Battery module and battery pack containing the same

Abstract

Battery pack (1000), comprising: a pack housing (1100, 4100) which has an interior; and at least one battery module (100) included in the pack housing (1100, 4100) and containing a plurality of sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30), wherein the plurality of sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30) contain a plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31), each containing a plurality of battery cells (1) stacked in a first direction, the plurality of cell stacks (11) being arranged in a second direction, and a plurality of partitions (1212, 1213) being arranged between the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31) to facilitate heat exchange with the plurality of battery cells (1) or to block heat propagation between the sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30).

Description

Technical FieldThe present invention relates to a battery module and a battery pack including the same.Prior ArtA secondary battery is, unlike a primary battery, characterized in that it is capable of being used repeatedly by charging, and can be used as a power source in various fields such as a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile device, an electric vehicle, and a hybrid vehicle.Among the secondary batteries, the most relevant one is a lithium secondary battery, and in addition, there is a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery, etc.The secondary battery can be manufactured and used as one type of a battery cell of a rigid square or cylinder or a pouch type battery cell, and in a product requiring a high output characteristic such as an electric vehicle, the secondary battery can be used in the form of a battery module including at least one cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked or a battery pack including at least one such battery module.Meanwhile, a size of the battery module or the battery park may be adjusted by the number of battery cells. For example, since the pouch type battery cells can be arranged vertically, the horizontal and vertical lengths of the battery module or the battery pack can be adjusted simply by changing the number of pouch cells. However, a height of the battery module or the battery pack needs to be changed based on a height of the pouch cell, and the change may be rather limited, which limits the provision of the battery pack suitable for a space provided by different vehicle models.Therefore, there is a need for the development of the battery module or a battery pack that can change a length, a width, and a height thereof as desired in response to the space provided.It is also necessary to suitably assemble a cooling structure for dissipating heat occurring in the battery module or the battery pack and an insulation structure for delaying heat transfer to adjacent battery modules when an occurrence occurs, based on an arrangement structure of the battery module or the battery pack.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTechnical ProblemAn aspect of the present invention is to provide the battery module having any extension of a structure and the battery pack including the same.Another aspect of the present invention is to provide the battery module with guaranteed thermal stability and a battery pack including the same.Solution of the ProblemAccording to an aspect of the present invention, a battery pack includes: a pack case having an inner (inner) space; and at least one battery module accommodated in the pack case and including a plurality of sub-battery modules, wherein the plurality of sub-battery modules include a plurality of cell stacks each including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction, the plurality of cell stacks are arranged in a second direction, and a plurality of partition walls are arranged between the plurality of cell stacks to perform heat exchange with the plurality of battery cells or block heat propagation between the sub-battery modules.A first partition wall may be disposed between the plurality of cell stacks included in each of the sub battery modules and exchanges heat with the plurality of battery cells, and the first partition wall may include a refrigerant path.The battery pack may further include a heat dissipation member disposed between the first partition wall and the plurality of cell stacks.A second partition wall may be disposed between the sub battery modules to isolate the sub battery modules from each other, and the second partition wall may include an isolation member.The battery pack may further include the first partition wall disposed between the pack case and the battery module.The battery pack may further include a pack cover disposed to cover the battery module, at least some of the plurality of partition walls being provided in the pack case or the parking cover.The sub battery module may include a connection portion capable of being coupled to each other in a second direction for connecting the battery modules in the second direction, and the adjacent sub battery modules may be coupled to each other using the connection portion.The battery module may include two first sub-battery modules disposed outside the battery module in a longitudinal direction, and optionally include a second sub-battery module disposed between the two first sub-battery modules.According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery pack includes: a plurality of cell stacks including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction; a pack case having an inner space for accommodating the plurality of cell stacks; and a pack cover coupled to the pack case to cover the plurality of cell stacks, wherein the pack case and the pack cover each include a lower partition wall and an upper partition wall extending toward each other, the lower partition wall and the upper partition wall cooperate with each other to form a second partition wall partitioning the inner space, and the second partition wall isolates at least some of the cell stacks among the plurality of cell stacks from each other.The battery pack may further include a first partition wall disposed to face at least some side surfaces of the plurality of cell stacks, the first partition wall including a refrigerant path.According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery module includes a plurality of sub-battery modules including first and second cell stacks each including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction, the first and second cell stacks being arranged in a second direction, and a sub-module frame facing the first and second cell stacks in the first direction and the second direction, the sub-module frame including a connection portion extending from the sub-module frame in the second direction for connecting the sub-battery modules to each other in the second direction.The sub-module frame may include first and third frames extending in the second direction and disposed on at least one side of the first side and the other