Battery pack having improved cooling structure and device including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a cell assembly formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells and a module frame that houses the cell assembly, a pack housing to which at least one battery module is attached, and a cooling tube assembly attached within the pack housing, wherein one end of the battery module is positioned to overlap the cooling tube assembly.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0133707 dated October 18, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack having an improved cooling structure and a device including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] As technological development and demand for mobile devices increases, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing. In particular, secondary batteries are attracting much attention not only for mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, and wearable devices, but also as an energy source for power devices such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid electric cars.

[0004] Small mobile devices use one or two to four battery cells per device, whereas medium to large devices such as automobiles require high output and large capacity. Therefore, medium to large battery modules that electrically connect multiple battery cells are used.

[0005] Meanwhile, when a battery module and / or a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, a common method is to construct a battery module consisting of at least one battery cell, and then to construct a battery pack by adding other components using the at least one battery module.

[0006] Since the battery cells constituting such a medium- to large-sized battery module are composed of secondary batteries capable of being charged and discharged, such high-output, large-capacity secondary batteries generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging process. In this case, the heat generated from the multiple battery cells may be added together in a small space, causing the temperature to rise rapidly and excessively. In other words, a battery module in which multiple battery cells are stacked and a battery pack to which such a battery module is attached can obtain high output, but it is not easy to remove the heat generated in the battery cells during charging and discharging. If the heat of the battery cells is not properly dissipated, the deterioration of the battery cells will accelerate, shortening their lifespan and increasing the possibility of explosion or fire.

[0007] Furthermore, battery modules included in vehicle battery packs are frequently exposed to direct sunlight and may be placed in high temperature conditions such as in summer or in desert regions. In addition, since multiple battery modules are arranged in a concentrated manner to increase the mileage of a vehicle, flames or heat generated in one battery module may easily spread to adjacent battery modules, which may ultimately lead to the battery pack itself catching fire or exploding.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing heat dissipation paths in a conventional battery module.

[0009] 1, a conventional battery module 30 includes a cell assembly 70 including battery cells 60 stacked in a predetermined direction, and a module frame 40 housing the cell assembly 70, and the cell assembly 70 is fixed and positioned on a thermally conductive resin layer 50 located on the lower surface of the module frame 40. In this case, in order to cool heat generated in the cell assembly 70, a heat sink 90 is provided facing the bottom of the module frame 40 located in the -z-axis direction of FIG. 1, and a thermally conductive pad 80 for heat transfer may be further provided between the heat sink 90 and the bottom of the module frame 40.

[0010] However, since the heat sink 90 does not directly contact the cell assembly 70 to transfer heat, the cooling efficiency is not very high, and a cooling path is formed in only one direction (-z axis direction) of the width of the battery cell, which may cause a temperature gradient.

[0011] Therefore, in order to extend the life of the battery module and / or the battery pack, it is necessary to improve the cooling efficiency of the battery module / battery pack so that the temperature of the battery cells does not become too high. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a device including the same that can minimize space loss that occurs when a coolant supply connector for supplying an insulating coolant circulated within a battery module is connected to the battery module.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a device including the same that can overcome the disadvantage that the space is narrow and the connection work is difficult when connecting the coolant supply connection part after the battery module is arranged in the battery pack.

[0014] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a cell assembly formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells and a module frame that houses the cell assembly, a pack housing to which at least one battery module is attached, and a cooling tube assembly attached within the pack housing, wherein one end of the battery module is positioned to overlap the cooling tube assembly.

[0016] One end of the battery module and the cooling tube assembly may be overlapped in a vertical direction.

[0017] The battery module may further include a sealing cover formed at one end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly, the sealing cover overlapping the cooling tube assembly in a vertical direction.

[0018] The sealing cover may include a lid portion covering one end of the cell assembly from which electrode leads protrude from the plurality of battery cells, and a protrusion protruding from the lid portion, and the protrusion may overlap the cooling tube assembly in a vertical direction.

[0019] The cooling tube assembly may include a cooling tube extending along a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a fixing frame assembled with the cooling tube.

[0020] An opening may be formed in each of the cooling tube and the protrusion toward a direction in which the cooling tube and the protrusion face each other, and an insulating coolant injected into the cooling tube assembly may flow into the inside of the battery module through the opening.

[0021] The sealing cover and the fixing frame may be connected by a fastening member.

[0022] The battery pack may further include a sealing member located between the cooling tube and the protrusion.

[0023] The fixing frame may include a plurality of fixing blocks spaced apart from each other along a direction in which the cooling tubes extend.

