Battery pack with enhanced safety

Abstract

The present invention discloses a battery pack or the like whose structure is improved so that its safety is enhanced when a thermal event occurs. The battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a pack housing that provides an internal space, a plurality of battery modules provided in the internal space, an upper frame that has a plurality of convex blocks protruding downward and is coupled to the upper part of the pack housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack and the like, and more particularly, to a battery pack and the like in which the safety during a thermal event is enhanced by a structural improvement of an upper frame of the battery pack.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0156193, filed on November 21, 2022, and all of the content disclosed in the specification and drawings of the application is incorporated into this application.

Background Art

[0003] The demand for portable electronic devices such as notebook PCs, video cameras, and mobile phones that use electricity as a power source has increased rapidly. As mobile robots, electric bicycles, electric carts, and electric vehicles are commonly commercialized, research on high-performance secondary batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging has been actively conducted.

[0004] Currently, commercialized secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among these, lithium secondary batteries have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, can be freely charged and discharged, have a very low self-discharge rate and a high energy density. In addition, due to their high energy density and high operating voltage characteristics, they are more intensively studied than other types of secondary batteries and are being increasingly applied to actual products.

[0005] In recent years, it has been widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium and large devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS).

[0006] In this case, a battery module in which a plurality of electrically connected secondary batteries are housed together inside a module case is mainly applied. Consequently, when high power or a large capacity is required, a battery pack in which a plurality of battery modules are electrically connected is applied.

[0007] Secondary batteries having such advantages are being used in a wider variety of forms. However, due to the behavior characteristics of secondary batteries, phenomena such as swelling, rush current application, overheating due to joule heating, or thermal runaway due to the decomposition reaction of the electrolyte may occur.

[0008] Also, when events such as a short circuit between secondary batteries or an excessive temperature rise occur, a large amount of vents may be generated. As a result, not only flames, but also high-temperature particles containing electrode active materials and aluminum particles may flow out together. Therefore, it can be said that ensuring the safety of the battery module is even more important.

[0009] Battery modules and battery packs are vulnerable to thermal events because a plurality of secondary batteries (battery cells) or a plurality of battery modules are intensively packed in a space-saving manner. In particular, when thermal runaway or the like occurs inside a battery module, high-temperature gas, flame, heat, etc. are generated. If these are not quickly controlled, not only the battery module itself, but also a chain fire or explosion to adjacent battery modules may be caused by thermal propagation or the like.

[0010] When a user applies a medium to large-sized battery pack for a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a plurality of battery cells and battery modules are more intensively mounted for increased output and capacity. This can not only trigger a major fire, but also result in casualties. Therefore, it is highly necessary to strongly suppress and control heat events occurring in battery modules, battery packs, etc. at an early stage.

[0011] However, conventional battery packs are usually embodied in a form where a plurality of battery modules are simply assembled. Therefore, heat events occurring in one battery module are likely to spread to adjacent battery modules.

[0012] In particular, since heat events such as vents and flames are extremely hot, they have the characteristic of rising and are strongly discharged while concentrating in the upper region of the battery pack. At this time, if the strong straight-line property and momentum of vents and the like are not appropriately controlled, there is a risk of more serious safety problems such as fires or explosions in the battery pack.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a battery pack or the like with enhanced safety by applying an improved structure capable of disrupting the straight-line property of flames, vent gases, etc. and reducing their momentum to the upper space of the battery pack.

[0014] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a battery pack may include a pack housing providing an internal space, a plurality of battery modules provided in the internal space, an upper frame having a plurality of convex blocks protruding downward provided at a lower portion thereof and coupled to an upper portion of the pack housing.

[0016] In this case, it is desirable that the convex block is configured to include a plurality of through holes.

[0017] Desirably, the upper frame of the present invention may be configured such that a concave block having a shape recessed upward is provided in a region where the convex block is not located.

[0018] In addition, the convex block of the present invention has a shape in which a part or all of a lower portion is open, and may have a shape that is wider at the lower portion and narrower at the upper portion depending on an embodiment.

[0019] Specifically, the convex block of the present invention may include a side plate having a fixing portion fixed to the upper frame and a spring portion formed to extend from the fixing portion and elastically displaced by an external force.

[0020] Furthermore, the battery pack of the present invention further includes a partition portion that separates the internal space of the pack housing. In this case, the upper frame of the present invention may be provided with a guide groove at a lower portion to which an upper portion of the partition portion is coupled.

