Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

The battery pack according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of battery modules; a pack case having an internal space for accommodating the plurality of battery modules and a wall portion surrounding the battery modules; and at least one refractory partition wall that partitions an internal space provided between the battery modules, and that is detachably assembled to the wall portion, the refractory partition wall may include a main body portion made of a refractory material and an edge portion made of a rigid material and surrounding an outer periphery of the main body portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery pack, and more specifically, to a battery pack capable of suppressing or delaying thermal runaway between battery modules in the event of a fire in the battery pack.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0070559, filed in Korea on May 30, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Secondary batteries, with their high applicability based on product category and electrical characteristics (e.g., high energy density), are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by these batteries. Secondary batteries are gaining attention as a new energy source that benefits the environment and improves energy efficiency, not only because they can significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels but also because they do not produce any byproducts during energy use.

[0004] Currently widely used rechargeable battery types include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. When a high output voltage is required, multiple battery cells are connected in series to form a battery module or battery pack. Alternatively, multiple battery cells are connected in parallel to form a battery module or battery pack to increase charging / discharging capacity. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in a battery module or battery pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage or charging / discharging capacity.

[0005] Typically, secondary batteries operate at voltages of approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, for example, in electric vehicles, battery modules are configured by connecting multiple secondary batteries in series and / or parallel, and battery packs are configured by connecting multiple battery modules in series and / or parallel, with the battery packs serving as an energy source.

[0006] Meanwhile, recently, due to the large number of battery modules being tightly packed into the limited internal space of the battery pack casing, battery packs have very low energy density. Battery packs have been criticized for their poor fire safety, because if a fire occurs in one battery module, heat can spread and quickly cause a chain reaction of fires in other adjacent battery modules.

[0007] Therefore, in this field, when designing battery packs, providing a method to delay or suppress the spread of heat between battery modules within the battery pack to address the problem of battery module fires has become an important task. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] This disclosure is designed to address problems in the related art, and therefore aims to provide a battery pack that can suppress or delay the propagation of heat to adjacent battery modules in the event of a fire in a battery module.

[0010] Furthermore, the purpose of this disclosure is to apply assemblable and removable fire-resistant partitions inside the battery pack housing, so that the battery modules and fire-resistant partitions can be variably arranged as needed, thereby enabling more efficient use of the internal space of the battery pack.

[0011] 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 also be addressed.

[0012] Technical solution

[0013] In one aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, the battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a battery pack housing having an internal space configured to accommodate the plurality of battery modules and a wall configured to surround the battery modules; and at least one fire-resistant partition disposed between the battery modules to separate the internal space and detachably assembled to the wall, wherein the fire-resistant partition includes a body portion made of a fire-resistant material and an edge portion made of a rigid material and configured to surround the outer periphery of the body portion.

[0014] The main body can be made of a refractory material including at least one of aerogel, mica and silicon.

[0015] The edge portion may be made of a rigid material including at least one of steel, reinforced ceramics, and titanium.

[0016] Each battery module can be placed inside the battery pack housing, such that each battery module is surrounded by walls and fire-resistant partitions on the left, right, front and rear sides.

[0017] The wall may include a partition assembly configured to allow fire-resistant partitions to be slidably connected in the vertical direction.

[0018] The baffle assembly may include a pair of guide blocks configured to protrude from the side surface of the wall, extend in a vertical direction, and be spaced apart from each other with a gap corresponding to the thickness of the fire-resistant baffle.

[0019] The pair of guide blocks may have at least one bolt fastening hole, and the fire-resistant baffle may have a through hole that matches the bolt fastening hole when inserted between the pair of guide blocks.

[0020] The partition assembly may include an insertion guide groove that is recessed to a predetermined depth in the side surface of the wall and extends in a vertical direction, and the fire-resistant partition may include an insertion protrusion disposed at at least one end and configured to fit into the insertion guide groove in a vertical direction.

[0021] As another example, the partition assembly may include an insertion guide protrusion formed to protrude from a side surface of the wall and extend in a vertical direction, and the fire-resistant partition may include an insertion groove provided at least at one end and configured to engage with the insertion guide protrusion in a vertical direction.

[0022] The battery pack housing may include: a battery pack tray having an open top and bottom plate, with multiple battery modules and walls mounted on the bottom plate; and a battery pack cover configured to cover the top of the opening in the battery pack tray.

[0023] The wall may include: an outer wall disposed along the outer edge of the base plate; and a first crossbeam configured to extend across the base plate and connect to the outer wall.

