Refractory bus bar and battery pack equipped with the same

Abstract

The refractory busbar of the present invention includes a busbar conductor portion, a cap portion covering both ends of the busbar conductor portion, and a main body covering portion that wraps the main body of the busbar conductor portion between both ends and is integrally connected to the cap portion, and includes a refractory silicone coating that ceramifies at high temperature to support the busbar conductor portion, and a protective layer covering the refractory silicone coating. The cap portion is provided with a through hole extending from the upper surface to the surface in contact with the busbar conductor portion. Further, the present invention provides a battery pack including the refractory busbar.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refractory bus bar and a battery pack including the same.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a cap-integrated refractory bus bar that includes a cap portion and a main body covering portion integrally connected to the cap portion, and includes a refractory silicone coating that ceramifies at high temperatures and a protective layer that wraps the coating, and can maintain insulation and airtightness even at high temperatures where ignition occurs inside the battery pack, and a battery pack including the same.

[0003] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0037684 filed on March 23, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the literature of the Korean patent application are included as part of this specification.

Background Art

[0004] A battery pack applied to an electric vehicle or the like has a structure in which a number of battery modules including a plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series or parallel to obtain high output. The secondary battery can be repeatedly charged and discharged by an electrochemical reaction between components including a positive electrode and a negative electrode current collector, a separator, an active material, an electrolyte, and the like.

[0005] A bus bar is used to electrically connect the battery modules. The bus bar is used to electrically connect the terminal portions of adjacent battery modules or to connect the battery module to an external electrical device.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an assembled structure of a conventional bus bar and a cap.

[0007] As shown in the figure, the conventional bus bar 10 is composed of a bus bar conductor part 11 and a coating layer 12 that wraps the bus bar conductor part. The bus bar conductor part is, for example, a conductor part made of high-purity copper such as C1100 or a metal conductor part such as aluminum. The coating layer is made of a material such as ordinary silicone rubber or epoxy. Conventionally, a cap 20 was attached to the coating layer 12 of the bus bar 10 using an abrasion-resistant tape 30 or the like. When a fastening member is fastened to the fastening holes 11a at both ends of the bus bar 10 to connect the bus bar 10 to another electrical connection part, the cap is formed separately so that it can be freely opened and closed.

[0008] By the way, the cap is made of a soft rubber cap and has problems of poor insulation and vulnerability to impact. Also, the operation of connecting the bus bar 10 and the cap 20 with tape is complicated and inferior in productivity. Furthermore, since the abrasion-resistant tape 30 is inferior in fire resistance, when it melts at a high temperature, the bus bar 10 and the cap 20 can be separated without being fixed.

[0009] In particular, when the above-mentioned conventional bus bar is used to electrically connect the components inside the battery pack, when a flame occurs inside the battery pack, the temperature of the flame is very high (500 - 800 °C, or 800 °C or higher, and in severe cases, 1000 °C or higher). Therefore, not only the rubber cap but also the coating layers of the silicone rubber and epoxy will all melt, and the bus bar conductor part will be exposed to the outside. In this case, the exposed bus bar conductor part will come into electrical contact with other metal parts inside the pack, resulting in a short circuit, and the heat generated by the electrical short circuit will cause the flame to spread further.

[0010] In order to prevent thermal propagation, a bus bar using mica sheet, glass fiber, or heat-resistant silicone (rubber) as the coating layer can be considered.

[0011] However, in the intense heat generation situation as described above, the heat diffusion cannot be sufficiently prevented by the materials exemplified above. For example, ordinary heat-resistant silicone rubber has a heat-resistant temperature of only 125 to 300 °C and cannot effectively cope with the ignition situation inside the battery pack. Also, the coating layers of mica sheets and glass fiber agents do not have sufficient fire-resistant performance.

[0012] Thus, in recent battery packs, it is essentially required to design so that no flame leaks to the outside of the pack during ignition.

[0013] Also, a design is required that can thermally and electrically insulate the bus bar conductor part from the surroundings even at the high temperature during flame generation inside the battery pack.

[0014] From the above, it can be said that there is a demand for the development of a technology that can improve the insulation strength and assemblability while maintaining the electrical insulation characteristics by having fire resistance at high temperatures.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0015]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0016] The present invention is for providing a fire-resistant bus bar that can maintain thermal and electrical insulation as long as possible even when a flame occurs inside the battery pack.

[0017] Also, the present invention is for providing a cap-integrated fire-resistant bus bar that integrates not only the main body coating part of the bus bar conductor part but also the cap parts covering both ends of the bus bar conductor part.

[0018] Also, the present invention is for providing a fire-resistant bus bar having a through hole through which a fastening member can penetrate the cap part.

[0019] The present invention also provides a battery pack including the above refractory bus bar.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0020] The refractory bus bar of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a bus bar conductor portion, a cap portion covering both ends of the bus bar conductor portion, and a main body covering portion covering the main body of the bus bar conductor portion between both ends and integrally connected to the cap portion, and includes a refractory silicone coating covering the bus bar conductor portion by ceramizing at a high temperature, and a protective layer covering the refractory silicone coating. The cap portion is provided with a through hole extending from the upper surface to the surface in contact with the bus bar conductor portion.

[0021] The refractory silicone coating can be ceramized at a temperature of 500 to 1700°C.

[0022] The refractory silicone coating can be ceramized by sintering a silicone resin containing a silicone compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 and a metal oxide containing silicon oxide.

[0023] [Chemical Formula 1]

Chemical

[0024] In Chemical Formula 1, m and n are each an integer of 10 to 30.

[0025] The silicone resin and the metal oxide can be contained in a weight ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.5.

[0026] The metal oxide containing silicon oxide may include one or more of pure silicon dioxide, silica, quartz, silica stone, tridymite, and keatite.

[0027] The protective layer may be a glass fiber layer or a mica layer.

[0028] The through hole may have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head portion of the fastening member inserted into the through hole and coupled to the bus bar conductor portion.

