure and / or heat of the exhaust gas when thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack housing 200.

[0083] Specifically, as shown in the comparison examples Figure 5 As shown, if the fixing member 300 is not provided, there is no structure between the top of the battery pack cover 220 and the chassis C, so the battery pack cover 220 may sag downwards, thereby reducing the height d' of the exhaust space S. As a result, since the exhaust path cannot be adequately ensured, exhaust gases or flames may not be able to escape to the outside of the battery pack 1, leading to thermal runaway (see reference). Figure 5 (Bold arrows in the text).

[0084] However, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, since the fixing member 300 firmly holds the upper part of the battery pack cover 220, therefore... Figure 5 As shown, this design prevents the battery pack cover 220 from sagging due to pressure and / or heat (e.g., venting gases).

[0085] Therefore, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the height d of the exhaust space S can be maintained at a predetermined interval or greater, the exhaust gas or flame can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1 through the exhaust space S, thereby suppressing or preventing thermal runaway inside the battery pack 1. Thus, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 1 can be ensured.

[0086] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the connection positions of the fixing members included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0087] Reference Figure 6 Multiple battery cells 100 can be modularized into one or more battery modules 10. That is, the battery pack 1 according to this disclosure may include multiple battery modules 10, and the multiple battery cells 100 included in the battery pack 1 can be divided and included in multiple battery modules 10. In this case, the multiple battery cells 100 included in the battery module 10 can be electrically connected to each other.

[0088] Specifically, the battery pack 1 according to this disclosure may include a module housing 11. The module housing 11 may be configured to have empty spaces formed therein and to store at least a portion of a plurality of battery cells 100 in the internal space. In particular, the module housing 11 may be configured to store the battery cells 100. That is, the module housing 11 may be a boundary that divides the plurality of battery cells 100 into several battery modules 10 and physically defines the internal space of each battery module 10.

[0089] Additionally, although not shown in the figures, the battery module 10 may include a busbar assembly and / or module terminals electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells 100 stored therein.

[0090] Multiple battery modules 10 can also be arranged in multiple rows adjacent to each other along the front-to-back direction and / or the left-to-right direction. For example, as Figure 6 As shown, multiple battery modules 10 can be arranged in four rows along the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) and in two rows along the left-to-right direction (X-axis direction).

[0091] The battery module 10 may include a vent H. The vent H may be configured to allow gas generated from the battery cells 100 stored inside the module housing 11 to be discharged to the outside of the module housing 11.

[0092] Specifically, the vent H can be provided in the module housing 11 and configured to vent in a specific direction. The vent H can be provided on at least one side of the module housing 11. Figure 6 An embodiment is shown in which an exhaust port H is provided on the upper side of the module housing 11. This allows exhaust gases to be directly discharged into the exhaust space S above the module housing 11. Additionally, exhaust gases or flames flowing inside the exhaust space S can be discharged along the front-rear direction of the battery pack housing 200 via the exhaust device 230.

[0093] Figure 6 The number or location of the exhaust ports H described in the embodiments are merely examples and may be changed to other numbers or locations.

[0094] Multiple fixed components 300 can be provided. These fixed components 300 can be spaced apart from each other. That is, the fixed components 300 can be arranged in an island-like configuration. According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, the positions of the fixed components 300 can be flexibly configured. This increases design freedom and improves productivity.

[0095] Furthermore, at least one fixing member 300 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the central portion of the module housing 11. Specifically, the fixing member 300 may be disposed between adjacent crossbeams 213. Specifically, the fixing member 300 may be disposed between adjacent sub-beams 213b. The fixing member 300 may be arranged in the front-rear direction along the arrangement direction of the sub-beams 213b.

[0096] When exhaust gases or flames are discharged from the exhaust port H, the portion of the battery pack cover 220 adjacent to the central portion of the battery module 10 is likely to undergo thermal deformation and sagging due to the heat of the exhaust gases or flames. Therefore, as shown in the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the fixing member 300 is located in the central portion of the battery module 10, the exhaust space S can be ensured more effectively.

[0097] In this configuration, fixing members 300 can be provided vertically above the exhaust ports H and horizontally between the exhaust ports H. According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the fixing members 300 are provided between the exhaust ports H, the exhaust gas or flame discharged from the exhaust ports H can move between the fixing members 300. Therefore, the fixing members 300 do not interfere with the exhaust gas or flame moving within the exhaust space S.

