Battery pack including a seal with an added reinforcement section

Abstract

Battery pack comprising: a pack body; an upper compartment coupled to an upper part of the pack body; and a seal added to a coupling section between the pack body and the upper compartment, the seal comprising: a body section arranged at the coupling section; and a reinforcement section extending from the body section in a direction towards an interior of the pack body and a vertical direction of the pack body.

Description

Technical area This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2022-0177294, filed on December 16, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The present invention relates to a battery pack including a gasket having a reinforcement portion added thereto. More specifically, the present invention relates to a battery pack including a gasket having a reinforcement portion configured to inhibit the discharge of sparks and flames generated within the battery pack to the outside. State of the art A lithium secondary battery that can be charged and discharged is widely used as a power source for wireless mobile devices or wearable devices worn on the body, and also as a power source for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, which are alternatives to the existing gasoline and diesel vehicles that cause air pollution. Due to its high energy density, the lithium secondary battery may explode when overheated, and once ignited, it is extremely troublesome to extinguish the lithium secondary battery until the lithium secondary battery burns out. When thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell housed in a battery pack, sparks and flames can generally be generated within the battery cell. To prevent sparks and flames from escaping from the battery pack, a gasket can be added to a sealed section of the battery pack to provide a better seal. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a conventional gasket for battery packs, and Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of a conventional battery pack. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the battery pack includes an upper compartment 101 and a pack case body 102, and a gasket 100 is added along the outer peripheries of the upper compartment 101 and the pack case body 102. The gasket 100 includes a body portion 110 disposed along the perimeters of the upper compartment 101 and the pack case body 102, a through hole 120 formed in the body portion 110, and a reinforcing portion 130 provided at a part of the body portion 110, the reinforcing portion having a relatively large width. That is, the reinforcement portion 130 in Figure 1 is formed in the lower center of the figure, and the reinforcement portion 130 is configured in a plan view in the shape of an increasing width of the gasket. Typically, the reinforcement portion 130, which is configured to relatively increase the width of the gasket, is provided at the part of the battery pack that requires a high sealing force. The gasket 100 is inserted between the upper compartment 101 and the packing case body 102, and a nut 142 is coupled with a bolt 141 inserted through a through hole of the upper compartment 101, a through hole of the packing case body 102, and the through hole 120 of the gasket 100, whereby the upper compartment 101 and the packing case body 102 can be hermetically sealed. However, when this type of seal is used, the seal may be melted or damaged by sparks and flames generated inside 103 of the battery pack, allowing the sparks and flames to be emitted to the outside 104 of the battery pack. This creates the problem that a user or neighboring electrical parts may be secondarily damaged. In this regard, Patent Document 1 includes at least one battery module, a compartment cover configured to cover the at least one battery module, a packing compartment including a compartment plate coupled to one end of the compartment cover, and a gasket disposed between the compartment plate and the compartment cover, wherein at least a part of an edge where the compartment plate and the compartment cover abut each other includes a stepped portion having a larger gap between the compartment plate and the compartment cover than other portions, and the gasket includes a reinforcing portion having a larger surface area at the stepped portion than other portions. In the gasket of Patent Document 1, the reinforcing portion includes an uneven structure formed on the surface thereof, thereby providing a battery pack including a sealing structure that can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter from the outside, and a device including the same. However, the battery pack of Patent Document 1 does not provide a configuration to prevent sparks or flames from being emitted from the battery pack. Patent Document 2 relates to a battery pack with increased safety against fire or explosion, the battery pack comprising a pack case configured to accommodate a battery module therein, the pack case including a first compartment configured to cover one side of the battery module, the first compartment being open on the other side, and a second compartment configured to cover the other side of the battery module, the second compartment being open on one side, one end of the second compartment being coupled to the other end of the first compartment, and a sealing member configured to melt at a predetermined temperature or higher and to be inserted into a gap between one end of the first compartment and the other end of the second compartment. In Patent Document 2, when the temperature in the pack case rises to the predetermined temperature or higher due to a fire, the sealing member may melt and move to cover the gap between one end of the first compartment and the other end of the second compartment, thereby preventing flames generated in the battery module from being discharged to the outside. The battery pack of Patent Document 2 includes a gasket interposed between a first flange portion of the first compartment and a second flange portion of the second compartment, and further includes a sealing member configured to melt at high temperature and fill the gap around the gasket, a holding member configured to receive the sealing member before the sealing member melts, and a guide member configured to receive the melted sealing member. That is, Patent Document 2 further includes, in addition to the gasket, a holding member and a guiding member to prevent flames generated in the battery module from being discharged to the outside. Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can reliably prevent sparks and flames from being emitted from a battery pack without the need to add additional components that make up the battery pack. (State of the art documents) (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2022-0043643 (April 5, 2022) (Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2022-0100465 (July 15, 2022) [Revelation] [Technical problem] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack having a configuration that can prevent sparks and flames in the battery pack from being discharged from the battery pack without increasing the number of components constituting a conventional battery pack. [Technical solution] A battery pack according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a pack case body, an upper compartment coupled to an upper part of the pack case body, and a gasket added to a coupling portion between the pack case body and the upper compartment, wherein the gasket includes a body portion disposed at the coupling portion and a reinforcing portion extending from the body portion in a direction toward the inside of the pack case body and a height direction of the pack case body. The reinforcing portion of the seal may include an inwardly directed extension portion formed as a result of the body portion extending into the interior of the pack case body and an upwardly directed extension portion extending upwardly from the inwardly directed extension portion. The upwardly directed extension portion may be configured such that the thickness of the upwardly directed extension portion decreases with increasing distance from the inwardly directed extension portion. The height of the upward extension section may be greater than the height of the body section. The reinforcing portion of the seal may further include a downwardly directed extension portion extending downwardly from the inwardly directed extension portion. The downwardly directed extension portion may be configured such that the thickness of the downwardly directed extension portion decreases with increasing distance from the inwardly directed extension portion. The height of the downward extension section may be greater than the height of the body section. The reinforcement section can be provided with a plurality of through holes for screwing. The packing case body may include a first flange portion, the upper compartment may include a second flange portion, the coupling portion between the packing case body and the upper compartment may be formed at the first flange portion and the second flange portion, the body portion may be interposed between the first flange portion and the second flange portion, and the reinforcing portion may extend into an interior space of the packing case body. Each of the first flange portion, the second flange portion, and the reinforcement portion may be provided with a plurality of through holes for screwing, and the pack case body and the upper compartment may be coupled to each other by screws fastened to the plurality of through holes. The reinforcing portion of the gasket can prevent flames and sparks generated in the pack case body from being discharged to the outside. The gasket may be deformed while being compressed in the state where the pack case body and the upper compartment are coupled together. Furthermore, the present invention can provide various combinations of the above-mentioned solvents. [Beneficial effects] As apparent from the above description, a battery pack according to the present invention includes a gasket having a reinforcing portion extending in an inward direction and a height direction of a pack case body, whereby it is possible to minimize damage to the gasket due to a temperature rise in the battery pack. In addition, the gasket is added to a coupling portion between a pack case body and an upper compartment, whereby it is possible to prevent sparks and flames generated in the battery pack from being discharged from the battery pack. [Description of the drawings] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a conventional battery pack seal. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of a conventional battery pack. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a battery pack seal according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of a battery pack according to a first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view of the battery pack according to the first embodiment with a top compartment removed. Fig. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view of a battery pack according to a second embodiment. Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of the battery pack according to the second embodiment with a top compartment removed. [Best Embodiment] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the preferred embodiments of the present invention can be easily implemented by a person having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention relates. However, in describing the operation of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail, a detailed description of well-known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted if it might obscure the subject matter of the present invention. In addition, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to parts that perform similar functions or operations. Wherever the specification refers to one part being connected to another, not only can one part be connected directly to the other, but one part can also be connected indirectly through another part. Furthermore, the inclusion of a particular element does not imply the exclusion of other elements; rather, those elements may still be included unless otherwise noted. Furthermore, a description that embodies elements by limitation or addition can be applied to all inventions unless it is specifically limited and does not limit a particular invention. In the description of the invention and the claims of this application, singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless otherwise indicated. In the description of the invention and the claims of this application, "or" also includes "and" unless otherwise stated. Therefore, "including A or B" refers to three cases: the case including A, the case including B, and the case including A and B. Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a seal for battery packs according to the present invention, Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of a battery pack according to a first embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view of the battery pack according to the first embodiment with a top compartment removed. 3 to 5, the battery pack according to the present invention includes a pack case body 202 configured to accommodate battery cells or a battery module therein, an upper compartment 201 coupled to an upper part of the pack case body 202, and a gasket 200 added to a coupling portion between the pack case body 202 and the upper compartment 201. The packing case body 202 includes a first flange portion 251 bent outward from an upper end thereof, the upper compartment 201 includes a second flange portion 252 bent outward from a lower end thereof, and the packing case body 202 and the upper compartment 201 are in contact with each other while facing each other at the first flange portion 251 and the second flange portion 252 to form the coupling portion. The gasket 200 includes a body portion 210 disposed at the coupling portion, a plurality of through holes 220 formed in the body portion 210 for screwing, and a reinforcing portion 230 extending from the body portion 210 in a direction toward the interior 203 of the pack case body 202 and a height direction thereof. Fig. 3 shows a configuration in which reinforcing portions 230 are formed in three areas, and the reinforcing portions 230 may be added to areas in the battery