[0021] In addition, the battery module of the present invention is provided in a compartment space that is an internal space separated by the partition portion. In this case, the convex block may be configured to be provided in a plurality for each region corresponding to the compartment space in the upper frame.

[0022] In addition, an automobile according to still another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes the battery pack according to the present invention.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, by structurally improving the upper space of the battery pack according to the behavior characteristics of a rising flame, vent gas, etc., it is possible not only to weaken the vent gas, etc., but also to disrupt its straightness, thus fundamentally eliminating various problems caused by the sudden discharge of the vent gas, etc.

[0024] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, by simply applying a simplified structure and implementing blocking, restraint or aggregation of the vent gas, etc., expansion of the contact area, vortex or vortex-induced movement, etc., the flow of the vent gas, etc. can be effectively weakened or reduced.

[0025] Also, in the case of an embodiment of the present invention, by applying a structure that mutually combines the configuration for physically partitioning the accommodation space of the battery module and the physical configuration of the pack housing, the battery module can be supported more firmly and stably. Of course, the efficiency of the assembly process, etc. can also be improved. As a result, the durability of the pack housing itself can be structurally strengthened.

[0026] In addition, the present invention has various other effects, which will be described in each implementation configuration. For effects that can be easily inferred by ordinary technicians, such descriptions will be omitted.

[0027] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. The inventor himself must interpret them in accordance with the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention in accordance with the principle that he can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain the invention in the best way.

[0030] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. At the time of this application, there can be various equivalents and modifications that can replace them.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall appearance of the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing the internal configuration of the battery pack 10 shown in FIG. 1.

[0032] As shown in the figure, the battery pack 10 of the present invention may include a pack housing 200, a battery module 100, an upper frame 300, and a partition portion 400 that forms individual spaces or compartment spaces DS in which the modules are accommodated.

[0033] The pack housing 200 provides a basic skeletal structure of the battery pack 10, and one or more battery modules 100 are accommodated in its internal space. Specifically, the pack housing 200 is provided with one or more partition portions 400 having a shape extending in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) or the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) as shown in the figure. In this case, one or more battery modules 100 may be provided in each of the compartment spaces DS partitioned by the partition portion 400.

[0034] The pack housing 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lower frame 220 and a side frame 210, and the upper frame 300 of the present invention may be configured to be coupled to the lower frame 220 and the side frame 210 at the upper part (with respect to the Z-axis) thereof.

[0035] At least one of the upper frame 300, the lower frame 220, and the side frame 210 may be configured as a plate shape and may be configured in the form of a polyhedron (for example, a rectangular parallelepiped) having a thickness equal to or greater than a certain thickness.

[0036] The upper frame 300 is located at the upper part of the pack housing 200, and the lower frame 220 may be arranged to be separated from the upper frame 300 at a predetermined interval below the upper frame 300. The side frame 210 may be arranged such that the upper end and the lower end are respectively connected between the upper frame 300 and the lower frame 220.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the lower frame 220 and the side frame 210 may be integrally formed with each other, and the connection between adjacent frames may be performed not only by a flange and bolt fastening method, but also by a laser welding method, an ultrasonic welding method, or the like.

[0038] One or more of the upper frame 300, the lower frame 220, and the side frame 210 may have an inner surface or the like made of clad metal, or a flame-retardant material such as GFRP may be attached to the inner surface.

[0039] One or more of the frames 210, 220, and 300 constituting the pack housing 200 are made of a metal material such as high-strength SUS (stainless steel) or a plastic material such as an ABS resin (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) having high heat resistance, temperature resistance, and impact resistance in order to effectively implement physical protection of internal components, etc., and may be made of different materials for different parts according to the embodiment.

[0040] As shown in the figure, inside the pack housing 200, a compartment space DS in which the battery modules 100 are individually accommodated may be formed by the partition portion 400. By functioning as a kind of independent chamber or compartment, etc., the individual battery modules 100 are physically protected, and at the same time, it primarily functions to prevent the heat event generated in the battery module 100 from diffusing or transferring to other adjacent battery modules 100.

[0041] As shown in the figure, the compartment space DS formed by the partition portion 400 is desirably provided at a position separated inward with respect to one or more side frames 210 such that a space P is formed between the side frame 210 constituting the pack housing 200 and the compartment space DS.