[0024] One end of the fire-resistant partition can be connected to the first crossbeam, and the other end of the fire-resistant partition can be connected to the outer wall.

[0025] The battery pack housing may also include a second crossbeam configured to separate battery modules that are laterally adjacent to each other, and a fire-resistant partition may be disposed between the battery modules and the second crossbeam.

[0026] The battery pack may also include a module top cover partition that is detachably assembled to the wall to cover the top of at least one battery module.

[0027] The wall portion may have a partition mounting groove recessed in the top surface, and the module top cover partition may have mounting protrusions disposed at its edge to mate with the shape of the partition mounting groove.

[0028] As another example, the wall portion may include a bolt fastening portion disposed at the top and having a threaded hole, and the module top cover partition may include protrusions disposed at the edge and bolted to the bolt fastening portion.

[0029] In another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes the aforementioned battery pack.

[0030] Beneficial effects

[0031] According to this disclosure, a battery pack can be provided that can suppress or delay the propagation of heat to adjacent battery modules when a fire occurs in a battery module.

[0032] Furthermore, according to this disclosure, since the assemblable and detachable fire-resistant partitions are applied inside the battery pack housing, the battery modules and the fire-resistant partitions can be variably arranged as needed, thereby enabling more efficient use of the internal space of the battery pack.

[0033] The effects that can be obtained from this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A partial exploded perspective view of the battery pack.

[0036] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A perspective view of the battery pack tray.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a fire-resistant partition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of the fire-resistant partition.

[0039] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 4 Exploded perspective view of the fire-resistant partition.

[0040] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is an assembly process diagram showing the fire-resistant partition of the battery pack housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 9 It is shown that... Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack with different fire-resistant partition arrangements depending on the size of the battery module, compared to the previous implementation method.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing a fire-resistant partition and a partition assembly of a battery pack housing according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 This shows the assembly to the battery pack housing. Figure 10 A schematic diagram of an example of a fire-resistant partition.

[0044] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing a fire-resistant partition and a partition assembly of a battery pack housing according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 13 This shows the assembly to the battery pack housing. Figure 12 A schematic diagram of an example of a fire-resistant partition.

[0046] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the main part of a battery pack including a module top cover partition according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 15 It shows that the assembly has Figure 14 A plan view of a portion of the battery pack tray on the top cover of the module.

[0048] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram showing the main part of a battery pack including a module top cover partition according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 17 This is a partial plan view showing the battery pack tray with the module top cover partition assembled.

[0050] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of a battery pack including a second crossbeam and a fire-resistant partition according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0052] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before description, it should be understood that the terminology used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to its general or dictionary meaning, but rather interpreted based on the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure, on the basis of allowing the inventors to appropriately define the terminology for best illustration. Therefore, the description presented herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure; thus, it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] Furthermore, in interpreting this disclosure, if a detailed description of the relevant notification structure or function is deemed likely to obscure the essential points of this disclosure, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0054] Since the embodiments of this disclosure are provided to explain the disclosure more fully to those skilled in the art, the shapes and dimensions of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or shown schematically for clarity. Therefore, the dimensions or proportions of each component do not perfectly reflect the actual dimensions or proportions.

[0055] Figure 1This is a perspective view schematically illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A partial exploded perspective view of the battery pack. Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A perspective view of the battery pack tray, and Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a fire-resistant partition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Referring to these figures, the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery modules 100, a battery pack housing 200 for accommodating the plurality of battery modules 100, and a fire-resistant partition 300 that separates the internal space of the battery pack housing 200 and is disposed between the battery modules 100.

[0057] Battery module 100 may include multiple battery cells and a module housing housing the battery cells. Here, a battery cell refers to a secondary battery including electrode assemblies, an electrolyte, and a battery housing, and can be any shape of secondary battery without limitation (e.g., pouch-shaped, cylindrical, or rectangular). The module housing has an internal space capable of accommodating the battery cells and may be made of a metallic material (e.g., steel) or a non-metallic material with high rigidity to protect the battery cells from external impacts.

[0058] The battery module 100 has at least one vent (not shown) on at least one side of the module housing and can be configured such that when the battery cell catches fire, gases such as gas are discharged to the outside of the module housing through the vent, so that the internal pressure does not increase rapidly.