[0024] The cooling tube may include a main tube, a hose connected to one end of the main tube, and a connector connected to the hose.

[0025] The cooling tube assembly may include an injection cooling tube assembly and an exhaust cooling tube assembly, and the injection cooling tube assembly may be disposed between one of the side frames of the pack housing and one end of the battery module, and the exhaust cooling tube assembly may be disposed between the other of the side frames of the pack housing and the other end of the battery module.

[0026] The battery module may further include a first sealing cover formed at one end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly and a second sealing cover formed at the other end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly, and the injection cooling tube assembly may be located at a lower part of the first sealing cover and the exhaust cooling tube assembly may be located at an upper part of the second sealing cover.

[0027] The exhaust cooling tube assembly may include a main tube, a hose connected to one end of the main tube, and a connector connected to the hose, wherein the hose is a flexible tube, and a height difference may be formed between the main tube and the connector by bending the hose.

[0028] The cooling tube assembly may include a cooling tube extending along a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a fixing frame assembled with the cooling tube. A plurality of battery modules may be attached to the pack housing, and the battery pack may further include a partition wall disposed between adjacent battery modules, and one end of the partition wall may include a groove portion surrounding the cooling tube.

[0029] The interior of the module frame may be impregnated with an insulating coolant to directly cool the battery cells.

[0030] A device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the battery pack described above. Effect of the Invention

[0031] According to the embodiment, the space utilization rate of the insulated coolant inlet and outlet can be improved by using the cooling tube and the fixing frame.

[0032] In addition, by performing the process of connecting the insulating coolant inlet and the insulating coolant outlet before or after the process of arranging the battery module in the battery pack, it is possible to provide a battery pack and a device including the same that can eliminate the disadvantage of the narrow space making the connection work difficult.

[0033] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing heat dissipation paths in a conventional battery module. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the battery pack of FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 illustrates an injection cooling tube assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates an exhaust cooling tube assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module included in the battery pack of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view showing an enlarged area B in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to a comparative example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the battery module of FIG. 9 arranged in a battery pack. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a method of manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing paths of insulating coolant in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention may, however, be embodied in various different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0036] In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts unnecessary for the description will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0037] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown. In the drawings, thicknesses are enlarged to clearly show various layers and regions. In the drawings, thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

[0038] In addition, throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, this does not mean to exclude other elements, but may further include other elements, unless otherwise specified to the contrary.

[0039] Furthermore, throughout the specification, the term "on a plane" means when the part in question is viewed from above, and the term "on a cross section" means when the part in question is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0040] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the battery pack of Fig. 2. In Fig. 3, the battery module 100 configuration of Fig. 2 is omitted for convenience in order to show the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B.

[0041] 2, a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pack housing 700 to which at least one battery module 100 is attached, and the pack housing 700 includes a lower pack frame 710 on which a bottom surface of the battery module 100 is placed, a side pack frame 720 surrounding the side surface of the battery module 100, and an upper pack frame 730 located on an upper portion of the battery module 100. Here, the lower pack frame 710, the side pack frame 720, and the upper pack frame 730 are coupled to each other by a method such as welding, so that the inside of the battery pack 1000 can be sealed.

[0042] The side pack frame 720 is provided with pack ports 650, 660 which are connected to the cooling tube assembly 205 (FIG. 4) which will be described later.

[0043] The battery module 100 may include a cell assembly 120 in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked in a preset direction, and a module frame 200 that houses the cell assembly. The module frame 200 may be a monoframe in the form of a metal plate material in which the top and bottom surfaces (z-axis direction and -z-axis direction) and both side surfaces (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) are integrated. The cell assembly 120 may be attached inside the module frame 200 to form the battery module 100. However, the module frame 200 is not limited to the above, and the module frame 200 may include an upper frame and a lower frame, the lower frame being a U-shaped frame including a bottom plate and side plates extending upward from both corners of the bottom plate, and the upper frame may have a flat plate structure.

[0044] At least one partition wall 500 is formed on the lower pack frame 710. Here, the lower pack frame 710 and the partition wall 500 and / or the side pack frame 720 and the partition wall 500 may be joined to each other by a method such as welding. However, the method is not limited to welding, and they may be joined by using an adhesive.

[0045] The multiple battery modules 100 may be separated from each other by the side pack frame 720 and the multiple partition walls 500. Specifically, the multiple battery modules 100 may be arranged in multiple regions formed by the side pack frame 720 and the adjacent partition walls 500, respectively.

