Gasket for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway and battery pack having the same

Abstract

A gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to one embodiment of the present invention is a gasket disposed for sealing between an upper housing and a lower housing, the gasket including a gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing, and a heat insulating member disposed inside the gasket body.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gasket and a battery pack having the same, and more particularly, to a gasket and a battery pack having the same that can delay the occurrence of flames to the outside during thermal runaway. [Background technology]

[0002] Unlike primary batteries, which cannot be recharged, secondary batteries are batteries that can be charged and discharged, and are used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs) that are powered by electric sources.

[0003] Currently, the types of secondary batteries that are widely used include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such unit battery cells is about 2.5V to 4.6V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is configured by connecting a number of battery cells in series. Also, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a number of battery cells in parallel depending on the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be set variously depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0004] When a battery pack is constructed by connecting a number of battery cells in series and parallel, a common method is to construct a battery module consisting of at least one battery cell, preferably a number of battery cells, and then use at least one of such battery modules to construct a battery pack by adding other components. Here, the battery module refers to a component in which a number of battery cells are connected in series or parallel, and the battery pack refers to a component in which a number of battery modules are connected in series or parallel to increase capacity and output.

[0005] Generally, in a vehicle battery pack, a plurality of battery modules or battery module assemblies are generally arranged on the same plane in order to maintain structural stability.

[0006] 1 to 3 are diagrams showing a conventional battery pack 1. As shown in the figures, the battery pack 1 includes an upper housing 10, a lower housing 20, a gasket 30 between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20, and a battery module 40 disposed therein.

[0007] In addition, in the case of overcharging, high energy flows instantaneously in the battery pack 1, and the positive electrode material becomes highly chemically active due to overcharging or short circuit, which may cause a sudden reaction with the electrolyte to generate a large amount of gas and a thermal runaway phenomenon. If such thermal runaway occurs, the main gasket 30 may be damaged by a fire or a short circuit, which may cause a fire to occur outside the battery pack 1. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the problems in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gasket that can delay the occurrence of flames to the outside during thermal runaway, and a battery pack including the gasket. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to one embodiment of the present invention is a gasket disposed for sealing between an upper housing and a lower housing, the gasket including: a gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and a heat insulating member disposed inside the gasket body.

[0010] The gasket body is provided along the edges of the upper and lower housings.

[0011] The heat-shielding member includes a heat-shielding portion disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the gasket body.

[0012] The heat-shielding member further includes an inner coupling part coupled to the gasket body on one side of the heat-shielding part.

[0013] The gasket body further includes a groove on its inner circumferential surface into which the inner coupling portion is inserted.

[0014] Moreover, the inner joint portion is integral with the heat insulating portion.

[0015] The heat insulating portion protrudes upward from the upper surface of the gasket body.

[0016] Additionally, the heat insulating portion protrudes downward from the lower surface of the gasket body.

[0017] Additionally, an upper portion of the heat shield contacts the upper housing, and a lower portion of the heat shield contacts the lower housing.

[0018] The upper and lower portions of the heat shield have curved portions bent toward the upper housing and the lower housing, respectively.

[0019] The heat insulating part includes an upper cover part provided on an upper part of the heat insulating part to cover an upper surface of the gasket body, and a lower cover part provided on a lower part of the heat insulating part to cover a lower surface of the gasket body.

[0020] Moreover, the heat-insulating member is made of a heat-resistant material and may contain mica.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack for delaying the occurrence of a flame during thermal runaway includes one or more battery modules; a case including an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to the upper housing, accommodating the battery modules; and a gasket disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing, the gasket including a gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and a heat-shielding member disposed inside the gasket body.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack for delaying the occurrence of a flame during thermal runaway includes one or more battery modules; an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to the upper housing, the case including the battery modules; and a gasket disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; the gasket includes a gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and a heat-insulating member surrounding the gasket body.

[0023] The heat insulating member surrounds the entire surface of the gasket body. Effect of the Invention

[0024] The gasket and battery pack according to the present invention have the effect of preventing damage to the gasket in the event of thermal runaway and delaying the outbreak of flames outside the battery pack. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional battery pack. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one side of the battery pack in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a detailed view showing a joint between an upper housing and a lower housing in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one side of a battery pack in one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a detailed view showing part A in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing a portion of a battery pack in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a detailed view showing a portion of a battery pack in a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a detailed view showing a portion of a battery pack in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the method of achieving the same, will become apparent from the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and can be realized in various different forms. However, the embodiments are provided for a complete disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the present invention of the scope of the invention, and the present invention should be defined by the scope of the claims. Therefore, in some embodiments, well-known process steps, well-known device structures, and well-known techniques are not specifically described to avoid obscuring the present invention. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

[0027] In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions is exaggerated for clarity. Similar parts are labeled with the same reference numerals throughout the specification. When a part, such as a layer, film, region, or plate, is said to be "on" another part, this includes not only when it is "directly on" the other part, but also when there is another part in between. In contrast, when a part is said to be "directly on" the other part, it means that there is no other part in between. When a part, such as a layer, film, region, or plate, is said to be "under" the other part, this includes not only when it is "directly under" the other part, but also when there is another part in between. In contrast, when a part is said to be "directly under" the other part, it means that there is no other part in between.