side in the first direction, and a second frame extending in the first direction and disposed between at least the first and second cell stacks.The first frame may include a first connection portion including a closed part coupled to the second frame and an open part spaced apart from the second frame to form a gap, and the third frame may include a second connection portion including a closed part coupled to the second frame.The first or second connection portion of the adjacent sub-battery modules may be disposed in the open part.The sub-battery modules may include two first sub-battery modules that are disposed outside the module in the second direction and include the first to third frames, and optionally include a second sub-battery module that is disposed between the two first sub-battery modules and includes the first and second frames.The second frame may include either a refrigerant path or an isolation member.Advantageous Effects of the InventionAccording to an aspect of the present invention, the battery module and the battery pack including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention may be freely expanded in the horizontal, vertical, and height directions to be manufactured to meet various size specifications required for various vehicle models.In addition, the battery module and the battery pack including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce manufacturing cost while improving thermal stability and energy density by appropriately disposing the cooling structure and the insulation structure.Brief Description of the DrawingsFIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sub-battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view of a battery module including a first partition wall according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is a side view of a battery module according to a modified embodiment of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a side view of a battery module including a second partition wall according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view of a battery module according to a modified embodiment of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a side view of a battery module according to still another modified embodiment of FIG. 6. FIGS. 9A and 9B are views each showing sub-battery modules according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a view illustrating the battery module including the sub-battery modules in FIGS. 9A and 9B. FIG. 11 is a side view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 12A and 12B are views showing various embodiments of a region A of FIG. 11.MODE AND MODE OF THE INVENTIONTerms and words used in the specification and the claims are not to be construed as general or dictionary meanings, and are to be understood as meanings and expressions that define the spirit of the present invention based on a principle that the present inventors suitably define the expressions of terms in order to best describe their inventions. Therefore, the embodiments described in the specification and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings do not represent all of the gists of the present invention, and represent only some most preferred embodiments. Therefore, the present invention should be construed to include all the various equivalents and modifications included in the spirit and scope of the present invention at the filing date of this application.Throughout the accompanying drawings of the specification, the same reference numerals designate parts or components that perform substantially the same functions. For ease of explanation and understanding, different embodiments may be described using the same reference numerals or characters. That is, all of a plurality of drawings do not represent an embodiment even if the plurality of drawings show components having the same reference numerals.In the following description, a term of singular may include plural ones except for the context where otherwise stated. It should be understood that terms "includes", "has", or the like specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof mentioned in the specification, and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.In addition, in the following description, terms "upper surface", "upper portion", "lower surface", "lower portion", "side surface", "front surface", "rear surface" and the like are described with reference to the directions shown in the drawings, and these terms may be described differently when their respective targets have changed directions.In addition, terms including enumeration numbers such as "first" and "second" used in the specification may be used to describe different components. However, the components are not limited to these terms, and these terms are used only to distinguish one component and another component from each other. For example, a first component may be named as a second component, and the second component may also be similarly named as the first component without departing from the scope of the present invention.Hereinafter, the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.The present invention relates to a battery module having a structural expansion at will and guaranteed thermal stability, and a battery pack including the same.FIG. 1 is a partial expansion perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 1, a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a pack case 1100, and may further include a pack cover (not shown).The pack case 1100 may include a bottom 1110 and a side frame 1120. The bottom 1110 may be in the form of a plate and form a lower surface of the pack case 1100. The side frames 1120 may be disposed along a perimeter of the floor 1110. The bottom 1110 and the side frames 1120 may form an interior space of the pack case 1100, and a plurality of battery modules 100 may be disposed in the interior space. In addition, an electrical component may be disposed on one side of the internal space of the package case 1100.The package housing 1100 may include a center carrier 1130. The center carrier 1130 may be disposed in the interior of the package case 1100. The center carrier 1130 may divide the interior space of the pack case 1100 in which the plurality of battery modules 100 are disposed.Referring to FIG. 1, the center carrier 1130 may divide the interior of the package case 1100 into two zones. FIG. 1 shows that the battery module 100 is disposed only in one of the two zones divided by the center bracket 1130, which is for convenience of explanation, and the battery module 100 may also be disposed in the remaining zone.Referring to FIG. 1, the battery modules 100 disposed in the different zones may be covered by different covers. For example, the center carrier 1130 may divide the inner space of the pack case 1100 into a first space and a second space, and the battery module 100 disposed in the first space and the battery module 100 disposed in the second space may be covered by a sub-pack cover 1210, respectively.The pack cover may be disposed to