[0046] As a result, the plurality of battery modules 100 are surrounded by the plurality of partition walls 500 and the side pack frames 720, and each battery module 100 can be protected from external impacts.

[0047] The side pack frame 720 may be disposed along the periphery of the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 710 and extend upward from the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 710. More specifically, it may extend upward from each periphery of the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 710. Here, the upper portion of the side pack frame 720 may contact the upper pack frame 730. In this case, the upper portion of the side pack frame 720 and the upper pack frame 730 are joined to each other by a method such as welding, so that the inside of the battery pack 1000 can be sealed.

[0048] The partition walls 500 may be spaced apart from one another. Here, the distance between adjacent partition walls 500 may be equal to or greater than the width of the battery module 100. Here, the width of the battery module 100 may be a size measured along the direction in which the multiple battery cells are stacked.

[0049] In addition, the end of the partition wall 500 may be in contact with the inner surface of the side surface pack frame 720. More specifically, both end portions of the partition wall 500 may be in contact with the inner surface of the side surface pack frame 720, respectively.

[0050] 2 and 3, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment includes a cooling tube assembly 205 for supplying an insulating coolant to the battery module 100. The insulating coolant is a material that has electrical insulating properties and a cooling function, and may be, for example, insulating oil. The cooling tube assembly 205 includes an injection cooling tube assembly 205A and a discharge cooling tube assembly 205B. The injection cooling tube assembly 205A may be disposed between one of the side pack frames 720 of the pack housing 700 and one end of the battery module 100, and the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B may be disposed between the other of the side pack frames 720 of the pack housing 700 and the other end of the battery module 100.

[0051] Hereinafter, a cooling tube assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a view showing an inlet cooling tube assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of part A of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view showing an outlet cooling tube assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a battery module included in the battery pack of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged view showing an enlarged area B of Fig. 7.

[0053] 4 and 5, the injection cooling tube assembly 205A according to the present embodiment includes a cooling tube 220 extending in a direction in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (the y-axis direction in FIG. 3), and a fixing frame 210 assembled with the cooling tube 220. The cooling tube 220 and the fixing frame 210 may be bonded to each other using an adhesive, or a sealing cover (150 in FIG. 7) described below and the fixing frame 210 may be bonded to each other using a fastening member without using an adhesive, and the cooling tube 220 may also be fixed together. Alternatively, an adhesive and a fastening member may be used at the same time, and the fastening member may be a bolt fastening structure. In this case, the fixing frame 210 may include a plurality of fixing blocks arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the extending direction of the cooling tube 220.

[0054] More specifically, the cooling tube 220 included in the injection cooling tube assembly 205A according to this embodiment may include a main tube 221, a hose 250a connected to one end of the main tube 221, and a connector 270 connected to the hose 250a. The hose 250a may be a flexible tube. The hose 250a of the injection cooling tube assembly 205A may be arranged in a straight line in a direction in which the main tube 221 extends. The main tube 221 may be formed by extruding a metal material, for example, aluminum. The hose 250a may be used for ease of assembly, and the connector 270 may play a role in assembling the main tube 221 and the pack port 650 without a separate bonding or connecting process when connecting them.

[0055] The fixing frame 210 according to this embodiment may be structured to surround the lower portion and the left and right sides of the main tube 221 so as to expose the upper portion of the main tube 221. Due to such a fixing frame 210 structure, an opening 225 may be formed in the upper portion of the main tube 221.

[0056] 2 to 5 and 7, an insulating coolant is introduced into the pack inlet port 650 from the outside of the battery pack 1000, and is supplied to the cooling tube 220 connected to the pack inlet port 650. Then, the insulating coolant flows through an opening 225 of a main tube 221 included in the cooling tube 220 to a sealing cover 150 described below, and the insulating coolant can enter the inside of the battery module 100 through the sealing cover 150. The insulating coolant that has entered the inside of the battery module 100 can directly cool the electrode lead 111 and a bus bar (not shown) connected to the electrode lead 111, and the like, and the insulating coolant is inserted into a gap space GS formed between the battery cell 110 and the module frame 200 to form a cooling flow path. The insulating coolant can move along the arrow direction shown in FIG. 7. Although not shown, a bus bar frame, an insulating cover, an end plate, and the like in which the bus bar and the electrode leads 111 and 112 are connected to each other may be disposed between the battery cell 110 and the sealing cover 150. The end plate may be formed in a shape that covers the outside of the sealing cover 150 .