[0029] The through hole may include a first hole having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head portion of the fastening member that passes through the through hole and is coupled to the bus bar conductor portion, and a second hole having a diameter larger than the diameter of the head portion of the fastening member.

[0030] A cut slit connecting to the through hole may be provided in the peripheral portion of the through hole of the cap portion.

[0031] The cap portion includes a first cover portion that has the through hole inside and covers the upper surfaces of both ends, and a first extended cover portion that extends downward from the first cover portion so as to cover the side surfaces of both ends. The main body covering portion may include a second cover portion that covers the upper surface of the main body, and a second extended cover portion that extends downward from the second cover portion so as to cover the side surface of the main body.

[0032] The fire-resistant bus bar may be a high-voltage bus bar that electrically connects the high-voltage terminal portions of a plurality of battery modules.

[0033] The fire-resistant silicone coating may be coated on the bus bar conductor portion by insert injection molding in which fire-resistant silicone is injected into a mold into which the bus bar conductor portion is inserted.

[0034] As another aspect of the present invention, the battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules, the fire-resistant bus bar that electrically connects the battery modules, and a pack housing that houses the battery modules.

[0035] The above-mentioned pack housing further includes a partition wall installed between the above-mentioned battery modules, and both ends of the bus bar conductor portion of the above-mentioned fire-resistant bus bar are electrically connected to the terminal portions of the battery modules located on both sides of the above-mentioned partition wall, and the cap portion of the above-mentioned fire-resistant bus bar can cover the connection portion between the above-mentioned both ends and the terminal portion.

[0036] The above-mentioned partition wall is provided with a bus bar installation through hole or a bus bar installation groove, and the above-mentioned fire-resistant bus bar can be placed in the above-mentioned bus bar installation through hole or bus bar installation groove.

Advantages of the Invention

[0037] The fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention is provided with a fire-resistant silicone coating that supports the bus bar conductor portion by being ceramized instead of a coating layer that does not burn in the flame when a flame occurs inside the pack, so that insulation and airtightness characteristics can be maintained even at high temperatures.

[0038] In addition, the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention integrally forms a main body coating portion of the bus bar conductor portion and a cap portion that covers both ends of the bus bar conductor portion, which not only simplifies the production of the bus bar and the cap, but also can greatly improve the connection strength between the bus bar and the cap.

[0039] In addition, the above-mentioned cap portion is also made of fire-resistant silicone, and the insulation and fire-resistant airtightness characteristics of the cap portion can be further enhanced.

[0040] In addition, by providing a through hole through which a fastening member can penetrate in the above-mentioned cap portion, damage to the fire-resistant bus bar that may occur when fastening the fire-resistant bus bar to another bus bar is minimized, and such a fire-resistant bus bar can be easily fastened to another bus bar or an electrical connection portion.

[0041] In addition, the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention is provided with a protective layer that covers the above-mentioned fire-resistant silicone coating, and while the above-mentioned protective layer primarily serves as a fire-resistant wall, the fire-resistant silicone coating is not directly exposed to the flame, so that the overall shape and dimensions can be maintained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0042]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0043] Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and various embodiments. The embodiments described below are shown exemplarily to assist in understanding the present invention, and the accompanying drawings are not shown at an actual scale to assist in understanding the invention, and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

[0044] Since the present invention can be subjected to various modifications and can have various forms, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed forms, and it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0045] [Fire-resistant busbar]

[0046] The fire-resistant busbar of the present invention includes a busbar conductor portion, a fire-resistant silicone coating that protects the busbar conductor portion, and a protective layer that covers such a fire-resistant silicone coating.

[0047] The above busbar conductor portion can be a normal metal conductor portion. That is, it can be made of a high-purity tough pitch copper material of 99.9% or more such as C1100, or can also be manufactured from an aluminum material. That is, the busbar conductor portion of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a metal material that can function as a busbar conductor for connecting electrical components. Both ends of the above busbar conductor portion are electrically connected to corresponding electrical connection portions.

[0048] The above fire-resistant silicone coating is ceramized at high temperature to support the busbar conductor portion. The above fire-resistant silicone coating can be ceramized at a temperature of 500 to 1700°C. The fire-resistant silicone constituting the fire-resistant silicone coating of the present invention is distinguished from heat-resistant silicone having a heat-resistant temperature of less than 300°C in that the fire-resistant temperature is 500°C or higher. Heat-resistant silicone is a silicone resin or rubber composition having flexibility and flexibility due to the characteristics of silicone, but it is a material that does not burn or becomes ash at a high temperature of 500°C or higher. Therefore, there are limitations in applying it to prevent short circuits or heat propagation of the battery pack during heat propagation situations.

[0049] Since the above fire-resistant silicone coating has the "fire-resistant" performance of being ceramized at a high temperature of 500°C or higher, it can maintain insulation characteristics and airtight characteristics in the battery pack even when a flame occurs.

[0050] Thus, the fire-resistant bus bar according to the present invention can exhibit high fire-resistant performance by improving the structure and providing fire-resistant silicone inside.

[0051] The above fire-resistant silicone is a composition mainly composed of a silicone resin and a metal oxide. At normal temperature, due to the characteristics of silicone, it has flexibility and flexibility. It also has a predetermined elastic force, exhibits high impact resistance and insulation properties, and when exposed to high temperatures, a silicone sintered body with a complex ceramic structure can be formed by sintering the silicone resin and the metal oxide.

[0052] Specifically, the silicone resin contained in the fire-resistant silicone generates silica in powder form when burning at high temperatures. The silica thus generated reacts with the metal oxide of the fire-resistant silicone to form a "eutectic mixture" at the edge of the metal oxide, thereby performing a bridging role between the silica and the metal oxide, hardening at the ignition temperature, and forming a condensed ceramicized product when cooled. Such a ceramic body can prevent short circuits and disconnections between conductors due to damage to the fire-resistant silicone coating even when an external mechanical impact is applied or moisture penetrates during a fire, and can exhibit the electrical function of the bus bar itself.

[0053] Therefore, the fire-resistant silicone according to the present invention contains a silicone resin and a metal oxide.