cover the top of the pack case 1100. The pack cover may simultaneously cover the battery module 100 disposed in the first space and the battery module 100 disposed in the second space. That is, the pack cover may simultaneously cover the plurality of battery modules 100 disposed in the interior of the pack case 1100. Here, in consideration of the safety of the battery pack 1000, a separate insulating member may be disposed between the pack cover and the plurality of battery modules 100. The insulation element can be made of an insulation material.Meanwhile, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the interior of the pack case 1100 is divided into two zones. However, the interior of the package case 1100 may be divided into two or more zones based on the number of center supports 1130.FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the battery module included in the above-described first zone or a second zone.Referring to FIG. 2, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of sub battery modules 10 and the sub pack cover 1210.According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery module 100 may include the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 arranged in one direction (X direction based on the drawings) and the sub-module cover 1210 extending in the direction in which the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 are arranged to simultaneously cover the plurality of sub-battery modules 10.First, the description will describe, with reference to FIG. 3, the sub-battery module 10 included in the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sub-battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-battery module 10 may include two cell stacks 11 (a first cell stack 11 aand a second cell stack 11 b) and a sub-module frame 12.The cell stack 11 may include a plurality of battery cells 1 stacked in one direction (Z direction based on the drawings). The plurality of battery cells 1 may be the pouch type battery cells arranged in a laid shape and stacked in the Z direction (or first direction).In this way, when the pouch type battery cells are arranged in the laid shape, the x-direction length and the y-direction length of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000, and their z-direction length can be easily changed based on the drawings. In detail, the X-direction length and the Y-direction length of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 may be changed by the number of the sub-battery modules 10, and the Z-direction length thereof may be changed by the number of the battery cells 1. Therefore, a structure of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can be extended as desired.The sub-module frame 12 may include a lower frame 12 aand a side frame 12 b(different from the side frame of the pack case).The lower frame 12 amay form a lower surface of the sub-module frame 12, and the cell stack 11 may be disposed on the lower frame 12 a. For example, the sub battery module 10 may include the first cell stack 11 aand the second cell stack 11 b, and the first and second cell stacks 11 aand 11 bmay be disposed on the lower frame 12 ato be spaced apart from each other in a direction (X direction or second direction based on the drawings) perpendicular to the Z direction.Although not shown in the drawing, a compressible member (not shown) may be disposed between the cell stack 11 and the lower frame 12 a. Moreover, the compressible element may be disposed in a regular gap between the plurality of battery cells 1 included in the cell stack 11. The compressible element may be made of the insulation material. For example, the compressible element may be made of a material such as polyurethane, silicone, or an aerogel.The side frame 12 bmay be disposed on the lower frame 12 a, and may extend in the stacking direction (Z direction based on the drawings) of the plurality of battery cells 1. For example, the lower frame 12 aand the side frame 12 bmay be perpendicular to each other.The side frame 12 bmay be disposed between the first and second cell stacks 11 aand 11 bdisposed on the lower frame 12 a. Accordingly, side surfaces of the first and second cell stacks 11 aand 11 bmay face the side frame 12 b.The side frame 12 bmay function as a heat exchanger. The side frame 12 bmay include a refrigerant path through which a refrigerant flows. The refrigerant may be a fluid, for example a coolant. The side frame 12 bmay include an inlet through which the refrigerant flows in and an outlet through which the refrigerant flows out. The refrigerant flowing in through the inlet may flow into the refrigerant path and may be discharged through the outlet.In this way, the first and second cell stacks 11 aand 12 bmay extend through the side surface in the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 1 to be in contact with the side frame 12 bfunctioning as the heat exchanger, and the two cell stacks 11 aand 11 bmay share one side frame 12 b, thereby providing the improved heat dissipation efficiency and energy density.In another embodiment, the side frame 12 bmay also function as a heat shield.Referring back to FIG. 2, the battery module 100 may include the sub-pack cover 1210 that covers the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 simultaneously.The sub-pack cover 1210 may include an upper plate 1211 and a plurality of partition walls (hereinafter, a first partition wall 1212 and the second partition wall 1213).The top plate 1211 may be disposed on top of the plurality of sub battery modules 10. The top plate 1211 may extend in an arrangement direction of the plurality of sub battery modules 10 (X direction based on the drawings) to simultaneously cover the plurality of sub battery modules 10.The first and second partition walls 1212 and 1213 may be disposed on the top plate 1211 and extend in the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells 1 (Z direction based on the drawings). For example, the top plate 1211 and the first or second partition 1212 or 1213 may be perpendicular to each other.The first or second partition wall 1212 or 1213 may be disposed between two adjacent sub battery modules 10. Accordingly, side surfaces of the two adjacent sub battery modules 10 may face the first or second partition wall 1212 or 1213.The first and second partition walls 1212 and 1213 may be distinguished from each other by their shapes and functions. The first and second partitions 1212 and 1213 may be formed to have different thicknesses, and any function, such as the heat exchanger or the heat shield. For example, the first partition 1212 may function as the heat exchanger, the second partition 1213 may function as the heat shield, and the second partition 1213 may be thicker than the first partition 1212.FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the sub-pack cover 1210 includes both the first partition 1212 and the second partition 1213. However, the sub-pack cover 1210 may include at least one of the first partition 1212 and the second partition 1213.FIG. 4 is a side view of the battery