[0098] Alternatively, the fixing member 300 may not be required above the main beam 213a. For example, as... Figure 6 As disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust space S can be divided into a left space and a right space by the main beam 213a, and exhaust gases and the like can be discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200 by the exhaust devices 230 provided in the left and right spaces. In this case, deformation of the battery pack cover 220 can be suppressed only in the part where the fixing member 300 is provided.

[0099] Therefore, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, when the battery pack cover 220 is thermally deformed and droops downward above the main beam 213a without the fixing member 300, the gap of the exhaust space S can become very narrow, so that the exhaust gas or flame can be suppressed from moving between the battery cell 100 or the battery module 10 beyond the crossbeam 213.

[0100] Figure 7This is an assembly perspective view of the fixing components included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the fixing members included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Additionally, Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the state in which deformation of the battery pack cover is suppressed when a fixing member included in the battery pack is provided, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The structure of the fixing member 300 is described in detail. Specifically, the fixing member 300 may include a first connecting portion 310 and a second connecting portion 320. The first connecting portion 310 and the second connecting portion 320 may be configured to connect to each other, thereby connecting the chassis C and the battery pack cover 220 to each other.

[0102] More specifically, the first connecting portion 310 can be configured to connect to the chassis C. The first connecting portion 310 can be configured to pass through the chassis C from the outside. The first connecting portion 310 can also be configured to pass through the battery pack cover 220. That is, the first connecting portion 310 can be configured to pass through both the chassis C and the battery pack cover 220 from the outside of the chassis C.

[0103] The first connecting portion 310 can be configured in the form of a bolt. The first connecting portion 310 may include a protrusion 311 protruding outward from the chassis C and an extension 312 extending from the protrusion 311 toward the inside of the chassis C. In this case, the protrusion 311 corresponding to the bolt head is preferably configured as a flat head rather than a round head to ensure the contact area with the chassis C.

[0104] The second connecting portion 320 can be configured to connect to the first connecting portion 310. The second connecting portion 320 can be disposed inside the battery pack housing 200. The second connecting portion 320 can be configured in the form of a nut. That is, a tapping process can be performed on the chassis C and the battery pack cover 220, and the bolt-shaped first connecting portion 310 can be inserted therein and engaged with the nut-shaped second connecting portion 320.

[0105] Thread 313 may be formed on the extension 312 of the first connecting portion 310. In this case, thread 313 may be formed lower than the second connecting portion 320. Therefore, the second connecting portion 320 may be configured not to move downward.

[0106] According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the connection gap between the first connecting portion 310 and the second connecting portion 320 can be maintained at a predetermined interval, downward drooping of the battery pack cover 220 can be suppressed. According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the height d of the exhaust space S can be maintained at a predetermined interval or greater, exhaust gases or flames can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1 through the exhaust space S, thereby suppressing or preventing thermal runaway between the battery modules 10. Therefore, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 1 can be ensured.

[0107] In addition, such as Figure 9 As disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module 10, the portion of the battery pack cover 220 located above the battery module 10 may rise upwards (along the battery pack cover 220) due to pressure and / or heat (such as vented gases or flames). Figure 9 (The direction of the bold arrow in the text) bulges. In this case, according to the configuration implemented above according to the present disclosure, since the thread 313 of the first connecting part 310 is positioned lower than the second connecting part 320, the battery pack cover 220 can be allowed to bulge to a certain level.

[0108] In other words, the fixing member 300 can suppress the negative gap of the battery pack cover 220 as much as possible and allow the positive gap to a certain level, thereby maintaining the height d of the exhaust space S at a predetermined interval or greater. Therefore, according to the above-implemented configuration of this disclosure, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module 10 and the battery pack cover 220 bulges upward, the exhaust space S can be further ensured, so that exhaust gases and the like can be discharged more smoothly to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0109] Furthermore, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, the first connecting part 310 and the second connecting part 320 can be more securely connected to each other, and the assembly efficiency can be improved when manufacturing the battery pack 1.

[0110] The fixing member 300 may also include a compression portion 330. The compression portion 330 may be configured to be compressed according to the deformation of the battery pack cover 220 when the battery pack cover 220 bulges upward. In this case, the compression portion 330 may be configured to maintain the gap between the battery pack housing 200 and the battery pack cover 220 at a predetermined interval or greater.

[0111] More specifically, the compression section 330 may be disposed between the battery pack housing 200 and the chassis C. The compression section 330 may include a resilient material. For example, the compression section 330 may have a spring or an elastic pad.

