Battery pack and vehicle comprising the same

Abstract

According to the present application, a battery pack can include a plurality of battery modules, a battery 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 fire-resistant partition wall that partitions the internal space, is disposed between the battery modules, and is detachably assembled to the wall portion, wherein the fire-resistant partition wall can include an air layer in the fire-resistant partition wall.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to battery packs, and more specifically, to battery packs 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. 10-2024-0070933, filed in Korea on May 30, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Secondary batteries, with their wide applicability based on product groups and electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric sources. Secondary batteries have gained attention as an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient new energy source, not only because they can significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also because they do not produce any byproducts from energy use.

[0004] Currently, widely used types of rechargeable batteries 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, to increase charge / discharge capacity, multiple battery cells are connected in parallel to form a battery module or battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in a battery module or battery pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

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

[0006] Furthermore, recent battery packs have very low energy density because a large number of battery modules are tightly packed into the limited internal space of the battery pack casing. Battery packs are also criticized for their poor fire safety, as a fire in one of the battery modules could spread heat and quickly cause a chain reaction fire in other adjacent battery modules.

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

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] This disclosure aims to address the problems of the prior art, and therefore, this disclosure aims to provide a battery pack that can suppress or delay the spread 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 an assemblable and detachable fire barrier inside the battery pack housing, so that the battery modules and the fire barrier can be variably arranged as needed, thereby enabling more efficient use of the internal space of the battery pack.

[0011] The technical problems to be solved by this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other problems not mentioned above based on the following description of the invention.

[0012] Technical solution

[0013] In one aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, 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 barrier disposed between the battery modules to separate the internal space and detachably assembled to the wall, wherein the fire barrier includes an air layer inside.

[0014] The fire barrier may include: a rigid frame made of a rigid material and configured in a rectangular ring shape; and fire-resistant sheets attached to two surfaces of the rigid frame.

[0015] The rigid frame can be made of a rigid material comprising at least one of steel, reinforced ceramics, and titanium.

[0016] Refractory sheets can be made of refractory materials containing at least one of polyvinyl chloride, silicone, mica and aerogel.

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

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

[0019] The pair of guide blocks may have at least one bolt fastening hole, and the fire barrier may have a through hole that coincides with the bolt fastening hole when the fire barrier is inserted between the pair of guide blocks.

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

[0021] The battery pack housing may include: a battery pack tray having a base plate and an open top, with multiple battery modules and walls mounted on the base plate; and a battery pack cover configured to cover the open top of the battery pack tray.

[0022] 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.

[0023] The fire-resistant barrier may have one end connected to the first crossbeam and the other end connected to the outer wall.

[0024] 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 barrier may be disposed between the battery modules and the second crossbeam.

[0025] The battery pack may also include a module top cover barrier that can be detachably assembled to the wall to cover the top of at least one of the battery modules.

[0026] The wall portion may have a barrier mounting groove recessed in the top surface, and the module top cover barrier may have mounting protrusions at the edge of the module top cover barrier that are configured to fit the shape of the barrier mounting groove.

[0027] In another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes the aforementioned battery pack.

[0028] Beneficial effects

[0029] According to this disclosure, a battery pack can be provided that can suppress or delay the spread of heat to adjacent battery modules in the event of a fire in a battery module.

[0030] Furthermore, according to this disclosure, since the fire-resistant barrier that can be assembled and disassembled is applied inside the battery pack housing, the battery modules and the fire-resistant barrier can be variably arranged as needed, thereby enabling more efficient use of the internal space of the battery pack.

[0031] The effects that can be obtained according to 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 based on the following description of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1This is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A partial exploded 3D view of the battery pack.

[0034] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A 3D view of the battery pack tray.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a fire-resistant barrier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 An exploded 3D view of a fire-resistant barrier.

[0037] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the fire-resistant barrier.

[0038] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the assembly process of a fire-resistant barrier for a battery pack housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 9 It is shown that... Figure 2 Compared to the implementation method, this diagram shows battery packs with different arrangements of fire-resistant barriers depending on the size of the battery module.

[0040] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating a barrier assembly for a fire-resistant barrier and a battery pack housing according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 11 This shows the assembly to the battery pack housing. Figure 10 A diagram illustrating an example of a fire-resistant barrier.