[0028] Hereinafter, a gasket 300 for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway and a battery pack 1000 having the same according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one side of a battery pack in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a detailed view showing part A in FIG.

[0030] The gasket 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a gasket 300 arranged for sealing between an upper housing 100 and a lower housing 200, and includes a gasket body 310 arranged between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200, and a heat-insulating member 320 arranged inside the gasket body 310.

[0031] In addition, a battery pack 1000 for delaying the occurrence of flames during thermal runaway according to one embodiment of the present invention includes one or more battery modules 400, a case 50 for accommodating the battery modules 400, and a gasket 300, and the case 50 includes an upper housing 100 and a lower housing 200.

[0032] Hereinafter, the gasket 300 according to the present invention will be described with reference to an example in which it is applied to a battery pack 1000.

[0033] The battery module 400 contained in the battery pack 1000 includes a plurality of battery cells (not shown), and each battery cell may be, for example, a pouch-type battery cell.

[0034] For example, the battery module 400 includes a plurality of battery cells stacked on one another, and each battery cell has an electrode lead at a front end and a rear end, but the positive electrode lead may be provided at the front end and the negative electrode lead may be provided at the rear end. The plurality of battery cells in the battery module 400 may be stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other.

[0035] The battery cells are not limited to pouch-type battery cells, but may be battery cells having other shapes, such as rectangular battery cells, and multiple battery cells may be housed within the case of the battery module 400.

[0036] The case 50 is for housing a plurality of battery modules 400 and includes an upper housing 100 and a lower housing 200 .

[0037] The lower housing 200 can accommodate a plurality of battery modules 400, and the upper housing 100 is coupled to the upper side of the lower housing 200, and an internal space in which the battery modules 400 are accommodated is formed inside the case 50.

[0038] The gasket 300 disposed between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 is provided for sealing between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200, and is disposed over the entire joint portion of the upper and lower housings 100, 200, forming a closed loop shape on a plane.

[0039] The gasket 300 is disposed between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200, and serves to seal between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200. In the present invention, the gasket 300 includes a gasket body 310 and a heat insulating member 320 disposed inside the gasket body 310.

[0040] The gasket body 310 is disposed between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 for sealing, and may be disposed over the entire connecting portion of the upper and lower housings 100 and 200 .

[0041] Therefore, the gasket body 310 may be formed along the edges of the upper and lower housings 100, 200. When the connecting portion of the upper and lower housings 100, 200 is formed around the entire edge of the case 50, the gasket body 310 forms an annular or closed loop shape on a plane.

[0042] A groove 311 to which an inner coupling part 322 of a heat shield 320 is coupled may be formed on an inner surface 312a (inner peripheral surface) of the gasket body 310 located on the inside side of the case 50. The groove 311 is formed on the whole or part of the inner peripheral surface of the gasket body 310 by forming the inner coupling part 322 (reference numeral 312d denotes an outer surface (outer peripheral surface) of the gasket body 310).

[0043] The material of the gasket body 310 may be rubber, synthetic resin such as urethane, metal, or other materials.

[0044] The heat-shielding member 320 is intended to prevent or delay damage to the gasket 300 (or the gasket body 310) in the event of thermal runaway, and includes an inner coupling part 322 that is disposed inside the gasket body 310 inside the case 50 and is coupled to the gasket body 310, and a heat-shielding part 321. The heat-shielding member 320 is made of or contains a heat-resistant material, and may be made of, for example, mica, a composite material containing mica, or other materials.

[0045] The heat shield 321 is positioned inside the gasket body 310 and is intended to prevent damage to the gasket body 310 in the event of thermal runaway.The heat shield 321 is in contact with the inner surface 312a of the gasket body 310 and is provided along the inner circumferential surface of the gasket body 310.

[0046] Heat protection part 321 is formed along the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface of gasket body 310 inside case 50, and the vertical length of heat protection part 321 may be formed to be equal to or greater than the thickness of gasket body 310. Thus, heat protection part 321 is provided so as to cover the entire thickness of gasket body 310.

