Battery assembly with improved sealing performance and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery assembly (11), comprising: a cell group (12, 14) having at least one cell (16) with an openable cell vent (22); a carrier plate (20), which has a first carrier side (20a), a second carrier side (20b), and a passage region (24, 26), which is opposite the openable cell vent opening and is part of a carrier plate vent region (42 '); a protective plate (28, 30) arranged below the carrier plate and facing the second carrier side; and a first exhaust chamber (32) located between the protective plate and the bearing plate. According to the invention, the battery assembly comprises a sealing layer (36, 38), which is arranged on the second support side, covers the venting region and isolates the venting region from the first venting chamber, a second venting chamber (32 ') being formed between the venting region and the sealing layer or being able to be formed in the event of venting, the second exhaust chamber is only temporarily fluidically isolated from the first exhaust chamber in the case of exhaust.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery assembly for a motor vehicle, the battery assembly comprising a cell assembly having at least one cell having an openable cell vent. Furthermore, the battery assembly includes a support plate having a first support side, a second support side opposite the first support side, and at least one through-area associated with the at least one cell, wherein the at least one cell is disposed on the first support side such that the openable cell vent faces the first support side and faces the through-area. Additionally, the battery assembly includes a protection plate disposed in a specific direction below the support plate and facing the second support side of the support plate. The battery assembly also includes a first vent chamber located between the protection plate and the support plate, into which, in the event of venting, gas escaping from the openable cell vent can be introduced through the through-area into the first vent chamber. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a motor vehicle having such a battery assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Batteries, such as high-voltage batteries used in motor vehicles, typically consist of multiple individual cells. Each of these individual cells can experience thermal runaway for various reasons. The goal is to keep the cells as unaffected by this thermal runaway as possible. This can be achieved using specific cell chemistry or by designing the cell casing to be as robust as possible. Furthermore, the cell casing can include targeted weak points, also known as cell vents, and referred to herein as openable cell exhaust vents. In the event of thermal runaway, these weak points allow for targeted venting or targeted burning of the cell. Other measures can also be taken, such as targeted insulation between cells, for example through inter-cell materials or by protecting charged surfaces. These measures can typically delay or even prevent the propagation of thermal runaway from one cell to others. Stopping after the Xth thermal runaway cell is also called "stopping thermal propagation." Stopping after the first thermal runaway cell is also called "no-TP," meaning that no heat transfer to other cells occurs.

[0003] To enable targeted venting of thermal runaway cells, it is advantageous to connect the cell vents to an exhaust volume that allows for the targeted removal and cooling of harmful gases. Ideally, this connection should prevent obstruction of the venting process of the thermal runaway cells. Blockage at the cell vents can lead to undesirable through-burning at other cell locations. To provide the freest possible venting of the thermal runaway cells and to output harmful gases via the exhaust volume, an opening or interface can be provided between the exhaust chamber and the cell vents. Given the high oxygen content in the environment and the immediate risk of ignition within the vehicle, free venting into the environment rather than into the exhaust chamber is undesirable. These interfaces or openings between the cells and the exhaust chamber can be implemented, for example, as perforated plates in which each cell is positioned in a freely cut manner within the area of ​​the cell vent. Larger cuts above a larger number of cells are also feasible. If the cell vents point downwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the space above the underbody protection device of the vehicle can be used as an exhaust chamber. However, the challenge lies in the fact that the battery compartment housing the cells must be reliably protected against the intrusion of water, dust, contaminants, etc. The bottom protection device, being located close to the vehicle's environment, is particularly vulnerable to potential intrusion by water or dirt. Furthermore, due to the size of the battery and the corresponding dimensions of the bottom protection device, sealing the bottom protection device relative to the battery is extremely difficult. Sealing the cell area or the area with through-holes is also not easy, as it must be ensured that the cells can vent freely without being blocked by the waterproof sealing structure directly located on the cells. Conversely, the sealing structure cannot be constructed too thin, lest it lose its sealing effect during its lifespan. Due to factors such as the large geometry of the battery, component tolerances, reversible and irreversible cell growth, thermal effects, and driving motion, achieving the sealing of high-voltage batteries has been extremely costly to date.

