Battery module cover, battery pack, and vehicle including same

Abstract

Disclosed are a battery module cover, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same, the battery module cover including: a cover plate covering one side of a battery module and having a plurality of through holes; and an insulating sheet provided between the cap plate and the battery cell and having an exhaust portion formed at a location corresponding to the through-hole of the cap plate, the exhaust portion including a pair of cut lines and an uncut portion provided between the pair of cut lines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery module cover and a battery pack, and a vehicle including the battery pack, the battery module cover and battery pack being able to effectively handle gases or flames generated in abnormal battery conditions to improve safety. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, technologies for reducing carbon emissions are being actively developed to address environmental issues such as abnormal temperatures. To reduce carbon emissions, energy needs to be generated in an environmentally friendly way, rather than using fossil fuels, stored as electricity, and used in vehicles, various industrial sites, and homes.

[0003] To utilize electrical energy to reduce carbon emissions, the use of batteries capable of storing and extracting electrical energy is essential. Therefore, to ensure adequate energy storage and convenient use, battery performance must be guaranteed.

[0004] Batteries primarily utilize the redox reactions of metal ions. High-density metal ions are used to increase battery capacity, charge / discharge performance, and efficiency. Extensive research is underway on materials that constitute the electrolyte and solid electrolytes. However, as battery performance improves, a decrease in stability is often encountered.

[0005] Batteries used in vehicles, industry, and homes are manufactured into physical units called battery packs. Battery packs perform the following functions by embedding multiple battery cells inside a battery casing and sealing the casing: preventing fire from spreading to the outside in the event of an event such as battery thermal runaway, and protecting the internal battery cells from degradation caused by external environmental factors or damage caused by physical factors.

[0006] Multiple battery cells are embedded in a battery pack in an intermediate form of modules or assemblies (Cell Module Assembly (CMA)). In the case of battery modules or assemblies, multiple battery cells are assembled into a single module or assembly, and multiple modules are secured inside the battery pack casing, thereby completing the battery pack. When repairing the battery, maintenance is facilitated by allowing maintenance to be performed on a module or assembly basis.

[0007] Each of the multiple cell units that make up a module or assembly consists of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. Because battery cells generate heat during charging and discharging, effective heat dissipation is necessary. Furthermore, from the perspective of battery modules, assemblies, and battery packs, effective heat dissipation design is essential to prevent safety accidents.

[0008] Furthermore, batteries can deteriorate due to manufacturing errors, overcharging and discharging, and aging. If battery deterioration continues, it can eventually lead to a fire. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare in advance to prevent fires from occurring in batteries. To this end, it is important to continuously monitor the battery's condition, identify and address problems when they occur, and minimize damage in the event of an unexpected problem.

[0009] In particular, when a fire occurs in a specific battery module or cell within a battery pack, the gas or flame can easily spread to adjacent battery modules or cells because the interior of the battery pack is sealed. Therefore, when a fire occurs in a specific battery module or cell within a battery pack, it is important to smoothly vent the gas from the burning module or cell while preventing or delaying the spread of the flame to other adjacent battery modules or cells.

[0010] The matters described above as background art are intended only to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that they correspond to prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The purpose of this disclosure, made to address the aforementioned problems, is to provide a battery module cover and a battery pack, as well as a vehicle including the battery pack, which can prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent modules or cells in the event of a fire in a particular battery module or battery cell, while promoting gas emission, thereby improving battery safety.

[0013] The technical objectives to be achieved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0014] Technical solution

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, a battery module cover according to the present disclosure includes: a cover plate covering one side of the battery module and having a plurality of through holes; and an insulating sheet disposed between the cover plate and the battery cell, and having an exhaust portion formed at a location corresponding to the location of the through holes in the cover plate, the exhaust portion including a pair of cut lines and an uncut portion disposed between the pair of cut lines.

[0016] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the insulating sheet can be formed by combining a refractory material and a woven fabric.

[0017] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the size of the venting portion of the insulating sheet may be equal to or smaller than the size of the through hole in the cover plate.

[0018] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the uncut portion of the vent can be formed at a location between a pair of cut lines.