pack where high sealing force is required or sparks or flames are easily emitted. It is preferable that the gasket 200 be made of a material that is not deformed or melted by sparks and flames generated inside the battery pack, and in particular, the reinforcing portion 230 of the gasket 200 can prevent flames and sparks generated inside 203 of the pack case body 202 from being released to the outside 204. Accordingly, the gasket 200 can be made of a highly heat-resistant and elastic material, for example, a rubber-based material including SBR or heat-resistant silicone. The body portion 210 of the gasket 200 is interposed between the first flange portion 251 and the second flange portion 252, the first flange portion 251, the second flange portion 252, and the reinforcement portion 230 are provided with a plurality of through holes 220 for screwing formed at the same positions, and nuts 242 are coupled with bolts 241 fixed to the plurality of through holes 220, thereby coupling the pack case body 202 and the upper compartment 201 to each other. The reinforcing portion 230 of the seal 200 extends into an interior of the pack housing body 202. The gasket 200 is made of an elastic material, and the gasket 200 is deformed while being compressed in the state where the pack case body 202 and the upper compartment 201 are coupled to each other. Accordingly, the battery pack can be hermetically sealed by the gasket 200, thereby preventing sparks and flames generated in the battery cells or the battery module inside 203 of the battery pack from being discharged from the battery pack. A protrusion may be formed on the surface of the body portion 210 that is in contact with the first flange portion 251 and the second flange portion 252, and when the pack case body 202 and the upper compartment 201 are coupled together using the bolts 241 and the nuts 242, the protrusion may be compressed to further improve the sealing of the battery pack. The reinforcing portion 230 of the seal 200 includes an inwardly directed extension portion 231 formed as a result of the body portion 210 extending into the interior 203 of the pack case body 202, and an upwardly directed extension portion 232 extending upwardly from the inwardly directed extension portion 231. The upward extension portion 232 acts as a barrier configured to block sparks and flames generated in the battery pack and may be configured such that the thickness T1 of the upward extension portion decreases with increasing distance from the inward extension portion 231. The height H2 of the upward extension portion 232 may be formed to be greater than the height H1 of the body portion, which improves the barrier effect. The gasket 200 according to the present invention includes the inwardly extending portion 231. Thus, even if sparks and flames are generated in the battery pack, it is possible to prevent damage to the body portion 210 disposed at the coupling portion between the pack case body 202 and the upper compartment 201 and the gasket failure of the battery pack. In addition, since the gasket 200 according to the present invention includes the upwardly extending portion 232, it is possible to prevent sparks and flames generated in the battery pack from moving through the coupling portion. Fig. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view of a battery pack according to a second embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of the battery pack according to the second embodiment with a top compartment removed. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the battery pack according to the second embodiment differs from the battery pack according to the first embodiment in that the gasket reinforcing portion 230 further includes a downwardly extending portion 233 extending downwardly from the inwardly extending portion 231. The downward extension portion 233 acts as a barrier configured to block sparks and flames generated in the battery pack and may be configured such that the thickness T2 of the downward extension portion decreases with increasing distance from the inward extension portion 231. The height H3 of the downward extension portion 233 may be formed to be greater than the height H1 of the body portion, which improves the barrier effect. The upward extension portion 232 and the downward extension portion 233 may be configured to be symmetrical to each other, whereby the thickness T1 of the upward extension portion and the thickness T2 of the downward extension portion may be equal to each other at the position where the upward extension portion and the downward extension portion are symmetrical to each other, and the height H2 of the upward extension and the height H3 of the downward extension may be equal to each other. Alternatively or in contrast, the upward extension portion 232 and the downward extension portion 233 may be configured to have different sizes, whereby the thickness T1 of the upward extension portion and the thickness T2 of the downward extension portion may be different from each other at the position where the upward extension portion and the downward extension portion are symmetrical to each other, and the height H2 of the upward extension and the height H3 of the downward extension may be different from each other. However, considering the purpose of preventing the discharge of sparks and flames in the battery pack, the thickness T1 of the upward extension portion may be formed to be larger than the thickness T2 of the downward extension portion, and the height H2 of the upward extension portion may be formed to be larger than the height H3 of the downward extension portion. For the other components having the same reference numerals, the description of the battery pack according to the first embodiment equally applies to the battery pack according to the second embodiment. Thus, the battery pack according to the present invention includes a gasket having a reinforcing portion extending in a direction toward the inside of the pack case body and a height direction thereof, unlike a conventional gasket, whereby there is less risk of damage to the body portion disposed at the coupling portion even when the temperature in the battery pack rises, and sparks and flames generated in the battery pack can be prevented from being discharged outside the battery pack, and therefore it is impossible to suppress the spread of sparks and flames. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will recognize that various applications and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention based on the above description. (Description of reference symbols) 100, 200 Gaskets 101, 201 Upper compartments 102, 202 Packing case body 103, 203 Interior 104, 204 Exterior 110, 210 Body sections 120, 220 Through holes 130, 230 Reinforcing sections 141, 241 Bolts 142, 242 Nuts 231 Inward extension section 232 Upward extension section 233 Downward extension section 251 First flange section 252 Second flange section H1 Height of body section H2 Height of upward extension section H3 Height of downward extension section T1 Thickness of upward extension section T2 Thickness of downward extension section QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature KR 2022-0177294