module including the first partition wall according to an embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 4, the first partition wall 1212 may be disposed between the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100. That is, according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the sub-pack cover 1210 may include the first partition wall 1212 without including the second partition wall 1213.The first partition 1212 may function as the heat exchanger as described above. The first partition 1212 may include the refrigerant path through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigerant may be the fluid, for example the coolant. The first partition 1212 may include an inlet through which the refrigerant flows in and an outlet through which the refrigerant flows out. The refrigerant flowing in through the inlet may flow into the refrigerant path and may be discharged through the outlet.According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4, all the sub battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100 may have at least one side surface in contact with the first partition wall 1212, and the heat exchange may thus be performed on two side surfaces of at least one cell stack 11 included in the sub battery module 10.Meanwhile, the above description describes that the first partition wall 1212 is disposed between two adjacent sub-battery modules 10. However, the first partition wall 1212 may be disposed between the sub battery module 10 and the side frame 1120. In this case, all the sub battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100 may have two side surfaces in contact with the first partition wall 1212. Accordingly, the heat exchange can be performed on the two side surfaces of each of all the cell stacks 11 included in the sub battery modules 10.In this way, when the first partition wall 1212 functioning as the heat exchanger is disposed between the plurality of sub battery modules 10, heat dissipation efficiency and a thermal resistance value can be improved. In addition, a structure in which two adjacent sub battery modules 10 share the first partition wall 1212 may include a plurality of sub battery modules 10 in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000, maximizing a cost reduction effect.FIG. 5 is a side view of a battery module according to a modified embodiment of FIG. 4.Referring to FIG. 5, the first partition 1212 may be disposed on the floor 1100 rather than disposed on the top plate 1211.An embodiment shown in FIG. 5 may be the same as an embodiment shown in FIG. 4 except for a position where the first partition 1212 is disposed.Meanwhile, the battery module may further include a heat dissipation member 130 disposed between the cell stack 11 and the side frame 12 bor between the sub battery module 10 and the first partition wall 1212. For example, the heat dissipation member 130 may be a material having high thermal conductivity and adhesive strength.A gap may be formed between the cell stack 11 and the side frame 12 bor between the sub battery module 10 and the first partition 1212, and the heat dissipation member 130 may fill the gap to promote heat transfer among the plurality of battery cells 10, the side frame 12 b, and the first partition 1212.In another embodiment, when the side frame 12 bis the heat shield, an isolation member 140 described below may be disposed between the cell stack 11 and the side frame 12 b.FIG. 6 is a side view of a battery module including a second partition wall according to another embodiment of the invention.Referring to FIG. 6, the second partition wall 1213 may be disposed between the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100. That is, according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the sub-pack cover 1210 may include the second partition wall 1213 without including the first partition wall 1212.The second partition 1213 may function as the heat shield as described above. The second insulation layer 1213 may include the insulation material. The insulating member may be a material having low thermal conductivity, and may be a material having thermal conductivity of 0.3 (W / mK) or less. For example, the insulation element can be produced from an aerogel, ceramic wool, a gimer lamina, a fire-resistant paint or the like.In an embodiment, the second partition wall 1213 may be provided in the form of a composite plate in which the above-described insulating members are disposed on two surfaces of the partition wall made of aluminum or steel.According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 6, all the sub battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100 may have at least one side surface in contact with the second partition wall 1213.Meanwhile, the above description describes that the second partition wall 1213 is disposed between two adjacent sub battery modules 10. However, the second partition wall 1213 may be disposed between the sub battery module 10 and the side frame 1120. In this case, all the sub-battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100 may have the two side surfaces in contact with the second partition wall 1213, and thus block heat transfer between the adjacent sub-battery modules 10 in the battery module 100.In this way, when the second partition wall 1213 functioning as the heat shield is disposed between the plurality of sub-battery modules 10, heat propagation to another adjacently disposed sub-battery module 10 can be blocked or delayed even if an occurrence occurs in one of the sub-battery modules 10 in the battery module 100. In addition, the transfer of flames and ash can also be blocked.FIG. 7 is a side view of a battery module according to a modified embodiment of FIG. 6.Referring to FIG. 7, the second partition 1213 may be disposed on the bottom 1110 rather than disposed on the top plate 1211.An embodiment shown in FIG. 7 may be the same as an embodiment shown in FIG. 6 except a position where the second partition wall 1213 is disposed.FIG. 8 is a side view of a battery module according to still another modified embodiment of FIG. 6.Referring to FIG. 8, the insulation member 140 may be further disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the battery module 100 to prevent the propagation of heat occurring between the plurality of sub-battery modules 10 included in the battery module 100.In detail, the insulation element 140 may be disposed on the upper side and / or the lower side of the sub-battery module 10. For example, the insulation members 140 may be disposed between the sub battery module 10 and the bottom 1110, and between the sub battery module 10 and the sub pack cover 1210.In general, an outermost component in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 may be made of a material having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or steel. Accordingly, the heat spread between the sub battery modules 10 can be more reliably blocked by further disposing the insulating member 140 between the sub battery modules 10 and the above-mentioned