[0054] The above silicone resin is not particularly limited as long as it is a resin containing silicon (Si) in the molecule, but preferably may contain a silicone compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 (hereinafter referred to as "the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1"):

[0055] [Chemical Formula 1]

Chemical Formula

[0056] In the above Chemical Formula 1, m and n are each an integer from 10 to 30.

[0057] The silicone compound of the above Chemical Formula 1 contains methylsiloxane repeating units and contains vinyl groups at the inside and the ends of the above methylsiloxane repeating units, respectively. The above vinyl groups exist not only at the ends but also inside the repeating units of the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1, and play a role in increasing the degree of polymerization of the silicone resin during high-temperature exposure. As a result, it can exhibit more excellent fire-resistant properties than a silicone compound not containing a vinyl group.

[0058] Also, the weight average molecular weight of the silicone compound of the above Chemical Formula 1 can be adjusted to a specific range. The silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1 is a compound that forms the basis of the silicone resin, and depending on the weight average molecular weight of the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1, it can affect the physical properties of the fire-resistant silicone at normal temperature and high temperature. For example, when the weight average molecular weight of the silicone compound of the above Chemical Formula 1 is excessively high, the viscosity of the silicone resin may increase and the reactivity during high-temperature sintering may decrease. When the weight average molecular weight is significantly low, the elastic force and flexibility of the silicone resin at normal temperature are reduced, and while the manufacturability of the fire-resistant bus bar decreases, there is a limit to the reduction of impact resistance and the like. Therefore, the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1 according to the present invention may have a value adjusted to a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 9,000 g / mol, specifically, a value adjusted to 3,000 to 8,000 g / mol, or 5,000 to 7,000 g / mol.

[0059] Also, the above metal oxide is a composition containing silicon oxide, and can act as a crystal nucleus during high-temperature exposure and play a role in forming a high-density ceramic body together with the above silicone resin.

[0060] Such metal oxides may include one or more of silicon dioxide, silica, quartz, silica rock, tridymite, and keatite. Since the above metal oxides include minerals such as quartz containing silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a main component together with pure silicon dioxide (SiO2), they not only have high economic efficiency, but also have a high melting point (high refractoriness) and a high sintering degree, and can exhibit excellent electrical insulation performance. In particular, silicon dioxide, silica, quartz, etc. can improve various properties during the sintering process, induce easy dissolution and molding of refractory silicone, and reduce defects that may occur in the ceramic body.

[0061] In addition, the above metal oxides may have a crystal structure that can increase the refractoriness, insulation, and mechanical strength, etc. by sintering with the silicone resin. Such metal oxides are in powder form and are not particularly limited, but those having a size of 200 μm or less, specifically, for example, a size of 0.1 μm to 200 μm, or 0.1 μm to 100 μm can be used.

[0062] In addition, the above silicone resin may further contain a silicone compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 2 (hereinafter referred to as "the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 2"), and the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 2 will participate in the sintering of metal oxides at high temperature together with the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1 to form a silicone sintered body:

[0063] [Chemical Formula 2] [Chemistry]

[0064] In the above Chemical Formula 2, p is an integer from 10 to 30.

[0065] The silicone compound of Chemical Formula 2 above can enhance the flexibility of refractory silicone at normal temperature, while playing a role in inducing the termination of sintering of silicone resin through dehydration condensation with the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1 during sintering, thereby enabling the termination of the ceramic body formation reaction.

[0066] For this reason, the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 2 above can be used in an amount of less than 10 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of refractory silicone, specifically, it can be used in an amount of 0.5 to 9 parts by weight, 1 to 6 parts by weight, or 2 to 5 parts by weight.

[0067] Also, the refractory silicone can contain a silicone resin and a metal oxide in a certain ratio in order to realize high elastic force at normal temperature and form a ceramic body at high speed when exposed to high temperature.

[0068] Specifically, the above refractory silicone can have a weight ratio of silicone resin to metal oxide of 1:0.5 to 1.5, specifically, it can be 1:0.8 to 1.2. When the weight ratio of the metal oxide is less than 0.5 and low, it is difficult to have a ceramic structure with a high-density crystal structure at high temperature, and there is a problem that the fire resistance and mechanical strength are not fully realized. Also, when the weight ratio of the metal oxide exceeds 1.5, the flexibility of the refractory silicone is reduced at normal temperature, and there is a limit in that the handleability is not good.

[0069] As an example, the refractory silicone of the present invention can contain 35 to 50% by weight of the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1, 16 to 32% by weight of quartz, 10 to 27% by weight of silicon dioxide, and 1 to 6% by weight of the second silicone compound of Chemical Formula 2. In some cases, it may further contain a predetermined solvent additionally in order to enhance the processability during production.

[0070] As described above, the refractory silicone of the present invention cures and is ceramized by sintering of a silicone resin and a metal oxide at 500 °C or higher. Further, it can be ceramized up to 1700 °C, and theoretically, partial ceramization can be maintained even at temperatures above 1700 °C. However, when the temperature exceeds 1700 °C, the ceramization maintenance time becomes short, and it may not be possible to maintain the refractory performance required in the battery pack.

[0071] Before being ceramized, the above-mentioned refractory silicone has properties similar to those of rubber having flexibility, softness, and elasticity as described above. Therefore, it is easy to injection-mold the refractory silicone coating as described later, or to coat it on the bus bar conductor part.

[0072] Since the above-mentioned refractory silicone coating has flexibility before being ceramized, it can flexibly follow the deformation of the bus bar conductor part. Therefore, when installing the refractory bus bar of the present invention in a battery pack, even if there are some assembly tolerances, it can easily cope with them, improving the assemblability. For example, when fastening a battery module to a battery pack by bolting, when the bus bar conductor part connected to the battery module flows or is slightly twisted, the above-mentioned refractory silicone coating can absorb such flow and twist. Also, when the battery pack vibrates due to the vibration of an electric vehicle, the above-mentioned refractory silicone coating can naturally absorb the vibration.

