Battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

Battery pack included: a battery cell arrangement with multiple battery cells; a busbar arrangement that is provided at the battery cell arrangement and is electrically connected to the multiple battery cells; a cooling unit located below the busbar assembly and positioned along a longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly between the multiple battery cells; and a heat-conducting element that is placed in a space between the cooling unit and the multiple battery cells.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack and a vehicle that incorporates such a battery pack.

[0002] The present application claims priority from Korean patent application No. 10-2021-0003551, which was filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 11, 2021, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] Secondary batteries, thanks to their adaptability to various products and electrical properties such as high energy density, are used not only in portable devices but also more commonly in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by an electric drive. Secondary batteries are gaining attention due to their primary advantage of reducing the use of fossil fuels and producing no byproducts from energy use, making them a new, environmentally friendly, and energy-efficient energy source.

[0004] Currently widespread types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and similar types. A standard secondary battery cell typically operates at a voltage of approximately 2.5 V to 4.5 V. If a higher output voltage is required, multiple cells can be connected in series to create a battery pack. Alternatively, the battery pack can be constructed by connecting multiple cells in parallel, according to the required charge / discharge capacity. Therefore, the number of cells in a battery pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] When the battery pack is manufactured by connecting multiple battery cells in series / parallel, it is common to manufacture a battery module with at least one battery cell and then to manufacture a battery pack or battery rack including at least one battery module and any other component.

[0006] In general, a conventional battery pack housing contains multiple battery cells and features a cell frame to hold them. This cell frame typically comprises an array of plates, such as a front plate, a rear plate, a side plate, a bottom plate, and a top plate, to support the battery cells and provide structural rigidity.

[0007] The cell frame structure, which requires an arrangement of multiple plates, can result in increased manufacturing costs and a complex assembly process for the conventional battery pack, which can be detrimental in terms of price competitiveness and manufacturing efficiency.

[0008] Furthermore, the cell frame structure with an arrangement of several plates in the conventional battery pack leads to an increase in the overall size of the battery pack, which can be detrimental in terms of energy density. Disclosure Technique Task

[0009] Accordingly, the present disclosure is aimed at providing a battery pack with increased energy density and increased strength, as well as a vehicle that incorporates such a battery pack.

[0010] In addition, the present disclosure is further aimed at providing a battery pack with improved price competitiveness and improved manufacturing efficiency, as well as a vehicle incorporating such a battery pack.

[0011] Furthermore, the present disclosure is aimed at providing a battery pack with improved cooling performance and a vehicle that incorporates such a pack. TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0012] To solve the problem described above, the present disclosure provides a battery pack comprising a battery cell arrangement having several battery cells; a busbar arrangement provided on the battery cell arrangement and electrically connected to the several battery cells; a cooling unit arranged under the busbar arrangement and positioned along a longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement between the several battery cells; and a thermally conductive element filled into a space between the cooling unit and the several battery cells.

[0013] The heat-conducting element can be filled into the busbar assembly to at least partially cover the busbar assembly.

[0014] The heat-conducting element can be continuously filled in an upward / downward direction of the battery cell arrangement between the busbar arrangement and the cooling unit.

[0015] The heat-conducting element may contain a potting resin.

[0016] The cooling unit can have a cooling tube that extends over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement and is arranged between the multiple battery cells, wherein the cooling tube has an internal cooling channel for cooling water circulation; and a cooling water inlet / outlet that is connected to the cooling tube in such a way that the cooling water inlet / outlet is in (fluid) communication with the cooling channel of the cooling tube.

[0017] The cooling tube can be shaped to correspond to the outer surface of several opposing battery cells.

[0018] The cooling tube can have convex and concave sections arranged alternately along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell array.

[0019] The cooling water inlet / outlet can be provided on one side of the longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly, and the cooling pipe can extend over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet to an opposite side of the battery cell assembly in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly.

[0020] The cooling water inlet / outlet can be arranged between the multiple battery cells in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement, and the cooling pipe can extend over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet to two sides of the battery cell arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement.

[0021] The cooling channel can have at least one upper channel arranged on the cooling pipe and extending over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the cooling pipe; at least one lower channel arranged below the cooling pipe, from which at least one upper channel is spaced and extending over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the cooling pipe; and a connecting channel that connects the at least one upper channel with the at least one lower channel.

[0022] The cooling water inlet / outlet may include an inlet / outlet body connected to one end of the cooling pipe; a cooling water supply port provided in the inlet / outlet body and connected to the upper channel such that the cooling water supply port is in contact with the upper channel; and a cooling water outlet port provided in the inlet / outlet body and connected to the lower channel such that the cooling water outlet port is in contact with the lower channel.

[0023] The connecting channel can be provided at the opposite end of the cooling pipe.

[0024] The cooling tube can be arranged in contact with an outer surface of the multiple battery cells.

[0025] The busbar arrangement can include a pair of main busbars electrically connected to the battery cell arrangement and a connector connected to a charge / discharge line; and multiple connecting busbars electrically connected to the pair of main busbars and connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple battery cells.

[0026] In addition, the present disclosure provides a vehicle that has at least one battery pack according to the embodiments described above. BENEFICIAL EFFECTS

[0027] According to the various embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide a battery pack with increased energy density and increased strength, as well as a vehicle that incorporates such a battery pack.

[0028] In addition, according to the various embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide a battery pack with improved price competitiveness and improved manufacturing efficiency, as well as a vehicle incorporating such a battery pack.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the various embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide a battery pack with improved cooling performance and a vehicle that incorporates such a pack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to enable a comprehensive understanding of the technical aspects of the present disclosure; thus, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to the drawings. Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the battery pack of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a battery cell of a battery cell arrangement of the battery pack of Fig. 2 illustrated. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a battery cell according to a further embodiment of the battery cell arrangement of Fig. 3 illustrated. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a busbar arrangement of the battery pack of Fig. 2. Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a connecting busbar of the busbar arrangement of Fig. 5. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of the connecting busbar of Fig. 6. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the main parts of a cooling unit of the battery pack. Fig. 2. Fig. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the cooling unit. Fig. 8. Fig. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 11 is a perspective view of a lower frame of the battery pack of Fig. 2. Fig. Figure 12 is a perspective view of an upper frame of the battery pack of Fig. 2. Fig. Figure 13 is an enlarged diagram of the main parts of the upper frame of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a top view of the upper frame of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 and Fig. Figure 16 shows an electrical connection between a battery cell arrangement and a busbar arrangement of the battery pack. Fig. 1. Illustrate. Fig. 17 and Fig. Figure 18 shows the formation of a pack housing structure by a thermally conductive element of the battery pack. Fig. 1. Illustrate. Fig. Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. EXAMPLES OF EXECUTION

[0031] The present disclosure becomes clear by describing in detail a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiment described herein is provided for illustrative purposes to aid understanding of the present disclosure, and it is understood that various modifications to the present disclosure may be made in embodiments other than the one described herein. Additionally, to aid understanding of the present disclosure, the accompanying drawings are not shown to scale and may depict some exaggerated elements.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the battery pack of Fig. 1.