[0042] When configured in this way, the space P can be utilized as a vent channel P through which vent gas generated by the battery module 100 is discharged. Depending on the embodiment, the vent channel P can be formed in a track shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the plurality of partition spaces DS as shown in the figure. Therefore, vent gas generated by each battery module 100 can be effectively guided to be discharged outside the pack housing 200 through the discharge port E formed in the side frame 210 and the like.

[0043] When a flame is discharged together with the vent gas, although not shown, it is more desirable to be configured such that a guider or venting rib having a bent shape or the like, a bending member for changing the direction, etc. is provided in the vent channel P or the like so as to weaken the flame by disrupting the strong straight-ahead characteristic which is the behavior characteristic of the flame.

[0044] The partition portion 400 forming the partition space DS is also preferably made of a material with high heat resistance and physical rigidity like each frame constituting the pack housing 200.

[0045] As shown in the figure, a vent hole 421 communicating with the vent path (vent channel) P formed by the space between the side frame 210 of the pack housing 200 and the partition space DS can be formed in a part of the partition portion 400.

[0046] When the vent hole 421 is formed in a part of the partition portion 400 in this way, vent gas generated by the battery module 100 in the partition space DS is discharged to the outside through the vent hole 421, the vent channel P, and the discharge port E.

[0047] The drawings show an example in which battery modules 100 forming a 2×3 matrix group based on the vertical direction (Y-axis) and the horizontal direction (X-axis) are accommodated in a pack housing 200. However, depending on the spatial characteristics, electrical capacity, power magnitude, etc. of the applied device, battery modules 100 having arrays of various combinations such as 2×4, 2×2, 4×3 matrix groups, etc. may be provided in the pack housing 200 by the partition space DS.

[0048] The battery module 100 accommodated in the partition space DS may include a module case 110 and a cell assembly (not shown) accommodated inside the module case 110. The cell assembly is composed of n (n is a natural number of 1 or more) battery cells, and each lead of the n battery cells is assembled by a coupling method such as welding or a method via a member of a conductive material to form module terminals, which are electrical interface electrodes per unit of the battery module 100.

[0049] The battery cells assembled by the battery module 100 may be secondary batteries, and the secondary batteries may be pouch-type cells, cylindrical cells or rectangular cells.

[0050] Methods of configuring battery modules and the like using a plurality of battery cells are technical configurations known in the art, but are not the core technology of the present invention, so detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0051] A plurality of battery modules 100 provided in the pack housing 200 are electrically interconnected in parallel, in series, or in a combination thereof, etc., according to appropriate specifications, design matters, etc. required for the battery pack 10. The drawings show, as an example, a form in which module terminals of the same polarity provided in battery modules 100 facing each other in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) are interconnected by a bus bar 500.

[0052] The electrical connection by the illustrated bus bar 500 and the configuration of the battery modules 100 electrically connected to each other by the bus bar 500 are shown in a somewhat simplified form for effectively explaining the technical idea of the present invention, and a connector structure for connecting the bus bars 500 to each other may be further included depending on the embodiment.

[0053] The illustrated axis, the term referring to the axis, and the terms meaning directions such as upper, lower, front, rear, vertical, etc. described based on the axis present only relative references for explaining the embodiments of the present invention, and do not specify directions or positions based on absolute references, and may vary relatively depending on the position of the object, the position of the observer, the view direction, etc.

[0054] Hereinafter, as described above, the embodiments of the present invention will be described by defining the Z - axis as the up - down or vertical direction, and correspondingly defining the Y - axis as the front - rear direction and the X - axis as the left - right direction from this perspective. According to the criteria defined in this way, the XY plane becomes the horizontal plane in the embodiments of the present invention, and the Y - axis direction becomes the longitudinal direction (long - axis reference) of the battery pack 10 or the battery module 100.

[0055] Figures 3 to 5 are diagrams for explaining the structure of the upper frame 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the bus bar 500 and the partition portion 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] The upper frame 300 of the present invention that is coupled at the upper part (Z - axis reference) of the pack housing 200 includes a convex block 310 provided at its lower part and protruding downward (Z - axis reference) as shown.