[0073] In particular, the fire-resistant busbar of the present invention is characterized in that the fire-resistant silicone coating covers not only the main body part of the busbar conductor part, but also the cap parts covering both ends of the busbar conductor part. Since the cap parts are integrally connected to the main body covering part, there is no need to connect the cap parts to the busbar or the covering part that wraps the main body of the busbar with a separate tape as in the prior art. Therefore, the connection strength between the cap parts and the main body covering part is greatly improved. In addition, since the cap parts and the main body covering part can be integrally formed to manufacture the fire-resistant busbar, the manufacturing process is simplified. Furthermore, since the cap parts are also made of fire-resistant silicone and the cap parts can be ceramized at high temperatures to protect both the busbar conductor part and its electrical connection part, the insulation performance and airtight characteristics are further enhanced.

[0074] On the other hand, when the fire-resistant silicone is ceramized at high temperatures, although thermal and electrical insulation is maintained, the mechanical strength becomes somewhat weaker and there is a risk of cracking due to external forces. In the present invention, in order to structurally improve the rigidity of such a fire-resistant silicone coating, a protective layer covering the fire-resistant silicone coating is provided.

[0075] The protective layer covers the outside of the fire-resistant silicone coating and protects the fire-resistant silicone coating from being directly exposed to the flame. That is, the protective layer primarily serves as a fire-resistant wall. Also, when the fire-resistant silicone coating is ceramized, it can wrap the ceramized coating and maintain the overall shape and dimensions of the coating.

[0076] As the protective layer, for example, materials such as glass fiber or mica material having both insulating properties and heat resistance can be adopted. For example, a glass fiber tape or a mica tape can be wound around the outside of the fire-resistant silicone coating so that the fire-resistant silicone coating is not exposed to the outside. However, the protective layer is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure the protective layer with other materials having excellent insulating properties or heat resistance.

[0077] The specific form of the fire-resistant busbar will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0078] (First Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fire-resistant bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a fire-resistant bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in the width direction of a fire-resistant bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a fire-resistant bus bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a photograph of a glass fiber layer included in the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention.

[0079] In the following drawings, the "X direction" may mean the longitudinal direction of the fire-resistant bus bar 100, the "Y direction" may mean the width direction of the fire-resistant bus bar 100, and the "Z direction" may mean the height direction of the fire-resistant bus bar 100.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fire-resistant bus bar 100 includes a bus bar conductor portion 110 and a protective coating that protects the bus bar conductor portion 110 from contaminants (dust, powder, etc.) or flames.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bus bar conductor portion 110 is located on the innermost side of the fire-resistant bus bar 100. Both ends 111 of the bus bar conductor portion 110 are provided with fastening holes 111a for coupling with corresponding electrical connection portions (for example, the bus bar conductor portion 110 of another fire-resistant bus bar, or the terminal portions 210, 220 of a battery module) with a fastening member B.

[0082] The protective coating includes caps C located at both ends 111 of the bus bar conductor portion 110 and a central coating portion P disposed on the main body 112 of the bus bar conductor portion between the both ends 111. The cap C is integrally connected to the central coating portion P. Such a protective coating may be composed of a fire-resistant silicone coating 120 that covers at least the upper surface of the bus bar conductor portion 110 and a protective layer 130 that covers such a fire-resistant silicone coating 120.

[0083] The fire-resistant silicone coating 120 includes a cap portion 121 that covers both ends 111 of the bus bar conductor portion 110 and a main body coating portion 122 that covers the main body 112 of the bus bar conductor portion between the both ends.

[0084] Only the above cap portion 121 can constitute the cap C of the protective covering. Or, the cap protective layer 131 of the protective layer described later can cover the cap portion 121 to constitute the cap C of the protective covering. The above central covering portion P can also be constituted only by the above main body covering portion 122, or the main body protective layer 132 of the protective layer described later can cover the main body covering portion 122 to constitute the central covering portion P of the protective covering.

[0085] The above cap portion 121 is provided with a through hole H extending from its upper surface to the surface in contact with the above bus bar conductor portion 110.

[0086] Such a through hole H is disposed at a position corresponding to the fastening hole 110a of the bus bar conductor portion 110. Therefore, when fastening the electrical connection portion between the fire-resistant bus bar 100 and another electrical device, it is not necessary to fold the cap portion 121 or the cap C to expose the fastening hole 110a in order to install the fastening member B in the fastening hole 110a. That is, the fastening member B can be inserted into the through hole H, and the fastening member B can be installed in the fastening hole 110a by advancing such a fastening member B along the through hole H. At this time, the fastening member B can penetrate the fastening hole 110a and protrude to the back surface of the bus bar conductor portion 110 to be connected to the electrical connection portion of another electrical device. In this way, the through hole H can easily connect the fire-resistant bus bar 100 and another electrical connection portion. Also, since it is not necessary to perform additional deformation (such as folding) of the cap portion 121 or the cap C to expose the fastening hole 110a, damage to the fire-resistant bus bar 100 can be minimized when connecting to another electrical connection portion. And, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of folding lines or the like at the boundary surface between the cap C and the central covering portion P due to the above additional deformation. Therefore, the structural rigidity of the fire-resistant bus bar can be improved.

[0087] The fastening member B can be coupled to the above through hole H by forced fitting. For this purpose, the above through hole H can have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head portion BH of the fastening member B that is inserted into the above through hole H and coupled to the bus bar conductor portion 110.

[0088] The fire-resistant bus bar 100 can be transported with the fastening member B inserted into the through hole H. At this time, the length of the through hole H in the height direction Z may be the same as or longer than the length of the fastening member B in the height direction Z so that the fastening member B does not protrude outside the fire-resistant bus bar 100 and is not exposed. In this way, since the fastening member B is located inside the through hole H, when the fastening member B penetrates the fastening hole 111a of the fire-resistant bus bar 100 and is coupled to the corresponding electrical connection part (for example, the bus bar conductor part 110 of another fire-resistant bus bar, or the terminal parts 210, 220 of the battery module), the exposed end of the fastening member B can be accommodated in the through hole H. Thereby, the fastening member B is protected by the cap part 121, and a short circuit due to contact with other external parts can be prevented. The fastening member B can be a normal bolt used for connecting bus bars.