[0004] DE 10 2022 121 801 A1 describes a battery having cells and a battery casing, the battery casing having an orifice plate on which the cells are placed, wherein, for each cell, the orifice plate has an associated vent, the associated cell being placed on the vent and through which gas escaping from the corresponding associated cell can be vented from the internal space of the casing. Here, the vent can be sealed by means of a sealing layer configured to be permeable by hot gas flowing from the cell in the event of thermal runaway. The sealing layer may include an adhesive layer through which the cell is bonded to the orifice plate. Furthermore, a basin may be arranged on the side of the orifice plate opposite to the cell, the basin, together with the orifice plate, surrounding a buffer volume in which impact-absorbing foam is arranged. The basin may be sealingly connected to the orifice plate, and furthermore, the basin may serve as a tie-post protection. The basin may also have a sandwich structure.

[0005] DE 10 2022 115 489 B3 describes a pure electric vehicle having a battery and a frame structure that circumferentially encloses a battery housing space, wherein the battery housing space has a mounting opening on its lower bottom side for installing and removing the battery. This mounting opening is closed by a cover plate disposed below the frame structure, wherein a sealing portion is arranged for sealing the cover plate relative to the frame interface. Furthermore, the vehicle includes a bottom protection plate on its underside, disposed below the cover plate and projecting laterally beyond it. The bottom protection plate can be sealed relative to the frame structure and / or the cover plate by means of additional sealing portions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a battery assembly and a motor vehicle that enable the sealing of the internal space of a battery in a manner that is as simple and cost-effective as possible, without hindering the venting of the battery cell in the event of thermal runaway.

[0007] This objective is achieved by a battery assembly and a motor vehicle having the features described in the respective independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims, the specification, and the drawings.

[0008] A battery assembly for a motor vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a cell assembly having at least one cell, the at least one cell having an openable cell vent; a support plate having a first support side, a second support side opposite to the first support side, and at least one through-area associated with the at least one cell, wherein the at least one cell is arranged on the first support side such that the openable cell vent faces the first support side and faces the through-area, wherein the support plate has a venting area, and the through-area is arranged in the venting area. Furthermore, the battery assembly includes a protection plate arranged in a specific direction below the support plate and facing the second support side of the support plate, and the battery assembly further includes a first venting chamber located between the protection plate and the support plate, wherein, in the event of venting, gas escaping from the openable cell vent can be introduced into the first venting chamber through the through-area. Here, the battery assembly includes a sealing layer disposed on a second support side. The sealing layer is sealed to the second support side in a sealed manner along at least one closed sealing profile extending closedly around the venting area of ​​the support plate. The sealing layer covers the venting area and isolates the venting area from the first venting chamber. A second venting chamber is formed between the venting area and the sealing layer, or a second venting chamber may be formed in the event of venting. The battery assembly is designed such that the second venting chamber is only temporarily fluidly isolated from the first venting chamber in the event of venting, and a fluid connection is established between the first venting chamber and the second venting chamber in the event of venting.

[0009] The sealing layer provides a particularly advantageous sealing solution for sealing the internal space of the battery. The main advantage of this sealing layer is that it forms a second venting chamber, either permanently or at the latest in the event of venting, which is adjacent to the through-area of ​​the support plate. Thus, at the latest in the event of venting, the sealing layer does not directly adhere to the through-area, significantly simplifying the passage of gas through the through-area and its corresponding entry into the second venting chamber. Therefore, a reliable venting solution is provided for at least one cell. Furthermore, as long as no venting occurs, the sealing layer isolates the first venting chamber from the venting area of ​​the support plate and, consequently, from the internal space of the battery, thereby providing additional protection against liquids, dirt, dust, or contaminants intruding into the internal space of the battery from the first venting chamber via the through-area. However, in the event of venting, this isolation between the first and second venting chambers is only temporary, because subsequently, in the event of venting, a fluid connection is eventually established between the first and second venting chambers, through which gas introduced into the second venting chamber via the through-area can reach the first venting chamber and be discharged, for example, into the environment. Therefore, this battery assembly can achieve reliable sealing of the internal space of the battery, while not hindering the venting of the relevant cells during venting.