[0033] With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The battery pack 10 can be provided as an energy source in an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. The battery pack 10, as provided in the electric vehicle, is described in more detail in the following relevant drawings.

[0034] The battery pack 10 can contain a battery cell assembly 100, a busbar assembly 200, a cooling unit 300 and a thermally conductive element 400.

[0035] The battery cell arrangement 100 can contain at least one battery cell 150. In this embodiment, a description is given below based on the battery cell arrangement 100, which comprises the multiple battery cells 150.

[0036] The multiple battery cells 150 can include secondary batteries, for example, cylindrical secondary batteries, pouch-shaped secondary batteries, or prismatic secondary batteries. In this embodiment, a description based on cylindrical secondary batteries as the multiple battery cells 150 is given below.

[0037] The multiple battery cells 150 can be stacked in such a way that they are electrically connected to each other. The multiple battery cells 150 can have a positive electrode 175 and a negative electrode 170 shared on a top surface. In particular, the positive electrode 175 of battery cell 150 can be located centrally on the top surface of the battery cell 150, and the negative electrode 170 of battery cell 150 can be located at an edge of the top surface of the battery cell 150.

[0038] Since both the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the multiple battery cells 150 of this embodiment are provided on one side (+Z-axis direction) of the battery cells 150, more precisely on the top (+Z-axis direction) of the battery cells 150, as described above, the electrical connection with the busbar arrangement 200 can be simplified and / or facilitated, as described in more detail below.

[0039] Due to the structure of this embodiment, in which the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the multiple battery cells 150 are arranged on the same side (with respect to the +Z-axis direction), compared to a structure in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are arranged on opposite sides, the connection with the busbar arrangement 200, as described below, can be simplified and the volume occupied by the electrical connection structure can be reduced.

[0040] According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve a compact structure and an improved energy density of the battery pack 10 by simplifying the electrical connection structure of the battery cells 150 with the busbar arrangement 200, as described below.

[0041] Each of the multiple battery cells (150) is described in more detail below.

[0042] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the battery cell of the battery cell arrangement of the battery pack of Fig. 2 illustrated.

[0043] With reference to Fig. 3. The battery cell 150 can comprise an electrode assembly 160, a battery housing 170, and a top cap 175. In addition to the components described above, the battery cell 150 can also comprise a seal 180, a current collector plate 185, an insulating plate 190, and a connecting plate 195.

[0044] The electrode assembly 160 comprises a first electrode plate with a first polarity, a second electrode plate with a second polarity, and a separator located between the first and second electrode plates. The electrode assembly 160 can have a jellyroll shape. That is, the electrode assembly 160 can be formed by winding a stack around a winding axis C, the stack being formed by stacking the first electrode plate, the separator, and the second electrode plate on top of each other at least once in that order. In this case, the separator can be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the electrode assembly 160 for insulation from the battery housing 170. The first electrode plate is either a positive or negative electrode plate, and the second electrode plate corresponds to an electrode plate with the opposite polarity to the first electrode plate.

[0045] The first electrode plate comprises a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material applied to one or two surfaces of the first electrode current collector. An uncoated area, where the first electrode active material is not applied, is located at one end of the width direction (parallel to the Z-axis) of the first electrode current collector. This uncoated area can serve as a first electrode tab 162. The first electrode tab 162 is provided at the upper part of the height direction (parallel to the Z-axis) of the electrode assembly 160 housed in the battery casing 170.

[0046] The second electrode plate has a second electrode current collector and a second electrode active material applied to one or two surfaces of the second electrode current collector. An uncoated area, where the second electrode active material (and no other active material) is applied, is located at the opposite end of the width direction (parallel to the Z-axis) of the second electrode current collector. This uncoated area serves as a second electrode tab 164. The second electrode tab 164 is provided at the lower part of the height direction (parallel to the Z-axis) of the electrode assembly 160 housed in the battery casing 170.

[0047] The battery housing 170 is a cylindrical receiving structure with a top opening and is made of a metal with conductive properties. The battery housing 170 receives the electrode assembly 160 together with an electrolyte through the top opening.

[0048] The battery housing 170 is electrically connected to the second electrode tab 164 of the electrode arrangement 160. Thus, the battery housing 170 has the same polarity as the second electrode tab 164. In this embodiment, the battery housing 170 can act as the negative electrode 170.

[0049] The battery housing 170 has a beaded section 171 and a crimped section 172 at its upper end. The beaded section 171 is formed on the electrode assembly 160. The beaded section 171 is formed by pressing the circumference of the outer surface of the battery housing 170. The beaded section 171 prevents the electrode assembly 160, which has a size corresponding to the width of the battery housing 170, from slipping out of the upper opening of the battery housing 170 and can act as a support on which the upper cap 175 sits.

[0050] An upper edge 173 of the corrugated section 171 of the battery housing 170 can be inserted into or arranged in contact with a guide groove 249 of a connecting section 248 of the negative electrode of the busbar assembly 200, as described below. This facilitates the welding process for the electrical connection between the busbar assembly 200, as described below, and the battery housing 170, which acts as the negative electrode.

[0051] The crimp section 172 is formed on the bead section 171. The crimp section 172 can be extended and bent to cover the outer circumferential surface of the upper cap 175, which is arranged on the bead section 171, and part of the upper surface of the upper cap 175.

[0052] The upper cap 175 is a component made of a metal with conductive properties and covers the upper opening of the battery housing 170. The upper cap 175 is electrically connected to the first electrode tab 162 of the electrode assembly 160 and electrically insulated from the battery housing 170. Thus, the upper cap 175 can act as the positive electrode 175 of the battery cell 150.