[0019] In the battery module cover according to the present disclosure, the cutting line of the vent portion can be composed of a base and a branch portion. The base can be formed to extend along the length direction of the through hole in the cover plate, and the branch portion can branch and extend from the end of the base in an inclined direction.

[0020] In the battery module cover according to the present disclosure, each branch of a pair of cut lines may be formed at the far ends of the two ends of the base, and the near ends of the two ends of the base may face each other while being spaced apart.

[0021] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the uncut portion of the vent can be formed at a location between the bases of a pair of cut lines.

[0022] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the cutting line of the vent portion may include multiple bases, and the branch portion may branch and extend from the center location of the multiple bases in an inclined direction.

[0023] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, multiple bases can be arranged in parallel.

[0024] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the branch portion can be connected to the ends of a plurality of base portions.

[0025] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, multiple battery cells can constitute a unit cell group, and the cutting line corresponding to the unit cell group can include multiple bases arranged in parallel, and the bases can be arranged to correspond to the location between two adjacent battery cells.

[0026] In the battery module cover according to the present disclosure, a plurality of battery cells can be disposed inside the battery module, and through holes of the cover can be formed at locations between adjacent pairs of battery cells, such that the through holes at least partially overlap with the upper ends of the facing insulating sheets of the pair of battery cells.

[0027] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, when the battery module catches fire, the venting portion of the insulating sheet can be cut open to allow gas or flame to escape.

[0028] In the battery module cover according to the present disclosure, a pair of cut lines of the vent portion can be formed such that the closer ends of the cut lines face each other, the facing ends of the pair of cut lines can be spaced apart by a length of 3 mm or less, and an uncut portion can be formed between the spaced-apart ends of the pair of cut lines.

[0029] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the through hole of the cover plate may have an elliptical shape, and the length of the portion of the through hole extending along the length direction of the cover plate is greater than the length of the portion extending along the width direction of the cover plate.

[0030] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, an outer panel can be joined to the outside of the cover plate, and the outer panel can be composed of a plurality of heat-resistant sheets and a silicone sheet located between the heat-resistant sheets.

[0031] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, the outer panel may include a temporary cutting line formed in a silicone sheet and a plurality of heat-resistant sheets and having the same shape as a through hole, the temporary cutting line being formed at a position corresponding to the through hole and the vent.

[0032] In the battery module cover according to this disclosure, a plurality of temporary cutting lines can be formed in the outer panel, and the plurality of temporary cutting lines can be cut open by pressure inside the battery module.

[0033] The battery pack according to this disclosure includes the aforementioned battery module cover.

[0034] The vehicle according to this disclosure includes the aforementioned battery pack.

[0035] Beneficial effects

[0036] According to the battery module cover, battery pack, and vehicle including the battery pack disclosed herein, when a fire occurs in a particular battery module or battery cell, the fire can be prevented from spreading to other adjacent battery modules or battery cells, and at the same time, the gas can be discharged from the abnormal battery module or battery cell, thereby improving the safety of the system utilizing the battery module cover.

[0037] The effects obtained from this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery module cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The image shows a cross-sectional view of the battery module cover in its assembled state.

[0040] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the battery module cover shown.

[0041] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 The top view shows the battery module cover with the cover plate and insulating sheet assembled.

[0042] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of the through hole and vent of the battery module cover.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the venting portion of the battery module cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 7 It is positioned above a pair of battery cells. Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of the battery module cover shown.

[0045] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the vent portion of the battery module cover according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 9 It is positioned to correspond to a single cell assembly. Figure 8 The cross-sectional view of the battery module cover shown.

[0047] Figure 10 It shows that it has been applied. Figure 1 The diagram shows the battery pack and vehicle with the battery module cover shown. Detailed Implementation

[0048] In the following description, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted where such descriptions might obscure the subject matter of this disclosure. The same reference numerals will be used in the drawings to refer to the same or similar components. Furthermore, the drawings are intended only to facilitate an easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and the technical concepts disclosed herein are not limited to the drawings and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions included within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0049] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, elements described in the singular are intended to include multiple elements. In this specification, the terms “comprising” or “including” are intended to specify the presence of the described features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, but should be understood not to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0050] The suffixes "module" and "unit" used for elements in the following description are for ease of description and are therefore interchangeable, without any distinguishing meaning or function. When a component is "connected" or "attached" to another component, it should be understood that although the component may be directly connected or attached to another component, a third component may exist between the two components. When a component is "directly connected" or "directly attached" to another component, it should be understood that no element exists between the two components.

