Battery module, battery pack including the battery module, and method for manufacturing the battery module

Abstract

The present invention includes a battery module and a battery pack including the same. The battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first sub-module and a second sub-module each including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a busbar assembly including a busbar electrically connected to the battery cell stack and a busbar frame covering the battery cell stack from at least one side, a module frame in which the first sub-module and the second sub-module are housed, a seal assembly covering both open ends of the module frame, and an end plate covering the seal assembly. One end of the first sub-module and the other end of the second sub-module are electrically connected to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2022 - 0115057 filed on September 13, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0109015 filed on August 21, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the documents of the Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the battery module, and a method of manufacturing the battery module. More specifically, the present invention relates to a battery module with improved energy density, cooling efficiency, and safety, a battery pack including the battery module, and a method of manufacturing the battery module.

Background Art

[0003] With the development of technology and the increasing demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source has been rapidly increasing. Accordingly, many studies on secondary batteries that can meet various requirements have been conducted.

[0004] Secondary batteries have attracted much attention not only as an energy source for mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and laptop computers but also as an energy source for power devices such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0005] Recently, with the increasing need for large - capacity secondary battery structures, including their use as an energy storage source for secondary batteries, the demand for battery packs with a medium - to - large - module structure, which are assembled from battery modules in which a plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series / parallel, has been increasing.

[0006] On the other hand, when configuring a battery pack by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, it is common to configure a battery module consisting of at least one battery cell and add other components using at least one battery module to configure the battery pack.

[0007] Since the battery cells that make up such medium and large-sized battery modules are composed of rechargeable secondary batteries, such high-output and large-capacity secondary batteries generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging processes. In this case, the heat emitted from multiple battery cells may combine in a narrow space and cause the temperature to rise rapidly and sharply. In other words, in the case of a battery module in which multiple battery cells are stacked and a battery pack equipped with such a battery module, although high output can be obtained, it is not easy to remove the heat generated from the battery cells during charging and discharging. If the heat dissipation of the battery cells is not carried out properly, the deterioration of the battery cells will accelerate, the lifespan will be shortened, and the possibility of explosion and ignition will increase.

[0008] Furthermore, in the case of a battery module included in a vehicle battery pack, it is often exposed to direct sunlight and may be placed under high-temperature conditions such as in summer or desert areas. Also, in order to increase the driving range of the vehicle, multiple battery modules are intensively arranged, so the flame and heat generated from any one battery module are likely to spread to adjacent battery modules, which may ultimately lead to the ignition and explosion of the battery pack itself.

[0009] In addition, the battery pack has a structure in which multiple battery modules are combined, is heavy, and is not suitable for loading multiple batteries on a moving means such as an automobile, so it is necessary to improve the energy density.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional battery pack. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1.

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional battery pack 10 includes a lower pack frame 11 on which a plurality of battery modules 1 are mounted, an upper pack frame 12 located above the battery module 1, and an internal beam 13 that partitions the position where the battery module 1 is mounted within the battery pack 10.

[0012] Thus, when the battery module 1 is mounted inside the battery pack 10, the energy density of the battery pack 10 is decreased by the internal beam 13 that partitions between the battery modules 1. Therefore, there is a problem in that in order to satisfy the efficiency required for devices and the like, more than one battery pack 10 must be provided. Also, there is a limit to the number of battery packs 10 that can be provided in a device due to the weight of the battery pack 10. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the weight of the battery pack 10 while reducing the energy density of the battery pack 10, and to mount more battery modules 1 inside the battery pack 10.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the battery module of FIG. 2.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 3, the conventional battery module 1 includes a battery cell stack body 3 including battery cells 2 stacked in a preset direction, and a module frame 4 that houses the battery cell stack body 3. The battery cell stack body 3 is fixed and positioned on a thermally conductive resin layer 5 located on the lower surface of the module frame 4. In this case, in order to cool the heat generated from the battery cell stack body 3, a heat sink 6 that contacts the bottom of the module frame 4 located in the -z axis direction of FIG. 3 is provided.

[0015] However, since the heat sink 6 does not directly contact the battery cell stack body 3 to receive heat, there is a demerit in that the cooling efficiency is not so high, and at present, a method for more effectively cooling the battery module 1 is required.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the battery module and the internal beam mounted on the battery pack of FIG. 2. FIG. 4(a) is a diagram showing the battery module and the internal beam before charge and discharge, and FIG. 4(b) is a diagram showing the battery module and the internal beam after charge and discharge.