[0042] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating a barrier assembly for a fire-resistant barrier and a battery pack housing according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating a portion of a battery pack including a module top cover barrier according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 14 It shows that the assembly has Figure 13 A plan view of a portion of the battery pack tray, which is protected by the top cover barrier of the module.

[0045] Figure 15 This is a partial plan view showing a battery pack tray with a module top cover barrier assembled according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing the main parts of a battery pack including a second crossbeam and a fire-resistant barrier according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terminology used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to its general or dictionary meaning, but rather interpreted according to the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of this disclosure, based on the principle that inventors are allowed to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation. Therefore, the description presented herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure; thus, it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0049] Furthermore, when interpreting this disclosure, if a detailed description of a relevant known structure or function is deemed likely to obscure the essential points of this disclosure, such a detailed description will be omitted.

[0050] 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 illustrated schematically for clarity. Therefore, the dimensions or ratios of each component do not perfectly reflect the actual dimensions or ratios.

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A partially exploded 3D view of the battery pack. Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A 3D view of the battery pack tray, and Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a fire-resistant barrier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] 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 barrier 300 that separates the internal space of the battery pack housing 200 and is disposed between the battery modules 100.

[0053] 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 a secondary battery of any shape, such as, but not limited to, pouch shape, cylindrical shape, or rectangular shape. The module housing has an internal space capable of accommodating the battery cells and may be made of a metallic material such as steel or a non-metallic material with high rigidity to protect the battery cells from external impacts.

[0054] 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 a secondary battery of any shape, such as, but not limited to, pouch shape, cylindrical shape, or rectangular shape. The module housing has an internal space capable of accommodating the battery cells and may be made of a metallic material such as steel or a non-metallic material with high rigidity to protect the battery cells from external impacts.

[0055] 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 is ignited, gases such as gas are discharged to the outside of the module housing through the vent, so that the internal pressure does not increase sharply.

[0056] The battery pack housing 200 can be configured to include a wall 212 forming an internal space surrounding the battery module 100, and is configured 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.

[0057] The battery pack tray 210 can be configured in a box shape, having partitioned spaces and an open top. Battery modules 100 can be individually disposed within each of the partitioned spaces. A battery pack cover 220 can cover the open top of the battery pack tray 210 and can be configured to interconnect with the battery pack tray 210.

[0058] 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.

[0059] The wall portion 212 may include an outer wall 212a arranged along the outer edge of the base plate 211. Additionally, the wall portion 212 may include a first crossbeam 212b extending across the base plate 211 and connected 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 both ends connected to the outer wall 212a to divide the internal space of the battery pack tray 210 into two parts. The battery pack tray 210 has an internal space surrounded by the base plate 211, the outer wall 212a, and the first crossbeam 212b.

[0060] The battery modules 100 can 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 100, 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 100.

[0061] 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 such as warping of the battery pack tray 210 can be suppressed. In addition, by separating the first group of battery modules 100 and the second group of battery modules 100, the first crossbeam 212b can be used to block or delay the spread of heat to the other group of battery modules 100 in the event of a fire in one group of battery modules 100.

[0062] The battery pack tray 210 may also include a gas vent 201. At least one gas vent 201 may be provided on at least one side of the outer wall 212a.

[0063] A metal mesh can be connected to the gas vent 201. Gas 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 can prevent 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 gas vent 201.

[0064] For example, two gas vents 201 can be provided on the front (+X direction) and rear (-X direction) sides of the outer wall 212a, respectively. One of the two gas vents 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 can be located on the right side (+Y direction) of the first crossbeam 212b. The two gas vents 201 on the rear side of the outer wall 212a can also be provided one on each side of the first crossbeam 212b. The gas vent on the left side of the first crossbeam 212b can be used to vent the gas generated when the first battery module 100 catches fire to the outside of the battery pack housing 200, and the gas vent 201 on the right side of the first crossbeam 212b can be used to vent the gas generated when the second battery module 100 catches fire to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0065] The battery pack cover 220 can be configured as a plate or cover, which is bolted to, for example, the top of the outer wall 212a of the battery pack tray 210 and can cover the open top 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.

[0066] Furthermore, the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fire-resistant barrier 300, which is detachably assembled to the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210. The fire-resistant barrier 300 can be arranged between the battery modules 100 to separate the battery modules 100.

[0067] The fire barrier 300 is made of fire-resistant material, and when a fire occurs in the battery pack 10, the fire barrier 300 serves to block or delay the spread of heat between adjacent battery modules 100.