[0051] In the following, the embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regardless of the reference numerals, the same or similar parts will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted. The battery consists of a plurality of battery cells 800 forming a single battery module 700, and the plurality of battery modules 700 are assembled into a battery pack BP. The battery module 700 mentioned in this disclosure refers to an assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells 800, and includes not only those such as… Figure 1 The battery cells 800 shown are stacked in a separate housing or casing, and include various cases in which multiple battery cells 800 are assembled in rows or frames to form a single unit assembly.

[0052] Batteries deteriorate due to various reasons such as defects in design or manufacturing processes, overcharging or discharging, or misuse. When the battery cell 800 that constitutes the battery deteriorates and the temperature remains above a certain level, thermal runaway occurs, leading to an internal explosion. In the event of thermal runaway, gases or flames can easily spread to adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800, such as... Figure 3 As shown, this can lead to secondary damage. Therefore, it is important to prevent the flame from spreading to adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800 when thermal runaway occurs in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800, while ensuring smooth gas venting from the battery module 700 or battery cell 800.

[0053] Traditionally, the battery cell 800 is protected by a cover formed of a polycarbonate (PC) film of the battery module 700, and the upper surface of the cover of the battery module is protected by a single layer of heat-resistant sheet 120. Therefore, the battery module 700 is not adequately protected when thermal runaway occurs in a particular battery cell 800 or battery module 700.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this disclosure proposes a battery module cover having an insulating sheet 400 and an exhaust portion 500. The insulating sheet 400 is made of a combination of mica material and woven fabric and is disposed at the bottom of the battery module cover to enhance insulation and fire resistance. The exhaust portion 500 is formed in the insulating sheet 400 to facilitate the discharge of gas or flame generated in a high-pressure environment when thermal runaway occurs in a particular battery cell 800 or battery module 700.

[0055] Furthermore, in the case of the battery module cover disclosed herein, such as Figure 1As shown, an insulating sheet 400 made of a combination of mica material and woven fabric is bonded to the lower surface of the cover, and an outer plate 100 composed of multiple heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 and a silicone resin sheet 140 is bonded to the upper surface of the cover. Temporary cutting lines 122, 142 and 162 with the same shape as the through holes 320 of the cover plate 300 are formed in the multiple heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 and the silicone resin sheet 140, thereby preventing the battery module cover from being easily damaged in the event of thermal runaway of a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800.

[0056] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 The battery module cover disclosed herein includes: a cover plate 300 covering one side of a battery module 700 and having a plurality of through holes 320; and an insulating sheet 400 having vent portions 500 formed at locations corresponding to the through holes 320 of the cover plate 300 and disposed between the cover plate 300 and the battery cell 800. Each vent portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400 has a herringbone pattern, which consists of a pair of cut lines 520 and an uncut portion 540 positioned between the pair of cut lines 520.

[0057] In addition, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the outer plate 100 is joined to the outside of the cover plate 300, and temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 with the same shape as the through hole 320 are formed at positions corresponding to the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300. That is, the temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 of the outer plate 100, the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300, and the venting part 500 of the insulating sheet 400 are formed at corresponding positions. Therefore, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 800 located below the insulating sheet 400, the generated gas or flame can be discharged sequentially through the venting part 500, the through hole 320, and the temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162. Furthermore, the outer plate 100, the cover plate 300, and the insulating sheet 400 can prevent the gas or flame from flowing back into the adjacent battery module 700 or battery cell 800, thereby preventing heat propagation.