[0017] Referring to Fig. 4(a), the battery module 1 before charge and discharge is in a state of not contacting the adjacent internal beam 13. On the other hand, when the charge and discharge of the battery proceed, heat is generated in the battery module 1, and such heat may not be sufficiently cooled by the heat sink 6 in Fig. 3. Also, referring to Fig. 4(b), in the battery module 1, gas may be generated inside the battery cell and a swelling phenomenon may occur, and the battery module 1 may contact the adjacent internal beam 13, thereby posing a risk of damage to the battery module 1.

[0018] Summarizing the above content, it can be seen that in order to improve the safety of the battery module and the battery pack, a more effective method for improving the cooling efficiency of the battery module is required.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0019] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module with improved energy density, cooling efficiency and safety, a battery pack including the battery module, and a method for manufacturing the battery module.

[0020] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and can be variously extended within the scope of the technical idea included in the present invention.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0021] A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first sub-module and a second sub-module each including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, a bus bar assembly including a bus bar that electrically connects the battery cells and a bus bar frame that covers the battery cell stack from at least one side, a module frame in which the first sub-module and the second sub-module are housed, a seal assembly that covers both open ends of the module frame, and an end plate that covers the seal assembly. One end of the first sub-module and the other end of the second sub-module are electrically connected to each other.

[0022] In the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, a cooling fin is located between two adjacent battery cells in the battery cell stack, and the cooling fin can include a plate that is adhesively fixed to one side surface of the battery cell.

[0023] The cooling fin further includes a protruding portion that protrudes from one end of the plate, and the protruding portion can protrude and extend in parallel with the stacking direction of the battery cell stack.

[0024] The protruding portion is in contact with the upper surface or the lower surface of the module frame, and the other end of the plate can be in contact with the lower part or the upper part of the module frame.

[0025] The upper and lower portions of the battery cell have a certain height from the upper and lower surfaces of the module frame and can be in contact with the plate.

[0026] A space is provided between the upper surface of the module frame and the upper portion of the battery cell and between the lower surface of the module frame and the lower portion of the battery cell, and a refrigerant can move in the space.

[0027] A first electrode lead located at one end of the first sub-module and a second electrode lead located at the other end of the second sub-module can be electrically connected to each other.

[0028] The first electrode lead includes a first outermost electrode lead derived from the outermost battery cell of the battery cell stack that constitutes the first sub-module, and the second electrode lead can include a second outermost electrode lead derived from the outermost battery cell of the battery cell stack that constitutes the second sub-module.

[0029] There are a plurality of the first electrode leads. The first electrode leads excluding the first outermost electrode lead are electrically connected in pairs with adjacent first electrode leads. There are a plurality of the second electrode leads. The second electrode leads excluding the second outermost electrode lead are electrically connected in pairs with adjacent second electrode leads.

[0030] The seal assembly includes a first seal assembly that covers an open end of the module frame and a second seal assembly that covers the other open end of the module frame. The first seal assembly can include an inlet which is a hole through which a refrigerant flows in, and the second seal assembly can include an outlet which is a hole through which the refrigerant is discharged.

[0031] The inlet can be located below the central part with reference to the height of the first seal assembly, and the outlet can be located above the central part with reference to the height of the second seal assembly.

[0032] The inlet and the outlet can be located on the same line. The inlet can be located above the central part with reference to the height of the first seal assembly, and the outlet can be located above the central part with reference to the height of the second seal assembly.

[0033] The refrigerant can be in direct contact with the battery cell stack and the bus bar assembly housed inside the module frame.

[0034] The refrigerant may be insulating oil.

[0035] In a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, a first seal member can be interposed along the periphery of the seal assembly coupled to the open ends of the module frame.

[0036] The first seal member may be an adhesive tape.

[0037] A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a second seal member that fills a gap located in a region between the module frame and the seal assembly, excluding the region sealed by the first seal member.

[0038] A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a third seal member interposed along the periphery of the seal assembly and the end plate.

[0039] The third seal member may be an epoxy resin.

[0040] In a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention, the seal assembly includes a module vent portion provided in a region of the seal assembly. The module vent portion includes a vent hole penetrating the seal assembly, a module connection portion that is a single hole communicating with the vent hole, a fixing cover provided between the vent hole and the bus bar assembly and fixed in contact with the inner surface of the seal assembly, and a membrane that is a film provided between the vent hole and the fixing cover and fixed in contact with the fixing cover.