[0059] The battery pack housing 200 can be configured to include a wall 212 forming an internal space surrounding the battery module 100, and to accommodate a plurality of battery modules 100 within the internal space. For example, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the battery pack housing 200 can be configured to include a battery pack tray 210 and a battery pack cover 220.

[0060] The battery pack tray 210 can be configured as a box shape, having partitioned spaces and an open top. Battery modules 100 can be arranged one by one in each partitioned space. Furthermore, a battery pack cover 220 can cover the top of the opening of the battery pack tray 210 and can be configured to be connected to the battery pack tray 210.

[0061] More specifically, refer to Figure 3 The battery pack tray 210 may include a base plate 211 and a wall portion 212. Multiple battery modules 100 are mounted on the base plate 211, and the wall portion 212 is fixedly connected to the base plate 211 to form an internal space in the battery pack tray 210.

[0062] The wall portion 212 may include an outer wall 212a arranged along the outer edge of the base plate 211. The battery pack tray 210 has an internal space surrounded by the base plate 211 and the outer wall 212a. Furthermore, the wall portion 212 may include a first crossbeam 212b extending across the base plate 211 and connecting to the outer wall 212a. For example, the first crossbeam 212b may be configured to pass through the center of the base plate and extend in a horizontal direction (X direction), and have two ends connected to the outer wall 212a to divide the internal space of the battery pack tray 210 into two parts. The battery modules 100 may be divided into two groups and arranged on the left (-Y direction) and right (+Y direction) sides of the first crossbeam 212b. For ease of explanation, the battery modules 100 arranged on the left side of the first crossbeam 212b will be referred to as the first group of battery modules, and the battery modules 100 arranged on the right side of the first crossbeam 212b will be referred to as the second group of battery modules.

[0063] The first crossbeam 212b can be used to increase the structural rigidity of the battery pack tray 210 by supporting the outer wall 212a. Therefore, even if an external impact is applied, deformation (e.g., warping) of the battery pack tray 210 can be suppressed. In addition, by separating the first set of battery modules and the second set of battery modules, when a fire occurs in one set of battery modules, the first crossbeam 212b can be used to prevent or delay the spread of heat to the other set of battery modules.

[0064] The battery pack tray 210 may also include a vent 201. At least one vent 201 may be provided on at least one side of the outer wall 212a.

[0065] A metal mesh can be attached to the vent 201. Gases generated when the battery module 100 catches fire can pass through the metal mesh and be discharged to the outside of the battery pack housing 200, but the metal mesh prevents flames or sparks from leaking to the outside. Although not shown, a valve unit that opens and closes according to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the battery pack housing 200 can be installed in the vent 201.

[0066] For example, the two vents 201 can be respectively located on the front (+X direction) and rear (-X direction) side of the outer wall 212a. One of the two vents 201 located on the front side of the outer wall 212a can be located on the left side (-Y direction) of the first crossbeam 212b, and the other vent 201 can be located on the right side (+Y direction) of the first crossbeam 212b. The two vents 201 located on the rear side of the outer wall 212a can also be located one on each side of the first crossbeam 212b. The vent 201 located on the left side of the first crossbeam 212b can be used to discharge the gas generated when the first battery module 100 catches fire to the outside of the battery pack housing 200, and the vent 201 located on the right side of the first crossbeam 212b can be used to discharge the gas generated when the second battery module 100 catches fire to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0067] The battery pack cover 220 can be provided in the form of a plate or a cover, which is bolted to, for example, the top of the outer wall 212a of the battery pack tray 210, and can cover the top of the opening of the battery pack tray 210. Although not shown, a sealing gasket can be arranged at the top of the outer wall 212a, and the edge of the battery pack cover 220 can be placed on the sealing gasket to increase the airtightness of the battery pack housing 200.

[0068] Meanwhile, the battery pack 10 according to this disclosure includes a fire-resistant partition 300 detachably assembled to the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210. As will be described in detail later, the fire-resistant partition 300 according to this disclosure is made of a fire-resistant material, and therefore serves to suppress or delay the propagation of heat energy between adjacent battery modules 100 in the event of a fire in the battery pack 10. Furthermore, the battery pack 10 according to this disclosure is configured such that the fire-resistant partition 300 can be assembled to and detached from the battery pack tray 210, thus allowing the fire-resistant partition 300 to be added or omitted as needed. In this case, not only battery modules 100 of the same size can be stored in the partition space, but also battery modules 100 of different sizes can be stored in the partition space, thereby improving the usability of the internal space of the battery pack 10. Moreover, if the fire-resistant partition 300 is damaged or has durability issues, only the fire-resistant partition 300 can be replaced or repaired, thereby improving the convenience of maintenance.

