Battery pack and device including the same

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the utility model, the battery pack comprises a battery module and a battery module, wherein the battery module comprises a battery cell stacking piece on which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a battery pack case for accommodating the battery module; and at least one reinforcing member inserted into the battery pack case, in which the reinforcing member is made of a material having a melting point higher than that of the battery pack case.

Description

[0001] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0088757, filed on July 19, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly, to a battery pack with improved cooling performance and a device including the same. BACKGROUND

[0004] In modern society, with the daily use of portable devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, camcorders, and digital cameras, technology in the field related to mobile devices as described above has been actively developed. In addition, secondary batteries that can be charged / discharged are used as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), and the like in an attempt to address air pollution and the like caused by existing gasoline vehicles that use fossil fuels. Therefore, the demand for developing secondary batteries is growing.

[0005] Among the secondary batteries that are currently commercialized, there are nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among them, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages such as charge / discharge freedom, a very low self-discharge rate, and a high energy density.

[0006] In addition, in the case of secondary batteries for small devices, two or three battery cells are used, but in the case of secondary batteries for medium and large devices such as automobiles, a medium or large battery module in which a large number of battery cells are electrically connected is used. Since the medium or large battery module is preferably manufactured to have the smallest possible size and weight, prismatic batteries, pouch-type batteries, and the like that can be stacked in a high integration degree and with a small weight relative to the capacity are mainly used as battery cells for medium and large battery modules.

[0007] On the other hand, a battery cell installed in a battery module can generate a large amount of heat during charging and discharging. If the temperature becomes higher than a normal temperature due to a reason such as overcharging, performance can be deteriorated, and if the temperature is increased too much, there can be a risk of explosion or fire. If a fire phenomenon occurs inside the battery module, heat, gas, or flame of high temperature discharged from one battery module can be transmitted to other adjacent battery modules spaced narrowly within the battery pack, which can cause a chain of thermal runaway within the battery pack. In addition, the battery pack case can be damaged due to heat, gas, sparks, or flame discharged from the battery module, which can cause a fire or an accident.

[0008] For various other reasons, it is a practical situation that the battery pack case needs to maintain its structure and ensure its stability. Utility Contents

[0009] Technical Problem

[0010] Accordingly, the present disclosure is designed to solve the problems as above, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery pack that can maintain a structure of a battery pack case and ensure stability while preventing heat from being transferred to adjacent modules or the outside of the battery pack and a device including the same.

[0011] However, the technical problems to be solved by embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and various extensions can be made within the scope of the technical idea included in the present disclosure.

[0012] Technical Solution

[0013] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a battery pack includes a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a battery pack case accommodating the battery module, and at least one reinforcing member inserted inside the battery pack case, wherein the reinforcing member is formed of a material having a higher melting point than the battery pack case.

[0014] The battery pack case further includes a vent flow through which a flame, a spark, or high-temperature heat from the battery cell stack is discharged to the outside of the battery pack, and a space between an inner surface of the battery pack case and the reinforcing member forms the vent flow.

[0015] The battery pack case further includes aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and the reinforcing member can include stainless steel.

[0016] The reinforcing member can include a heat insulating material.

[0017] The reinforcing member can include a flame retardant silicone pad, fireproof cloth, mica, or super wool.

[0018] The reinforcing member can be disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

[0019] The reinforcing member can be disposed to be spaced apart from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface by a prescribed distance.

[0020] The reinforcing member can be entirely in a plate shape, or can have a structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped members are coupled to each other.

[0021] The reinforcing member can have an overall mesh-shaped frame structure, or can have a structure in which a plurality of mesh-shaped frames are coupled to each other.

[0022] The battery pack can further include a plate-shaped thermal insulation material disposed adjacent to the reinforcing member in parallel.

[0023] The reinforcing member can further include a thermal insulation material in spaces between meshes.

[0024] The battery pack case can have any one of a single frame structure having a square tube shape such that the battery cell stack can be accommodated inside, a structure including a U-shaped frame having any one of an upper surface and a lower surface opened and a straight line-shaped cover covering an open surface of the U-shaped frame, and a structure in which open surfaces of two U-shaped frames face each other.

[0025] The reinforcing member can be disposed on at least one of an upper surface, a lower surface, and two side surfaces of the battery pack case.

[0026] The battery pack further includes an end plate closing at least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the battery pack case, and at least one reinforcing member inserted into an inner space between an inner surface and an outer surface of the end plate, wherein the reinforcing member can be disposed parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the end plate.