[0010] The internal space of the battery is located on the same side of the cell assembly on the support plate, and is particularly adjacent to the first support side.

[0011] Here, the sealing layer need not be the only sealing measure used to seal the internal space of the battery, but can also be used in combination with other sealing measures, such as one or more of the sealing measures mentioned above. Even if one sealing measure fails, the redundancy measures still provide sufficiently reliable sealing protection.

[0012] At least one cell can be designed as, for example, a cylindrical cell, a pouch cell, or a prismatic cell. Furthermore, at least one cell can be, for example, a lithium-ion cell. The cell assembly may also optionally include multiple cells. Other optional cells can then be designed accordingly, as described above and below with reference to at least one cell.

[0013] An openable cell vent can be understood as an opening that is closed but can be opened under certain conditions. That is, such an openable cell vent can have both a closed and an open state, and can transition from the closed to the open state. This transition does not necessarily have to be reversible. It is possible that, for example, if the openable cell vent is designed as a ruptured diaphragm, it cannot transition from the open to the closed state. An openable cell vent can also be designed to allow a transition from the open to the closed state, for example, when the openable cell vent is designed as a pressure relief valve.

[0014] The openable cell vent can be designed as a passive pressure-dependent openable cell vent, for example, as a pressure relief valve and / or a rupture diaphragm and / or a predetermined break point in the cell housing. Here, under normal conditions, the openable cell vent is closed and thus fluid-tightly isolates the interior of the corresponding cell from the environment. Upon a specific overpressure, this cell vent opens, thus providing fluid connection between the interior of the corresponding cell and its environment, allowing gas to escape from the cell.

[0015] For example, if a cell assembly comprises multiple cells having individually operable cell vents, these operable cell vents are opposite corresponding or shared through-areas of the carrier plate. These through-areas, or corresponding through-areas, are all arranged within the same venting area of ​​the carrier plate. Therefore, the venting area is, for example, constructed as a continuous area of ​​the carrier plate, in which all through-areas associated with at least one identical cell assembly are arranged.

[0016] The support plate may optionally be a cooling plate. In other words, the support plate may also include cooling channels through which a cooling medium can flow, and which can flow through to cool the battery cells during operation. In this case, it is advantageous that the through-area associated with the battery cells is arranged in an area of ​​the support plate through which no cooling channel extends. Furthermore, the support plate may also be part of the battery housing, in which the battery cell assembly is arranged. For example, the support plate may be designed as the bottom of the battery housing.

[0017] The through-area can be a predetermined break point, a location with a material weakness, or a permanent opening or hole. For example, the through-area can be designed as a through-opening in a carrier plate, which can optionally be covered by a protective layer and / or protective film of the battery assembly. The protective layer covering the through-opening can be provided, for example, in the form of an insert or film cover. If the cell assembly comprises multiple cells, it is preferable that each cell has its own through-area. This through-area then directly faces the associated, openable cell vent of the corresponding cell.

[0018] The specific direction is preferably the vertical direction relative to the vehicle's vertical orientation as specified in the installation position within the motor vehicle. Correspondingly, it is preferable that the protective plate is an underbody protection device for the motor vehicle.

[0019] For example, the sealing layer can be designed as a thin, flat structure, and it can also be three-dimensionally shaped, meaning it does not have to be completely flat. Furthermore, the sealing layer can also comprise a multi-layered structure.

[0020] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is designed in a bowl shape, thereby forming a gap between the sealing layer and the venting region, which forms a second venting chamber. That is, the second venting chamber is not only formed during venting, but is always present in this example. Therefore, the first and second venting chambers are arranged in a stacked manner in a specific direction, and are fluidly isolated from each other in space by the sealing layer, at least under normal conditions (i.e., as long as no venting occurs). Due to the bowl-shaped design of the sealing layer, the gas passing through the perforation region encounters minimal resistance during venting. This enables particularly simple and reliable venting in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell. Therefore, the sealing layer can be designed, for example, as a cup-shaped structure, which is arranged on the support plate below the perforation region.