[0057] The convex block 310 is provided in the upper frame 300 in such a manner that an independent structure is coupled (joined, welded, fastened by fastening means, etc.) to the lower surface of the upper frame 300 as shown in FIG. 3, and can be embodied such that a predetermined region of the upper frame 300 protrudes downward by pressing or the like as shown in FIG. 4. When the convex block 310 is formed by pressing or the like, a case (not shown) can be further coupled to the upper part of the upper frame 300 in order to enhance physical durability and the like and improve airtightness and the like.

[0058] According to an embodiment, a guide drain 330 to which the upper part of the above-described partition wall part 400 is coupled can be formed at the lower part of the upper frame 300.

[0059] The guide drain 330 may be formed in a shape in which the line of the groove part extends in the longitudinal direction so as to fit with the upper part of the partition wall part 400. When configured in this way, the convenience of assembly with the partition wall part 400 and the like is improved, and the structural rigidity of the battery pack 10 itself can be strengthened by the structure that supports the inside of the battery pack 10 in the vertical direction being physically coupled to the upper frame 300.

[0060] In addition, by physically coupling the guide drain 330 and the partition wall part 400 to each other, it is possible to suppress vent gas and the like generated in an individual battery module 100 from being transferred to other adjacent battery modules 100.

[0061] Although not shown, it is desirable that the guide drain 330 at the portion where the bus bar 500 is located is configured such that a space corresponding to the shape and structure of the bus bar 500 is formed.

[0062] In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, it is desirable that a mounting groove part 411 having a depth equal to or greater than the thickness of the bus bar 500 is formed in the partition wall part 400 so that the bus bar 500 does not protrude upward.

[0063] The bus bar 500 may include a first branch 510, a second branch 520, and a bridge 530 that are electrically connected to the terminals of the battery module 100. According to an embodiment, the bus bar 500 may be covered by a housing made of a non-conductive material for insulation or the like.

[0064] The bridge 530 of the bus bar 500 mounted in the mounting groove portion 411 so that a structure corresponding to the mounting groove portion 411 of the partition portion 400 is embodied connects the first branch 510 and the second branch 520 to each other and is preferably configured to be at a position higher (based on the Z axis) than the first branch 510 and the second branch 520.

[0065] According to such an implementation configuration of the present invention, when coupling with the upper frame 300 of the pack housing 200, not only can steps or gaps be avoided, but also the airtightness of the partition space DS formed by the partition portion 400 and the like can be further improved.

[0066] As described above with respect to the upper frame 300, when the guide drain 330 physically coupled to the partition portion 400 is provided, it is desirable that a plurality of the convex blocks 310 of the present invention be provided for each position corresponding to the partition space DS formed by the partition portion 400, that is, the battery module 100.

[0067] When a plurality of convex blocks 310 having a shape protruding downward are provided in the upper frame 300 in this way, the convex blocks 310 function as physical obstacles that prevent, separate, or disperse the movement of vent gas or flame generated in the battery module 100 and discharged to the outside through the upper space of the battery pack 10. Therefore, the momentum of the vent gas or flame can be significantly reduced or weakened in this process.

[0068] In addition, due to the convex block 310 of the present invention, vent gas and the like can move with an arbitrary direction, so that mutual collision or cancellation of vent gas and the like can be induced, and vortex or eddy motion is naturally induced in the space between the convex blocks 310, so that a strong flow of vent gas and the like can be delayed or weakened.

[0069] Hereinafter, the convex block 310 and the like of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the attached drawings and the like.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the convex block 310 and the concave block 320 according to the present invention provided at the lower part of the upper frame 300, and FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the contact area expanded by the upper frame 300, the convex block 310, and the concave block 320.

[0071] According to an embodiment, in a region of the upper frame 300 where the convex block 310 is not located, as shown in FIG. 7, a concave block 320 having a downwardly concave shape may be provided.

[0072] When the concave block 320 is provided in the upper frame 300 in this way, a part of the vent gas and the like is restricted by the trap space provided by the concave block 320, so that the straightness collapse, the momentum weakening, and the like of the vent gas and the like can be induced.

[0073] In addition, when both the convex block 310 and the concave block 320 are provided at the lower part of the upper frame 300, as shown in FIG. 8, since the height of the upper frame 300 itself, the height h2 of the concave block 320, and the height h1 of the convex block 310 are equalized with each other, the surface area that the rising vent gas and the like contact can be further expanded. Therefore, the temperature drop due to the increase in the contact area can also be more effectively realized.