[0027] The reinforcing member can have a straight line shape, an "I" shape, a "├" shape, a left-right symmetrical shape of the shapes, or a combination of at least one of the shapes.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a device including at least one battery pack described above.

[0029] Advantageous Effects

[0030] According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a battery pack having a structure inserted into a battery pack case, which can maintain the structure of the battery pack case and ensure stability while preventing heat, gas, sparks, flames, etc. from being emitted to adjacent modules and the outside, and an apparatus including the same.

[0031] Effects of the disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0033] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery module included in a battery pack according to Figure 1

[0034] Figure 3 is a front view of an upper case among battery pack cases included in a battery pack according to Figure 1

[0035] Figure 4 and Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion indicated by a dotted line in an upper case of a battery pack according to Figure 3

[0036] Figures 6 to 9 is a sectional view of an upper case of a battery pack according to Figure 1 and Figure 3

[0037] Figures 10 to 12 is a perspective view illustrating all or a portion of a reinforcing member included in a battery pack according to Figure 1

[0038] Figure 13 is a perspective view of a heat sink included in a battery pack according to Figure 1

[0039] Figure 14 is a sectional view of a battery pack according to Figure 1 along a yz plane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. The disclosure can be modified in various different ways, and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0041] ​​​​​​For clarity of description, portions that are not related to the description will be omitted, and the same reference numerals designate the same or similar elements throughout the description.

[0042] Also, in the drawings, the size and thickness of each element are arbitrarily illustrated for convenience of description, and the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to those illustrated in the drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers, regions, and the like is exaggerated for clarity. In the drawings, the thickness of components and regions is exaggeratedly illustrated for convenience of description.

[0043] Also, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or plate is referred to as being "on" or "above" another element, it can be directly on the other element or an intervening element can also be present. In contrast, when an element such as a layer, film, region, or plate is referred to as being "directly on" or "directly above" another element, there are no intervening elements present. Also, the word "on" or "above" means positioned on or below the reference portion, and does not necessarily mean positioned on the upper end of the reference portion in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity. Further, the case where a portion is described as being "below" or "under" another portion will also be understood in reference to the above-mentioned case where a portion is described as being "on" or "above" another portion.

[0044] Also, since the upper surface / lower surface of a specific member can be differently determined depending on which direction is used as a reference, "upper surface" or "lower surface" is defined as the meaning of two facing surfaces on the z-axis of the corresponding member throughout the description.

[0045] Also, throughout the description, when a portion is referred to as "including" or "comprising" a certain component, it means that the portion can further include other components without excluding the other components, unless otherwise specified.

[0046] Also, throughout the description, when referred to as "plan view", it means that the target portion is observed from the upper side, and when referred to as "cross-sectional view", it means that the target portion is observed from the side of a vertically cut cross-section.

[0047] Now, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0048] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to Figure 1 an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to Figure 1 a front view of an upper case 220 among battery pack cases 200 included in a battery pack according to

[0049] Referring to Figure 1 A battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the disclosure can include at least one battery module 100, a battery pack case 200 accommodating the battery module 100, a reinforcing member 300 disposed in the battery pack case 200, an end plate 400 closing an open surface of the battery pack case 200, a heat sink 500 disposed between the battery pack case 200 and the battery cell stack 120, and cooling fins 600 that dissipate heat of the battery cell 110 by contacting the battery cell 110. However, the components included in the battery pack 1000 are not limited thereto, and the battery pack 1000 can be provided in a state in which some of the above components are omitted, or can be provided in a state in which other components not mentioned are added, according to design.

[0050] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery module 100 provided in this embodiment can have a module-free structure in which a module frame is eliminated.

[0051] Typically, a conventional battery pack has a double assembly structure in which a battery cell stack and various components connected thereto are assembled to form a battery module, and a plurality of battery modules are accommodated in a battery pack. At this time, since the battery module includes a module frame or the like that forms an outer surface thereof, the conventional battery cell is doubly protected by the module frame of the battery module and the battery pack case of the battery pack. However, the double assembly structure has a disadvantage in that not only the manufacturing cost and manufacturing process of the battery pack increase, but also when defects occur in some battery cells, re-assembly performance is poor. In addition, when a heat sink as a cooling member exists outside the battery module, there is a problem in that a heat transfer passage between the battery cell and the heat sink becomes slightly complex.