[0047] 5, heat protection part 321 may extend in the thickness direction of gasket body 310 and may protrude upward from upper surface 312b of gasket body 310 by more than the thickness of gasket body 310, and may protrude downward from lower surface 312c of gasket body 310 by more than the thickness of gasket body 310. Thus, the vertical length of heat protection part 321 may be three times or more the thickness of gasket body 310.

[0048] Therefore, by disposing heat-resistant portion 321 on the inside of gasket body 310 as described above, it is possible to prevent damage to gasket body 310 in the event of thermal runaway.

[0049] The material of the heat insulating portion 321 may be the same as the material of the heat insulating member 320 described above.

[0050] The inner joining portion 322 is arranged on one side of the heat protection portion 321 and is intended to join the heat protection member 320 to the gasket body 310. It is formed to protrude from one side of the heat protection portion 321 that contacts the inner surface 312a (inner circumferential surface) of the gasket body 310 and is inserted into the groove 311 of the gasket body 310 to be joined.

[0051] The inner joint portion 322 may be made of the same material as the heat insulating portion 321 or the heat insulating member 320 described above, and may be formed integrally with the heat insulating portion 321 .

[0052] The heat-insulating member 320 can be manufactured by, for example, insert molding. That is, the heat-insulating member 320 can be manufactured by insert molding together with the gasket body 310, which eliminates the assembly process and improves the bonding strength.

[0053] The gasket 300 having the above-mentioned configuration is disposed between the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200 , and the upper and lower housings 100 , 200 are joined together using the bolts 150 , washers 151 and nuts 152 .

[0054] In the present invention, by arranging the heat-shielding member 320 on the inner peripheral surface of the gasket body 310 in this manner, damage to the gasket body 310 in the event of thermal runaway can be prevented or delayed, and the occurrence of flames outside the battery pack 1000 can be delayed.

[0055] Next, a gasket 300 for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway and a battery pack 1000 having the same according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 6 is a detailed view showing a joining portion of upper and lower housings 100, 200 in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the upper and lower parts of the heat protection part 321 of the heat protection member 320 of the gasket 300 are curved. That is, in this embodiment, the upper and lower parts of the heat protection part 321 may have curved parts 321a and 321b, respectively. Also, the upper and lower parts of the heat protection part 321 may be formed to contact the upper housing 100 and the lower housing 200, respectively.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the curved portion 321a located at the upper part of the heat protection portion 321 is curved toward the upper housing 100, and the curved portion 321b located at the lower part of the heat protection portion 321 is curved toward the lower housing 200.

[0058] The curved portion 321a at the upper part of the heat protection portion 321 is arc-shaped so that the end of the curved portion 321a comes into contact with the upper housing 100, and the curved portion 321b at the lower part of the heat protection portion 321 is arc-shaped so that the end of the curved portion 321b comes into contact with the lower housing 200.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the upper and lower portions of the heat-shielding portion 321 are curved in an arch shape, which effectively prevents heat from being applied to the gasket body 310 during thermal runaway, thereby delaying the occurrence of flames outside the battery pack 1000.

[0060] The other configurations and effects are similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] Next, a gasket 300 for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway and a battery pack 1000 having the same according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 7 is a detailed view showing a joining portion of upper and lower housings 100, 200 in the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] The third embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that the upper and lower parts of heat protection part 321 in heat protection member 320 of gasket 300 are formed to cover gasket body 310 inside case 50. That is, in this embodiment, the upper and lower parts of heat protection part 321 may have upper cover part 321c and lower cover part 321d, respectively.

[0063] 7, in this embodiment, upper cover part 321c located at the top of heat protection part 321 is formed so as to cover upper surface 312b of gasket body 310 inside case 50, and lower cover part 321d located at the bottom of heat protection part 321 is formed so as to cover lower surface 312c of gasket body 310 inside case 50. In addition, an end of upper cover part 321c extends to upper case 100 and contacts the inner surface of upper case 100, and lower cover part 321d extends to lower case 200 and contacts the inner surface of lower case 200.

[0064] In the third embodiment, the upper and lower parts of heat prevention part 321 have upper cover part 321c and lower cover part 321d, so that application of heat to gasket body 310 in the event of thermal runaway can be effectively prevented.

[0065] In FIG. 7, the inner joint portion 322 is shown on the inner side of the heat insulating portion 321, but the heat insulating portion 321 may be formed without providing the inner joint portion 322.