[0069] A fire-resistant partition 300 is placed between the battery modules 100 to separate them. The fire-resistant partition 300 is made of fire-resistant material to prevent heat from spreading between the battery modules 100 in the event of a fire.

[0070] Specifically, refer to Figures 4 to 6According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire-resistant partition 300 may include a main body 310 made of fire-resistant material and an edge portion 320 made of rigid material and surrounding the outer periphery of the main body 310.

[0071] The main body 310 may be made of at least one of aerogel, mica, and silicon. The edge portion 320 may include at least one of steel, reinforced ceramic, and titanium as a rigid material.

[0072] The main body 310 is the part that suppresses heat movement and occupies 80% to 90% of the fire-resistant partition 300, while the edge part 320 can be the part that supports the main body 310 so as to maintain the shape of the main body 310.

[0073] For example, the edge portion 320 can be configured as a rectangular frame shape with internal blank space. The main body portion 310 can be configured to completely fill the blank space inside the edge portion 320.

[0074] The fire-resistant partition 300 may also include a fire-resistant sheet 330. The fire-resistant sheet 330 may be made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with added flame retardants or a material with excellent flame-retardant properties (e.g., silicone-coated fabric (Siltex)).

[0075] The refractory sheet 330 can be attached to both sides of the main body 310 and the edge portion 320. (See reference) Figure 6 The refractory sheet 330 has an area that can completely cover the main body 310 and the edge 320, and can be connected to the edge 320 by means of adhesive, bolt connection, riveting, etc.

[0076] In this embodiment, the fire-resistant partition 300 can be configured such that its length corresponds to the distance between the first crossbeam 212b and the outer wall 212a, and its height is equal to or lower than that of the outer wall 212a. Here, the outer wall 212a refers to the outer wall 212a arranged parallel to the first crossbeam 212b.

[0077] like Figure 7 As shown, the fire-resistant partition 300 can be slidably connected to the battery pack tray 210 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the wall portion 212 provided in the battery pack housing 200 according to this disclosure may include a partition assembly 213 as a means for precisely and easily installing the fire-resistant partition 300 in a designated position and providing structural stability.

[0078] The partition assembly 213 according to this embodiment may include a pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b, which protrude from the side surface of the wall portion 212, extend vertically, and are spaced apart from each other with a gap corresponding to the thickness of the fire-resistant partition 300. The pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b may be configured to be detachably attached to the wall portion 212. For example, the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b may be configured to be connected to and disconnected from the wall portion 212 by bolts or snap-fit.

[0079] like Figure 3 As shown, a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b can be respectively installed on one side of the first crossbeam 212b and on the outer wall 212a facing the first crossbeam 212b, and also respectively installed on the other side of the first crossbeam 212b and on the outer wall 212a facing the other side of the first crossbeam 212b. In this embodiment, the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b are installed at regular intervals, but they can also be configured differently. For example, the gap between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b can be determined according to the width of the battery module 100 to be stored in the battery pack tray 210. That is, the gap between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b can be set to be greater than the width of the battery module 100 to be stored in the battery pack tray 210. Figure 3 The gap shown (the gap along the X direction) is narrower or wider.

[0080] Next, the process and structure of assembling the fire-resistant partition 300 onto the battery pack tray 210 are briefly described below.

[0081] like Figure 7 As shown, the fire-resistant baffle 300 can be inserted into a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b pre-installed on the wall portion 212. At this time, one end of the fire-resistant baffle 300 can be inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b installed on the first crossbeam 212b, and the other end of the fire-resistant baffle 300 can be inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b installed on the outer wall 212a. At this time, one end of the fire-resistant baffle 300 can be connected to the first crossbeam 212b, and the other end can be connected to the outer wall 212a.

[0082] A pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b may have at least one bolt fastening hole 213c. For example, as Figure 8As shown, a pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b may have bolt fastening holes 213c, which are located at a predetermined height and formed to penetrate in a direction intersecting with the fire-resistant partition 300. Furthermore, the fire-resistant partition 300 may have a through hole 321 that mates with the bolt fastening holes 213c when inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b and located on the bottom plate 211 of the battery pack tray 210. The bolt fastening holes 213c and the through hole 321 may be configured such that fastening members B, such as bolts or rivets, are inserted and fastened therein.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the fire-resistant partition 300 can be inserted vertically between a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b, and then fixed to the battery pack tray 210 by fastening member B. However, unlike this embodiment, fastening member B may not be used depending on the circumstances.