[0089] The cap part 121 may include a first cover part 121a that has the through hole H and covers the upper surfaces of both end parts 111 of the bus bar conductor part, and a first extended cover part 121b that extends downward from such a first cover part 121a and covers the side surfaces of both end parts 111. In this way, the cap part 121 covers the upper and side surfaces of both end parts 111, and can protect both end parts 111 of the bus bar conductor part from contaminants or flames. The lower surface of the bus bar conductor part 110 may be exposed in order to contact other electrical connection parts.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 3, the main body covering part 122 may extend in the longitudinal direction X of the bus bar conductor part between the cap parts 121.

[0091] The main body covering part 122 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the main body 112 of the bus bar conductor part.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, the main body covering portion 122 may include a second cover portion 122a that covers the upper surface of the main body 112, and a second extended cover portion 122b that extends downward from the second cover portion 122a so as to cover the side surface of the main body. Further, the main body covering portion 122 may include a third cover portion 122c that covers the lower surface of the main body 112 and is connected to the second extended cover portion 122b. In this way, by wrapping the main body 112 and covering the main body 112 entirely, the main body covering portion 122 can protect the main body 112 of the bus bar conductor portion from foreign substances or flames.

[0093] The cap portion 121 and the main body covering portion 122 of the refractory silicone coating 120 are integrally formed. For example, the refractory silicone coating 120 can be formed by injecting refractory silicone into a mold (not shown) having the shapes of the cap portion 121 and the main body covering portion 122 of the refractory silicone coating 120. As described above, the refractory silicone can be, for example, a mixture of a silicone resin and a metal oxide, and can be in the state of a coating liquid or slurry having fluidity and contained in a predetermined solvent. By injecting such a refractory silicone coating liquid or slurry into the mold, the refractory silicone coating 120 can be formed separately from the bus bar conductor portion 110. After a predetermined drying and curing process, the mold is removed, and the refractory silicone coating 120 according to the present invention can be obtained.

[0094] In this case, by fitting the bus bar conductor portion 110 in the longitudinal direction into the main body covering portion 122 of the formed refractory silicone coating 120, the main body of the bus bar conductor portion 110 can be wrapped by the main body covering portion 122. At this time, the cap portion 121 of the formed refractory silicone coating 120 is located on both ends 111 of the bus bar conductor portion 110 and covers both ends.

[0095] As described above, the refractory silicone coating 120 can be molded separately from the bus bar conductor portion 110 and then joined to the bus bar conductor portion 110. However, by the so-called insert injection method, the molding of the refractory silicone coating 120 and the coating of the bus bar conductor portion 110 can be carried out simultaneously. Since the latter method can further simplify the manufacturing process, productivity is improved.

[0096] That is, the bus bar conductor portion 110 is inserted, and a coating liquid or slurry of the refractory silicone is injected into a mold (not shown) for insert injection molding having the shape of the refractory silicone coating on the edge of the bus bar conductor portion. In this case, the refractory silicone is filled into the mold while wrapping the bus bar conductor portion 110 to form the refractory silicone coating 120 having the above-described shape. After a predetermined drying and curing process, when the mold is removed, a refractory silicone coating 120 incorporating the bus bar conductor portion 110 as shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained.

[0097] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a protective layer 130 is provided on the refractory silicone coating 120. For example, a tape of the protective layer 130 such as a glass fiber tape or a mica tape is wound around the refractory silicone coating 120 to obtain the refractory bus bar 100 of the present invention. In the drawings of this specification, the protective layer 130 exposed to the outside is shown in a lattice-shaped mesh.

[0098] The protective layer 130 includes a cap protective layer 131 that covers the cap portion 121 and a main body protective layer 132 that covers the main body covering portion 122.

[0099] The protective layer 130 can conform to the form of the refractory silicone coating 120. For example, the cap protective layer 131 may include a first protective layer 131a that covers the outer surface of the first cover portion 121a and a first side protective layer 131b that covers the outer surface of the first extended cover portion 121b. Further, the main body protective layer 132 can entirely cover the outer surface of the main body covering portion 122 so that the main body covering portion 122 is not exposed to the outside.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 3, the first protective layer 131a can cover only the peripheral portion of the through hole H and maintain the state in which the through hole H is open. In this case, the material consumed during the manufacture of the protective layer 130 can be saved, and the overall weight of the refractory bus bar 100 can be reduced. Further, when the refractory bus bar 100 is installed in place, the connection work between the refractory bus bar 100 and other electrical connection parts can be easily performed through the open through hole H.

[0101] As the protective layer 130, for example, a material such as glass fiber or mica material having both insulating properties and heat resistance can be adopted. That is, a glass fiber tape or a mica tape can be wound around the outside of the refractory silicone coating to prevent the refractory silicone coating from being exposed to the outside. FIG. 6 shows a photograph of the glass fiber layer.

[0102] Glass fiber is an inorganic fibrous substance mainly composed of silicate. Such glass fiber can be made into a glass fiber fabric form by weaving a yarn obtained by twisting and winding glass fiber strands (see FIG. 6(a)), or into a non-woven fabric form (see FIG. 6(b)). By applying a predetermined adhesive to such a glass fiber fabric or non-woven fabric and attaching it onto the above-mentioned refractory silicone coating 120, the refractory bus bar 100 of the present invention can be produced. Glass fiber has the property of not burning in fire and has the advantage of high electrical insulation.

[0103] Mica is one of the silicate minerals, has a layered structure, usually has a hexagonal plate-like crystal form, and is used as an electrical insulating material or a heat insulating material. Mica has better fire resistance than the above-mentioned glass fiber. Therefore, mica is more preferable as the protective layer for protecting the refractory silicone coating layer. However, the protective layer is not limited to this, and it is also possible to form the protective layer with other materials having excellent insulating properties or heat resistance.