[0068] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire-resistant barrier 300 may include an air layer 301.

[0069] More specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the fire-resistant barrier 300 may include a rigid frame 320 made of rigid material and arranged in a rectangular ring shape, and fire-resistant sheets 330 connected to the two surfaces of the rigid frame 320. Figure 6 As shown, the fire-resistant barrier 300 has an air layer 301 therein.

[0070] The rigid frame 320 may include at least one of, for example, steel, reinforced ceramics, and titanium as the rigid material. Furthermore, the refractory sheet 330 may be made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with added flame retardants or a material with excellent flame-retardant properties, such as Siltex coated with silicone. As another example, the refractory sheet 330 may be made of, for example, aerogel, mica, and silicone.

[0071] The refractory sheet 330 has an area that can integrally cover the rigid frame 320 and can be connected to the rigid frame 320 by means of adhesive, bolt connection, riveting, etc.

[0072] Because the fire barrier 300 is made of a composite insulation structure including fire-resistant sheets 330 and an air layer 301, such as Figure 6 As shown, this can further enhance thermal insulation and fire resistance. Furthermore, the shape of the fire barrier 300 can be kept constant and undeformed by a rigid frame 320 made of rigid material.

[0073] The fire-resistant barrier 300 can be configured to have a length corresponding to the distance between the first crossbeam 212b and the outer wall 212a, and a height equal to or less 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.

[0074] like Figure 7 As shown, the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be slidably connected to the battery pack tray 210 in the vertical direction. In particular, the wall portion 212 disposed in the battery pack housing 200 according to the present disclosure may include a barrier assembly 213 as a means for accurately and easily installing the fire-resistant barrier 300 in a designated location and providing structural stability.

[0075] The barrier 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 and extend vertically, and are spaced apart from each other by a gap corresponding to the thickness of the fire-resistant barrier 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 released from the wall portion 212 by bolt connection or snap-fit ​​assembly.

[0076] 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 on the other side of the first crossbeam 212b and on the outer wall 212a facing the first crossbeam 212b (see reference). Figure 3In this embodiment, a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b are installed at a certain interval, but the configuration may differ from that in this embodiment. For example, the gap between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b can be determined based on the width of the battery module 100 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 stored in the battery pack tray 210. Figure 3 The gap shown (the gap in the X direction) is narrow or wide.

[0077] The following is a brief description of the process and structure for assembling the fire-resistant barrier 300 onto the battery pack tray 210.

[0078] like Figure 7 As shown, the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be inserted between a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b mounted on the wall portion 212. At this time, one end of the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b disposed on the first crossbeam 212b, and the other end of the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b disposed on the outer wall 212a. Furthermore, one end of the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be connected to the first crossbeam 212b, and the other end can be connected to the outer wall 212a.

[0079] Additionally, the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b may have at least one bolt fastening hole 213c. For example, as Figure 8 As 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 the fire barrier 300. Additionally, the fire barrier 300 may have a through hole 321, which coincides with the bolt fastening hole 213c when the fire barrier 300 is inserted between the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b and placed on the base 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.

[0080] According to this embodiment, the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be inserted between a pair of guide blocks 213a and 213b in the vertical direction, and then fixed to the battery pack tray 210 by fastening member B. Furthermore, unlike this embodiment, fastening member B may not be used depending on the circumstances.

[0081] By connecting multiple fire-resistant barriers 300 to the battery pack tray 210 in this manner, separate spaces can be provided inside the battery pack tray 210 to accommodate individual battery modules 100. Multiple battery modules 100 can be arranged one by one in each separate space, and each battery module 100 can be configured such that its front, rear, left, and right sides are surrounded by walls 212 and fire-resistant barriers 300. Therefore, when a specific battery module 100 catches fire, thermal energy can be blocked or delayed by the walls 212 and fire-resistant barriers 300.

[0082] Additionally, the fire-resistant barrier 300 is configured to be assembled to and detached from the battery pack tray 210 as described above. Therefore, the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be added to or omitted from the battery pack tray 210 as needed.