[0052] Accordingly, the battery module 100 of this embodiment can be provided in the form of a "cell block" in which a module frame is eliminated, and the battery cell stack 120 included in the cell block can be directly coupled to the battery pack case 200 of the battery pack 1000. Thereby, it is possible to make the structure of the battery pack 1000 simpler, to obtain advantages in terms of manufacturing unit cost and manufacturing process, and to achieve weight reduction of the battery pack.

[0053] Hereinafter, the battery module 100 without a module frame can be referred to as a "cell block" to distinguish it from a battery module having a module frame. However, regardless of the presence or absence of the module frame, the battery module 100 is collectively referred to as having a battery cell stack 120 that is modularly divided into a predetermined unit, and the battery module 100 should be interpreted to include both the conventional battery module having a module frame and the cell block.

[0054] Referring toFigure 2 The battery module 100 of the present embodiment can include a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked in one direction, side surface plates 130 located at both ends in the stacking direction of the battery cell stack 120, a retaining strap 140 wound around the side surface plates 130 and the battery cell stack 120 to fix the shapes thereof, and a busbar frame 150 covering the front surface and the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120.

[0055] On the other hand, Figure 2 The battery module 100 provided in the form of a cell block is shown, but the content of this figure does not exclude the case where the battery module 100 having a closed structure of a module frame is applied to the battery pack 1000 of the present embodiment.

[0056] Each battery cell 110 can each include an electrode assembly, a cell case, and an electrode lead protruding from the electrode assembly. The battery cells 110 can be provided in a pouch type or a prismatic shape that can maximize the number of stacks per unit area. For example, the battery cells 110 provided in a pouch shape can be manufactured by accommodating an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator in a cell case of a laminate sheet, and then heat-sealing a sealing portion of the cell case. On the other hand, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead of the battery cell 110 are shown as protruding in mutually opposite directions, but this is not necessarily the case, and the electrode leads of the battery cell 110 can also protrude in the same direction.

[0057] The battery cell stack 120 can be formed by stacking a plurality of electrically connected battery cells 110 in one direction. The direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked (hereinafter referred to as the "stacking direction") can be the y-axis direction as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, or alternatively, the -y-axis direction, and hereinafter, the expression "axial direction" can be interpreted as including + / - both directions. Figure 1 and Figure 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0058] On the other hand, the battery cells 110 are provided in one direction such that the electrode leads of the battery cells 110 can be located on one surface of the battery cell stack 120, or on the other surface opposite to this surface. In this way, the surface of the battery cell stack 120 on which the electrode leads are located can be referred to as the front surface or the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120, and in Figure 1 and Figure 2 in FIGS. 1 to 3, the front surface and the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120 are shown as two surfaces facing each other in the x-axis.

[0059] In addition, a surface where the outermost battery cells 110 of the battery cell stack 120 are located can be referred to as a side surface of the battery cell stack 120, and the side surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 are shown as two surfaces facing each other in the y-axis.

[0060] The side surface plates 130 can be provided to maintain the overall shape of the battery cell stack 120. The side surface plates 130 are plate-shaped members, and can supplement the rigidity of the cell block instead of the module frame. The side surface plates 130 can be provided at both ends in the stacking direction of the battery cell stack 120, and can be in contact with the outermost battery cells 110 of both sides of the battery cell stack 120.

[0061] The side surface plates 130 can be made of various materials, and can be provided using various manufacturing methods. In one example, the side surface plates 130 can be a plastic material made by injection molding. In another example, the side surface plates 130 can be made of a leaf spring material. In yet another example, the side surface plates 130 can be made of a material having elasticity that allows its shape to be partially deformed in response to a volume change of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling.

[0062] The retaining straps 140 can be used to fix the positions and shapes of the side surface plates 130 at both side ends of the battery cell stack 120. The retaining straps 140 can be members having a certain length and width. Specifically, the battery cell stack 120 can be located between the two side surface plates 130 in contact with the outermost battery cells 110, and the retaining straps 140 can cross the battery cell stack 120 and connect the two side surface plates 130. Thereby, the retaining straps 140 can prevent the distance between the two side surface plates 130 from increasing beyond a certain range, thereby maintaining the overall shape of the cell block 100 within a certain range.

[0063] The retaining straps 140 can have hooks at both ends in the longitudinal direction for stable coupling with the side surface plates 130. The hooks can be formed by bending both ends of the retaining straps 140 in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the side surface plates 130 can form hook grooves at positions corresponding to the hooks, and the retaining straps 140 and the side surface plates 130 can be stably coupled using the coupling of the hooks and the hook grooves.