components.The insulating member may be a material having the low thermal conductivity, and may be a material having the thermal conductivity of 0.3 (W / mK) or less. For example, the insulation element can be produced from an aerogel, ceramic wool, a gimer lamina, a fire-resistant paint or the like.Next, the description describes sub-battery modules 20 and 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention and a battery module 200 including the same.FIGS. 9A and 9B are views each showing the sub-battery modules according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a view showing the battery module including the sub-battery modules in FIGS. 9A and 9B.According to another embodiment of the present invention, the sub-battery modules 20 and 30 shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B may be combined to form the battery module 10 shown in FIG. 10.The battery module 200 shown in FIG. 10 may be accommodated in the interior of the battery pack 1000 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery module 200 may be disposed in the first space partitioned by the center carrier 1130 of the pack case 1100 or in the second space.The battery module shown in FIG. 10 may include the sub-battery modules 20 and 30 shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B (hereinafter, the first and second sub-battery modules).The first sub battery module 20 may be disposed outside the battery module 200, and the second sub battery module 30 may be disposed inside the battery module 200. For example, the first sub battery module 20 may be disposed between the pack case 1100 and the second sub battery module 30, and the second sub battery module 30 may be disposed between the second sub battery modules 30 or between the first sub battery module 20 and the second sub battery module 30.According to another embodiment of the present invention, the battery module 200 may include two first sub-battery modules 20 and optionally include at least one second sub-battery module 30. That is, the battery module 200 may change the number of the second sub-battery modules 30, thus changing a length of the battery module 200 in a horizontal direction (X direction or the second direction based on the drawings).According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first sub battery module 20 and the second sub battery module 30 may have different structures.Each of the first and second sub-battery modules 20 and 30 may include two cell stacks 21 and 31 and the sub-module frame. That is, each of the first and second sub-battery modules 20 may include the first and second cell stacks and the sub-module frame. The first and second cell stacks may be disposed on the sub-module frame to be spaced apart from each other in the X direction (or second direction).The cell stacks 21 or 31 may include a plurality of battery cells stacked in one direction (Z direction based on the drawings). The plurality of battery cells may be the pouch type battery cells arranged in the laid shape and stacked in the Z direction. Accordingly, the length of the battery modules 200 in the Z direction may be changed based on the number of the plurality of battery cells included in the cell stacks 21 or 31.The submodule frame may include a first frame 22 or 32 and a second frame 23 or 33, and optionally include a third frame 24.Referring to FIG. 9A, the sub-module frame of the first sub-battery module 20 may include the first frame 22, the second frame 23, and the third frame 24. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 9B, the sub-module frame of the second sub-battery module 30 may include the first frame 32 and the second frame 33. Here, the sub-module frame of the second sub-battery module 30 may include two first frames 32.The first frame 22 or 32 and the third frame 24 may be arranged in the stacking direction of the cell stacks 21 or 31. In the first sub-battery module 20, the first frame 22 may be disposed on the lower side of the cell stack 21, and the third frame 24 may be disposed on the upper side. However, conversely, the third frame 24 may be disposed on the bottom side of the cell stack 21, and the first frame 22 may be disposed on the top side. In the second sub-battery module 30, each of the first frame 32 may be disposed on the top and a bottom of the cell stack 31.That is, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the different frames in the first sub-battery module 20 disposed outside the battery module 200 may be disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the cell stack 21, and the same frames in the second sub-battery module 30 disposed inside the battery module 200 may be disposed on the upper side and the upper side of the cell stack 31.Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawing, the compressible member (not shown) may be disposed between the cell stack 21 or 31, the first frame 22 or 32, and the third frame 24 as in the above-described embodiment. Moreover, the compressible member may also be disposed at the regular gap between the plurality of battery cells included in the cell stacks 21 or 31.The first frame 22 or 32 and the third frame 24 may include a connection portion 221, 241, or 321. The sub battery modules 20 and 30 may be connected and coupled to each other using the first connection portion 221 or 321 or the second connection portion 241 to form the battery module 200.The first frame 22 or 32 or the third frame 24 may be distinguished based on a shape of the connection portion 221, 241, or 321.The first frame 22 or 32 or the third frame 24 may include the connecting portion 221, 321, or 241) (hereinafter, first or second connecting portion) at each of two ends in a longitudinal direction. The first connection portion 221 or 321 and the second connection portion 241 may respectively extend from the first frame 22 or 32 and the third frame 24 in a direction in which the battery module 200 extends (X direction based on the drawings).In addition, the first connection portion 221 or 321 and the second connection portion 241 may be thinner than the first frame 22 or 32 and the third frame 24, respectively. For example, the first connection portion 221 or 321 and the second connection portion 241 may each be about half of the thickness of the first frame 22 or 32 and the third frame 24. Here, the thickness of the frame may indicate its length in the Z direction.The first frame 22 or 32 may include the first connection portion 221 or 321 extending in the direction in which the battery module 200 extends at other heights. In other words, the first connection portion 221 or 321 formed at one end of the first frame 22 or 32 in the longitudinal direction and the first connection portion 221 or 321 formed at the other end may have different positions in the Z direction based on the drawings. Accordingly, one of the first connecting portions 221 and 321 extending from the two ends of the first frame 22 or 32 in the longitudinal direction may not be directly coupled to the second frame 23 or 33 described below.For example, a part of the first