[0112] According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the compression portion 330 is configured to be elastic and compressible, the battery pack cover 220 can be prevented from bulging and contacting the chassis C. In other words, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, the battery pack cover 220 can be allowed to deform upward to a certain level, and the compression portion 330 can prevent the battery pack cover 220 from excessively bulging and contacting the chassis C.

[0113] Furthermore, the compression portion 330 can be configured to at least partially surround the first connecting portion 310. That is, the first connecting portion 310 can be configured to pass through the compression portion 330. According to the above-implemented configuration of this disclosure, when the battery pack cover 220 bulges upward, separation of the compression portion 330 can be suppressed.

[0114] In this configuration, multiple fixing members 300 can be provided, and at least a portion of the fixing members 300 can be configured such that their compression portions 330 have different elastic moduli compared to each other. That is, the elastic moduli of the compression portions 330 can vary depending on the location where the fixing members 300 are positioned. Specifically, when a compression portion 330 has a small elastic moduli, it can be more easily compressed or stretched compared to a large elastic moduli. Therefore, the elastic moduli of the compression portions 330 of the fixing members 300 located at positions where further assurance of the exhaust space S is required can be designed to be relatively small.

[0115] For example, the elastic modulus of the compression section 330 located near the exhaust device 230 can be configured to be smaller than that of the compression section 330 located inside the battery pack housing 200. In this case, the battery pack cover 220 can more easily deform upwards under the pressure of the exhaust gas or flame, thereby ensuring the exhaust space S.

[0116] According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the elastic coefficient of the compression section 330 is configured to vary between positions, the volume of the exhaust space S can be configured to vary between positions. Therefore, the exhaust gas or flame exhaust can be guided in a specific direction.

[0117] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fixing member 300 may also include a heat insulation portion 340. The heat insulation portion 340 may be configured to electrically insulate the compression portion 330 and prevent heat conduction, etc. For this purpose, the heat insulation portion 340 may be made of a material such as polyurethane or silicone resin.

[0118] The heat insulation portion 340 can be disposed between the battery pack cover 220 and the chassis C. The heat insulation portion 340 can be disposed outside the compression portion 330. The heat insulation portion 340 can be configured to at least partially surround the compression portion 330. In addition, when the compression portion 330 is compressed by the deformation of the battery pack cover 220, the heat insulation portion 340 can be configured to be compressed together with the compression portion 330.

[0119] According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, the heat insulation part 340 is provided, thus preventing the compression part 330 from melting or disappearing due to high heat, such as from a flame. Therefore, even in the event of a flame, the function of maintaining the gap between the battery pack cover 220 and the chassis C can be ensured by the compression part 330.

[0120] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating a fixing member included in a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Additionally, Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a diagram showing a state in which deformation of the battery pack cover is suppressed when a fixing member included in the battery pack is provided, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0121] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the fixing member 300' can be configured such that one end is fixed to the chassis C and the other end is fixed to the battery pack housing 200, thereby enabling vertical movement. The other end of the fixing member 300' can be fixed to the battery pack cover 220 and move according to the deformation of the battery pack cover 220. The fixing member 300' can be configured such that its vertical length (i.e., its height) varies.

[0122] The fixing member 300' may include a resilient material. For example, such as... Figures 10 to 12 In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing member 300' can be configured to have springs connected to one end of the battery pack housing 200 and the other end of the chassis C, respectively. Therefore, the fixing member 300' can be configured to be compressed or stretched according to the deformation of the battery pack cover 220.

[0123] Based on the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, such as Figure 11 As disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, the downward sag of the battery pack cover 220 can be suppressed using only the simple structure of the fixing member 300'. According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, since the height d of the exhaust space S can be maintained at a predetermined interval or greater, exhaust gases or flames can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1 through the exhaust space S, thereby suppressing or preventing thermal runaway between the battery modules 10. Therefore, the safety and reliability of the battery pack 1 can be ensured.

[0124] Furthermore, based on the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, such as Figure 12In the illustrated embodiment, since the fixing member 300' is configured to be elastic and compressible, the battery pack cover 220 can be allowed to bulge upwards to a certain extent, thereby further ensuring the venting space S. Furthermore, according to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, when the battery pack cover 220 is allowed to deform upwards to a certain extent, the compression portion 330 can prevent the battery pack cover 220 from excessively bulging and contacting the chassis C.