[0104] For example, a tape of the protective layer 130 processed into a tape form can be wound around the refractory silicone coating to form a protective layer. However, the method for forming the protective layer 130 is not limited thereto. For example, the protective layer 130 can be formed on the coating by various known methods such as coating, spraying, and other methods.

[0105] (Second Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a refractory bus bar according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a refractory bus bar according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of a refractory bus bar according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] The refractory bus bar 100' of the present embodiment is different from the refractory bus bar 100 of the first embodiment in that the through holes H include a first hole H1 and a second hole H2 having different diameters from each other. In addition, since the configurations overlapping with those of the refractory bus bar 100 of the first embodiment can also be applied to the present embodiment in the same manner, specific descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0107] Similar to the through hole H in the first embodiment, the first hole H1 is disposed at a position corresponding to the fastening hole 110a of the bus bar conductor portion 110. Therefore, the fastening member B can be disposed at its installation position only by inserting the fastening member B into the first hole H1. Further, the first hole H1 may have a diameter smaller than that of the head portion BH of the fastening member so as to be force-fitted with the fastening member B. In this case, the fastening member B can be transferred while being fitted in the first hole H1.

[0108] The length in the height direction Z of the first hole H1 may be longer than the length in the height direction Z of the head portion BH of the fastening member.

[0109] The second hole H2 is connected to the first hole H1 and can be located below the first hole H1. Such a second hole H2 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the head portion BH of the fastening member. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the second hole H2 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the first hole H1. Therefore, when the head portion BH of the fastening member passes through the first hole H1, the resistance due to the forced fitting between the head portion BH of the fastening member and the inner wall of the first hole H1 disappears. In this way, when the head portion BH of the fastening member enters the second hole H2, the resistance applied to the fastening member B is minimized, so that the fastening torque of the fastening member B can be managed constantly. That is, by providing the second hole H2 having a diameter larger than that of the first hole H1, the fastening quality of each component can be maintained uniformly. Also, the larger the space occupied by the second hole H2, the less the amount of material consumed in the manufacture of the fire-resistant bus bar 100', and the mass of the fire-resistant bus bar 100' can be reduced.

[0110] The overall length in the height direction Z of the first hole H1 and the second hole H2 may correspond to or be longer than the length in the height direction Z of the fastening member B. Therefore, when the fire-resistant bus bar 100' is transferred with the head portion BH of the fastening member fitted in the first hole H1, the fastening member B does not protrude outside the fire-resistant bus bar 100'. At this time, the length in the height direction Z of each of the first hole H1 and the second hole H2 can be suitably selected in consideration of the length of the head portion BH of the fastening member, the overall length of the fastening member B, the mass of the fire-resistant bus bar 100', etc.

[0111] Around the through hole of the cap portion 121, as shown in FIG. 9, a slit S connected to the through hole may be provided. Therefore, when the fastening member B is fitted into the first hole H1 or the through hole H, the slit S opens, and the periphery of the through hole of the cap portion 121 can be easily elastically deformed. Thereby, the fastening member B can be easily inserted into the first hole H1 or the through hole H, and the structural resistance of the periphery of the through hole that may occur during the fastening operation can be reduced, so that damage to the periphery of the through hole of the cap portion 121 and the head portion BH of the fastening member can be minimized.

[0112] [Battery Pack]

[0113] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an example of a battery pack structure in which the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention is installed, FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a process in which the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention is installed in the battery pack, and FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention is installed in the battery pack.

[0114] The fire-resistant bus bars 100 and 100' of the present invention described above include a fire-resistant silicone coating 120 that is ceramized at high temperatures, and a protective layer 130 that wraps the fire-resistant silicone coating and maintains its shape. Therefore, when applied to a battery pack where internal ignition may occur, the safety of the battery pack can be greatly improved.

[0115] The fire-resistant bus bars 100 and 100' can be used, for example, to electrically connect a plurality of battery modules 200 housed in a battery pack to each other. In this case, the fire-resistant bus bar can electrically connect the terminal portions 210 and 220 of adjacent battery modules. Alternatively, the fire-resistant bus bar can be used to connect the battery module to an external electrical device.

[0116] In particular, the high-voltage terminal portions 210 and 220 of the battery module generate relatively high heat due to a high current. As a result, high heat can be concentrated on the high-voltage terminal portion when a flame occurs inside the pack. Therefore, the fire-resistant bus bars 100 and 100' of the present invention are suitable for application as high-voltage bus bars that electrically connect the high-voltage terminal portions of a plurality of battery modules.

[0117] The battery pack 1000 of the present invention may include a plurality of battery modules 200, fire-resistant bus bars 100 and 100' that electrically connect the battery modules, and a pack housing 400 that houses the battery modules.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 10, it is shown that a plurality of battery modules 200 are housed in a pack housing 400. The battery module 200 includes a cell stack (not shown) in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and cell leads (or terminal terminals) of different polarities are led out from the battery cells of the cell stack. At this time, the type of the battery cell is not particularly limited. That is, the battery module may accommodate square, cylindrical, or pouch-type battery cells.

[0119] The cell leads are electrically connected to a bus bar such as a terminal bus bar or an inter-bus bar, or are electrically connected to the bus bar. In order to electrically connect the plurality of battery modules, the fire-resistant bus bars 100, 100' according to the present invention can be applied.

[0120] On the other hand, FIG. 10 discloses a normal battery module 200 in which a module housing completely surrounds the upper, lower, left, and right surfaces of a battery cell stack. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a battery module having a module housing of a module-less structure configured such that at least one of the upper, lower, left, and right surfaces of the cell stack is open, or a battery cell block in a form in which the entire upper, lower, left, and right surfaces of the cell stack are open can also apply the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention. In this way, a cell block or a battery module in which all or part of the module housing is omitted can be installed in a battery pack to form a so-called cell-to-pack structure battery pack. The fire-resistant bus bars 100, 100' of the present invention can be used for electrical connection of a cell block or a module-less structure battery module installed in such a cell-to-pack structure battery pack.