[0058] Additionally, refer to Figure 3 There are joints between the outer heat-resistant sheet 120 and the silicone resin sheet 140, between the silicone resin sheet 140 and the inner heat-resistant sheet 160, between the inner heat-resistant sheet 160 and the cover plate 300, and between the cover plate 300 and the insulating sheet 400. The joints can be made of heat-resistant material that will not lose its adhesive strength even in high temperature or high pressure environments generated during thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800.

[0059] Similarly, Figure 7 or Figure 9The diagram shows a joint between the cover plate 300 and the insulating sheet 400 for joining the cover plate 300 and the insulating sheet 400.

[0060] Although the battery module cover of this disclosure is described as being located on top of the battery cell 800, as Figure 1 As shown, however, the battery module cover can be attached to various locations (such as the side or bottom of the unit assembly of multiple battery cells 800 and the top of the battery cells 800) to protect the battery cells 800 or the battery module 700.

[0061] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the insulating sheet 400 is attached to the bottom of the battery module cover of this disclosure. The insulating sheet 400 is formed by combining a refractory material and a woven fabric. The woven fabric is made of a material such as mesh glass fiber, which is used to increase the durability of the battery module cover. In the case of the refractory material, mica is used to reduce the risk that the battery module cover may easily melt or its structure may be damaged in the high temperature or high pressure environment inside the battery module 700. However, the materials mentioned above are examples used to aid understanding, and various refractory materials or woven fabrics can be combined to form the insulating sheet 400 in addition to the materials mentioned above.

[0062] like Figure 4 As shown, an exhaust portion 500 is formed in the insulating sheet 400 to smoothly exhaust gases or flames generated in the event of thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800 to the outside. Because the insulating sheet 400 forms the battery module cover together with the cover plate 300, the exhaust portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is shaped to be equal to or smaller than the size of the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300, so that when thermal runaway occurs in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800, gases or flames can pass through both the exhaust portion 500 and the through hole 320 and be exhausted to the outside.

[0063] Each exhaust section 500 consists of a pair of cutting lines 520 and an uncut section 540 disposed between the pair of cutting lines 520, such as Figure 5As shown. Because the insulating sheet 400 is formed with a structure that includes layers of woven fabric in addition to refractory materials such as mica, it has excellent durability and is not easily melted or torn. Therefore, if the vent 500 is formed as a temporary cutting line, there is a risk that gas or flame will not be discharged to the outside in the event of thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800, because the temporary cutting line of the vent 500 will not be cut due to the excellent durability of the insulating sheet 400. Therefore, in this disclosure, unlike the temporary cutting lines 122, 142 and 162 of the outer plate 100, the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is formed as a cutting line 520, so that it can be smoothly cut to open in the event of thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800, thereby effectively venting gas or flame.

[0064] like Figure 5 As shown, the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400 includes an uncut portion 540. Although gases or flames generated during thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800 need to be smoothly vented to the outside, there is a risk of damage to the battery module cover if a large amount of gas or flame is vented to the outside instantaneously through the battery module cover. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the instantaneous venting of gas or flame. Thus, this disclosure can prevent the vent 500 from being instantaneously and significantly cut open during thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800 by providing an uncut portion 540 between a pair of cutting lines 520, thereby preventing the battery module cover from being instantaneously exposed to a high temperature or high pressure environment.

[0065] Reference Figure 5 The venting portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is formed such that the close-to-each ends of a pair of cut lines 520 face each other, and the facing ends of the pair of cut lines 520 are spaced apart by a length of 3 mm or less. An uncut portion 540 is formed between the ends of the pair of cut lines 520 spaced apart by a length of 3 mm or less as described above, and by forming the uncut portion 540 with a short length of 3 mm or less, the cut lines 520 can be smoothly opened in a high-voltage environment generated during thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800.

[0066] When the uncut portion 540 is formed to a length of 3 mm or longer, or when multiple uncut portions 540 are provided, the cutting line may not be able to open completely or may only partially open due to the excellent durability of the insulating sheet 400, which includes the braided fabric. Therefore, there is a risk that the gas or flame may not be able to escape smoothly due to thermal runaway. Therefore, by separating the facing ends of a pair of cutting lines 520 by 3 mm or less to form the uncut portion 540, the battery module cover can be prevented from being damaged when a large amount of gas or flame is suddenly released in the event of thermal runaway, while effectively venting the gas or flame to the outside.