[0083] For example, not only battery modules 100 of the same size, but also battery modules 100 of different sizes can be accommodated in the partitioned space using the fire-resistant barrier 300. Specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown, a portion of the fire-resistant barrier 300 can be detached from the battery pack tray 210 to place a larger battery module 100A to the right of the first crossbeam 212b. Although not shown, compared to this embodiment, the gaps between the barrier assemblies 213 can be narrowed, and the number of gaps can be increased, allowing more fire-resistant barriers 300 to be assembled into the battery pack tray 210. In this case, electrical components of battery modules 100 or more sizes can be accommodated separately in separate spaces.

[0084] In addition, when the fire barrier 300 is damaged or has durability issues, the fire barrier 300 can be replaced or easily repaired.

[0085] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing a fire-resistant barrier 300A and a barrier assembly 213 of a battery pack housing 200 according to another embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 11 This shows the assembly to the battery pack housing 200. Figure 10 A diagram illustrating an example of a 300A fire-resistant barrier.

[0086] The same reference numerals as in the preceding figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail; instead, features that differ from the preceding embodiments will be primarily described.

[0087] like Figure 10As shown, a barrier assembly 213 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an insertion guide groove 213d, which is recessed in the side surface of the wall portion 212 to a predetermined depth and extends in the vertical direction. A fire-resistant barrier 300A according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an insertion protrusion 323, which is provided at least at one end and arranged to fit into the insertion guide groove 213d in the vertical direction.

[0088] and Figure 7 and Figure 8 Compared to the implementation shown, according to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The illustrated embodiment increases the internal spatial freedom of the battery pack housing 200 and the ease of assembly of the fire-resistant barrier 300A. For example, in the previous embodiment, a pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b are configured to protrude from the side surface of the wall portion 212, therefore, when the battery module 100 is placed, the guide blocks 213a, 213b and the battery module 100 may interfere with each other. Additionally, there is a disadvantage that the fire-resistant barrier 300 and the guide blocks 213a, 213b need to be machined for bolt connection, which increases assembly work. However, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, the assembly of the battery pack tray 210 and the fire-resistant barrier 300A can be accomplished by fitting the insertion protrusion 323 of the fire-resistant barrier 300A into the insertion guide groove 213d of the wall portion 212. Therefore, the fire-resistant barrier 300A is very easy to assemble. Furthermore, since there is no part protruding from the wall 212, unlike the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b in the previous embodiment, it is easy to place the battery module 100 in close contact with the fire barrier 300A.

[0089] Although not shown, the wall portion 212 may have multiple insertion guide slots 213d, and these slots may be arranged along the length direction (X direction) of the wall portion 212. The gaps between the insertion guide slots 213d can be configured in various ways. For example, the number of insertion guide slots 213d may be increased, and the gaps between them may be configured to be narrower than in this embodiment. The fire barrier 300A can be inserted into the desired position within the multiple insertion guide slots 213d. In this case, the assembly position of the fire barrier 300A can be variably adjusted according to the size of the battery module 100 to be mounted on the battery pack tray 210.

[0090] As Figure 10 and Figure 11 A variation of the implementation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the barrier assembly 213 may include an insertion guide protrusion 213e, which is formed to protrude from the side surface of the wall portion 212 and extend in a vertical direction, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the fire barrier 300B may have an insertion slot 325, which is provided at least at one end and configured to be fitted into the insertion guide protrusion 213e in the vertical direction.

[0091] Assembly of the battery pack tray 210 and the fire barrier 300B can be accomplished by fitting the insertion slot 325 of the fire barrier 300B into the insertion guide protrusion 213e of the wall portion 212. Therefore, as in the previous embodiments, the fire barrier 300B is very easy to assemble. Similar to the pair of guide blocks 213a, 213b in the previous embodiments, the battery module 100 is easily placed since there is no portion protruding from the wall portion 212.

[0092] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating a portion of a battery pack 10 including a module top cover barrier 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 14 It shows that the assembly has Figure 13 A plan view of a portion of the battery pack tray 210 of the module top cover barrier 400.

[0093] The same reference numerals as in the preceding figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail; instead, features that differ from the preceding embodiments will be primarily described.

[0094] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack 10 may further include a module top cover barrier 400, which is detachably assembled to the wall portion 212 to cover the top of at least one of the battery modules 100.

[0095] For example, according to another embodiment of this 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 barrier 300A according to the preceding embodiment, and the upper part of the battery module 100 is covered by the module top cover barrier 400. Here, the module top cover barrier 400 can be configured, for example, to have a configuration substantially the same as that of the fire-resistant barrier 300A.