[0121] The pack housing may further include a partition wall 300 installed between battery modules. The partition wall 300 may extend in the longitudinal or width direction of the pack housing and be installed on the bottom plate of the pack housing. Thus, by installing the partition wall 300 in the pack housing, the structural rigidity of the pack housing can be improved. For this purpose, the partition wall 300 may be made of a metal material.

[0122] The height of the partition wall 300 may be lower than the height of the battery module 200. More specifically, the height of the partition wall 300 may be lower than the height at which the terminal portions 210 and 220 of the battery module are located in the battery module 200. In this case, the fire-resistant bus bar 100 connected to the terminal portions 210 and 220 of the adjacent battery modules is placed on the upper surface of the partition wall 300 or separated from its upper surface. Thus, when electrically connecting both ends of the bus bar conductor portion of the fire-resistant bus bar to the terminal portions of the battery modules located on both sides of the partition wall 300 when the height of the partition wall 300 is lower than the height of the battery module 200, the connection work can be performed more easily.

[0123] Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the height of the partition wall 300 may correspond to the height of the battery module or be set higher than the height of the battery module. In this case, the adjacent battery modules 200 can be isolated. Therefore, even if a fire occurs in a specific battery module 200, the propagation of the flame toward the adjacent battery modules 200 can be delayed or prevented.

[0124] The partition wall 300 may be provided with a bus bar installation through hole 310 or a bus bar installation groove 320. FIG. 10 shows that the partition wall 300 is provided with the bus bar installation through hole 310, and FIG. 11 shows that the partition wall 300 is provided with the bus bar installation groove 320. In terms of flame prevention and airtightness, the partition wall provided with the bus bar installation through hole 310 as shown in FIG. 10 is advantageous. Since the upper part of the bus bar installation groove 320 in FIG. 11 is open, it is advantageous for performing the bus bar installation and the electrical connection work of the bus bar.

[0125] The above fire-resistant busbars 100 and 100' can be placed in the above busbar installation through-hole 310 or the busbar installation groove 320. At this time, both ends 111 of the busbar conductor part provided on the above fire-resistant busbar are electrically connected to the terminal parts 210 and 220 of the battery module 200 located on both sides of the above partition wall 300.

[0126] Figures 11 and 12 show how the above fire-resistant busbar 100 electrically connects the battery modules 200 within the battery pack 1000. A partition wall 300 is located between adjacent battery modules 200. The partition wall 300 may be provided with a busbar installation groove 320. The cap-integrated fire-resistant busbar 100 of the present invention is placed on the above busbar installation groove 320. The shape of the above fire-resistant busbar 100 is formed corresponding to the shape of the above busbar installation groove 320. Therefore, the fire-resistant busbar 100 of the present invention can be hermetically attached to the partition wall 300. Thereby, the adjacent battery modules 200 can be more hermetically isolated, and the flame propagation between the battery modules 200 can be more effectively prevented.

[0127] The cap C integrally provided on the above fire-resistant busbar 100 covers the connection parts of the above both ends 111 and the terminal parts 210 and 220. Therefore, there is no need to separately connect a cap to the busbar as in the prior art, and the installation of the fire-resistant busbar and the cap connection operation can be performed simultaneously. Also, the connection operation between the fire-resistant busbar 100 and the terminal parts 210 and 220 can be easily performed through the through-hole H of the above cap C.

[0128] On the other hand, when a flame occurs inside the battery pack 1000, in the refractory bus bar 100 of the present invention, the main body covering portion 122 and the cap portion 121 that wrap the bus bar conductor portion 110 are simultaneously ceramized to form a dense sintered body. That is, unlike conventional heat-resistant silicone, it does not burn out or turn to ash at a high temperature of 500°C or higher, but is ceramized and maintains its shape. Thereby, the refractory silicone covering 120 stably supports the bus bar conductor portion 110 even when a flame occurs. Further, the protective layer 130 prevents the refractory silicone covering 120 from coming into direct contact with the flame, prevents deformation of the refractory silicone, and further enhances the insulation and fire resistance.

[0129] [Experimental Example]

[0130] (Experimental Example 1)

[0131] A refractory silicone composed of 50 parts by weight of the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1, 20 parts by weight of quartz, and 30 parts by weight of pure silicon dioxide was coated with a predetermined thickness on a portion excluding both ends of a bus bar conductor portion made of copper having a predetermined cross-sectional area selected from the range of 0.5 to 3 mm 2 in cross-sectional area. The refractory silicone-coated bus bar was wound twice with a 0.18 mm thick glass fiber tape (product name: AGT6WO) from SWECO to produce the refractory silicone-coated bus bar of Example 1. 2 The refractory silicone-coated bus bar was wound twice with a 0.18 mm thick mica tape (product name: SA765) from SWECO to produce the refractory silicone-coated bus bar of Example 2.

[0132] The length of the bus bar conductor portion and the exposed lengths at both ends were made the same as those in Example 1 and Example 2, and a glass fiber tape of AGT6WO was wound over the central portion of the bus bar conductor portion to produce the bus bar of Comparative Example 1. The coating thickness of the wound glass fiber tape was made substantially the same as the coating thickness of Example 1.

[0133] The bus bar of Comparative Example 2 was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the mica tape was wound instead of the glass fiber tape.

[0134] As the bus bar of Comparative Example 2, a mica tape of SA765 was wound once around the central portion of the bus bar conductor portion, and then the glass fiber tape of Comparative Example 1 was wound once thereon. The length of the bus bar conductor portion and the exposed lengths at both ends were the same as those in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1.

[0135] In order to test the insulation characteristics (insulation maintenance performance) during a fire, copper wires were wound around the coated portions (coating portions, tape winding portions) of the bus bars of Examples 1 to Comparative Example 2 with the same number of winding turns. One end of the copper wire on the outermost contour of the coated portion was connected to the negative terminal of a withstand voltage tester, and one end of the bus bar conductor portion was connected to the positive terminal of the withstand voltage tester. While applying a voltage of 1000 V to the above bus bar with a withstand voltage tester, the entire surface of the bus bar was uniformly heated with a large torch having a flame temperature of 1100 to 1150 °C.