[0057] 6, the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling tube 220 extending in a direction in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked (the y-axis direction in FIG. 3), and a fixing frame 210 assembled with the cooling tube 220. The cooling tube 220 and the fixing frame 210 may be bonded to each other using an adhesive, or a sealing cover (150 in FIG. 7) described below and the fixing frame 210 may be bonded to each other using a fastening member without using an adhesive, and the cooling tube 220 may also be fixed thereto. Alternatively, an adhesive and a fastening member may be used at the same time, and the fastening member may be a bolt fastening structure. In this case, the fixing frame 210 may include a plurality of fixing blocks arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the extending direction of the cooling tube 220.

[0058] More specifically, the cooling tube 220 included in the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B according to this embodiment may include a main tube 221, a hose 250b connected to one end of the main tube 221, and a connector 270 connected to the hose 250b. The hose 250b of the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B is a flexible tube, and a height difference may be formed between the main tube 221 and the connector 270 by bending the hose 250b. This is a difference from the above-mentioned injection cooling tube assembly 205A. In other words, the hose 250a of the injection cooling tube assembly 205A may be arranged in a straight line in the direction in which the main tube 221 extends. The main tube 221 of the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B may be formed by extruding a metal material, for example, aluminum. The hose 250b may be used for ease of assembly, and the connector 270 may serve to assemble the main tube 221 and the pack port 660 without a separate bonding or connecting process when connecting them.

[0059] The fixing frame 210 according to this embodiment may be structured to surround the upper portion and the left and right sides of the main tube 221 so as to expose the lower portion of the main tube 221. Due to such a fixing frame 210 structure, an opening 225 may be formed in the lower portion of the main tube 221.

[0060] 2, 3, 6, and 7, the insulating coolant injected into the battery module 100 through the inlet cooling tube assembly 205A described above directly cools the bus bars, battery cells, etc., and then passes through the sealing cover 150 located at the other end of the battery module 100 in an increased temperature state, and may then be discharged to the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B through the opening 225 of the main tube 221 of the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B.

[0061] Hereinafter, the connection relationship between the battery module 100 and the cooling tube assembly 205 will be considered in more detail with reference to FIGS.

[0062] 7 and 8, one end of the battery module 100 may be arranged to overlap the cooling tube assembly 205. In this case, one end of the battery module and the cooling tube assembly 205 may overlap in the vertical direction (z-axis direction in FIG. 7). This arrangement structure can improve space efficiency compared to a method in which a connector for circulating an insulating coolant inside the battery module is directly connected to the battery module.

[0063] Specifically, the battery module 100 may include sealing covers 150 at both ends of the battery module 100 to cover the cell assembly 120. In this case, the sealing covers 150 may overlap the cooling tube assembly 205 in the vertical direction. The sealing cover 150 may include a cover portion 150a that covers one end of the cell assembly 120 from which the electrode leads 111, 112 protrude from the multiple battery cells 110, and a protrusion portion 150b that protrudes from the cover portion 150a. The protrusion portion 150b may overlap the cooling tube assembly 205 in the vertical direction.

[0064] The sealing cover 150 formed at one end of the battery module 100 to cover the cell assembly 120 is referred to as a first sealing cover, and the sealing cover 150 formed at the other end of the battery module 100 to cover the cell assembly 120 is referred to as a second sealing cover. The injection cooling tube assembly 205A may be located at the bottom of the first sealing cover, and the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B may be located at the top of the second sealing cover.

[0065] An opening 227 may be formed in the sealing cover 150, an opening 227 may be formed in a lower portion of the first sealing cover 150, and an opening 227 may be formed in an upper portion of the second sealing cover 150. Specifically, an opening 227 may be formed in the protruding portion 150b of the sealing cover 150, and the opening 227 may be connected to an opening 225 formed in the main tube 221 of the cooling tube, so that an insulating coolant may pass through.

[0066] A sealing member 230 may be located between the cooling tube 220 and the protrusion 150b.

[0067] The sealing member 230 may be a sealing foam tape. By forming the sealing member 230, it is possible to prevent the insulating coolant from leaking between the cooling tube 220 and the protruding portion 150b of the sealing cover 150, thereby improving the cooling efficiency. Here, an opening (not shown) is also formed in the sealing member 230, and the opening of the sealing member 230 may be connected to the opening 225 of the main tube 221 and the opening of the protruding portion 150b.

[0068] The sealing cover 150 and the fixed frame 210 may be coupled to each other by a fastening member 165. The fastening member 165 may be a bolt coupling member.