[0096] Reference Figure 13 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wall portion 212 of the battery pack tray 210 may have a barrier mounting groove 214 recessed in the top surface, and the module top cover barrier 400 may have mounting protrusions 410 at the edge configured to fit the shape of the barrier mounting groove 214.

[0097] According to this implementation method, such as Figure 14As shown, the module top cover barrier 400 is installed at the top of the wall 212 of the battery pack tray 210 and can 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 completely covered, heat and flames can be more effectively prevented from spreading to other adjacent battery modules 100 in the event of a fire in the battery module 100.

[0098] As Figure 13 and Figure 14 Another example of the implementation method, such as Figure 15 As shown, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wall portion 212 may include a bolt fastening portion 215 at its top end, the bolt fastening portion 215 having a threaded hole 215a. Furthermore, the module top cover barrier 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 barrier 400A may be configured to mate with the shape of the bolt fastening portion 215 and have a bolt insertion hole perpendicularly coinciding with the threaded hole 215a. According to this embodiment, the module top cover barrier 400A can be more stably secured to the battery pack tray 210.

[0099] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing the main parts of a battery pack 10 including a second crossbeam 212c and a fire-resistant barrier 300 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0100] The same reference numerals as in the preceding figures denote the same parts, and the corresponding parts will not be described in detail; instead, features that differ from the preceding embodiments will be primarily described.

[0101] Compared to the previous 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 in a direction intersecting the first crossbeam 212b, and is a portion of the battery pack tray 210 that separates the laterally adjacent battery modules 100.

[0102] 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 also block or delay the heat transfer between adjacent battery modules 100.

[0103] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 16 As shown, the fire-resistant barrier 300A can be installed 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 heat propagation between the battery modules 100 can be blocked or delayed more reliably in the event of a fire.

[0104] Next, refer to Figure 17 Brief description of the vehicle according to this disclosure.

[0105] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle including a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] The vehicle 1 disclosed herein may also be configured to include a battery pack 10, an ECU (electronic control unit) 20, an inverter 30, and an electric motor 40 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Preferably, the vehicle 1 may be an electric vehicle.

[0107] The battery pack 10 can be used as an electrical energy source to provide driving force to the electric motor 40 to drive the vehicle 1. The battery pack 10 can be charged or discharged via the inverter 30 depending on the driving of the electric motor 40 and / or the internal combustion engine (not shown). The battery pack 10 can be charged via a regenerative charging device combined with a brake. The battery pack 10 can also be electrically connected to the electric motor 40 of the vehicle 1 via the inverter 30.

[0108] 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 speed, and controls the output of motor 40 to match this torque information. Additionally, ECU 20 sends control signals to inverter 30, enabling the battery pack 10 to be charged or discharged based on state information such as SOC and SOH received from the BMS. Inverter 30 charges or discharges the battery pack 10 based on the control signals from ECU 20. Motor 40 uses the electrical energy from battery pack 10 to drive vehicle 1 based on control information (e.g., torque information) sent from ECU 20.

[0109] 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 variations and modifications within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on this detailed description.

[0110] In addition, this specification uses terms such as up, down, left, and right to indicate direction, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms are for ease of explanation only 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 barrier is disposed between the battery modules to separate the internal space and is detachably assembled to the wall. The fire-resistant barrier includes an air layer inside.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The fire-resistant barrier includes: a rigid frame made of a rigid material and configured in a rectangular ring shape; and fire-resistant sheets attached to two surfaces of the rigid frame.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The rigid frame is made of a rigid material comprising at least one of steel, reinforced ceramics, and titanium.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, in, The refractory sheet is made of a refractory material comprising at least one of polyvinyl chloride, silicone, mica and aerogel.

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

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, in, The barrier 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 by a gap corresponding to the thickness of the fire-resistant barrier.

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

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

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

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, 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.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, in, The fire-resistant barrier has one end connected to the first crossbeam and the other end connected to the outer wall.

12. 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 barrier is disposed between the battery module and the second crossbeam.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: A module top cover barrier, which can be detachably assembled to the wall to cover the top of at least one of the battery modules.

14. The battery pack according to claim 13, in, The wall portion has a barrier mounting groove recessed in the top surface, and The module top cover barrier has mounting protrusions at the edge of the module top cover barrier that are configured to match the shape of the barrier mounting groove.

15. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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