[0064] The retaining straps 140 can be provided from various materials or using various manufacturing methods. In one example, the retaining straps 140 can be made of a material having elasticity so that a volume change of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling can be allowed within a certain range.

[0065] On the other hand, the retaining strap 140 serves to fix the relative positions between the side surface plates 130 and the battery cell stack 120, and if its purpose as a "fixing member" is fulfilled, it can be provided in a configuration different from the illustrated configuration. For example, the fixing member can be provided in the form of a long bolt that can pass between the two side surface plates 130 (i.e., a long bolt). The side surface plates 130 can be provided with grooves into which the long bolt can be inserted, and the long bolt can fix the relative positions of the two side surface plates 130 by simultaneously coupling the two side surface plates 130 using the grooves. The long bolt can be provided at the edges of the side surface plates 130, preferably, at positions of the side surface plates 130 close to the vertices. Depending on the design, the long bolt mentioned above can replace the retaining strap 140, but both the retaining strap 140 and the long bolt can be provided in the cell block.

[0066] The busbar frame 150 is located on one surface of the battery cell stack 120 so that it can cover one surface of the battery cell stack 120 while guiding the connection between the battery cell stack 120 and an external device. The busbar frame 150 can be located on the front surface or the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120. Two busbar frames 150 can be provided to be located on the front surface and the rear surface of the battery cell stack 120. The busbar can be mounted to the busbar frame 150, whereby the electrode lead of the battery cell stack 120 can be connected to the busbar, and thus, the battery cell stack 120 can be electrically connected to the external device.

[0067] The busbar frame 150 can include an electrically insulating material. The busbar frame 150 can limit the contact of the busbar with other parts of the battery cell 110 except for the part joined to the electrode lead, and prevent an electrical short circuit from occurring.

[0068] The battery pack case 200 can serve to protect the cell block 100 and the electrical components connected thereto from external physical impact. The battery pack case 200 can accommodate the cell block 100 and the electrical components connected thereto in an inner space of the battery pack case 200. Here, the battery pack case 200 includes an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner space of the battery pack case 200 can be defined by the inner surface.

[0069] A plurality of battery modules 100 can be provided in the battery pack 1000. The plurality of battery modules 100 can be referred to as a "module assembly". The battery modules 100 can be arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns within the battery pack case 200. Here, a "row" can refer to a set of battery modules 100 arranged in one direction, and a "column" can refer to a set of battery modules 100 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. For example, the battery modules 100 can be arranged along the stacking direction of the battery cell stack to form a row or a column of module assemblies, as illustrated in FIG. 1.Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1,

[0070] The battery pack case 200 can be provided in a hollow shape open in one direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cell modules 100 are provided in succession along a stacking direction of the battery cells 110, and the battery pack case 200 can have a hollow shape open in the above-mentioned stacking direction.

[0071] The structure of the battery pack case 200 can be different. In one example, as shown in FIG. 2, Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 2, the battery pack case 200 can include a lower case 210 and an upper case 220. Here, the lower case 210 can be provided in a plate shape, and the upper case 220 can be provided in a U shape. At least one battery module 100 can be disposed in the plate-shaped lower case 210, and the U-shaped upper case 220 can be provided to wrap the upper surface and both side surfaces of the module assembly in the x-axis direction.

[0072] The battery pack case 200 can include a portion having high thermal conductivity to quickly dissipate heat generated in the internal space to the outside. For example, at least a portion of the battery pack case 200 can be made of a metal having high thermal conductivity, and examples thereof include aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, or an alloy containing the same or stainless steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), etc. In addition, the battery pack case 200 can partially have electrical insulation properties, and an insulating film or insulating paint can be applied to a location requiring insulation. The portion of the battery pack case 200 to which the insulating film or insulating paint is applied can be referred to as an insulating portion. The end plate 400 can serve to protect the battery module 100 and the electrical equipment connected thereto from external physical impact by sealing the open surface of the battery pack case 200. Each corner portion of the end plate 400 can be coupled to the corresponding corner portion of the battery pack case 200 by welding or the like. Two end plates 400 can be provided to seal both open surfaces of the battery pack case 200, and the two end plates 400 can be made of a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0073] The end plate 400 can be formed with an opening 410 for exposing an inlet / outlet 530 of a cooling member 500 to be described later, and a connector 420 for a low voltage (LV) connection or a high voltage (HV) connection with an external device can be mounted to the opening.