[0136] The insulation failure time when the insulation state was destroyed, that is, a short circuit occurred, under the voltage and heating temperature conditions as described above was measured, and the measurement results are as shown in Table 1 below.

[0137]

Table 1

[0138] As shown in Table 1 above, the bus bar provided with the fire-resistant silicone coating and the protective layer according to the present invention had the longest insulation failure time, showing a large difference in terms of the insulation failure time compared to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2. Therefore, it can be seen that the insulation characteristics of the fire-resistant bus bar of the present invention provided with the above-described fire-resistant silicone coating and the protective layer are very excellent. In particular, as in Example 2, compared with the example using a glass fiber tape as the protective layer, Example 2 using a mica tape as the protective layer was more excellent in insulation performance.

[0139] (Experimental Example 2)

[0140] Refractory silicones having the compositions shown in Table 2 below were prepared by varying the weight ratio of the silicone compound of Chemical Formula 1 above to the weight of the metal oxide.

[0141] The refractory silicones of Examples 1-1 to 1-5 were coated on the copper bus bar conductor part with a predetermined thickness under the same conditions as in Experimental Example 1. After winding the glass fiber tape of AGT6WO, a copper wire was wound on the bus bar coating layer under the same conditions as in Experimental Example 1 and connected to a withstand voltage tester.

[0142] Also, it was heated with a large torch under the same conditions as in Experimental Example 1 while a voltage was applied, and the insulation failure time was measured. The measurement results are as shown in Table 2 below.

[0143]

Table 2

[0144] In the above Examples 1-1 to 1-5, the weight ratios of the silicone compound and the metal oxide were 1:1, 1:0.5, 1:1.5, 1:0.4, and 1:1.6. All the examples had a much longer insulation failure time compared with Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 above. However, in the case of Example 1-4 where the weight ratio was less than 0.5, the insulation failure time was somewhat shorter. This is judged to be because the metal oxide was insufficient and the generation of the ceramic structure having a high-density crystal structure at high temperature was somewhat insufficient. Also, in the case of Example 1-5 where the weight ratio was 1.6, the insulation failure time was sufficiently long. However, since there was an excess of the metal oxide, the flexibility of the refractory silicone decreased at room temperature, making it difficult to coat following the bus bar conductor part.

[0145] As described above, the present invention has been described in more detail with reference to the drawings and embodiments. However, the configurations described in the drawings or embodiments described in this specification are merely one embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, there can be various equivalents and modifications that can replace these at the time of this application.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0146] 100, 100’: Refractory bus bar P: Central coating part C: Cap 110: Bus bar conductor part 111: Both ends part 120: Fire-resistant silicone coating 121: Cap part H: Through hole 122: Main body coating part 130: Protection layer 131: Cap protection layer 132: Main body protection layer B: Fastening member 200: Battery module 210, 220: Terminal part 300: Partition wall 310: Bus bar installation through hole 320: Bus bar installation groove 400: Pack housing 1000: Battery pack

Claims

1. A bus bar conductor part, a cap part covering both ends of the bus bar conductor part, and a main body covering part covering the main body of the bus bar conductor part between both ends and integrally connected to the cap part, a refractory silicone coating covering the bus bar conductor part by ceramizing at a high temperature, and a protective layer covering the refractory silicone coating, The refractory bus bar, wherein the cap part is provided with a through hole extending from an upper surface to a surface in contact with the bus bar conductor part.

2. The refractory bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the refractory silicone coating ceramizes at a temperature of 500 to 1700°C.

3. The refractory bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the refractory silicone coating is ceramized by sintering a silicone resin containing a silicone compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 and a metal oxide containing silicon oxide: [Chemical Formula 1] 【Chemical 1】 In Chemical Formula 1, m and n are each an integer of 10 to 30.

4. The refractory bus bar according to claim 3, wherein the silicone resin and the metal oxide are contained in a weight ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.

5.

5. The refractory bus bar according to claim 3, wherein the metal oxide containing silicon oxide includes one or more of pure silicon dioxide, silica, quartz, silica stone, tridymite, and keatite.

6. The refractory bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is a glass fiber layer or a mica layer.

7. The refractory bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the through hole has a diameter smaller than the diameter of a head part of a fastening member inserted into the through hole and coupled to the bus bar conductor part.

8. The through hole has a first hole having a diameter smaller than the diameter of a head part of a fastening member passing through the through hole and coupled to the bus bar conductor part, and a second hole having a diameter larger than the diameter of the head part of the fastening member, the refractory bus bar according to claim 1.

9. The refractory bus bar according to claim 1, wherein a cut slit connecting to the through hole is provided at a peripheral part of the through hole of the cap part.

10. The cap part includes a first cover part having the through hole inside and covering upper surfaces of both ends, and a first extended cover part extending downward from the first cover part so as to cover side surfaces of both ends. The main body covering portion includes a second cover portion that covers the upper surface of the main body, and a second extended cover portion that extends downward from the second cover portion so as to cover the side surface of the main body. The fire-resistant bus bar according to claim 1.

11. The fire-resistant bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the fire-resistant bus bar is a high-voltage bus bar that electrically connects high-voltage terminal portions of a plurality of battery modules.

12. The fire-resistant bus bar according to claim 1, wherein the fire-resistant silicone coating is coated on the bus bar conductor portion by insert injection molding in which fire-resistant silicone is injected into a mold into which the bus bar conductor portion is inserted.

13. A plurality of battery modules, The fire-resistant bus bar according to any one of claims 1 to 12 that electrically connects the battery modules, and A battery pack including a pack housing that houses the battery modules.

14. The pack housing further includes a partition wall installed between the battery modules, Both ends of the bus bar conductor portion of the fire-resistant bus bar are electrically coupled to terminal portions of battery modules located on both sides of the partition wall, The battery pack according to claim 13, wherein a cap portion of the fire-resistant bus bar covers a coupling portion between the both ends and the terminal portions.

15. The partition wall includes a bus bar installation through hole or a bus bar installation groove, The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein the fire-resistant bus bar is placed in the bus bar installation through hole or the bus bar installation groove.

Images