[0021] According to another highly advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is arranged on the support plate such that, in the event of venting, the sealing layer is at least partially detached from the support plate due to temperature and / or pressure, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber. Therefore, the gas pressure and / or gas temperature generated by the gas escaping from the openable cell vent can advantageously be used to at least partially or completely detach the sealing layer from the support plate, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber. For example, the sealing layer can be arranged on the support plate via a joint connection, such as an adhesive connection, which can be easily released due to pressure and / or temperature. Thus, venting of the cell automatically creates a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber.

[0022] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is designed such that, in the event of venting, the sealing layer is at least partially destroyed due to temperature and / or pressure, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber. Here, the gas pressure and / or gas temperature generated by the gas escaping from the cell can also be advantageously utilized to establish a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber. For this purpose, the sealing layer according to this example is designed such that it is at least partially destroyed, for example, ruptured and / or melted, due to gas pressure and / or due to the thermal effect caused by the gas, thereby establishing a fluid connection.

[0023] The examples described above, which establish a fluid connection by at least partially detaching the sealing layer from the carrier plate and / or by at least partially destroying the sealing layer, can also be combined with each other. In other words, the sealing layer can be arranged on the carrier plate in a manner that allows it to be at least partially detached during venting, and is also designed such that it is at least partially destroyed during cell venting due to temperature and / or pressure. This ensures, in a particularly reliable manner, that a fluid connection is established between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber during venting.

[0024] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is designed to be shape-stable. Here, the sealing layer does not necessarily have to be designed to be rigid or stiff, but can also be slightly flexible. For example, the sealing layer can be designed to resemble a yogurt cup. For example, the sealing layer can be designed as described above to have a three-dimensional shape and be thin-walled. Thus, the sealing layer does not need to be directly attached to the venting area, thereby simplifying the venting of the battery cell.

[0025] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is designed to be flexible and / or elastic. In particular, the sealing layer can also be designed such that it is flat under normal conditions (i.e., as long as at least one cell does not vent), for example in the form of a thin film or elastic diaphragm. The flexibility and / or elasticity of the sealing layer provides the possibility that it can be designed to bulge in the venting condition, thereby temporarily forming a second venting chamber. Due to the flexibility and / or elasticity of the sealing layer, in the venting condition, due to the pressure of the escaping gas, the sealing layer can be particularly easily and locally pushed away from the venting area or through-area of ​​the support plate.

[0026] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the sealing layer is therefore located in the venting region and is designed to form a second venting chamber in the event of venting due to the gas escaping from the cell vent. This is a particularly space-saving variant.

[0027] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sealing layer comprises or is made of plastic. Particularly when the sealing layer is made of or comprises plastic, it can be constructed in a particularly simple manner such that it is at least partially disrupted, for example, melted and / or torn, in the event of venting, to establish a fluid connection between the second venting chamber and the first venting chamber. For example, such plastic may comprise or be polypropylene and / or polyamide. Other plastics are also contemplated.

[0028] According to another advantageous design of the invention, the cell assembly includes a plurality of cells, each having an openable cell vent, which is opposite to a corresponding through-area of ​​a carrier plate, wherein the through-areas are arranged in the same venting area. In particular, the battery assembly includes a plurality of cell assemblies, wherein each cell assembly is associated with a venting area of ​​the carrier plate and each cell assembly is associated with a sealing layer arranged on the carrier plate in such a way as to cover the venting area of ​​the carrier plate associated with the cell assemblies.

[0029] One advantage is that a shared sealing layer is provided for the cell assembly. This means there's no need to create a separate sealing layer for each individual cell. If the battery assembly also comprises multiple cell assemblies, particularly those with a corresponding number of cells, then a separate associated sealing layer can be provided for each cell assembly. This, in turn, facilitates sealing the corresponding sealing layer relative to the carrier plate, as this sealing layer can be designed to be smaller and, for example, does not need to cover the entire high-voltage battery.