[0074] In the case of the implementation configuration of the present invention as described above, the overall flow such as vent gas moving through the upper space of the battery pack 10 can be subdivided or dispersed into small-scale flows, and the flow of the vent gas and the flame can be changed into a more complex form and aspect hydrodynamically, such as direction change, mutual collision, vortex induction, etc., so that these interactions occur, thereby more effectively inducing a decrease in the speed and a weakening of the momentum of the vent gas and the like.

[0075] In the drawings, the convex block 310 and the concave block 320 are shown in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. However, depending on the embodiment, different shapes, as well as various deformation examples and combinations thereof such as size, height, depth, number, distribution, etc. can be applied.

[0076] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams showing the convex block 310 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] As shown in the illustration, a plurality of through holes 313 may be formed in the convex block 310 of the present invention. When the through holes 313 are formed in the convex block 310 in this way, functions such as guiding the main flow such as vent gas to be subdivided or dispersed by the convex block 310 as described above are realized, and after a part of the vent gas and the flame flows into the convex block 310, it is possible to induce a weakening of the momentum in the process of flowing out from the through holes 313.

[0078] Further, when the convex block 310 is provided with the through holes 313, since the flow flowing in from the through holes 313 and the flow flowing into the convex block 310 and then flowing out from the through holes 313 can be induced to cancel each other out, for example, the discharge speed of the vent gas and the like can be reduced, and in that process, it is possible to further weaken the momentum of the vent gas and the like.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 9, the convex block 310 of the present invention may include a side plate 311 forming a side surface and a lower plate 312 forming a lower surface. According to an embodiment, the lower plate 312 may be connected only to a part of the side plate 311 so that a part of the lower part (based on the Z axis) of the convex block 310 is opened.

[0080] Since the vent gas or flame has strong upward behavior characteristics, when the convex block (the shape of 310 is configured in this way, a part of the vent gas or flame can be more effectively restrained. A form in which the lower part of the convex block 310 is completely open also has a similar effect.

[0081] When the convex block 310 is embodied in a form in which a through hole 313 is formed, or in a form in which a part or all of the lower part is open, it embodies the function as a physical obstacle for suppressing the movement of the main flow, and since the contact area with the vent gas or the like can be expanded, it has the effect of reducing the temperature of the vent gas or the like.

[0082] Further, the convex block 310 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be configured to have a shape that is relatively wide in the lower part (based on the Z axis) and relatively narrow in the upper part as shown in FIG. 10.

[0083] According to such an embodiment configuration of the present invention, it is possible to more effectively accommodate and restrain the vent gas or the like according to the upward behavior characteristics of the vent gas or the like.

[0084] Further, according to such an embodiment configuration, an additional space is naturally formed between the outer side in the diagonal direction of the convex block 310 and the lower surface of the upper frame 300. Since such an additional space has a shape that is wide in the upper part and narrow in the lower part, contrary to the convex block 310, the inflowing vent gas or the like has a shape that is difficult to flow out. Therefore, the space between the convex block 310 and the convex block 310 can also function as a space for restraining the vent gas or the like.

[0085] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a side plate 311 of the convex block 310 according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the side plate 311 of the convex block 310 may specifically include a fixing portion 311A fixed to an upper frame 300 or the like, and a spring portion 311B connected to the fixing portion 311A and elastically displaced when an external force acts thereon.

[0086] After the vent gas or the like moves upward, it moves substantially in the horizontal direction (XY plane direction) along the upper frame 300. When the side plate 311 of the convex block 310 is configured to be elastically supported in this way, a part of the moving force in the horizontal direction component is exhausted as a force that elastically displaces the side plate 311. Therefore, the momentum of the vent gas or the like can be weakened.

[0087] Since the elastic restoring force continuously acts within a range not exceeding the displacement critical value, the side plate 311 made of a metal material continuously applies a force in the direction opposite to the direction in which the vent gas moves to the vent gas or the like as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded, such as bending or breaking. Therefore, the physical force of the vent gas or the like can be reduced.

[0088] Even if a flow in the direction opposite to the illustrated direction, that is, a flow from the inside to the outside of the convex block 310 occurs, the elastic restoring force of the spring portion 311B acts, so that it is possible to weaken the physical force of the flow.