[0084] When multiple fire-resistant partitions 300 are connected to the battery pack tray 210 in this manner, partition spaces can be provided inside the battery pack tray 210. Battery modules 100 can be placed one by one in the partition spaces. In this case, the front, rear, left, and right sides of each battery module 100 can be surrounded by walls 212 and fire-resistant partitions 300. Therefore, in the event of a fire in a battery module 100, the battery pack 10 according to this disclosure embodiment can suppress or delay the propagation of heat to other adjacent battery modules 100 through the fire-resistant partitions 300.

[0085] Figure 9 It is shown that... Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a battery pack 10 with different fire-resistant partitions 300 arranged according to the size variation of the battery module 100, compared to the previous implementation.

[0086] Meanwhile, the fire-resistant partition 300 according to this disclosure can be assembled to and detached from the battery pack tray 210 as described above. Therefore, the arrangement of the battery module 100 and the fire-resistant partition 300 can be changed as needed. For example, as... Figure 9 As shown, some fire-resistant partitions 300 can be separated from the battery pack tray 210 to arrange larger battery modules 100A on the right side of the first crossbeam 212b. Furthermore, compared to this embodiment, the battery pack 10 can be configured to assemble a greater number of fire-resistant partitions 300 onto the battery pack tray 210 by reducing the spacing between the partition assemblies 213 and increasing the number of partition assemblies 213. In this case, battery modules 100 or other electrical components of various sizes can be stored in the partitioned spaces.

[0087] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the fire-resistant partition 300A and partition assembly 213 of the battery pack housing 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 11 This shows the assembly to the battery pack housing 200. Figure 10 A schematic diagram of an example of a fire-resistant partition 300A.

[0088] The same reference numerals as in the foregoing figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail again. Instead, the focus will be on the features that differ from the foregoing embodiments.

[0089] like Figure 10 As shown, the partition assembly 213 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an insertion guide groove 213d, which is recessed into the side surface of the wall portion 212 at a predetermined depth and extends in the vertical direction. The fire-resistant partition 300A according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an insertion protrusion 323 disposed at at least one end and arranged to be fitted into the insertion guide groove 213d in the vertical direction.

[0090] according to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The implementation shown is the same as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 Compared to the embodiments shown, the internal space freedom of the battery pack housing 200 and the assembly convenience of the fire-resistant partition 300 can be increased. For example, in the aforementioned embodiments, the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b are configured to protrude from the side surface of the wall portion 212, which may cause the guide blocks 213a, 213b and the battery module 100 to interfere with each other when the battery module 100 is placed. In addition, there is the disadvantage that the fire-resistant partition 300 and the guide blocks 213a, 213b must be bolted together, which increases the assembly work. However, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, the fire-resistant partition 300A can be easily assembled to the battery pack tray 210 by fitting the insertion protrusion 323 of the fire-resistant partition 300A into the insertion guide groove 213d of the wall portion 212. Therefore, the fire-resistant partition 300A is very easy to assemble. Furthermore, unlike the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b in the aforementioned embodiments, since there is no part protruding from the wall portion 212, the battery module 100 can be easily arranged.

[0091] Although not shown, the wall portion 212 may have a plurality of insertion guide slots 213d, and the plurality of insertion guide slots 213d may be arranged along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the wall portion 212. Here, the gas between the insertion guide slots 213d can be configured in various ways. For example, the number of insertion guide slots 213d can be increased, and the gap between the insertion guide slots 213d can be configured to be narrower than in this embodiment. The fire-resistant partition 300 can be inserted into the desired position in the plurality of insertion guide slots 213d. In this case, the assembly position of the fire-resistant partition 300 can be variably operated according to the size of the battery module 100 to be mounted on the battery pack tray 210.

[0092] As Figure 10 and Figure 11 Variations of the implementation method, such as Figure 12 As shown, the partition assembly 213 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an insertion guide protrusion 213e formed to protrude from the side surface of the wall and extend in the vertical direction, and the fire-resistant partition 300B may have an insertion groove 325 disposed at at least one end and configured to be fitted into the insertion guide protrusion 213e in the vertical direction.