[0067] As described above, the venting portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is used to effectively exhaust gases or flames generated in the event of thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800 to the outside. Therefore, this disclosure proposes a fishbone-shaped venting portion 500, wherein the cut line 520 of the venting portion 500 is composed of a base 522 and a branch 524, as shown... Figure 5 or Figure 6 As shown. Specifically, the cutting line 520 of the exhaust section 500 is composed of a base 522 and a branch 524. The base 522 extends along the length direction of the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300, and the branch 524 branches off from the end of the base 522 and extends in an inclined direction.

[0068] When the cutting line 520 is as follows Figure 5 or Figure 6 When formed as a pair, the branches 524 included in the pair of cut lines 520 are formed at the ends of the base 522 that are far apart from each other, and the ends of the base 522 that are close to each other face each other while being spaced apart. In addition, the uncut portions 540 of the vent 500 are formed between the ends of the base 522 that are closer to each other and spaced apart, thereby forming a vent 500. That is, by forming the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400 in a fishbone shape facing each other as described above, the gases or flames generated in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800 during thermal runaway can be effectively discharged to the outside.

[0069] like Figure 5 or Figure 6As shown, since the cutting line 520 consists of a base 522 and a branch 524, the venting portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400 can be effectively cut open in the event of thermal runaway. The branch 524 is formed to branch and extend from the end of the base 522 in an inclined direction, so it can be smoothly cut in the high-pressure environment generated by thermal runaway. Since the cutting line 520, which is cut open by the branch 524, continuously cuts through the base 522 extending along the length direction of the through hole 320, the venting portion 500 can be completely cut open according to the shape of the through hole 320. In addition, an uncut portion 540 is provided between a pair of cutting lines 520, thereby preventing damage to the battery module cover by preventing a large amount of gas or flame from being discharged to the outside due to the instantaneous opening of the cutting line 520 in the event of thermal runaway in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800.

[0070] Furthermore, the cutting line 520 of the exhaust section 500 may include multiple bases 522, such as Figure 8 As shown. In this configuration, branch 524 is connected to the ends of a plurality of bases 522 and extends in an inclined direction from the center of the plurality of bases 522. Preferably, the plurality of bases 522 are formed in parallel to allow the vent 500 to open smoothly. By forming the plurality of bases 522 of the vent 500, the vent 500 can be opened effectively and safely depending on the number of battery cells 800 included in a single cell assembly.

[0071] Reference Figure 7 or Figure 9 Multiple adjacent battery cells 800 form a cell unit group, and compression pads 900 are disposed between the cell unit groups. The compression pads 900 protect the battery cells 800 from external impacts and prevent the risk of fire caused by friction between the battery cells 800, and the cell groups can be distinguished by the compression pads 900.

[0072] Reference Figure 9 In this disclosure, multiple battery cells 800 constitute a cell unit, and multiple parallel bases 522 are included in a cutting line 520 corresponding to the cell unit, and the bases 522 can be arranged between two adjacent battery cells 800. According to this arrangement, even if thermal runaway occurs in the battery cells 800 forming a cell unit, gas or flame can be effectively discharged to the outside through the bases 522 or branches 524 of the cutting line 520.

[0073] In addition, such as Figure 7As shown, when a compression pad 900 is formed for a pair of adjacent battery cells 800 among a plurality of battery cells 800 disposed inside the battery module 700, a through hole 320 of the cover plate 300 can be formed at a location between the adjacent battery cells 800, such that the through hole 320 can at least partially overlap with the upper end of the pair of battery cells 800 facing the insulating sheet 400.

[0074] like Figure 7 As shown, when a pair of battery cells 800 constitute a unit cell assembly, the cutting line 520 of the vent 500 may include a base 522, allowing for effective exhaust of gas or flame. Furthermore, as described above, the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300 is formed at a location corresponding to the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400, and the size of the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is equal to or smaller than the size of the through hole 320 of the cover plate 300. Therefore, when a pair of battery cells 800 constitute a unit cell assembly, the vent 500 of the insulating sheet 400 is also formed such that it at least partially overlaps with the upper end of the pair of battery cells 800.