[0069] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a battery module according to a comparative example, and Fig. 10 is a view showing the battery module of Fig. 9 disposed in a battery pack.

[0070] 9 and 10, the battery module 800 according to the comparative example includes a module frame 820 that houses a cell assembly 805, and end plates 810 that cover the front and rear sides of the cell assembly 805, excluding the portion of the cell assembly 805 surrounded by the module frame 820. Here, the end plates 810 on the front and rear sides of the cell assembly 805 are each formed with an inlet port 850 and an outlet port 860 for inflowing and outflowing a refrigerant into and from the battery module 800. If a method is used in which the quick connector DC of FIG. 10 is directly connected to the battery module 800 to circulate an insulating coolant through the inlet port 850 and the outlet port 860, a significant spatial loss may occur.

[0071] 11 to 16 are diagrams showing a method of manufacturing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged view showing an enlarged C region of FIG.

[0073] 11 and 12, the injection cooling tube assembly 205A described in FIG. 4 may be prepared and placed on the lower pack frame 710 of the battery pack 1000. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the side pack frame 720 of the pack housing may be provided with a pack inlet port 650 connected to the injection cooling tube assembly 205A, and the cooling tube 220 of the injection cooling tube assembly 205A may be connected to the pack inlet port 650.

[0074] At least one partition wall 500 according to this embodiment may be disposed on the lower pack frame 710. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of partition walls 500 may be arranged at a predetermined interval, and the predetermined interval may define an area in which a plurality of battery modules 100 shown in FIG. 14 are mounted on the lower pack frame 710, which will be described later. In other words, the partition wall 500 may be disposed between adjacent battery modules 100 mounted on the lower pack frame 710, which will be described later. In this case, one end of the partition wall 500 may include a groove 500h surrounding the cooling tube 220 of the injection cooling tube assembly 205A, as shown in FIG. 13. The groove 500h may be a hole through which the cooling tube 220 passes through one end of the partition wall 500 so that the cooling tube 220 extends along the direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked. The fixing frame 210 included in the cooling tube 220 may be disposed between adjacent partition walls 500, and therefore the fixing frame 210 may be formed of a plurality of fixing blocks disposed spaced apart from each other along the direction in which the cooling tube 220 extends.

[0075] After the injection cooling tube assembly 205A is placed on the lower pack frame 710, the battery module 100 of Fig. 14 may be mounted on the lower pack frame 710. At this time, a plurality of battery modules 100 may be mounted between adjacent partition walls 500, and the partition walls 500 facilitate the alignment of the mounting positions of the plurality of battery modules 100.

[0076] When the battery module 100 is mounted on the lower pack frame 710, the fixing frame 210 and the sealing cover 150 of the battery module 100 may be coupled together by a fastening member 165 as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 15. The sealing cover 150 formed on one end of the battery module 100 may be attached to the upper part of the already provided injection cooling tube assembly 205A. Specifically, the opening 227 of the protrusion 150b of the sealing cover 150 may be arranged to communicate with the opening 225 of the main tube 221. Before the battery module 100 is mounted, a sealing member 230 may be formed on the main tube 221.

[0077] 16, after a plurality of battery modules 100 are mounted on the lower pack housing, a discharge cooling tube assembly 205B may be attached to the other end of the battery module 100. In the case of the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B, as shown in the upper left part of FIG 7, the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B may be attached to an upper part of the protrusion 150b of the sealing cover 150. In this case, similar to the fastening method using the fastening member 165 described in the injection cooling tube assembly 205A of FIG 8, the fixing frame 210 of the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B and the sealing cover 150 may be coupled to each other by a fastening member such as a bolt fastening method.

[0078] The discharge cooling tube assembly 205B is similar in most respects to the inlet cooling tube assembly 205A, except that the hose 250b is a flexible tube, and a height difference is formed between the main tube 221 and the connector 270 as the hose 250b is bent, and the position at which the opening 225 of the main tube 221 is formed. Therefore, most of the contents related to the inlet cooling tube assembly 205A described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 can be applied to the discharge cooling tube assembly 205B.

[0079] The hose 250b included in the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B may be bent to connect the pack exhaust port 660 formed in the side pack frame 720 to the cooling tube 220.