[0093] The battery pack tray 210 and the fireproof partition 300 can be assembled by fitting the insertion slot 325 of the fireproof partition 300B into the insertion guide protrusion 213e of the wall portion 212. Therefore, as in the aforementioned embodiment, the fireproof partition 300B is very easy to assemble. Similar to the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b in the aforementioned embodiment, since there is no part protruding from the wall portion 212, it is easy to place the battery module 100.

[0094] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of a battery pack 10 including a module top cover partition 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 15 It shows that the assembly has Figure 14 A plan view of a portion of the battery pack tray 210 of the module top cover partition 400.

[0095] The same reference numerals as in the foregoing figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail again. Instead, the focus will be on the features that differ from the foregoing embodiments.

[0096] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack 10 may further include a module top cover partition 400, which is detachably assembled to the wall portion 212 to cover the top of at least one battery module 100.

[0097] For example, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack 10 can be configured such that the front, rear, left and right sides of the battery module 100 are covered by the wall portion 212 and the fire-resistant partition 300A according to the foregoing embodiment, and the upper part of the battery module 100 is covered by the module top cover partition 400.

[0098] The module top cover partition 400 can be configured to be substantially the same as the fire-resistant partition 300. That is, similar to the fire-resistant partition 300, the module top cover partition 400 can be configured to include a main body 310 made of fire-resistant material, an edge 320 made of rigid material and surrounding the outer periphery of the main body 310, and a fire-resistant sheet 330 that integrally covers the main body 310 and the edge 320.

[0099] The module top cover partition 400 can be configured to be detachably attached to the battery pack tray 210. For this purpose, as... Figure 14 As shown, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wall portion 212 of the battery pack tray 210 may have a partition mounting groove 214 recessed in the top surface, and the module top cover partition 400 may have mounting protrusions 410 provided at the edge to fit the shape of the partition mounting groove 214.

[0100] According to this implementation method, such as Figure 15 As shown, the module top cover partition 400 is installed at the top of the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210 to cover the upper part of the battery module 100. In this case, since the top, front, rear, left and right sides of the battery module 100 can be covered, heat and flames can be more effectively prevented from being transferred to other adjacent battery modules 100 in the event of a fire in the battery module 100.

[0101] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 Another example of the implementation method, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wall portion 212 may include a bolt fastening portion 215 having a threaded hole 215a at its top end. Furthermore, the module top cover partition 400A may include a protrusion 420 disposed at its edge and connected to the bolt fastening portion 215 by a bolt B2. For example, the bolt fastening portion 215 may be recessed into the top surface of the wall portion 212, and the protrusion 420 of the module top cover partition 400A may be configured to have a bolt insertion hole that shaped to fit the bolt fastening portion 215 and perpendicularly aligns with the threaded hole 215a. According to this embodiment, the module top cover partition 400A can be more stably secured to the battery pack tray 210.

[0102] Figure 18 This is a view showing the main parts of a battery pack 10 including a second crossbeam 212c and a fire-resistant partition 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] The same reference numerals as in the foregoing figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail again. Instead, the focus will be on the features that differ from the foregoing embodiments.

[0104] Compared to the aforementioned embodiments, the battery pack 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a second crossbeam 212c. That is, the battery pack tray 210 according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a base plate 211, an outer wall 212a, a first crossbeam 212b, and a second crossbeam 212c. Here, the second crossbeam 212c is arranged along a direction intersecting with the first crossbeam 212b, and is part of the battery pack tray 210 that separates laterally adjacent battery modules 100.

[0105] The two ends of the second crossbeam 212c can be fixedly connected to the first crossbeam 212b and the outer wall 212a. The second crossbeam 212c, together with the first crossbeam 212b, is used to support the outer wall 212a to increase the structural rigidity of the battery pack tray 210. In addition, the second crossbeam 212c can block or delay the heat transfer between adjacent battery modules 100.

[0106] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 18 As shown, a fire-resistant partition 300A can be disposed between the battery module 100 and the second crossbeam 212c. In this case, the structural rigidity of the battery pack housing 200 can be further strengthened, and in the event of a fire, heat transfer between the battery modules 100 can be more reliably prevented or delayed.

[0107] Next, refer to Figure 19 Brief description of the vehicle according to this disclosure.

[0108] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle including a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] The vehicle 1 according to this disclosure can be configured to include a battery pack 10, an electronic control unit (ECU) 20, an inverter 30, and a motor 40 according to embodiments of this disclosure. Preferably, the vehicle 1 can be an electric vehicle.