[0125] Although not shown in the figure, an insulating member may also be provided to at least partially surround the outer side of the fixed member 300'. The insulating member may be configured to provide electrical insulation and prevent heat conduction.

[0126] Figure 13 This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0127] Reference Figure 13 The vehicle 3 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more battery packs 1 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. The vehicle 3 operates using electricity supplied from the battery packs 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0128] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a chassis C; a battery pack 1 having a plurality of battery cells 100 and a battery pack housing 200, the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 being connected to the chassis C and configured to store the plurality of battery cells 100; and a fixing member 300 inserted between the battery pack housing 200 and the chassis C and configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing 200.

[0129] The edges of the chassis C and the battery pack housing 200 can be fastened with bolts. In this case, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 100, a strong restraining force may be applied to the edges of the battery pack housing 200, causing the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 to deform thermally. In particular, the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 can deform thermally to form a negative gap, thereby reducing the size of the venting space S.

[0130] According to the configuration implemented in this disclosure, the presence of the fixing member 300 suppresses the formation of a negative gap due to thermal deformation of the upper side of the battery pack housing 200. Therefore, according to the above aspects of this disclosure, a path for the discharge of high-temperature gas or flame generated from the battery cell 100 to the outside of the battery pack 1 can be ensured in the event of an abnormal condition of the battery cell 100. As a result, events such as fires or explosions caused by thermal runaway of the device equipped with the battery pack 1 can be prevented or delayed.

[0131] Additionally, in the event of thermal runaway in battery pack 1, a portion of the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 may bulge upwards due to the pressure and / or heat of the exhaust gases or flames. In this case, the retaining member 300 can be configured to allow the upper side of the battery pack housing 200 to bulge to a certain level. For example, since the retaining member 300 has an elastic body such as a spring, it can be compressed proportionally to the bulging of the battery pack cover 220.

[0132] In other words, the fixing member 300 can suppress the negative gap of the battery pack cover 220 and allow the positive gap to reach a certain level, thereby maintaining the height of the exhaust space S at a predetermined interval or greater. According to the configuration implemented above in this disclosure, when thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack 1 and the battery pack cover 220 bulges upward, the exhaust space S can be further ensured, allowing exhaust gases and the like to be discharged more smoothly to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0133] 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 changes can be made by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains without departing from the technical concept of this disclosure and the equivalent scope of the described claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack, the battery pack being mounted on the bottom of a chassis, the battery pack comprising: Multiple battery cells; A battery pack housing configured to store the plurality of battery cells, and the upper part of the battery pack housing being connectable to the chassis; as well as A fixing member is inserted between the battery pack housing and the chassis and is configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The battery pack housing includes: A housing body, the upper surface of which is open, and the housing body is configured to house the plurality of battery cells; and A battery pack cover, configured to cover the upper surface of the opening of the housing body.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, An exhaust space is formed between the battery cell and the battery pack casing, allowing exhaust gases generated from the battery cell to flow through the exhaust space. The fixing member is configured to maintain the height of the exhaust space at a predetermined interval or greater.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: A module housing configured to group the plurality of battery cells, and the module housing having vents on its upper side to discharge internally generated exhaust gases to the outside.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, in, At least one fixing member is disposed at a position corresponding to the central portion of the module housing.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The fixing component includes: A first connecting portion, configured to extend through the chassis from the outside; and A second connection portion is configured to connect from the inside of the battery pack housing to the first connection portion.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The fixing component includes: A compression section is disposed between the battery pack housing and the chassis, and the compression section is configured to at least partially surround the first coupling section.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, in, It is equipped with multiple fixed components, and In this case, the elastic coefficients of the compression portions of at least a portion of the fixing members are configured differently from each other.

9. The battery pack according to claim 7, in, The fixing component includes: A heat insulation portion, which is configured to at least partially surround the compression portion.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The fixing member is configured such that one end can be fixed to the chassis and the other end to the battery pack housing, so that it can move in the vertical direction.

11. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The fixing member is configured as a spring, the spring having one end connected to the battery pack housing and the other end connected to the chassis, respectively.

12. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A vehicle, said vehicle comprising: Chassis; A battery pack having multiple battery cells and a battery pack housing, the upper part of the battery pack housing being connected to the chassis, and the battery pack housing being configured to store the multiple battery cells; as well as A fixing member is inserted between the battery pack housing and the chassis and is configured to suppress deformation of the battery pack housing.

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