connection portion 221 or 321 directly coupled to the second frame 23 or 33 may be a closed part, and a part thereof not coupled to the second frame 23 or 33 may be an open part.Referring to FIG. 9B, a gap 34 may be formed in the open part of the first frame 32, i.e., between the first connection portion 321 and the second frame 33. In the gap 34, the first connection portion 221 (a part extending from the first frame 22) of the first sub battery module 20 or its second connection portion 241 (a part extending from the third frame 24) may be disposed or the first connection portion 321 (a part extending from the first frame 32) of the other second sub battery module 30 may be disposed. Here, the first and second connection portions 221 or 321 and 241 may be disposed in the gap 34 to overlap each other in the Z direction based on the drawings.The third frame 24 may include the second connection portion 241 extending at the same height in the direction in which the battery module 200 extends (X direction based on the drawings). In other words, the second connecting portion 241 formed at one end of the third frame 24 in the longitudinal direction and the second connecting portion 241 formed at the other end may have the same position in the Z direction based on the drawings.Referring to FIG. 10, the second connecting portion 241 extending from each of the two ends of the third frame 24 in the longitudinal direction may be directly coupled to the second frame 23 or 33 described below. That is, the second connecting portion 241 may include only the closed part. The closed part may be coupled to the first connection portion 221 or 321 and may not be coupled to the connection portion when the first or second sub battery module 20 or 30 is not additionally disposed.In summary, the first sub battery module 20 and the second sub battery module 30 may extend in the X direction based on the drawings through the coupling between the first connection portion 221 or 321 of the first frame 22 or 32 arranged in the stacking direction of the plurality of cells and the second connection portion 241 of the third frame 24.In addition, the first connection portion 221 or 321 and the second connection portion 241 may include the open part having the gap formed with the second frame 23 or 33 and / or the closed part directly coupled to the second frame 23 or 33, and the first and second sub battery modules 20 and 30 may extend through the coupling between the open part and the closed part.For example, in the gap of the open part, the closed part (the first connection portion 221 or 321 or the second connection portion 241) of the adjacent sub battery module may be disposed, and in the closed part, the open part (the first connection portion 221 or 321) of the adjacent sub battery module may be disposed, or the connection portion may not be disposed.The second frame 23 or 33 may be disposed on the side surface of the cell stacks 21 or 31 by extending in the stacking direction (Z direction based on the drawings) of the plurality of battery cells.The first and second sub battery modules 20 or 30 may include at least two second frames 23 or 33, in detail, two or three second frames 23 or 33.For example, one of the plurality of second frames 23 or 33 included in the first or second sub-battery module 20 or 30 may be disposed between two cell stacks 21 ( 21 aand 21 b) or 31 ( 31 aand 31 b) to face the side surfaces of the two cell stacks 21 ( 21 aand 21 b) or 31 ( 31 aand 31 b) included in each sub-battery module 20 or 30 simultaneously. In addition, the remaining(s) second frame(s) 23 or 33 may be arranged to face the side surface of one of the two cell stacks 21 ( 21 aand 21 b) or 31 ( 31 aand 31 b) included in each sub battery module 20 or 30.The second frame 23 or 33 may function as the heat exchanger or the heat shield. When the second frame 23 or 33 functions as the heat exchanger, the second frame 23 or 33 may include the refrigerant path through which the refrigerant flows. On the other hand, when the second frame 23 or 33 functions as the heat shield, the second frame 23 or 33 may include the insulation member. Descriptions of the heat exchanger and the heat shield may be replaced with the descriptions provided above.According to an embodiment, the second frame 23 or 33 arranged to face the side surfaces of two cell stacks 21 ( 21 aand 21 b) or 31 ( 31 aand 31 b) simultaneously may be the heat exchanger, and the second frame 23 or 33 arranged to face the side surface of one of two cell stacks 21 ( 21 aand 21 b) or 31 ( 31 aand 31 b) may be the heat exchanger or the heat shield.The second frame 23 or 33 may be coupled to the first frame 22 or 32 or the third frame 24 at each of the two ends in the longitudinal direction.FIG. 10 shows the battery module 200 including two first sub-battery modules 20 and one second sub-battery module 30.As described above, in the first sub battery module 20 having the different frames, for example, the first frame 22 and the third frame 24 may be respectively disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the cell stack 21, and in the second sub battery module 30, the same frames, for example, the first frames 32 may be respectively disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the cell stack 31.Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 10, in two first sub-battery modules 20 disposed outside the battery module 200, the first frame 22 and the third frame 24 may have different positions. For example, the first sub battery module 20 may be disposed on one side of the battery module 200 in the longitudinal direction (X direction based on the drawings) while having the first frame 22 disposed on the lower side and having the third frame 24 disposed on the upper side. In addition, the first sub battery module 20 may be disposed on the other side of the battery module 200 in the longitudinal direction (X direction based on the drawings) while having the first frame 22 disposed on the upper side and having the third frame 24 disposed on the lower side.In this way, when the battery module 200 is formed, in two first sub-battery modules 20 disposed outside the battery module 200, the first frame 22 and the third frame 24 may have different positions.Meanwhile, in another embodiment different from that described above, the battery module 200 may include only two first sub-battery modules 20 without including the second sub-battery module 30. This configuration may be an embodiment in which the battery module 200 has its simplest shape.FIG. 11 is a side view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.According to another embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack 4000 may include a pack case 4100 and a pack cover 4200. In addition, the pack case 4100 may include a bottom 4110 and a side frame 4120, and although not shown in the drawing, the pack case 4100 may include a center bracket (not shown) that divides an inner space of the pack case 4100.A basic structure of the battery pack 4000 according to another embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the battery pack 1000 shown in FIG. 1, and thus the description omits any redundant description.According to another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of sub-battery modules may be directly disposed in the pack case 4100 of the battery pack 4000. That is, the sub-battery module may be directly disposed in the pack case 4100 without passing through the sub-module frame. Here, a compressible member (not shown) may be disposed between the sub battery module and the pack case 4100, and the description omits a description of the compressible member.According to another embodiment of the present invention, the sub-battery module disposed in the battery pack 4000 may not include the sub-module frame, and the battery pack 4000 may include a structure serving as the above-described sub-module frame.Referring to FIG. 11, the pack case 4100 may include a first partition wall 4300 and a second partition wall 4400 a, and the pack cover 4200 may include a second partition wall 4400 b. That is, the first partition wall 4300 may be disposed in the pack case 4100, and the second partition walls 4400 ( 4400 aand 4400 b) may be disposed in the pack case 4100 and the pack cover 4200, respectively. Here, the second partition wall 4400 a(hereinafter, a lower partition wall) formed on the pack case 4100 and the second partition wall 4400 b(hereinafter, an upper partition wall) formed on the pack cover 4200 may be coupled to each other to thereby form the entire second partition wall 4400, and the pack case 4100 and the pack cover 4200 may be coupled to each other through the coupling between the lower partition wall 4400 aand the upper partition wall 4400 bforming the second partition wall 4400. A detailed description of this configuration will be described below.According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first partition wall 4300 may function as the heat exchanger, the second partition wall 4400 may function as the heat shield, and the detailed descriptions thereof are replaced with the descriptions provided above. Moreover, the second partition wall 4400 may further partition the zones partitioned by the center support.In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of cell stacks 40 arranged in the zone divided by the center support may be understood as a concept corresponding to the above-described battery module, and at least one of the cell stacks 40 arranged in the zone additionally divided by the second partition wall 4400 may be understood as a concept corresponding to the above-described sub-battery module.Referring to FIG. 11, the lower partition walls 4400 amay be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X direction based on the drawings) of the pack case 4100. In addition, although not shown in the drawing, the lower partition wall 4400 amay have a length in a width direction (Y direction based on the drawings) of the pack case 4100.At least one of the cell stacks 40 may be disposed in the zone divided by the lower partition 4400 a. The cell stacks 40 may include the plurality of battery cells stacked in one direction (Z direction based on the drawings).In the zone divided by the lower partition 4400 a, the first partition 4300 may be disposed together with at least one of the cell stacks 40. The first partition 4300 may be disposed between the cell stacks 40 or between the cell stack 40 and the side frame 4200.The first partition wall 4300 may be arranged to face a side surface of the cell stack(s) 40. Here, the heat dissipation member (not shown) may be further disposed between the cell stack(s) 40 and the first partition wall 4300, to increase heat exchange efficiency by the first partition wall 4300. For example, the heat dissipation member may be a material having a thermal conductivity of 1 (W / mK) or more.Referring to FIG. 11, in a state in which the pack cover 4200 is not coupled to the pack case 4100, the lower partition wall 4400 amay be shorter than the first partition wall 4300 in a height direction (Z direction based on the drawings), and a height of the second partition wall 4400 may be approximately the same as a height of the first partition wall 4300 when the pack cover 4200 is coupled to the pack case 4100. In other words, in a state in which the pack cover 4200 is coupled to the pack case 4100, the height of the second partition wall 4400 ( 4400 aand 4400 b) may be approximately the same as the height of the first partition wall 4300.Meanwhile, the pack case 4100 and the pack cover 4200 may be coupled to each other through the coupling between the lower partition wall 4400 aand the upper partition wall 4400 bforming the second partition wall 4400.A region A in FIG. 11 is a region where the second partition wall 4400 is formed, and FIGS. 12A and 12B are views showing various embodiments of a region A of FIG. 11.Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the second partition 4400 may be formed by the coupling between the lower partition 4400 aand the upper partition 4400 b. The lower partition 4400 aand the upper partition 4400 bmay be coupled to each other by being fixed using an adhesive material 4430 after being attached to each other.In one embodiment, the bottom partition 4400 amay include a groove 4410 ain its surface facing the top partition 4400 b. The adhesive material 4430 may be received in the groove 4410 a. The upper partition 4400 bmay include a protrusion 4410 bprotruding toward the lower partition 4400 a.The protrusion 4410 bmay have a shape corresponding to that of the groove 4410 ato be inserted into the groove 4410 a. For example, the groove 4410 amay have a shape in which a width of a cross section thereof increases in a coupling direction of the upper partition 4400 b, and the protrusion 4410 bmay have a shape in which a width of a cross section thereof decreases in a coupling direction of the lower partition 4400 aof the protrusion 4410 b.The protrusion 4410 bof the upper partition 4400 bmay be frictionally connected to the groove 4410 aof the lower partition 4400 a. In a state where the protrusion 4410 bis forcibly connected to the groove 4410 a, and a part of the protrusion 4410 bmay be fixed by the adhesive material 4430 accommodated in the groove 4410 a.In another embodiment, the lower partition 4400 amay include the groove 4410 aand a detent 4420 aprotruding from an inner circumferential surface of the groove 4410 a. In addition, the upper partition wall 4400 bmay include the protrusion 4410 band a locking protrusion 4420 bprotruding from an outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 4410 b.The protrusion 4410 bof the upper partition 4400 bmay be frictionally connected to the groove 4410 aof the lower partition 4400 a. The protrusion 4410 bmay be inserted into the groove 4410 auntil the locking protrusion 4420 band the locking 4420 acontact each other. The protrusion 4410 bmay be fixed to the groove 4410 ain a state where the locking protrusion 4420 band the lock 4420 aare in contact with each other. In addition, here, a part of the protrusion 