[0080] As described above, the injection cooling tube assembly 205A and the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B are formed into two types, and are provided in the battery pack 1000 before and after the battery module 100 is attached to the pack housing. The injection cooling tube assembly 205A and the exhaust cooling tube assembly 205B are provided in the battery pack 1000, respectively, before and after the battery module 100 is attached to the pack housing. This makes it possible to eliminate the disadvantage that the space required for connecting the battery module 100 and the cooling tube assembly 205 is narrow and difficult. Specifically, in the conventional method of directly connecting the inlet port and the outlet port of the module to the quick connector as shown in FIG. 10, a space for the quick connector and an assembly space for an operator to connect the quick connector are required. For example, if the quick connector is inserted by hand, a space is required between the pack and the module for the operator's hand and the quick connector, which may result in a loss of space.

[0081] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing paths of insulating coolant in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] 7 and 17, it can be seen that the insulating coolant flows in from outside the battery pack 1000 through the pack inlet port 650, and then passes through the inlet cooling tube assembly 205A, the battery module 100, the outlet cooling tube assembly 205B, and the pack outlet port 660 to be discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1000. As described above, the insulating coolant is impregnated into the battery module 100 to directly cool the bus bars, electrode leads, and battery cells, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0083] The battery pack according to the present embodiment may be structured by packing one or more battery modules together with a battery management system (BMS) for managing the temperature and voltage of the battery and a cooling device.

[0084] The battery pack can be applied to various devices, including vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid cars, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various devices that can use a battery module, which also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0085] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also belong to the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 100: Battery module 1000: Battery pack 120: Cell Assembly 150: Ceiling cover 150a: Lid 150b:Protrusion 165: Fastening member 200: Module frame 205: Cooling tube assembly 210: Fixed frame 220: Cooling tube 221: Main tube 225, 227: Opening 230: Sealing material 250a, 250b: Hose 270: Connector 500: Bulkhead 500h:Groove 650: Pack inlet port 660: Pack discharge port 700: Pack housing 710: Lower pack frame 720: Side pack frame 730: Upper pack frame

Claims

1. a battery module including a cell assembly formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells and a module frame for accommodating the cell assembly; a pack housing to which at least one of the battery modules is attached; a cooling tube assembly mounted within the pack housing; a battery pack, wherein one end of the battery module is arranged to overlap the cooling tube assembly.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the battery module and the cooling tube assembly are vertically overlapped.

3. the battery module further includes a sealing cover formed at one end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing cover overlaps the cooling tube assembly in a vertical direction.

4. the sealing cover includes a lid portion that covers one end of the cell assembly from which electrode leads protrude from the plurality of battery cells, and a protrusion protruding from the lid portion, The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the protrusion overlaps with the cooling tube assembly in a vertical direction.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling tube assembly includes: a cooling tube extending along a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked; and a fixing frame assembled with the cooling tube.

6. 6. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein openings are formed in the cooling tube and the protrusion toward a direction in which the cooling tube and the protrusion face each other, and an insulating coolant injected into the cooling tube assembly flows into the inside of the battery module through the openings.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the sealing cover and the fixing frame are coupled together by a fastening member.

8. The battery pack according to claim 5 , further comprising a sealing member located between the cooling tube and the protrusion.

9. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the fixing frame includes a plurality of fixing blocks arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a direction in which the cooling tubes extend.

10. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the cooling tube includes a main tube, a hose connected to one end of the main tube, and a connector connected to the hose.

11. the cooling tube assembly includes an inlet cooling tube assembly and an outlet cooling tube assembly; 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the injection cooling tube assembly is disposed between one of the side pack frames of the pack housing and one end of the battery module, and the exhaust cooling tube assembly is disposed between the other of the side pack frames of the pack housing and the other end of the battery module.

12. the battery module further includes a first sealing cover formed at one end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly, and a second sealing cover formed at the other end of the battery module to cover the cell assembly, The battery pack according to claim 11 , wherein the inlet cooling tube assembly is located at a lower portion of the first sealing cover, and the outlet cooling tube assembly is located at an upper portion of the second sealing cover.

13. the exhaust cooling tube assembly includes a main tube, a hose connected to one end of the main tube, and a connector connected to the hose, The battery pack according to claim 12 , wherein the hose is a flexible tube, and a height difference is formed between the main tube and the connector by bending the hose.

14. the cooling tube assembly includes a cooling tube extending along a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a fixing frame assembled with the cooling tube; A plurality of battery modules are attached to the pack housing, and the pack housing further includes a partition wall disposed between adjacent battery modules, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the partition wall includes a groove surrounding the cooling tube.

15. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein an insulating coolant is impregnated inside the module frame to directly cool the battery cells.

16. A device comprising the battery pack of claim 1.

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