[0074] Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion indicated by a dashed line in the upper case of the battery pack according to Figure 3 is a modification of Figure 5 Figure 4

[0075] Referring to​​Figure 4 and Figure 5 The battery pack case 200 mainly has a surface facing the battery cell stack 120 and a surface facing the outside. Hereinafter, the surface facing the battery cell stack 120 will be referred to as an inner surface 200a of the battery pack case 200, and the surface facing the outside will be referred to as an outer surface 200b of the battery pack case 200.

[0076] According to the present disclosure, the reinforcing member 300 is inserted into a space between the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b. The reinforcing member 300 can be arranged in parallel with the inner surface 200a facing the battery cell stack 120. In some cases, various modifications can be made, such as arranging the reinforcing member 300 in parallel with the outer surface 200b facing the outside to fit the structure and shape of the battery pack case 200.

[0077] The reinforcing member 300 can have a shape covering the entire inner surface 200a facing the battery cell stack 120. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 300 can have a shape covering a portion of the inner surface 200a, which can be a shape having a size identical to one of horizontal and vertical dimensions of the inner surface 200a and having a size smaller than the other of the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the inner surface 200a.

[0078] The reinforcing member 300 can be installed to be spaced apart from at least one of the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b by a prescribed distance. The reinforcing member 300 can be in contact with at least one of the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b.

[0079] As described above, at least a portion of the battery pack case 200 can be made of a metal having high thermal conductivity, and examples thereof can be aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, alloys containing the same, or the like. The reinforcing member 300 can be made of a material having a higher melting point than that of the material of the battery pack case 200, so as to maintain the structure of the battery pack case 200 even in the case of a battery fire or an external impact. For example, the battery pack case 200 can be made of aluminum or the like having a melting point of about 600°C, and the reinforcing member 300 can be made of stainless steel or the like having a higher melting point than that. In some cases, it can be made of a material having a higher rigidity than that of the battery pack case 200 only when some rigid reinforcement is required.

[0080] Alternatively, the reinforcing member 300 can be made of a material having high thermal insulation performance. For example, it can be made of a flame-retardant insulating material, a flame-retardant silicone pad, a fireproof cloth, mica, super wool, etc. When the battery cell ignites or explodes, the flame from the battery cell does not pass through the reinforcing member 300 having high thermal insulation performance, so that the outer surface 200b, which is a surface facing the outside, can maintain its structure and shape. In contrast, in the case of external ignition or thermal shock due to high temperature, the flame from the outside does not pass through the reinforcing member 300 having high thermal insulation performance, so that the inner surface 200b, which is a surface facing the battery cell stack 120, can maintain its structure and shape.

[0081] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Exemplary shapes of the sub-housing members 200c and 200d and the corresponding reinforcing members 300a and 300b, respectively, which protrude into the inside of the battery pack housing 200, are shown. Figure 4 Exemplary cases in which the sub-housing member 200c protrudes in a direction parallel to the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b are shown. Figure 5 Exemplary cases in which the sub-housing member 200d protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b are shown. However, the number, shape, structure, etc. of the sub-housing members and the reinforcing members of the present disclosure are not limited to those exemplified, and various modifications and changes can be made to adapt to the environment in which the present utility model is implemented. By forming the sub-housing member 200c according to the present embodiment, the reinforcing member 300a can be stably inserted into the battery pack housing 200, and the structure of the battery pack housing 200 can be prevented from collapsing due to high heat.

[0082] Figure 4 Cases in which the reinforcing member 300a is disposed on the left side (i.e., the left side of Figure 4 ), of the sub-housing member 200c are shown, but various modifications and changes can be made, such as disposing the reinforcing member 300a on the right side (i.e., the right side of Figure 4 ) of the sub-housing member 200c, the sub-housing member 200c being disposed biased to the left or right side of Figure 4 , and the reinforcing member 300a being disposed toward the center.

[0083] In addition, Figure 4 Cases in which the reinforcing member 300a has a straight line shape are shown, but it can also have an "I" shape. Alternatively, the reinforcing member can have a "├" shape, and in this case, the end portion extending perpendicularly from the middle portion of the reinforcing member 300a can also come into contact with the inner surface 300a. In contrast, the sub-housing member 200c can have a "┤" shape, and in this case, the end portion extending perpendicularly from the middle portion of the reinforcing member 300a can also come into contact with the outer surface 300b.