[0030] For example, a cell pack can be provided in the form of a cell stack having multiple cells arranged side-by-side along a stacking direction. A battery assembly may specifically include a battery, such as a high-voltage battery, which in turn includes multiple cell packs. The battery may include a battery housing in which multiple cell packs are arranged, wherein the bottom of the battery housing may be configured as a support plate.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a motor vehicle having a battery assembly or one of its designs according to the present invention. This motor vehicle may, for example, be designed as an electric vehicle.

[0032] The motor vehicle according to the present invention is preferably designed as an automobile, particularly as a passenger car or commercial vehicle, or as a bus or motorcycle.

[0033] The present invention also includes feature combinations of the described embodiments. Therefore, the present invention also includes the following implementations, each having a plurality of feature combinations of the described embodiments, provided that these implementations are not described as mutually exclusive. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention are described below. The figures show:

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the embodiments, the components described are individual, independent features of the present invention, and these features also independently improve the present invention. Therefore, this disclosure should also include feature combinations different from the feature combinations of the illustrated embodiments. Furthermore, the embodiments can also be supplemented by other features among the features already described in the present invention.

[0037] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote elements that have the same function.

[0038] Figure 1A schematic cross-sectional view of a battery assembly 11 having a battery 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The battery 10 may be designed as, for example, a high-voltage battery 10. The battery 10 includes at least one cell group 12. In this example, the cell group 12 is provided in the form of a cell stack 14, which includes a plurality of cells 16 arranged side by side along the stacking direction x. Intercellular material 18 or cell separator element 18, etc., may be arranged between two cells 16 arranged side by side along the stacking direction x.

[0039] The battery assembly 11 also includes a support plate 20. The support plate 20 can also be designed as a cooling plate, for example. The support plate 20 has a first plate side 20a and an opposing plate side 20b, which can also be referred to as the first support side 20a and the second support side 20b, respectively. Here, the first plate side 20a faces the cell assembly 12. The cell 16 also has an openable cell vent 22, such as a rupture diaphragm. The cell vent can also be referred to as a cell air vent 22. These cell air vents 22 are arranged on the respective bottom surface 16a of each cell 16, and thus face the first support side 20a. The support plate 20 has associated through-areas 24 for each cell 16. In its simplest case, the through-area 24 can be designed as holes 26 in the support plate 20. These holes 26—that is, those configured as through openings—can optionally still be covered by a protective film, protective cover, or protective pad, etc. Therefore, the support plate 20 can be designed as a perforated plate. Here, each through-area 24 is directly opposite a corresponding openable cell vent 16a in the z-direction. Therefore, in the case of venting of the cell 16, the gas escaping from the cell, more precisely from its openable cell vent 16a, can pass through the through-area 24 and penetrate the support plate 20. This allows the gas to be safely discharged from the internal space 27 of the battery 10.

[0040] Furthermore, a protective plate 28 is arranged below the support plate 20 in the z-direction. This protective plate is specifically configured as a bottom protection device 30 for a motor vehicle using the battery 10 or battery pack 11. The protective plate 28 can cover the entire battery 10 in the xy plane. This advantageously provides an exhaust chamber 32 between the support plate 20 and the protective plate 28, which is also referred to herein as a first exhaust chamber 32.

[0041] If, during venting, the venting occurs in the vent chamber 32 between the support plate 20 and the bottom protection device 30, then the waterproof sealing of the battery 10 will be particularly challenging, as the bottom protection device 30 is directly adjacent to the environment 34, especially the environment of the vehicle using the battery assembly 11. To achieve this seal, the bottom protection device 30 itself can be designed, for example, to be fluid-tight and / or fluid-tightly connected to the support plate 20 or to another housing component of the battery casing of the battery 10.

[0042] However, due to the size of typical high-voltage batteries, the sealing design schemes in traditional batteries are very complex in this case.