[0075] Furthermore, the cover plate 300 can be formed from a metal material as a central cover supporting the battery module cover, and can be formed from aluminum, as the battery module 700, which constitutes a vehicle component, needs to be durable and easy to form. Since the multiple through holes 320 of the cover plate 300 are formed to be spaced apart from each other and have an open shape, the through holes 320 can be integrally formed with the cover plate 300 to improve the assembly stability and durability of the cover plate 300.

[0076] like Figure 1 As shown, the through-hole 320 of the cover plate 300 serves as an exhaust port through which gases or flames generated during thermal runaway in the battery module 700 or battery cell 800 pass. Therefore, the through-hole 320 is formed in an open form. Furthermore, the through-hole 320 of the cover plate 300 can be formed in an elliptical shape, wherein the length of the portion extending along the length direction of the cover plate 300 is greater than the length of the portion extending along the width direction of the cover plate 300, allowing gases or flames caused by thermal runaway to be smoothly discharged.

[0077] Although this disclosure describes the case where multiple through holes 320 are formed in an elliptical shape in the cover plate 300, such as Figure 1 As shown, the through hole 320 can be formed in various shapes other than elliptical, such as circular and square, as long as the through hole 320 can smoothly discharge the gas or flame caused by thermal runaway.

[0078] In the battery module cover of this disclosure, an insulating sheet 400 is disposed between the cover plate 300 and the battery cell 800 and is joined to the cover plate 300, such as... Figures 1 to 3As shown, the outer panel 100 is joined to the outside of the cover plate 300. The outer panel 100 consists of a plurality of heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 and a silicone sheet 140 located between the heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160, and the plurality of heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 may have the following characteristics: Figure 1 or Figure 3 The structure shown is a two-layer structure, or two or more heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 can be provided.

[0079] When heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 are formed as follows Figure 1 or Figure 3 In the two-layer structure, they can be divided into an inner heat-resistant sheet 160 and an outer heat-resistant sheet 120. Both heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 are formed using HPI sheets, which are a substitute for fiber-reinforced plates (FRB) and therefore have heat resistance. Thus, heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 can serve as a flame barrier, preventing the spread of heat from flames generated during thermal runaway into adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800.

[0080] The silicone sheet 140 is also configured to prevent heat transfer to adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800 in the high-temperature environment generated by a flame resulting from thermal runaway occurring in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800. However, if a heat-resistant sheet 120 is provided, the silicone sheet may melt or be damaged due to the instantaneous high temperature when a flame is generated due to thermal runaway. Therefore, in this disclosure, as Figure 1 or Figure 3 As shown, the structure of the battery module cover is prevented from being damaged by bonding multiple heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 to the silicone sheet 140.

[0081] like Figure 1 or Figure 3 As shown, since the heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 constituting the outer panel 100 and the silicone sheet 140 are bonded to the cover plate 300 and the insulating sheet 400 to form the battery module cover, therefore, as Figure 1 Temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 are formed as shown, which are capable of venting gases or flames generated in a specific battery module 700 or battery cell 800 during thermal runaway. The temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 of the outer panel 100 are formed in a plurality of heat-resistant sheets 120 and 160 and a silicone sheet 140, and are formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 320 of the cover plate 300 and the venting portions 500 of the insulating sheet 400, so as to effectively vent gases or flames generated during thermal runaway.

[0082] like Figure 1As shown, the temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 of the outer plate 100 are preferably formed in the same shape as the through holes 320 of the cover plate 300 to effectively vent gases or flames. Therefore, they can be formed as elliptical shapes with a length along the length direction of the outer plate 100 greater than its length along the width direction. Unlike the venting portion 500 of the insulating sheet 400, the outer plate 100 is formed of a material that can be smoothly opened under high pressure conditions generated during thermal runaway. Therefore, preferably, the temporary cutting lines 122, 142, and 162 are formed such that they close during normal operation to prevent gas or flame from flowing into the adjacent battery module 700 or battery cell 800, and open during thermal runaway in the battery module 700 or battery cell 800. In other words, the temporary cutting lines 122, 142 and 162 of the outer panel 100 are spaced apart from each other and are formed to be cut and opened only when necessary by the internal pressure of the battery module 700, thereby promoting the discharge of gas or flame in the event of thermal runaway in the battery module 700 or battery cell 800, while preventing the reverse flow of gas or flame from adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800.