[0053] The upper cap 175 sits on the corrugated section 171 formed in the battery housing 170 and is secured by the crimp section 172. The seal 180 can be positioned between the upper cap 175 and the crimp section 172 of the battery housing 170 to ensure the sealing of the battery housing 170 and the electrical insulation between the battery housing 170 and the upper cap 175.

[0054] The upper cap 175 may have a projection extending upwards from the center. This projection may make contact with an electrical connection component, such as busbars.

[0055] The current collector plate 185 is coupled to the electrode assembly 160. The current collector plate 185 is made of a metal with conductive properties and is connected to the first electrode tab 162. A conductor 187 can be connected to the current collector plate 185, and the conductor 187 can extend upwards from the electrode assembly 160 and be directly coupled to the upper cap 175, or it can be coupled to the connecting plate 195, which is coupled to the lower surface of the upper cap 175.

[0056] The current collector plate 185 is coupled to the end of the first electrode tab 162. The coupling between the first electrode tab 162 and the current collector plate 185 can be achieved, for example, by laser welding. Laser welding can be carried out by partially melting the base material of the current collector plate 185 and can be performed using solder placed between the current collector plate 185 and the first electrode tab 162. In this case, the solder can have a lower melting point than both the current collector plate 185 and the first electrode tab 162.

[0057] The current collector plate 185 can be coupled to the lower surface of the electrode assembly 160. In this case, one surface of the current collector plate 185 can be coupled to the second electrode tab 164 of the electrode assembly 160 by welding, and the opposite surface can be coupled to the inner bottom surface of the battery housing 170 by welding. The coupling structure of the current collector plate 185 coupled to the lower surface of the electrode assembly 160 and the second electrode tab 164 is essentially the same as that of the current collector plate 185 coupled to the upper surface of the electrode assembly 160 as described above.

[0058] The insulating plate 190 is arranged between the upper end of the electrode arrangement 160 and the corrugated section 171 or between the current collector plate 185, which is coupled to the electrode arrangement 160, and the corrugated section 171, in order to prevent contact between the first electrode tab 162 and the battery housing 170 or contact between the current collector plate 185 and the battery housing 170.

[0059] The insulating plate 190 has a feedthrough hole 193 through which the conductor 187, extending upwards from the current collector plate 185 or the first electrode tab 162, can exit. The conductor 187 extends upwards through the feedthrough hole 193 and is connected to the lower surface of the connecting plate 195 or the lower surface of the upper cap 175.

[0060] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery cell 150 has a structure in which the upper cap 175, which is provided on the top side, and the upper edge 173 of the battery housing 170 are aligned in the longitudinal direction (parallel to the Z-axis). Fig. 2) of the battery housing 170 as the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170. For electrically connecting the several battery cells 150 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it may therefore be possible for the electrical connection component, such as the busbar arrangement 200, to be arranged only on one side of the battery cells 150, thereby simplifying the structure and improving the energy density.

[0061] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a battery cell according to a further embodiment of the battery cell arrangement of Fig. 3 illustrated.

[0062] Since the battery cell 155 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery cell 150 of the previous embodiment, a repeated description of the substantially identical or similar elements to the previous embodiment is omitted, and a description of the differences between this embodiment and the previous embodiment follows.

[0063] With reference to Fig. 4 In addition to the components of the battery cell 150 described above, the battery cell 155 may also have a metal washer 197 and an insulating washer 199.

[0064] The metal washer 197 is a component made of a metal with conductive properties and has the approximate shape of a disc with a hole in the center. The metal washer 197 is coupled to the crimp section 172 of the battery housing 170. The coupling between the metal washer 197 and the crimp section 172 can be achieved, for example, by laser welding.

[0065] The metal washer 197 is electrically insulated from the upper cap 175. The upper cap 175 is exposed through a hole formed in the center of the metal washer 197, and the metal washer 197 is spaced from the projection formed in the center of the upper cap 175. Additionally, the metal washer 197 is vertically spaced from the remaining area, except for the projection of the upper cap 175. Thus, the metal washer 197 can be electrically connected to the second electrode tab 164 and the battery housing 170 and act as the negative electrode of the battery cell 155.

[0066] A width D2 of the metal washer 197 is larger than a width D1 of the upper surface of the crimp section 172 of the battery housing 170. Coupling the electrical connection component, such as the busbar assembly 200, to the metal washer 197 to connect the multiple battery cells 150 serves, for example, to increase the coupling area between the electrical connection component and the metal washer 197. As described herein, increasing the coupling area between the electrical connection component and the metal washer 197 facilitates the welding process, thereby improving the connection strength between the two components and reducing the electrical resistance at the coupled part.

[0067] The insulating washer 199 is arranged between the upper cap 175 and the metal washer 197. The insulating washer 199 is made of a material with insulating properties. Since the upper cap 175 acts as the positive electrode and the metal washer 197 acts as the negative electrode, in the battery cell 155, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper cap 175 and the metal washer 197 must maintain the electrical insulation state. Accordingly, the insulating washer 199 can preferably be used to maintain the insulation state stably.

[0068] The insulating washer 199 is positioned between the lower surface of the metal washer 197 and the upper cap 175. As described above, the metal washer 197 has a greater width D2 than the width D1 of the upper surface of the crimp section 172 and extends from the crimp section 172 to the projection in the center of the upper cap 175. Accordingly, the insulating washer 199 can be extended to cover the inner surface of the hole formed in the center of the metal washer 197, thus preventing contact between the inner surface of the hole formed in the center of the metal washer 197 and the projection of the upper cap 175.

[0069] If the insulating washer 199 is made of resin, it can be coupled to the metal washer 197 and the upper cap 175 by heat melting. In this case, it is possible to improve the sealing at the coupling interface between the insulating washer 199 and the metal washer 197, and at the coupling interface between the insulating washer 199 and the upper cap 175.

[0070] The busbar arrangement 200 for electrical connection with the multiple battery cells 150 is described in more detail below.

[0071] Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the busbar arrangement of the battery pack. Fig. 2, Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the connecting busbar of the busbar assembly of Fig. 5, and Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of the connecting busbar of Fig. 6.

[0072] With reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. The busbar assembly 200 can be provided at the battery cell assembly 100 (+Z-axis direction) and electrically connected to the multiple battery cells 150. The electrical connection of the busbar assembly 200 can be a parallel and / or series connection.

[0073] The busbar arrangement 200 can be connected to the positive electrode 175 (see Fig. 2) and the negative electrode 170 (see Fig. 2) of the several battery cells 150 (see Fig. 2) be electrically connected and electrically connected to an external charging / discharging line via connectors 260, 270.