[0043] The invention, or its embodiments, are advantageously implemented here by introducing, in particular, an additional waterproof seal. This is achieved specifically by a sealing layer 36 arranged on the support plate 20. In this example, the sealing layer 36 is provided in the form of a cup-shaped structure 38 in the elongated basin embodiment. In other words, this cup-shaped structure 38 extends along the x-direction over the entire cell stack 14.

[0044] A venting region 42 can be defined for the cell assembly 12. This venting region is the area in which all the cell vents 22 of the cells 16 included in the cell stack 14 are arranged, particularly such an area on the bottom surface 40 of the module. The area of ​​the support plate 20 that directly faces this venting region 42 in the z-direction can be constructed as a corresponding venting region 42' of the support plate, which correspondingly includes all the through areas 24 of the same cell stack 14. The sealing layer 36, particularly the cup-shaped structure 38, is here sealingly joined to the second support side 20b along a closed sealing profile 44 that extends in a closed manner around the venting region 42' of the support plate 20. Accordingly, the sealing layer 36 completely covers the venting region 42' of the support plate 20 and the venting region 42 of the cell assembly 12. The sealing layer 36 can be, for example, bonded or otherwise fixed to the support plate 20 via this sealing profile 44. Within the sealed profile 44, the cup-shaped structure 38 is spaced d from the support plate 20, and correspondingly d from the openable cell vent 22 located above it. This provides a second vent chamber 32' between the support plate 20 and the cup-shaped structure 38. Under normal conditions, i.e., as long as cell 16 is not venting, the first vent chamber 32 and the second vent chamber 32' are spatially fluidly isolated from each other. The distance from the cell 16 ensures that venting of the relevant cell is particularly simple and unobstructed during venting. Therefore, it is preventable that the cup-shaped structure 38 will block the vent when cell 16 is venting. Furthermore, the cup-shaped structure 38 is preferably designed such that a fluid connection is established between the first vent chamber 32 and the second vent chamber 32' during venting of cell 16. For example, the cup-shaped structure 38 can be opened using the opening pressure of cell 16 (typically between about 6 bar and 9 bar) and, particularly simultaneously, without additional heat input, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the first vent chamber 32 and the second vent chamber 32'. For this purpose, the cup-shaped structure 38 can be at least partially detached from and / or at least partially destroyed, for example, melted or torn. That is, the cup-shaped structure 38 can, for example, detach or open using a first pressure wave during venting. Here, the cup-shaped structure 38 can be designed such that it tears and / or decomposes and / or detaches as immediately as possible after the thermal runaway of the cell 16, as this can particularly effectively prevent the temperature rise of adjacent cells of the thermally runaway cell 16. In addition, further protective measures can be provided to protect adjacent cells 16, for example, by using potting material between the cell vent 22 and the carrier plate 20.

[0045] Furthermore, the cup-shaped structure 38 also has a distance D from the protective plate 28, although this is not mandatory. This better protects the entire assembly from forces acting on the protective plate 28 from the outside, particularly from below. It also provides a smaller volume second exhaust chamber 32', thus simplifying the establishment of pressure-induced fluid connection in exhaust conditions by thereby generating pressure more quickly.

[0046] For example, the battery 10 may include a plurality of such cell packs 12. These cell packs may be arranged side by side, for example, along the y-direction and / or the x-direction. For example, each such cell pack 12 may have its own sealing layer 36.