[0084] Figure 5 The case where the sub-housing member 200d protrudes perpendicularly from the inner surface 200a is shown. The reinforcing member 300b has a shape, but even in this case, modifications and changes can be made in various shapes such as a straight shape, an "I" shape, or Figure 4 a left-right symmetrical shape as shown in FIG. 1.

[0085] On the other hand, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the empty space 250 between the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b of the battery pack housing 200 can be used as a discharge flow passage 250 that can discharge flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells to the outside when the battery cells catch fire.

[0086] Conventionally, since the reinforcing member 300 is not provided, the flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells can damage the battery pack housing 200 while passing through the inner surface 200a of the battery pack housing 200 and then passing through the outer surface 200b of the battery pack housing 200, which can cause a problem in which the flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells dissipate to the outside of the battery pack housing 200.

[0087] However, according to the present disclosure, the reinforcing member 300b blocks the flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells, so that the flames, sparks, and high-temperature heat from the battery cells can be discharged to the outside through the empty space between the inner surface 200a and the outer surface 200b of the battery pack housing 200 or the empty space between the inner surface 200a of the battery pack housing 200 and the reinforcing member 300b, i.e., through the discharge flow passage 250.

[0088] Figures 6 to 9 is a cross-sectional view of the upper housing 220 of the battery pack housing 200 of Figure 1 and Figure 1 taken along the line A-A' (see Figure 3 ), and Figures 6 to 9 shows various application examples 300c, 300d, 300e, and 300f of the battery pack housing 200 of Figure 1 and reinforcing members 300 suitable therefor. Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the case where the upper surface and the two side surfaces of the upper housing 220 have a one-piece structure, and Figure 8 and Figure 9 show the case where the upper surface and the two side surfaces of the upper housing 220 are formed separately and coupled. The upper surface of the upper housing 220 covers the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120, and the two side surfaces of the upper housing 220 cover the two side surfaces of the battery cell stack 120.​

[0089] Figure 6 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300c is formed to be spaced apart from the inner surface 220a and the outer surface 220b by a prescribed distance, and Figure 7 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300d is formed to be in contact with the outer surface 220b.

[0090] Similarly, Figure 8 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300e is formed to be spaced apart from the inner surface 220a and the outer surface 220b by a prescribed distance, and Figure 9 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300f is formed to be in contact with the outer surface 220b.

[0091] Figures 6 to 9 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300 covers the upper surface and the two side surfaces of the upper case 220, but the reinforcing member 300 can be provided on at least one of the upper surface and the two side surfaces, if necessary.

[0092] The present disclosure is not limited to Figures 6 to 9 the structure and shape of the upper case 220 and the structure, shape, and number of the reinforcing member 300 shown in the above, and can be modified and changed to adapt to various environments in which the present utility model is implemented.

[0093] Figures 10 to 12 are perspective views showing all or part of exemplary shapes 300g, 300h, and 300i of the reinforcing member 300 of Figure 1 As shown in Figures 10 to 12 , the reinforcing member 300 can have a plate shape (or a grid-shaped frame structure) as a whole, and Figures 10 to 12 the plurality of plate-shaped members (or grid-shaped frame structures) shown in Figures 6 to 9 can be provided and formed to be coupled in various structures and in various directions, as described above with reference to .

[0094] Figure 10 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300g has a plate shape. In this case, as described above, the reinforcing member 300g can be made of a material having a higher melting point than that of the material of the battery pack case 200, or can be made of a material having high thermal insulation performance.

[0095] Figure 11 Exemplarily shows a case where the reinforcing member 300h has a grid-shaped frame structure. Although Figure 11A square mesh-shaped structure is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any structure that supplements the rigidity of the battery pack case 200 and maintains the structure of the battery pack case 200 is sufficient. The reinforcing member 300h can be made of a material (e.g., metal) having a higher melting point than the material of the battery pack case 200. In this case, a plate-shaped thermal insulation material (not shown) can be further arranged adjacent to the reinforcing member 300h side by side to prevent or reduce direct impact and damage of the battery pack case 200 from the flame of the battery cell 110.

[0096] Figure 12 A case where the reinforcing member 300i is composed of a portion forming a mesh-shaped frame 300i-1 and a thermal insulation material 300i-2 filling the space between the mesh-shaped frame 300i-1 is shown. The reinforcing member is made of a material having a higher melting point than the material of the battery pack case 200, for example, metal, and the space between the mesh-shaped frame 300i-1 can be filled with the thermal insulation material 300i-2 to supplement the thermal insulation performance.