[0074] The components of the busbar assembly 200 are described in more detail below.

[0075] The busbar arrangement 200 can include a pair of main busbars 210, 220, a connecting busbar 230, the pair of connectors 260, 270 and an intermediate connecting plate 280.

[0076] The pair of main busbars 210, 220 can be electrically connected to the battery cell arrangement 100 and can have connectors 260, 270 which are connected to the external charging / discharging line.

[0077] The pair of main busbars 210, 220 can be electrically connected to the battery cells 150, which are arranged on two outermost sides (in the Y-axis direction) under the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100. In particular, each of the pair of main busbars 210, 220 can be electrically connected to the battery cells 150, which are arranged on the outermost sides in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0078] The pair of main busbars 210, 220 can have the positive main busbar 210 and the negative main busbar 220.

[0079] The positive main busbar 210 can be located on one side (+Y-axis direction) of the busbar assembly 200 at the battery cell assembly 100 (+Z-axis direction). The positive main busbar 210 can be electrically connected to the positive electrode 175 of the battery cells 150, which are located on one outermost side (+Y-axis direction) of the battery cell assembly 100. The electrical connection can be made by a welding process, such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[0080] The positive main busbar 210 can have the positive connector 260, as described below, for connection to the charging / discharging line. The positive connector 260 can protrude from one side (+Y-axis direction) of the positive main busbar 210.

[0081] An intermediate connection plate section 215 for electrical connection with the connection plate 280, as described below, can be provided at one end (+X-axis direction) of the positive main busbar 210. The intermediate connection plate section 215 can be connected to the intermediate connection plate 280 by screw coupling or rivets.

[0082] Furthermore, the positive main busbar 210 can have a connecting pipe through-hole 217 through which a connecting pipe 390 (see Fig. 2), as described below, runs upwards above the positive main busbar 210 (+Z-axis direction) to connect the connecting pipe 390 to an external cooling line.

[0083] The negative main busbar 220 can be located on the opposite side (-Y-axis direction) of the busbar assembly 200 at the battery cell assembly 100 (+Z-axis direction). The negative main busbar 220 can be electrically connected to the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150, which are located on the opposite outermost side (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell assembly 100. The electrical connection can be made by a welding process, such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[0084] The negative main busbar 220 can have the negative connector 270, as described below, for connection to the charging / discharging line. The negative connector 270 can protrude from the other side (in the Y-axis direction) of the negative main busbar 220.

[0085] An intermediate connection plate section 225 for electrical connection with the connection plate 280, as described below, can be provided at one end (+X-axis direction) of the negative main busbar 220. The intermediate connection plate section 225 can be connected to the intermediate connection plate 280 by screw coupling or rivets.

[0086] The connecting busbar 230 is used to electrically connect the multiple battery cells 150, and multiple connecting busbars 230 can be provided. The multiple connecting busbars 230 can be electrically connected to the pair of main busbars 210, 220 and to the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the multiple battery cells 150.

[0087] The multiple connecting busbars 230 can be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100. Furthermore, the multiple connecting busbars 230 can be arranged between the positive main busbar 210 and the negative main busbar 220 in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the busbar arrangement 200.

[0088] Each of the multiple connecting busbars 230 can have a busbar layer 240 and a support layer 250.

[0089] The busbar layer 240 can be formed over a predetermined length along the width direction (in the X-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100 and be electrically connected to the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150.

[0090] The busbar layer 240 can have a layer body 242, an intermediate connecting plate connection section 245 and electrode connection sections 246, 248.

[0091] The layer body 242 can be formed over a predetermined length along the width direction (in the X-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100. The layer body 242 can be provided in a shape that corresponds to the arrangement structure of the battery cells 150 in the width direction (in the X-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100 for electrical connection with the battery cells 150.

[0092] The layer body 242 can be made of a conductive material. For example, the layer body 242 can be made of a metal, such as aluminum or copper. The layer body 242 is not limited to this and can contain any other material for the electrical connection.

[0093] The intermediate connecting plate connection section 245 can be provided at one end (+X-axis direction) of the layer body 242 and electrically connected to the intermediate connecting plate 280, as described below. The intermediate connecting plate connection section 245 can be connected to the intermediate connecting plate 280 by screw coupling or rivets.

[0094] The electrode connection sections 246, 248 can project from the layer body 242 and can be connected to the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150. In particular, the electrode connection sections 246, 248 can comprise the positive electrode connection section 246 and the negative electrode connection section 248.

[0095] Several positive electrode connection sections 246 can be provided and they can project from one side (in the Y-axis direction) of the layer body 242 to a predetermined size and can be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance along the longitudinal direction (in the X-axis direction) of the layer body 242.

[0096] The multiple positive electrode connection sections 246 can be electrically connected to the positive electrode 175 of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100, which is arranged below the busbar arrangement 200 (in the Z-axis direction). The electrical connection can be made by a welding process, such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[0097] Several negative electrode connection sections 248 can be provided and can project from the other side (in the +Y-axis direction) of the layer body 242 to a predetermined size and can be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance along the longitudinal direction (in the X-axis direction) of the layer body 242. The several negative electrode connection sections 248 can be arranged with the several positive electrode connection sections 246 in a zigzag pattern in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the layer body 242.

[0098] The multiple negative electrode connection sections 248 can be electrically connected to the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100, which is arranged below the busbar arrangement 200 (in the Z-axis direction). The electrical connection can be made by a welding process, such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[0099] Each of the multiple negative electrode connection sections 248 can have a guide groove 249. The guide groove 249 can be provided in the form of a groove that conforms to an arc shape of the upper edge 173 of the battery casing 170 (see Fig. 3) corresponds to the negative electrode of battery cell 150.

[0100] The guide groove 249 can be inserted into the upper edge 173 of the battery cells 150 or arranged in close contact with it in the welding process for the electrical connection with the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150, thereby facilitating the welding process and improving the accuracy of the welding process.

[0101] The support layer 250 can be provided on the underside (in the Z-axis direction) of the busbar layer 240 to support the busbar layer 240. The support layer 250 can have a shape corresponding to the layer body 250 and can be fixed in contact with the underside (in the Z-axis direction) of the layer body 250.

[0102] The carrier layer 250 can be made of an insulating material to prevent an electrical short circuit between the multiple battery cells 150 and the busbar layer 240. For example, the carrier layer 250 can have a polyimide film. The carrier layer 250 is not limited to this and can have any other insulating element made of an insulating material.