[0041] The module connection portion may further include a vent protrusion that protrudes from the seal assembly in a direction opposite to the module frame and surrounds the module connection portion and protrudes from the seal assembly in a direction opposite to the module frame.

[0042] The end plate that covers the seal assembly provided with the module connection part and the protruding part includes a vent opening, and the vent opening is a hole that penetrates the end plate, and the module connection part and the protruding part can be positioned to pass through the vent opening.

[0043] A battery pack according to still another embodiment of the present invention includes the battery module described above and a pack vent part connected to the battery module.

[0044] The pack vent part may include a pack connection part connected to the battery module, a direction adjustment part that is a pipe communicating with the pack connection part, and an exhaust port provided in a region of a side pack frame and connected to the direction adjustment part.

[0045] The direction adjustment part is located inside the side pack frame, one end of the direction adjustment part is blocked, the other end of the direction adjustment part is connected to the exhaust port, and the pack connection part may be a region protruding from one surface of the direction adjustment part toward the battery module.

[0046] The pack connection part is connected to the module connection part of the battery module, and the module connection part may be a hole communicating with the inside of the battery module.

Advantages of the Invention

[0047] According to the embodiment, each battery module can be electrically connected to improve the energy density of the battery pack.

[0048] In addition, by more effectively cooling the upper and lower surfaces of the battery cells, the cooling efficiency can be improved and the safety of the battery module and the battery pack can be ensured.

[0049] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0051] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can easily implement them. The present invention can be realized in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0052] For the sake of clarity in explaining the present invention, parts that are unnecessary for the explanation are omitted, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

[0053] In addition, the sizes and thicknesses of the respective components shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and thus the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. The thicknesses are shown enlarged in the drawings to clearly represent various layers and regions. And in the drawings, for convenience of explanation, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggeratedly shown.

[0054] Also, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is said to be "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is directly above the other part but also the case where there are other parts in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there are no other parts in between. Also, being "above" the reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and it does not necessarily mean being located "above" in the direction opposite to gravity.

[0055] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means that, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, it does not exclude other components but can further include other components.

[0056] Also, throughout the specification, when it is "on a plane", this means when looking at the target part from above, and when it is "in a cross-section", this means when looking at the cross-section obtained by vertically cutting the target part from the side.

[0057] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a view showing that a battery module is mounted with reference to the upper surface of the battery pack of FIG. 5.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lower pack frame 1100 on which a plurality of battery modules 100 are mounted, an upper pack frame 1200 located above the battery modules 100, and at least one pack vent portion 2000 provided on a side surface of the lower pack frame 1100. Here, the lower pack frame 1100 and the upper pack frame 1200 can be joined to each other by a method such as welding to seal the inside of the battery pack 1000.

[0059] The battery module 100 can include a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked along a preset direction, and a module frame 200 that houses the battery cell stack 120. The module frame 200 may be a monolithic frame in the shape of a metal plate material in which the upper and lower surfaces (z-axis direction and -z-axis direction) and both side surfaces (y-axis direction and -y-axis direction) are integrated. The battery cell stack 120 can be mounted inside the module frame 200 to constitute the battery module 100. However, the module frame 200 is not limited to the above-described content, and the module frame 200 can include an upper frame and a lower frame.

[0060] The lower pack frame 1100 includes a side pack frame 1150 and at least two internal beams 1110 formed on the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100. Here, the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100 and the at least two internal beams 1110 and the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100 and the side pack frame 1150 may be joined to each other by a method such as welding.

[0061] The plurality of battery modules 100 are partitioned from each other by a side pack frame 1150 and at least two internal beams 1110. In other words, the plurality of battery modules 100 may be respectively arranged in the regions between the side pack frame 1150 and the internal beams 1110, and in the regions located between the adjacent internal beams 1110. More specifically, in the battery pack 1000, a battery module 100 may be arranged between a pair of internal beams 1110 that are adjacent to each other among the plurality of internal beams 1110, and a battery module 100 may also be arranged between the internal beam 1110 and the side pack frame 1150.

[0062] Thereby, the plurality of battery modules 100 are surrounded by at least two internal beams 1110 and the side pack frame 1150, and each battery module 100 can be protected from external impacts.

[0063] The side pack frame 1150 may be arranged at the periphery of the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100 and extend upward from the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100. More specifically, the side pack frame 1150 may extend upward from each periphery of the bottom surface of the lower pack frame 1100.