[0097] Alternatively, Figure 10 the plate-shaped reinforcing member 300g of the thermal insulation material shown in Figure 11 The mesh-shaped frame structure shown in

[0098] On the other hand, Figures 4 to 9 Only the case of the upper case 220 is shown, but the reinforcing member 300 can also be provided inside Figure 1 the lower case 210. In addition, the battery pack case 200 can be modified and changed to various structures such as a single frame structure having a square tube shape to accommodate a battery cell stack inside, a structure including a U-shaped frame with an upper surface or a lower surface open, and a straight line-shaped cover covering the open surface of the U-shaped frame, and a structure in which the open surfaces of two U-shaped frames face each other. In some cases, the reinforcing member 300 can also be provided inside the end plate 400. As for the reinforcing member 300 provided on the lower case 210 and / or the end plate 400, refer to the description of Figures 4 to 12 At this time, at least one reinforcing member is inserted into the end plate 400, and the reinforcing member can be formed of a material having a higher melting point than the end plate 400.

[0099] Figures 4 to 9 The case where the upper case 220 includes an upper surface and two side surfaces and the lower case 210 includes a lower surface is exemplified, but the opposite case is also possible. That is, the upper case 220 can include an upper surface, and the lower case 210 can include a lower surface and two side surfaces. In this case, Figures 4 to 9 the embodiments of

[0100] Figure 13An exemplary heat sink 500 that can be applied to the battery pack 1000 of the present disclosure is illustrated. The heat sink 500 can be used to cool the inside of the battery pack 1000 by dissipating heat generated from the battery cells 110. Considering that high-temperature air or gas released when the battery cells 110 catch fire moves mainly in a direction opposite to gravity, the heat sink 500 can be preferably located on the upper portion of the battery cells 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Figure 1 However, this is not necessarily the case, and the heat sink 500 can also be located below the battery cells 110 for various design reasons.

[0101] The heat sink 500 can be a water-cooled type heat sink 500 into which a coolant (e.g., cooling water) is injected. At this time, any cooling water can be used for the heat sink 500 as long as it can dissipate heat of the battery cells 110 by moving along the flow channel inside the heat sink 500.

[0102] Referring to Figure 13 , the heat sink 500 can include an upper plate 510, a lower plate 520, and an inlet / outlet 530. The heat sink 500 can be formed by coupling the upper plate 510 with the lower plate 520. An empty space can be formed between the coupled upper plate 510 and lower plate 520, and cooling water can be injected into the empty space through the inlet / outlet 530. The cooling water can be supplied through the inlet 530 and discharged to the outlet 530.

[0103] On the other hand, the above description is given on the basis of an assumption that the heat sink 500 is disposed outside the battery module 100, but this is not necessarily the case, and the heat sink 500 can also be disposed inside the battery module 100. When the heat sink 500 is disposed inside the battery module 100, heat transfer between the heat sink 500 and the battery cells 110 can be easily achieved even if the battery module 100 has a closed structure containing a module frame. In order to overcome a decrease in cooling efficiency due to air bubbles or the like, a method of forming a heat transfer channel by filling the above-mentioned separation space with a thermal interface material (TIM) has been designed. However, there is a problem that the total manufacturing cost of the battery pack 1000 increases due to the unit cost of the thermal interface material, and the manufacturing time of the battery pack 1000 increases due to the addition of a process. Therefore, the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 of the present embodiment can be provided with cooling fins 600 to minimize the deterioration of cooling efficiency due to air gaps. The cooling fins 600 can be disposed to have one or more battery cells 110 therebetween.

[0104] Referring to Figure 14 , the cooling fins 600 of the present embodiment can be used to maintain the temperature within the battery pack 1000 or the battery module 100 within an appropriate range.

[0105] The cooling fin 600 can be disposed between the battery cells 110 facing one surface thereof, and the cooling fin 600 can absorb heat generated from the battery cells 110 by contacting one surface of the battery cells 110. The cooling fin 600 can transfer the heat absorbed from the battery cells 110 toward the heat sink 500. A portion of the cooling fin 600 can exist in a space between the battery cells 110 and the heat sink 500 through which the heat of the battery cells 110 can be transferred to the heat sink 500 using the cooling fin 600. A portion of the cooling fin 600 can exist in a separate space between the battery cells 110 and the heat sink 500, whereby the amount of a thermal interface material used in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can be minimized, and a reduction in manufacturing cost or simplification of a manufacturing process of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can be achieved.