[0103] An intermediate connecting plate connection section 255 can be provided at one end (+X-axis direction) of the support layer 250. The intermediate connecting plate connection section 255 can be provided at a location corresponding to the intermediate connecting plate connection section 245 of the layer body 242 and be electrically connected to the intermediate connecting plate 280 as described below. The intermediate connecting plate connection section 255 can be connected to the intermediate connecting plate 280 by screw coupling or rivets.

[0104] The pair of connectors 260, 270 is used to connect to the external charging / discharging line and can have a positive connector 260 and a negative connector 270. The positive connector 260 can protrude from one side (+Y-axis direction) of the positive main busbar 210, and the negative connector 270 can protrude from the other side (in the Y-axis direction) of the negative main busbar 220.

[0105] The intermediate connecting plate 280 is used to detect the voltage of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100 and can be formed over a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the busbar arrangement 200.

[0106] In particular, the intermediate connecting plate 280 can measure the voltage of the battery cells 150 which are connected in parallel between the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100 in order to determine the state of charge of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0107] For this purpose, the intermediate connecting plate 280 can be electrically connected to an external detection line and electrically connected to the positive main busbar 210, the negative main busbar 220 and the multiple connecting busbars 230.

[0108] The intermediate connecting plate 280 can have a detection connector 285 and a busbar connection section 287.

[0109] The sensing connector 285 can be connected to the external sensing line and can be provided at one end (+Y-axis direction) of the intermediate connection plate 280. The sensing connector 285 can be exposed from the battery pack 10 for connection to the external sensing line. The external sensing line can connect the sensing connector 285 to a battery management system (not shown). The battery management system can determine the state of charge of the parallel-connected battery cells based on their voltage.

[0110] Several busbar connection sections 287 can be provided and can be spaced apart at a predetermined distance from each other along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the intermediate connection plate 280.

[0111] The multiple busbar connection sections 287 can be connected to the intermediate connecting plate connection section 215 of the positive main busbar 210, the intermediate connecting plate connection section 225 of the negative main busbar 220 and the intermediate connecting plate connection sections 245, 255 of the multiple connecting busbars 230 by screws or rivets.

[0112] With renewed reference to Fig. 2 The cooling unit 300 is used to cool the battery cell arrangement 100 and can be arranged under the busbar arrangement 200 (in the Z-axis direction) between the several battery cells 150 along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0113] Several 300 cooling units can be provided.

[0114] The multiple cooling units 300 can be arranged such that they face the multiple battery cells 150 in the forward-backward direction along the width direction (in the X-axis direction) of the multiple battery cell arrangements 100. Here, the multiple cooling units 300 can be arranged in contact with the facing battery cells 150 to increase the cooling capacity.

[0115] The cooling unit 300 is described in more detail below.

[0116] Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the main parts of the cooling unit of the battery pack. Fig. 2, Fig. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the cooling unit. Fig. 8, and Fig. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] With reference to the Fig. 8 to Fig. 10 together with Fig. 2 The cooling unit 300 can have a cooling pipe 310, a cooling channel 350, a cooling water inlet / outlet 370 and the connecting pipe 390.

[0118] The cooling tube 310 can be formed over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100 and can be arranged between the several battery cells 150, and can have the cooling channel 350 for cooling water circulation inside, as described below.

[0119] The cooling tube 310 can be designed in a shape that corresponds to the outer surface of the several opposing battery cells 150 in the width direction (in the X-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0120] The cooling tube 310 can have several convex sections 312 and convex sections 316 arranged alternately along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement, wherein the convex sections 312 and the convex sections 316 are each convex and convex in the lateral direction (in the X-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0121] The cooling tube 310 can be arranged in contact with the outer surface of the multiple battery cells 150 to increase the cooling capacity of the battery cell arrangement 100. The cooling tube 310 can be adhered to and secured to the multiple battery cells 150 by the thermally conductive element 400, as described below, or by any adhesive element.

[0122] The cooling channel 350 can circulate the cooling water to cool the battery cell arrangement 100 and can be provided in the cooling tube 310 and connected to the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 as described below.

[0123] The cooling channel 350 can have an upper channel 352, a lower channel 354 and a connecting channel 356.

[0124] The upper channel 352 can be provided on the cooling pipe 310 near the busbar assembly 200 and can extend over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the cooling pipe 310. The upper channel 352 can be connected to a cooling water supply port 374 of the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 such that it is in contact with the cooling water supply port 374.

[0125] At least one upper channel 352 can be provided. In this embodiment, the following description is based on the multiple upper channels 352 provided to ensure cooling performance.

[0126] The lower channel 354 can be arranged below the cooling pipe 310 (in the Z-axis direction), from which at least one upper channel 352 can be spaced, and can extend over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the cooling pipe 310. The lower channel 354 can be connected to a cooling water outlet port 376 of the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 such that it is in contact with the cooling water outlet port 376.

[0127] At least one lower channel 354 can be provided. In this embodiment, a description is given below based on multiple lower channels 354 being provided to ensure cooling performance.

[0128] The connecting channel 356 can connect the at least one upper channel, in this embodiment the several upper channels 352, with the at least one lower channel, in this embodiment the several lower channels 354.

[0129] The connecting channel 356 can be provided at the other end (in the Y-axis direction) of the cooling pipe 310 opposite the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 in order to maximize the cooling channel 350.

[0130] In this embodiment, in the cooling water circulation of the cooling channel 350, the cooling water supplied from the cooling water supply port 374 can be fed to the upper channel 352, which is located near the busbar arrangement 200, and then move via the connecting channel 356 and the lower channel 354 to the cooling water outlet port 376.

[0131] According to this embodiment, cold cooling water is first supplied to an area near the busbar arrangement 200, which has a higher temperature distribution in the battery pack 10, thereby significantly improving the cooling performance of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0132] The cooling water inlet / outlet 370 can be connected to the cooling pipe 310 such that it is in contact with the cooling channel 350 of the cooling pipe 310. The cooling water inlet / outlet 370 can be connected to the connecting pipe 390, which is connected to the external cooling line as described below, such that it is in contact with the connecting pipe 390.

[0133] The cooling water inlet / outlet 370 can be provided on one side (in the Y-axis direction) of the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell assembly 100. The cooling pipe 310, which is connected to the cooling water inlet / outlet 370, can extend along the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell assembly 100 over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 to the other side (in the Y-axis direction).