[0001] KR 2022-0043643

[0020] KR 2022-0100465

[0020]

Claims

A battery pack comprising: a pack case body; an upper compartment coupled to an upper part of the pack case body; and a gasket added to a coupling portion between the pack case body and the upper compartment, the gasket comprising: a body portion disposed at the coupling portion; and a reinforcing portion extending from the body portion in a direction toward an interior of the pack case body and a height direction of the pack case body. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing portion of the gasket comprises:an inwardly extending portion formed as a result of the body portion extending into the interior of the pack case body; andan upwardly extending portion extending upwardly from the inwardly extending portion. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the upwardly extending portion is configured such that a thickness of the upwardly extending portion decreases with increasing distance from the inwardly extending portion. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein a height of the upwardly extending portion is greater than a height of the body portion. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing portion of the seal further comprises a downwardly extending portion extending downwardly from the inwardly extending portion. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein the downwardly extending portion is configured such that a thickness of the downwardly extending portion decreases with increasing distance from the inwardly extending portion. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein a height of the downwardly extending portion is greater than a height of the body portion. A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing portion is provided with a plurality of through holes for screwing. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the pack case body includes a first flange portion, the upper compartment includes a second flange portion, the coupling portion between the pack case body and the upper compartment is formed at the first flange portion and the second flange portion, the body portion is interposed between the first flange portion and the second flange portion, and the reinforcing portion extends into an interior space of the pack case body. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein each of the first flange portion, the second flange portion, and the reinforcing portion is provided with a plurality of through holes for screwing, and the pack case body and the upper compartment are coupled to each other by screws fastened to the plurality of through holes. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing portion of the gasket prevents flames and sparks generated in the pack case body from being discharged to the outside. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the gasket is deformed while being compressed in a state where the pack case body and the upper compartment are coupled to each other.

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