4410 bmay be fixed by the adhesive material 4430 accommodated in the groove 4410 a.However, the lower partition 4400 aand the upper partition 4400 bare not limited to the above-described structure and manner, and may be coupled together in another structure and manner to form the second partition 4400.Meanwhile, the isolation member (not shown) may be disposed between the cell stack(s) 40 and the second partition wall 4400. Two adjacent second partition walls 4400 may be insulated from the space formed by each of the second partition walls 4400 by the insulation member. For example, the insulation element can be made of a material such as polyurethane, silicone or the like.As set forth above, the battery module 100 or 200 and the battery pack 1000 or 4000 including the same according to the various embodiments of the present invention may extend freely in the horizontal, vertical, and height directions to be manufactured to meet the size specification required by the various vehicle models.In addition, the battery module and the battery pack including the same according to the various embodiments of the present invention may reduce the manufacturing cost while improving the thermal stability and the energy density by appropriately disposing the cooling structure and / or the insulating structure between the sub battery modules 10, 20, and 30 disposed adjacent to each other.While the embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A battery pack (1000) comprising: a pack case (1100, 4100) having an inner space; and at least one battery module (100) accommodated in the pack case (1100, 4100) and including a plurality of sub battery modules (10, 20, 30), wherein the plurality of sub battery modules (10, 20, 30) includes a plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31) each including a plurality of battery cells (1) stacked in a first direction, wherein the plurality of cell stacks (11) is arranged in a second direction, and a plurality of partition walls (1212, 1213) are arranged between the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31) to perform heat exchange with the plurality of battery cells (1) or to block heat propagation between the sub battery modules (10, 20, 30).The battery pack (1000) according to claim 1, wherein a first partition wall (1212) is disposed between the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31) included in each of the sub battery modules (10, 20, 30), and exchanges heat with the plurality of battery cells (1), and the first partition wall (1212) has a refrigerant path.The battery pack (1000) of claim 2, further comprising a heat dissipation member (130) disposed between the first partition wall (1212) and the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31).The battery pack (1000) according to claim 2, wherein a second partition wall (1213) is disposed between the sub battery modules (10, 20, 30) to isolate the sub battery modules (10, 20, 30) from each other, and the second partition wall (1213) includes an insulating member.The battery pack (1000) of claim 2, further comprising the first partition wall (1212) disposed between the pack case (1100, 4100) and the battery module (100).The battery pack (1000) of claim 1, further comprising a pack cover (4200) disposed to cover the battery module (100), wherein at least some of the plurality of partition walls (1212, 1213) are provided in the pack case (1100, 4100) or the pack cover (4200).The battery pack (1000) according to claim 1, wherein the sub battery module (10, 20, 30) includes a connection portion (221, 241, 321) capable of being coupled to each other in a second direction for connecting the battery modules (100) in the second direction, and the adjacent sub battery modules (10, 20, 30) are coupled to each other using the connection portion (221, 241, 321).The battery pack (1000) according to claim 7, wherein the battery module (100) includes two first sub-battery modules (20) arranged outside the battery module (100) in a longitudinal direction, and optionally includes a second sub-battery module (30) arranged between the two first sub-battery modules (20).The battery pack (1000) according to claim 6, wherein the pack case (1100, 4100) and the pack cover (4200) each include a lower partition wall (4400a) and an upper partition wall (4400b) extending toward each other, the lower partition wall (4400a) and the upper partition wall (4400b) cooperate with each other to form a second partition wall (4400) partitioning the internal space, and the second partition wall (4400) isolates at least some of the cell stacks among the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31) from each other.The battery pack (1000) according to claim 9, further comprising a first partition wall (1212) arranged to face at least some side surfaces of the plurality of cell stacks (11, 21, 31), wherein the first partition wall (1212) includes a refrigerant path.The battery module (1000) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cell stacks (11) includes first and second cell stacks (11a, 11b), and the plurality of sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30) includes a sub-module frame (12) facing the first and second cell stacks (11a, 11b) in the first direction and the second direction, the sub-module frame (12) includes a connection portion (221, 241, 321) extending from the sub-module frame (12) in the second direction for connection of the sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30) to each other in the second direction.The battery module (1000) according to claim 11, wherein the sub-module frame (12) includes: first and third frames (22, 32, 24) extending in the second direction and arranged on at least one side of the one side and the other side in the first direction; and a second frame (23, 33) extending in the first direction and arranged between at least the first and second cell stacks (11a, 11b).The battery module (1000) according to claim 12, wherein the first frame (22, 32) includes a first connection portion (221, 321) including a closed part coupled to the second frame (23, 33) and an open part spaced apart from the second frame (23, 33) to form a gap (34), and the third frame (24) includes a second connection portion (241) including a closed part coupled to the second frame (23, 33).The battery module (1000) according to claim 13, wherein the first or second connection portion (221, 321, 241) of the adjacent sub-battery modules (10, 20, 30) is disposed in the open part.The battery module (1000) according to claim 12, wherein the sub battery modules (10, 20, 30) include two first sub battery modules (20) arranged outside the module in the second direction and including the first to third frames (22, 32, 23, 33, 24), and optionally include a second sub battery module (30) arranged between the two first sub battery modules (20) and including the first and second frames (22, 32, 23, 33).The battery module (1000) of claim 12, wherein the second frame (23, 33) includes one of a refrigerant path and an insulation member (140).

Images