[0134] Meanwhile, the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 can be arranged between the multiple battery cells 150 in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100, as shown in Fig. Figure 8 shows that, in particular, the cooling pipe 310 of each cooling unit 305 can extend over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 to two sides (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100 in the longitudinal direction (in the Y-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100. That is, a bidirectional cooling structure can be provided in which the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 of the cooling unit 305 is located in the center and the cooling pipe 330 is located on two sides of the cooling water inlet / outlet 370 in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0135] The cooling water inlet / outlet 370 can have an inlet / outlet body 372, the cooling water supply port 374 and the cooling water outlet port 376.

[0136] The inlet / outlet body 372 can be connected to one end (in the Y-axis direction) of the cooling tube 310. The connecting tube 390, as described below, can be provided on the inlet / outlet body 372 (in the Z-axis direction).

[0137] The cooling water supply connection 374 can be provided in the inlet / outlet body 372 and can be connected to the upper channel 352 such that it is in contact with the upper channel 352. The cooling water supply connection 374 can be connected to the connecting pipe 390, as described below, such that it is in contact with the connecting pipe 390.

[0138] The cooling water outlet port 376 can be provided in the inlet / outlet body 372 and can be connected to the lower channel 354 such that it is in contact with the lower channel 354. The cooling water outlet port 376 can be spaced at a predetermined distance from the cooling water supply port 374 and can be connected to the connecting pipe 390, as described below, such that it is in contact with the connecting pipe 390.

[0139] The connecting pipe 390 can connect all cooling water supply ports 374 of the multiple cooling units 300 to connect them together, and can connect all cooling water outlet ports 376 of the multiple cooling units 300 to connect them together.

[0140] The connecting pipe 390, which is connected to the external cooling line, can supply the cooling water to the cooling water supply ports 374 of the multiple cooling units 300 and supply the cooling water to the cooling water outlet ports 376 of the multiple cooling units 300 of the external cooling line.

[0141] For connection to the external cooling line, the connecting pipe 390 can be routed from the battery pack 10 through a pipe hole 690 (see Fig. 12) of an upper frame 600, as described below, and the connecting pipe through-hole 217 (see Fig. 5) of the busbar arrangement 200 are free.

[0142] With renewed reference to Fig. 2. The heat-conducting element 400 can be located in a space between the cooling unit 300 and the multiple battery cells 150 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery pack 10. In this case, Fig. 2 The heat-conducting element 400 is shown for better understanding by a rectangular prism in a dashed line, and the heat-conducting element 400 can be completely filled in the space between the cooling unit 300 and the several battery cells 150.

[0143] The thermally conductive element 400 can fix the multiple battery cells 150 more stably and increase the heat transfer efficiency of the multiple battery cells 150, thereby further increasing the cooling performance of the battery cells 150.

[0144] The thermally conductive element 400 can contain a potting resin. The potting resin can be formed by injecting a thin layer of resin material into the multiple battery cells 150 and allowing it to harden. Here, the injection of the resin material can be carried out at room temperature, approximately 15 °C to 25 °C, to avoid thermal damage to the multiple battery cells 150.

[0145] In particular, the thermally conductive element 400 can contain a silicone resin. The thermally conductive element 400 is not limited to this and can contain any other resin material besides silicone resin that is capable of fixing the battery cells 150 and improving the heat transfer efficiency of the battery cells 150.

[0146] In addition to the battery cells 150, the thermally conductive element 400 can also be installed in the busbar assembly 200. In particular, the battery cells 150 can be installed in the busbar assembly 200 to cover at least part of the busbar assembly 200.

[0147] Here, the heat-conducting element 400 can be continuously filled in the upward / downward direction (in the Z-axis direction) of the battery cell arrangement 100 without interruption or a gap between the busbar arrangement 200 and the battery cells 150.

[0148] Since, as described above, the heat-conducting element 400 is continuously filled into the battery cells 150 and the busbar assembly 200 without interruption according to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve a uniform heat distribution in the area between the battery cells 150 and the busbar assembly 200 without uneven heat distribution, thereby significantly increasing the cooling performance of the battery pack 10.

[0149] With renewed reference to Fig. 2. The battery pack 10 may also have a lower frame 500.

[0150] Fig. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lower frame of the battery pack of Fig. 2.

[0151] With reference to Fig. 11 together with Fig. 2. The lower frame 500 can support the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100.

[0152] The lower frame 500 can include a lower housing 510, a cell guide rib 530 and a cooling tube support groove 550.

[0153] The lower housing 510 can at least partially accommodate the multiple battery cells 150. The lower housing 510 can ensure the rigidity of the battery pack 10 and more securely fix and support the battery cells 150.

[0154] The cell guide rib 530 is used to fix the multiple battery cells 150 more stably, and multiple cell guide ribs 530 can be provided and project up to a predetermined height (+Z-axis direction) from the bottom (in Z-axis direction) of the lower housing 510.

[0155] The cooling pipe support groove 550 is used to stably fix the cooling unit 300 and can be provided in the underside (in the Z-axis direction) of the lower housing 510 to accommodate the cooling pipe 310 (see Fig. 8) to be mounted such that the cooling tube 310 is inserted into the cooling tube support groove 550. The cooling tube support groove 550 can be designed in a shape corresponding to the underside of the cooling tube 310 to facilitate mounting the cooling tube 310.

[0156] With renewed reference to Fig. 2. The battery pack 10 can also have the upper frame 600.

[0157] Fig. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the upper frame of the battery pack. Fig. 2, Fig. Figure 13 is an enlarged diagram of the main parts of the upper frame of Fig. 12, and Fig. 14 is a top view of the upper frame of Fig. 13.

[0158] With reference to Fig. 12 to Fig. 14 together with Fig. 2. The upper frame 600 can be provided on the lower frame 500 to fix and support the battery cell assembly 100 and the busbar assembly 200 more stably.

[0159] The upper frame 600 can include an upper housing 610, a cell carrier 630, a connector hole 650, an intermediate connecting plate bracket 670 and the tube hole 690.

[0160] The upper housing 610 can be provided on the lower housing 510 to at least partially cover the battery cell assembly 100 and the busbar assembly 200.

[0161] The upper housing 610 can have a guide wall 615.

[0162] The guide wall 615 can be formed along the upper edge of the upper housing 610 and can project from the upper edge to a predetermined height (in the +Z-axis direction). The guide wall 615 can guide the proper injection of the heat-conducting element 400 and prevent flooding of the heat-conducting element 400 when the heat-conducting element 400 is injected as described below.