[0047] In summary, these examples illustrate how the present invention can provide a cup-shaped structure for achieving a waterproof seal between the high-voltage chamber and the bottom of a high-voltage battery. This particularly enables the sealing of the high-voltage battery cooling plate at the venting interface. This sealing measure can be combined in any manner with other optional sealing measures. The present invention enables the introduction of a "yogurt cup" in an elongated basin-shaped embodiment, which is positioned, bonded, or fixed between the cell vents of multiple battery cells and the bottom protection device, and the yogurt cup acts as a seal against the external high-voltage area, or the cell area, or the contact area. The cup-shaped structure preferably has a distance from the cell vent so as not to obstruct the venting. Even in the absence of heat input, the cup-shaped structure preferably allows venting via the venting volume using the cell's opening pressure. Therefore, the cup-shaped structure can detach or open with a first pressure wave. The cup-shaped structure can also decompose as quickly as possible after thermal runaway to avoid causing temperature increases in adjacent cells of the thermally runaway cell. By placing such a cup-shaped structure below the cell vent or the support plate, a significantly more robust waterproof seal can be provided. Furthermore, this does not restrict venting behavior and allows for simple installation of a waterproof seal. This cup-shaped structure can also be implemented independently of the cell vent protection design. Here, the cup-shaped structure can be constructed as the sole waterproof seal between the environment and the battery space, or as a supplementary waterproof seal to other protection designs, such as a seal for an additional bottom protection device relative to the support plate, or a similar solution.

Claims

1. A battery assembly (11) for a motor vehicle, the battery assembly comprising: - A battery cell assembly (12, 14) having at least one battery cell (16) having an openable battery cell vent (22). - A support plate (20) having a first support side (20a), a second support side (20b) opposite to the first support side (20a), and at least one through-area (24, 26) associated with the at least one battery cell (16), wherein the at least one battery cell (16) is arranged on the first support side (20a) such that an openable battery cell vent (22) faces the first support side (20a) and is opposite to the through-area (24, 26), wherein the support plate (20) has a vent area (42'), and the through-area (24, 26) is arranged in the vent area; - A protective plate (28, 30), which is arranged in a specific direction (z) below the support plate (20) and towards the second support side (20b) of the protective plate (28, 30); and - The first exhaust chamber (32) located between the protection plate (28, 30) and the support plate (20) allows gas escaping from the openable battery exhaust port (22) to be introduced into the first exhaust chamber through the through-area (24, 26) during exhaust. Its features are, - The battery assembly (11) includes a sealing layer (36, 38) disposed on a second support side (20b), the sealing layer being sealed to the second support side (20b) along at least one closed sealing profile (44) extending closedly around the venting region (42') of the support plate (20), the sealing layer covering the venting region (42') and isolating the venting region from the first venting chamber (32). - Wherein, a second exhaust chamber (32') is formed between the exhaust region (42') and the sealing layer (36, 38), or a second exhaust chamber can be formed during exhaust. - The battery assembly (11) is designed such that the second exhaust chamber (32') is only temporarily fluidly isolated from the first exhaust chamber (32) in the exhaust condition, and a fluid connection is established between the first exhaust chamber (32) and the second exhaust chamber (32') in the exhaust condition.

2. The battery assembly (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are designed in a bowl shape to form a gap between the sealing layers (36, 38) and the exhaust area (42'), the gap forming the second exhaust chamber (32').

3. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are arranged on the support plate (20) such that, in the event of venting, the sealing layers are at least partially detached from the support plate (20) due to temperature and / or pressure, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the second venting chamber (32') and the first venting chamber (32).

4. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are designed such that, in the event of exhaust, the sealing layers are at least partially destroyed due to temperature and / or pressure, thereby establishing a fluid connection between the second exhaust chamber (32') and the first exhaust chamber (32).

5. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are designed to be shape-stable.

6. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are designed to be flexible and / or elastic.

7. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are attached to the venting area (42') and are designed to form a second venting chamber (32') due to the gas escaping from the cell vent (22) in the event of venting.

8. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing layers (36, 38) are made of or contain plastic.

9. The battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cell assembly (12, 14) includes a plurality of cells (16), each of which has an openable cell vent (22) opposite to a corresponding through area (24, 26) of the carrier plate (20), wherein the through areas (24, 26) are arranged in a vent area (42'). In particular, the battery assembly (11) includes a plurality of cell assemblies, wherein each cell assembly (12, 14) is associated with a vent area (42') of the carrier plate (20), and each cell assembly (12, 14) is associated with a sealing layer (36, 38) arranged on the carrier plate (20) to cover the vent area (42') of the carrier plate (20) associated with the cell assembly (12, 14).

10. A motor vehicle having a battery assembly (11) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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