[0106] The cooling fin 600 can include a main body portion 610 that makes surface contact with one surface of the battery cells 110 and an extension portion 620 that extends beyond the upper surface of the battery cell stack 120 and is close to the heat sink 500. The main body portion 610 receives heat from the battery cells 110 by contacting the battery cells 110, and the extension portion 620 can be disposed close to the heat sink 500, thereby dissipating heat transferred toward the heat sink 500. Here, the extension portion 620 of the cooling fin 600 can be disposed close to the lower plate 520 of the heat sink 500, or can be disposed in contact with the lower plate 520.

[0107] A plurality of cooling fins 600 can be disposed in the battery cell stack 120. The cooling fin 600 can be disposed entirely between two adjacent battery cells 110, but it is not necessarily the case, and can be disposed only on a portion of the two adjacent battery cells 110. At this time, when the cooling fin 600 is disposed only in a portion of the two adjacent battery cells 110, it can be preferable that the cooling fin 600 is arranged at regular intervals so that the effect of the cooling fin 600 is uniformly exhibited on the battery cell stack 120.

[0108] The cooling fin 600 can be made of a material having high thermal conductivity. For example, the cooling fin 600 can be made of aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, an alloy containing the same, or the like. The cooling fin 600 made of a material having high thermal conductivity can have much lower thermal resistance than air, and such a cooling fin 600 allows heat to be more smoothly transferred between the battery cells 110 and the heat sink 500.

[0109] On the other hand, although not specifically mentioned above, the battery pack according to the embodiments of the disclosure can further include a battery management system (BMS) that manages a battery temperature or a voltage and / or a cooling device.

[0110] The battery pack according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to various devices. For example, the device to which the battery pack is applied can be a vehicle such as an electric bicycle, an electric vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle. However, the above-mentioned device is not limited thereto, and in addition to the above illustration, the battery pack according to the present embodiment can also be used for various devices, which also falls within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0111] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto and various modifications and improvements can be made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present disclosure defined in the appended claims, which also falls within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0112] [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0113] 100: battery module

[0114] 110: battery cell

[0115] 120: battery cell stack

[0116] 130: side surface plate

[0117] 140: retaining strap

[0118] 150: busbar frame

[0119] 200: battery pack case

[0120] 300: reinforcing member

[0121] 400: end plate

[0122] 500: heat sink

[0123] 600: cooling fin

Claims

1. A battery pack characterized by comprising: The battery pack includes: a battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cell units are stacked, a battery pack case accommodating the battery module, and at least one reinforcing member inserted inside the battery pack case, wherein a melting point of the reinforcing member is higher than a melting point of the battery pack case.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack case further includes a discharge flow path through which a flame, a spark, or high-temperature heat from the battery cell stack is discharged to the outside of the battery pack, and a space between an inner surface of the battery pack case and the reinforcing member forms the discharge flow path.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack case further includes aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and the reinforcing member includes stainless steel.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member includes a heat insulating material.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing member includes a fire-retardant silicone pad, fireproof cloth, mica, or super wool.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed in parallel to at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the battery pack case.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed to be spaced apart from at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the battery pack case by a prescribed distance.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is configured to be in contact with at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the battery pack case.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is entirely in a plate shape, or has a structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped members are coupled to each other.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is entirely in a grid-shaped frame structure, or has a structure in which a plurality of grid-shaped frames are coupled to each other.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein, The battery pack further includes: a plate-shaped heat insulating material disposed adjacent to the reinforcing member in parallel.

12. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing member further includes a heat insulating material in a space between the grid-shaped frames.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack case has any one of a single frame structure having a square tube shape such that the battery cell stack can be accommodated inside; a structure including a U-shaped frame having any one of an upper surface and a lower surface opened, and a straight line-shaped cover covering the opened surface of the U-shaped frame; and a structure in which opened surfaces of two U-shaped frames face each other.

14. The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed on at least one of an upper surface, a lower surface, and two side surfaces of the battery pack case. The battery pack further includes:

15. The battery pack according to claim 13 or 14, characterized by ​ an end plate closing at least one of a front surface and a rear surface of an opening of the battery pack case; and at least one reinforcing member inserted into an inner space between an inner surface and an outer surface of the end plate, wherein the reinforcing member is disposed in parallel to at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the end plate.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member has at least one of a straight line shape, an "I" shape, a "├" shape, a left-right symmetrical shape of the shapes, or a combination of the shapes.

17. An apparatus comprising at least one battery, characterized in that, the battery pack is the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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