[0163] The cell carrier 630 can be provided on the upper part of the upper housing 610 to support the top (in the +Z-axis direction) of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100, and can lie free on the top (in the +Z-axis direction) to guide the electrical connection of the battery cells 150 and the busbar arrangement 200.

[0164] The cell carrier 630 can contain a main opening 632, an extended opening 634 and a layer body seat 636.

[0165] The main opening 632 can be provided in the form of an opening of a predetermined size through which the top of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100 is exposed in order to guide the electrical connection between the positive electrode 175 of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100 and the positive electrode connection section 246 of the busbar arrangement 200 and to guide the injection of the heat-conducting element 400 even more easily.

[0166] The enlarged opening 634 can be provided in the form of an opening that extends to a predetermined size from one side of the main opening 632 and provides the electrical connection between the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150 of the battery cell arrangement 100 and the negative electrode connection section 248 of the busbar arrangement 200.

[0167] The enlarged opening 634 can be provided in a shape that corresponds to the shape of the negative electrode connection section 248 of the busbar assembly 200. Accordingly, when arranging the busbar assembly 200 in the cell carrier 630, it is possible to guide the positioning of the negative electrode connection section 248 even more easily and to maximize the welding area, thereby increasing welding comfort in the welding process and significantly improving weld quality.

[0168] In this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the maximum welding space for welding both the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150, and the positive electrode connection section 246 and the negative electrode connection section 248 of the busbar assembly 200 in the welding process for the electrical connection between them through the main opening 632 and the extended opening 634, which extends to a predetermined size from the main opening 632 to one side. Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the welding process efficiency and minimize the risk of electrical short circuits.

[0169] Furthermore, in this embodiment it is possible to obtain the maximum open area in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) of the heat-conducting element 400 through the main opening 632 and the enlarged opening 634 when the heat-conducting element 400 is injected and applied as described below, which makes it easier and more uniform to insert the heat-conducting element 400 downwards into the cell carrier 630.

[0170] The layer body seat 636 can be formed in the form of a groove of a predetermined depth on the top of the cell carrier 630, and the layer body 242 and the carrier layer 250 can sit on the layer body seat 636.

[0171] The layer body seat 636 can be provided in a space between the main opening 632 and the enlarged opening 634 and can be configured to maximize the open area of ​​the main opening 632 and the enlarged opening 634. In this embodiment, the layer body seat 636 can be provided in a zigzag pattern with a narrow width corresponding to the shape of the layer body 242.

[0172] As described above, according to this embodiment, the cell carrier 630 can support the battery cells 150 on the battery cell arrangement 100 and provide the electrical connection between the battery cells 150 and the busbar arrangement 200.

[0173] Furthermore, the cell carrier 630 can maximize the open area in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery pack 10 through the main opening 632, the enlarged opening 634 and the layer body seat 636, thereby making the insertion of the thermally conductive element 400 easier and maximizing the injection volume of the thermally conductive element 400 when the thermally conductive element 400 is injected as described below.

[0174] Furthermore, the cell carrier 630 can also include an additional slot structure with an opening shape of a predetermined size to increase the efficiency of the injection process and the injection volume of the heat-conducting element 400.

[0175] The connector hole 650 can be provided on two sides (in the Y-axis direction) of the upper housing 610 and allow the connectors 260, 270 to pass through it in such a way that the connectors 260, 270 are free from the upper housing 610.

[0176] The intermediate connecting plate holder 670 is used to mount the intermediate connecting plate 280 (see Fig. 3) to be mounted, and can be provided on a side surface of the upper housing 610. The intermediate connecting plate 280 can be inserted into the intermediate connecting plate holder 670 or glued and attached to the intermediate connecting plate holder 670. Here, the intermediate connecting plate holder 670 can have a sensing connector receiving structure in which the sensing connector 285 is received such that it is free of the battery pack 10.

[0177] The pipe hole 690 can be provided at a location adjacent to the connecting pipe passage hole 217 (see Fig. 5) corresponds to the busbar arrangement 200, and can be an opening of a predetermined size to allow the connecting tube 390 to pass through.

[0178] A method for manufacturing the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, based on the electrical connection between the battery cell arrangement 100 and the busbar arrangement 200 and the formation of the pack housing by the heat-conducting element 400, is described in more detail below.

[0179] Fig. 15 and Fig. Figure 16 shows the electrical connection between the battery cell arrangement and the busbar arrangement of the battery pack. Fig. 1. Illustrate.

[0180] With reference to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16. In the manufacture of the battery pack 10, a manufacturer can supply the battery cell arrangement 100 and the cooling unit 300 (see Fig. 2) by coupling between the lower frame 500 and the upper frame 600 inside. Here, the connecting pipe 390 of the cooling unit 300 can protrude beyond the upper housing 610 of the upper frame 600.

[0181] The manufacturer can mount the busbar assembly 200 in the upper frame 600 for the electrical connection of the battery cell assembly 100. In particular, the layer bodies 242 of the connecting busbars 230 of the busbar assembly 200 can be seated on the layer body seat 636, the positive electrode connection section 246 can be arranged at the main opening 632, and the negative electrode connection section 248 can be arranged at the enlarged opening 634. Here, the guide groove 249 of the connection section 248 of the negative electrode can be inserted into or in close contact with the upper edge 173 of the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150.

[0182] The layer body seat 636, the main opening 632 and the extended opening 634 can guide the positioning of each component of the busbar assembly 200 before the welding process between the busbar assembly 200 and the battery cell assembly 100 and support each component of the busbar assembly 200 more stably.

[0183] The manufacturer can then electrically connect the battery cell arrangement 100 with the busbar arrangement 200 by means of a welding process, such as laser welding.

[0184] In particular, the positive electrode 175 of the battery cells 150 can be connected to the positive electrode connection section 246 of the busbar assembly 200 by laser welding at the main opening 632 and the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150 can be connected to the negative electrode connection section 248 of the busbar assembly 200 by laser welding at the enlarged opening 634.

[0185] In this embodiment, the welding process for the electrical connection between the positive electrode 175 and the negative electrode 170 of the battery cell arrangement 100 and the busbar arrangement 200 can be carried out with a predetermined distance and a predetermined open area through the main opening 632 and the enlarged opening 634, thereby making the welding process easier and significantly increasing the weld quality.