[0089] In the drawing, an example is shown in which the side plate 311 having the fixing portion 311A and the spring portion 311B is provided only on one side surface of the convex block 310. However, a plurality of side surfaces or all side surfaces of the convex block 310 may be embodied as the side plate 311 having the fixing portion 311A and the spring portion 311B so as to suppress multi-directional flows such as vent gas.

[0090] In addition, if the elastic displacement of the spring portion 311B can be induced, the positions, sizes, shapes, numbers, etc. of the fixing portion 311A and the spring portion 311B can be variously deformed, and the fixing portion 311A and the spring portion 311B can also be integrally formed as a single metal member.

[0091] The battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a battery management system (not shown). The battery management system (Battery Management System: BMS) may be mounted in the internal space of the pack housing 200 and configured to generally control charging and discharging operations, data transmission and reception operations, etc. of the battery cell or the battery module 100.

[0092] In addition, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a battery disconnect unit. The battery disconnect unit (Battery Disconnect Unit: BDU) may be configured to control the electrical connection of the battery cells in order to manage the power capacity and functions of the battery pack 10. For this purpose, the battery disconnect unit may include a power relay, a current sensor, a fuse, etc. The battery disconnect unit may also be provided in a pack unit rather than a module unit, and various known disconnect units at the time of filing the present invention may be adopted.

[0093] In addition, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include various components of known battery packs at the time of filing the present invention. For example, it may further include an MSD (Manual Service Disconnector) that allows an operator to manually separate the service plug and cut off the power supply.

[0094] The vehicle (not shown) according to the present invention may include the battery pack 10 according to the present invention described above. Here, the vehicle (not shown) according to the present invention may be a predetermined vehicle (not shown) that uses electricity as a driving source, such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Further, the vehicle according to the present invention may further include various other components included in the vehicle, such as a vehicle body and a motor, in addition to the battery pack 10 according to the present invention.

[0095] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the limited embodiments and the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the equivalent scope of the technical idea and the claims of the present invention.

[0096] For the purpose of explaining the present invention and illustrating the embodiments thereof, the accompanying drawings and the like may be shown in an exaggerated form in order to emphasize or highlight the technical content according to the present invention. However, it is to be understood that various modified application forms can be adopted at the level of an ordinary technician in this technical field in consideration of the content described above and the matters shown in the drawings.

[0097] In addition, in describing the present invention, terms and expressions such as first, second, upper, lower, or up and down are merely terms and expressions of instrumental concepts used to relatively distinguish each component from each other, and are not terms and expressions used to indicate a specific order, priority, etc., nor are they terms and expressions used to physically distinguish each component based on an absolute standard.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0098] 10 Battery pack 100 Battery module 110 Module case 200 Pack housing 210 Side frame 220 Lower Frame 300 Upper Frame 310 Convex Block 311 Side Plate 311A Fixed Part 311B Spring Part 312 Lower Plate 313 Through-Hole 320 Concave Block 330 Guide Lane 400 Partition Part 411 Mounting Groove Part 421 Vent Hole 500 Bus Bar 510 First Branch 520 Second Branch 530 Bridge DS Compartment Space E Discharge Port

Claims

1. A pack housing that provides an internal space, A plurality of battery modules provided in the internal space, An upper frame having a plurality of convex blocks with a downwardly protruding shape provided at the bottom and coupled to the upper part of the pack housing, characterized in that the battery pack comprises the same.

2. The battery pack according to Claim 1, characterized in that the convex block is provided with a plurality of through holes.

3. The battery pack according to Claim 1, characterized in that the upper frame is configured such that a concave block having an upwardly concave shape is provided in a region where the convex block is not located.

4. The battery pack according to Claim 1, characterized in that the convex block has a shape in which a part or all of the lower part is open.

5. The battery pack according to Claim 4, characterized in that the convex block has a shape that is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top.

6. The battery pack according to Claim 1, characterized in that the convex block includes a side plate having a fixing portion fixed to the upper frame and a spring portion formed by extending from the fixing portion and elastically displaced by an external force.

7. Further comprising a partition portion that separates the internal space of the pack housing, The battery pack according to Claim 1, characterized in that the upper frame is provided at the bottom with a guide groove to which the upper part of the partition portion is coupled.

8. The battery module is provided in a compartment space that is an internal space separated by the partition portion, The battery pack according to Claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of the convex blocks are provided for each region corresponding to the compartment space in the upper frame.

9. An automobile comprising the battery pack according to any one of Claims 1 to 8.

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