[0083] Figure 10 The diagram illustrates a battery pack BP with the battery module cover of this disclosure and a state in which such a battery pack is installed in a vehicle V. Besides the vehicle V, the battery pack BP of this disclosure can also be applied to various industries, one example being an energy storage system (ESS). Based on the battery module cover, the battery pack BP, and the vehicle V including the battery pack BP, when thermal runaway occurs in a particular battery module 700 or battery cell 800, the gases or flames generated due to thermal runaway can be smoothly discharged, and the backflow of gases or flames into adjacent battery modules 700 or battery cells 800 can be prevented.

[0084] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present disclosure without departing from the concept and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery module cover, the battery module cover comprising: A cover plate that covers one side of the battery module and has multiple through holes; as well as An insulating sheet is disposed between the cover plate and the battery cell, and an exhaust portion is formed at a location corresponding to the location of the through hole in the cover plate. The exhaust portion includes a pair of cut lines and an uncut portion disposed between the pair of cut lines.

2. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The insulating sheet is formed by combining refractory material and woven fabric.

3. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The size of the venting portion of the insulating sheet is equal to or smaller than the size of the through hole in the cover plate. Furthermore, the uncut portion of the exhaust section is formed at the location between the pair of cut lines.

4. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The cutting line of the exhaust section is composed of a base and a branch. The base is formed to extend along the length direction of the through hole in the cover plate. The branch extends from the end of the base in an inclined direction. Each branch of the pair of cutting lines is formed at the two ends of the base that are far apart from each other. The two ends of the base that are close to each other face each other while being spaced apart. Furthermore, the uncut portion of the exhaust portion is formed at a location between the bases of the pair of cut lines.

5. The battery module cover according to claim 4, wherein, The cutting line of the exhaust section includes multiple bases, and the branch extends from the center of the multiple bases in an inclined direction. The plurality of bases are arranged in parallel. Furthermore, the branch is connected to the ends of the plurality of bases.

6. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, Multiple battery cells constitute a unit cell group, and the cutting line corresponding to the unit cell group includes multiple bases arranged in parallel, and the bases are arranged to correspond to the locations between two adjacent battery cells.

7. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, Multiple battery cells are installed inside the battery module. Furthermore, the through-hole of the cover plate is formed at a location between an adjacent pair of battery cells, such that the through-hole at least partially overlaps with the upper end of the pair of battery cells facing the insulating sheet.

8. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, When the battery module catches fire, the venting portion of the insulating sheet is cut open to allow gas or flames to escape.

9. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The pair of cut lines of the exhaust section are formed such that the closer ends of the cut lines face each other, the facing ends of the pair of cut lines are spaced apart by a length of 3 mm or less, and the uncut portion is formed between the spaced-apart ends of the pair of cut lines.

10. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The through hole of the cover plate has an elliptical shape, and the length of the portion of the through hole extending along the length direction of the cover plate is greater than the length of the portion extending along the width direction of the cover plate.

11. The battery module cover according to claim 1, wherein, The outer panel is joined to the outside of the cover plate, and the outer panel is composed of a plurality of heat-resistant sheets and a silicone sheet located between the heat-resistant sheets.

12. The battery module cover according to claim 11, wherein, The outer panel includes a temporary cutting line formed in the silicone sheet and the plurality of heat-resistant sheets and having the same shape as the through hole. The temporary cutting line is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole and the vent.

13. The battery module cover according to claim 12, wherein, Multiple temporary cutting lines are formed in the outer plate, and these temporary cutting lines are cut open by pressure inside the battery module.

14. A battery pack, the battery pack comprising the battery module cover according to claim 1.

15. A vehicle comprising the battery pack according to claim 14.

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