[0186] Since in this embodiment the welding process is carried out after the connecting busbars 230 are seated on the layer body seat 636 and the upper edge 173 of the negative electrode 170 of the battery cells 150 is inserted into the guide groove 249 of the connecting section 248 of the negative electrode or is arranged in close contact with it, it is also possible to fix the battery cells 150 and the busbar arrangement 200 more stably during welding, thereby improving the welding accuracy.

[0187] Fig. 17 and Fig. Figure 18 shows the formation of the pack housing structure by the heat-conducting element of the battery pack. Fig. 1. Illustrate.

[0188] With reference to Fig. 17 and Fig. 18 The manufacturer can then form the pack housing of the battery pack 10 by means of the thermally conductive element 400, which is made from the resin material, by injection and application of the thermally conductive element 400 by means of a resin injector I.

[0189] In this embodiment, during the injection of the heat-conducting element 400, the lower frame 500 and the upper frame 600 can act as a single mold (a molding tool). Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to omit a structure such as the molding tool, which is temporarily assembled and then subsequently removed, during the injection of the heat-conducting element 400, thereby improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process of the battery pack 10 and significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

[0190] The guide wall 615 of the upper frame 600 can prevent the thermally conductive element 400 from being flooded and can adjust the injection volume of the thermally conductive element 400 during injection. The manufacturer can stop the injection of the thermally conductive element 400 after it has been injected, up to the point where it reaches the end in the vertical direction (+Z-axis direction) of the guide wall 615.

[0191] Furthermore, in this embodiment it is possible to maximize the open area on top of the battery pack 10 (+Z-axis direction) through the main opening 632, the enlarged opening 634 and the layer body seat 636, thereby significantly improving the injection efficiency of the thermally conductive element 400 during the injection of the thermally conductive element 400.

[0192] Here, for the connection of the external charging / discharging line, the external sensing line and the external cooling line, the heat-conducting element 400 cannot be injected and can be applied to the positive connector 260, the negative connector 270, the sensing connector 285 and the top (+Z-axis direction) of the connecting tube 390.

[0193] Meanwhile, the heat-conducting element 400 can be used to at least partially cover the side of the lower frame 500 and the upper frame 600.

[0194] When the thermally conductive element 400 is cured, it can form the housing of the battery pack 10. Since the housing in this embodiment is formed by the thermally conductive element 400, which is made from the potting resin, it is possible to simplify the assembly process of the battery pack 10 and significantly reduce manufacturing costs compared to the conventional housing, which is formed as a complex arrangement of several plates, thereby improving cost competitiveness.

[0195] Furthermore, in this embodiment, compared to the conventional cell frame structure which comprises an arrangement of several plates, it is possible to reduce the overall size of the battery pack 10 by means of the pack housing structure formed from the heat-conducting element 400, thereby significantly increasing the energy density.

[0196] Fig. Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0197] With reference to Fig. 19 the vehicle 1 can be an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle and can include at least one battery pack 10 of the preceding embodiment as an energy source.

[0198] Since the battery pack 10 described above is provided with a compact structure with high energy density, it is easy in this embodiment to achieve a modularized structure of several battery packs 10 when they are mounted in the vehicle 1, and it is possible to ensure a relatively high degree of freedom in mounting them in different interior shapes of the vehicle 1.

[0199] According to the various embodiments as described herein, it is possible to provide the battery pack 10 with increased energy density and increased strength, as well as the vehicle 1 having such a battery pack.

[0200] In addition, according to the various embodiments as described herein, it is possible to provide the battery pack 10 with improved cost competitiveness and improved manufacturing efficiency, as well as the vehicle 1 which has such a battery pack.

[0201] Furthermore, according to the various embodiments as described herein, it is possible to provide the battery pack 10 with improved cooling performance as well as the vehicle 1 which has such a battery pack 10.

[0202] Although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been shown and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiment described above, and it is obvious to the person skilled in the art that a number of modifications can be made to it without departing from the essence of the present disclosure as claimed in the attached claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical aspect or scope of the present disclosure. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] KR 10-2021-0003551

[0002]

Claims

[1] Including battery pack: a battery cell arrangement with multiple battery cells; a busbar arrangement that is provided at the battery cell arrangement and is electrically connected to the multiple battery cells; a cooling unit located below the busbar assembly and positioned along a longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly between the multiple battery cells; and a heat-conducting element that is placed in a space between the cooling unit and the multiple battery cells. [2] Battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element is filled into the busbar assembly to at least partially cover the busbar assembly. [3] Battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the heat-conducting element is continuously filled in an upward / downward direction of the battery cell arrangement between the busbar arrangement and the cooling unit. [4] Battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element contains a potting resin. [5] Battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit comprises: a cooling tube extending over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement and positioned between the multiple battery cells, the cooling tube having an internal cooling channel for cooling water circulation; and a cooling water inlet / outlet that is connected to the cooling pipe in such a way that the cooling water inlet / outlet is connected to the cooling channel of the cooling pipe. [6] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling tube is formed in a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the several opposing battery cells. [7] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling tube has convex and concave sections arranged alternately along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement. [8] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling water inlet / outlet is provided on one side of the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement, and the cooling tube is formed over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet to an opposite side of the battery cell arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement. [9] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling water inlet / outlet is arranged between the multiple battery cells in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement, and the cooling tube extends over a predetermined length from the cooling water inlet / outlet to two sides of the battery cell arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell arrangement. [10] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling channel comprises: at least one upper channel which is arranged on the cooling pipe and extends over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the cooling pipe; at least one lower channel arranged below the cooling pipe, from which at least one upper channel is spaced and which extends over a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the cooling pipe; and a connecting channel that connects the at least one upper channel with the at least one lower channel. [11] Battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the cooling water inlet / outlet has: an inlet / outlet body that is connected to one end of the cooling pipe; a cooling water supply connection provided in the inlet / outlet body and connected to the upper channel in such a way that the cooling water supply connection is in contact with the upper channel; and a cooling water outlet connection provided in the inlet / outlet body and connected to the lower channel in such a way that the cooling water outlet connection is in contact with the lower channel. [12] Battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the connecting channel is provided at an opposite end of the cooling tube. [13] Battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the cooling tube is arranged in contact with an outer surface of the multiple battery cells. [14] Battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the busbar arrangement comprises: a pair of main busbars electrically connected to the battery cell assembly and featuring a connector linked to a charge / discharge line; and Several connecting busbars that are electrically connected to the pair of main busbars and connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple battery cells. [15] Vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 1.

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