[0064] The upper end portion of the side pack frame 1150 can be in contact with the upper pack frame 1200. At this time, the upper end portion of the side pack frame 1150 and the upper pack frame 1200 can be joined to each other by a method such as welding to seal the inside of the battery pack 1000.

[0065] The plurality of internal beams 1110 may be spaced apart from each other. Here, the distance by which the adjacent internal beams 1110 are spaced apart is the same as or greater than the size of the battery module 100.

[0066] In addition, the end of the internal beam 1110 can be in contact with the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150. More specifically, both ends of the internal beam 1110 can be in contact with the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150 respectively.

[0067] FIG. 7(a) is a plan view showing that a battery module is mounted on the conventional battery pack of FIG. 1. FIG. 7(b) is a plan view showing that a battery module is mounted on the battery pack of FIG. 5.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 7(a), the conventional battery pack 10 includes a plurality of battery modules 1 mounted between internal beams 13 that partition the lower pack frame 11. At this time, the internal beams 13 are arranged in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction to partition the space inside the lower pack frame 11, and the plurality of battery modules 1 are mounted between the spaces. At this time, one end and the other end of the battery module 1 can be in contact with or slightly separated from the inner surface of the lower pack frame 11 and the internal beam 13. That is, the internal beam 13 can be positioned as shown in FIG. 7(a), and the inclusion of the internal beam 13 extending in the y-axis direction can increase the weight of the battery pack 10. As a result, there is a problem that the energy density of the battery pack 10 is low. Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, in this embodiment, a plurality of conventional battery modules 1 are connected as sub-modules to form one battery module 100 as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0069] Specifically, referring to FIG. 7(b), the battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules 100 mounted between internal beams 1110 that partition the lower pack frame 1100.

[0070] As described above, the battery module 100 may be formed by connecting two battery modules 1 arranged in the x-axis direction as shown in Fig. 7(a). As an example, the battery module 100 of this embodiment may be formed by electrically connecting the respective battery cell laminates that make up the battery module 1 in Fig. 7(a). That is, the two battery cell laminates that make up the two battery modules 1 in Fig. 7(a) may be electrically connected to each other. Therefore, the battery module 100 of this embodiment is longer in the x-axis direction than the conventional battery module 1.

[0071] Summarizing the above content, referring to Fig. 7(a), in the conventional battery pack 10, the internal beams 13 are arranged in the x-axis and y-axis directions to partition the space inside the lower pack frame 1100, and a plurality of battery modules 100 are mounted between the spaces. On the other hand, referring to Fig. 7(b), it can be seen that the battery pack 1000 in this embodiment is different from the conventional battery pack 10 in that the internal beam 1110 is not arranged in the y-axis direction. This is because the length (x-axis direction) of the battery module 100 has increased compared to the conventional one, and one end and the other end of the battery module 100 in the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) are in contact with the side pack frame 1150 or fill the space between the side pack frame 1150 and the end of the battery module 100, so there is no need for the internal beam 1110 to partition the battery module 100 along the direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the battery module 100. That is, due to the structure of the battery module 100 described above, in this embodiment, the number of internal beams 1110 provided in the battery pack 1000 is reduced compared to the conventional one, so it can be seen that the weight of the battery pack 1000 is reduced while the energy density is increased.

[0072] Hereinafter, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0073] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of Fig. 8.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be formed by electrically connecting a plurality of sub-modules corresponding to conventional battery modules to form one battery module 100. Specifically, the battery module 100 of this embodiment may be such that one end and the other end of each battery cell laminate that conventionally constituted two battery modules are electrically connected.

[0075] The battery module 100 according to this embodiment includes a battery cell laminate 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked, a module frame 200 that houses the battery cell laminate 120, a bus bar assembly 300 located on the front and / or rear surface of the battery cell laminate 120, a seal assembly 400 that covers the front and / or rear surface of the bus bar assembly 300, and an end plate 500 that covers the front and / or rear surface of the seal assembly 400.

[0076] First, the battery cell 110 may be a pouch-type battery cell. Such a pouch-type battery cell is formed by housing an electrode assembly in a pouch case of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and then heat-sealing the seal portion of the pouch case. At this time, the battery cell 110 is formed in a rectangular sheet-like structure.

[0077] A plurality of such battery cells 110 are provided, and the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other to form a battery cell laminate 120. In particular, as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked along a direction parallel to the y-axis direction. The direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked as described above can be defined as the width direction of the battery cell laminate 120.