[0066] The other configurations and effects are similar to those of the above-described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0067] Next, a gasket 300 for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway and a battery pack 1000 having the same according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 8 is a detailed view showing a joining portion of upper and lower housings 100, 200 in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] The fourth embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that the heat shielding member 320 of the gasket 300 is formed so as to cover the entire surface of the gasket body 310. That is, in this embodiment, the heat shielding member 320 is formed so as to surround the entire gasket body 310.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the heat shielding member 320 is formed so as to surround all of the inner surface 312a of the gasket body 310 located inside the case 50, the upper surface 312b of the gasket body 310, the lower surface 312c of the gasket body 310, and the outer surface 312d of the gasket body 310 located outside the case 50.

[0070] In the fourth embodiment, the heat-shielding member 320 is formed so as to surround the entire gasket body 310 in this manner, so that application of heat to the gasket body 310 can be effectively prevented in the event of thermal runaway.

[0071] In this embodiment, the heat insulating member 320 may be formed without providing the inner joint portion 322 on the inner side thereof as shown in the figure.

[0072] The other configurations and effects are similar to those of the above-described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0073] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and a person having ordinary skill in the art can implement the present invention in various modified forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The present invention provides a gasket and a battery pack that can prevent damage to the gasket and delay the outbreak of flames outside the battery pack in the event of thermal runaway. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Battery Pack 10 Upper housing 20 Lower housing 30 Main gasket 40 Battery Module 50 cases 100 Upper housing, upper case 150 Volts 151 Washer 152 Nut 200 Lower housing, lower case 300 Gasket 310 Gasket body 311 Groove 320 Heat Insulation Materials 321 Heat insulation part 322 Inner Joint 400 Battery Module 1000 Battery Pack

Claims

1. A gasket for retarding flame initiation, the gasket being disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing for sealing, The gasket is A gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and A heat insulating member disposed inside the gasket body; A gasket for retarding flame initiation comprising:

2. The gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating member includes a heat insulating portion disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the gasket body.

3. The gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to claim 2 , wherein the heat-resistant member further comprises an inner coupling part coupled to the gasket body on one side of the heat-resistant part.

4. 4. The gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to claim 3, wherein the gasket body includes a groove on an inner peripheral surface thereof into which the inner coupling portion is inserted.

5. 4. The flame retardant gasket of claim 3, wherein said inner joint is integral with said heat shield.

6. 3. The flame retardant gasket of claim 2, wherein said heat shield protrudes upwardly from an upper surface of said gasket body.

7. 3. The flame retardant gasket of claim 2, wherein the heat shield protrudes downwardly from a lower surface of the gasket body.

8. an upper portion of the heat shield contacts the upper housing; 3. The flame retardant gasket of claim 2, wherein a lower portion of said heat shield contacts said lower housing.

9. 3. The flame retardant gasket of claim 2, wherein the upper and lower heat shields have curved portions that are bent toward the upper and lower housings, respectively.

10. The heat insulating part is an upper cover portion for covering an upper surface of the gasket body on an upper portion of the heat insulating portion; A lower cover portion for covering the lower surface of the gasket body is provided at the lower portion of the heat insulating portion.

3. The gasket for retarding flame onset of claim 2, comprising:

11. The gasket for retarding flame outbreak according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the heat insulating member comprises a heat resistant material.

12. A gasket for retarding flame initiation, the gasket being disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing for sealing, The gasket is A gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and A heat insulating member surrounding the gasket body A gasket for retarding flame initiation comprising:

13. 13. The flame retardant gasket of claim 12, wherein the heat insulating member surrounds an entire surface of the gasket body.

14. one or more battery modules; a case including an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to the upper housing, the case housing the battery module; and A gasket disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing. Including, The gasket is A gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and A heat insulating member disposed inside the gasket body. A battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway, comprising:

15. The battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway according to claim 14 , wherein the heat-insulating member includes a heat-insulating portion disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the gasket body.

16. The battery pack for delaying flame generation during thermal runaway as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the heat-shielding member further comprises an inner coupling part coupled to the gasket body on one side of the heat-shielding part.

17. The battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway according to claim 16 , wherein the gasket body includes a groove on an inner circumferential surface thereof into which the inner coupling portion is inserted.

18. 16. The battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway according to claim 15, wherein the heat-shielding portion protrudes upward from an upper surface of the gasket body and protrudes downward from a lower surface of the gasket body.

19. one or more battery modules; a case including an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to the upper housing, the case housing the battery module; and a gasket disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; Including, The gasket is A gasket body disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and A heat insulating member surrounding the gasket body A battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway, comprising:

20. The battery pack for delaying flame occurrence during thermal runaway according to claim 19 , wherein the heat-insulating member surrounds an entire surface of the gasket body.

Images