[0110] The battery pack 10 can be used as an electrical energy source to provide driving force to the motor 40 to drive the vehicle 1. Depending on the driving of the motor 40 and / or the internal combustion engine (not shown), the battery pack 10 can be charged or discharged via the inverter 30. The battery pack 10 can be charged via a regenerative charging device combined with the brakes. The battery pack 10 can be electrically connected to the motor 40 of the vehicle 1 via the inverter 30.

[0111] ECU 20 is an electronic control device that controls the state of vehicle 1. For example, ECU 20 determines torque information based on information such as accelerator, brake, and vehicle speed, and controls the output of motor 40 to match the torque information. Furthermore, ECU 20 sends control signals to inverter 30, enabling battery pack 10 to be charged or discharged based on state information such as SOC and SOH of battery pack 10 received from BMS. Inverter 30 charges or discharges battery pack 10 based on the control signals from ECU 20. Motor 40 uses electrical energy from battery pack 10 to drive vehicle 1 based on control information (e.g., torque information) transmitted from ECU 20.

[0112] This disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of this disclosure, they are given by way of illustration only, as various modifications and variations within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing detailed description.

[0113] Furthermore, this specification uses directional terms (e.g., up, down, left, right), but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms are merely for ease of interpretation and may vary depending on the position of the target object or the observer's position.

Claims

1. A battery pack, the battery pack comprising: Multiple battery modules; A battery pack housing having an internal space configured to accommodate the plurality of battery modules and walls configured to surround the battery modules; as well as At least one fire-resistant partition is disposed between the battery modules to separate the internal space and is detachably assembled to the wall. The fire-resistant partition includes a main body and an edge portion. The main body is made of fire-resistant material, and the edge portion is made of rigid material and is configured to surround the outer periphery of the main body.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The main body is made of a refractory material including at least one of aerogel, mica and silicon.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The edge portion is made of a rigid material including at least one of steel, reinforced ceramics, and titanium.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, Each of the battery modules is placed inside the battery pack housing such that the left, right, front and rear sides of each of the battery modules are surrounded by the wall and the fire-resistant partition.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The wall portion includes a partition assembly configured to allow the fire-resistant partitions to be slidably connected in the vertical direction.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, in, The partition assembly includes a pair of guide blocks configured to protrude from the side surface of the wall portion, extend in the vertical direction, and be spaced apart from each other with a gap corresponding to the thickness of the fire-resistant partition.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, in, The pair of guide blocks have at least one bolt fastening hole, and the fire-resistant baffle has a through hole that matches the bolt fastening hole when inserted between the pair of guide blocks.

8. The battery pack according to claim 5, in, The partition assembly includes an insertion guide groove, which is recessed into the side surface of the wall at a predetermined depth and extends along the vertical direction. The fire-resistant partition includes an insertion protrusion disposed at at least one end and configured to be inserted into the insertion guide groove along the vertical direction.

9. The battery pack according to claim 5, in, The partition assembly includes an insertion guide protrusion formed to project onto the side surface of the wall portion and extend along the vertical direction. The fire-resistant partition includes an insertion groove, which is provided at least at one end and configured to allow the insertion guide protrusion to be inserted into the insertion groove along the vertical direction.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The battery pack housing includes: A battery pack tray having an open top and bottom plate, wherein the plurality of battery modules and the wall portion are mounted on the bottom plate; and A battery pack cover, configured to cover the top of the opening in the battery pack tray.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, in, The wall portion includes: The outer wall, which is provided along the outer edge of the base plate; and A first crossbeam is configured to extend across the base plate and connect to the outer wall.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, in, One end of the fire-resistant partition is connected to the first crossbeam, and the other end of the fire-resistant partition is connected to the outer wall.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The battery pack housing also includes a second crossbeam configured to separate the battery modules that are laterally adjacent to each other. The fire-resistant partition is disposed between the battery module and the second crossbeam.

14. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: A module top cover partition, which is detachably assembled to the wall portion to cover the top of at least one of the battery modules.

15. The battery pack according to claim 14, in, The wall portion has a partition mounting groove recessed in the top surface, and The module top cover partition has a mounting protrusion, which is located at the edge of the module top cover partition to match the shape of the partition mounting groove.

16. The battery pack according to claim 14, in, The wall portion includes a bolt fastening portion located at the top and having a threaded hole, and The module top cover partition includes a protrusion located at the edge and bolted to the bolt fastener.

17. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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