[0078] The module frame 200 is for protecting the battery cell laminate 120 and electrical components connected thereto from external physical impacts. The module frame 200 can house the battery cell laminate 120 and electrical components connected thereto in the internal space of the module frame 200.

[0079] The structure of the module frame 200 is diverse. According to this embodiment, the structure of the module frame 200 may be a single-frame structure. Here, the single frame may be in the shape of a metal sheet material with the upper surface, lower surface, and both side surfaces integrated. The single frame is manufactured by extrusion molding.

[0080] However, the structure of the module frame 200 is not limited to this. As another example, the module frame 200 may have a structure in which a U-shaped frame and an upper plate are combined. In this case, the U-shaped frame is formed by combining or integrating the lower surface and both side surfaces of the module frame 200. At this time, each frame or plate constituting the U-shaped frame is manufactured by press molding. Also, the structure of the module frame 200 may be provided in the form of an L-shaped frame in addition to the single frame or U-shaped frame, or may be provided in various structures not described in the above examples.

[0081] The module frame 200 is provided in a form in which the front and rear surfaces are open along the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120. In this case, the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 are not blocked by the module frame 200. The front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 are blocked by the bus bar assembly 300, the seal assembly 400, or the end plate 500, etc., whereby the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 can be protected from external physical impacts.

[0082] The bus bar assembly 300 includes a bus bar frame 310 described later and a bus bar 330 mounted on one surface of the bus bar frame 310. The bus bar assembly 300 is formed to be located on the open first side (x-axis direction) and second side (-x-axis direction) of the module frame 200 to cover the battery cell stack 120. The bus bar assembly 300 can electrically connect the battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell stack 120 in series or in parallel.

[0083] The bus bar assembly 300 can include a bus bar frame 310, a bus bar 330, and a terminal bus bar 340, which will be described later.

[0084] The seal assembly 400 is formed to cover the battery cell stack 120 and is located on the opened first side (x-axis direction) and the second side (-x-axis direction) of the module frame 200. The seal assembly 400 located on the opened first side of the module frame 200 may be the first seal assembly 410, and the seal assembly 400 located on the opened second side of the module frame 200 may be the second seal assembly 450.

[0085] The seal assembly 400 can separate the opened first side and the second side of the module frame 200 from the external environment. Specifically, when a refrigerant is injected into the interior of the module frame 200, which will be described later, the seal assembly 400 can serve to seal the refrigerant so that it does not leak outside.

[0086] The seal assembly 400 can include a seal cover and an inlet 421 and an outlet 461 through which the refrigerant flows. Specifically, the refrigerant flows into the interior of the module frame 200 through the inlet 421 and is then discharged outside the battery module 100 through the outlet 461. The refrigerant can directly contact the battery cell stack 120 and other electrical components mounted inside the module frame 200, as well as the bus bar assembly 300, and receive the heat generated from these components. The end plate 500 is formed to cover the seal assembly 400 and is located on the opened first side (x-axis direction) and the second side (-x-axis direction) of the module frame 200. The end plate 500 located on the opened first side of the module frame 200 may be the first end plate 510, and the end plate 500 located on the opened second side of the module frame 200 may be the second end plate 550.

[0087] Such an end plate 500 can physically protect the battery cell laminate 120 and other electrical components from external impacts.

[0088] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing that the refrigerant is located inside the battery module.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 10, in the battery module 100 according to this embodiment, after the refrigerant C flows into the inside of the module frame 200 through the inlet 421, it is discharged to the outside of the battery module 100 through the outlet 461. At this time, the refrigerant C may be a fluid. However, since the refrigerant C directly contacts the battery cell laminate 120, other electrical components, and the bus bar assembly 300 that generate heat inside the battery module 100, it needs to be electrically insulated. Therefore, the refrigerant C may be a material having insulation properties. As an example, the refrigerant C may be insulating oil.

[0090] As described above, the refrigerant C can directly cool the battery cell laminate 120, other electrical components, and the bus bar assembly 300 that generate heat inside the battery module 100 while directly receiving heat in contact with them. Therefore, compared with indirectly cooling the battery module using a heat sink or the like as in the prior art, the cooling efficiency can be improved, and thereby the life of the battery can be extended.

[0091] Hereinafter, each sub-battery module constituting the battery module 100 of this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0092] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the battery module excluding the module frame of FIG. 8. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a sub-module constituting the battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the sub-module of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 10 viewed from the x-axis. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the battery module with a side plate added to FIG. 11. FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is a view showing that FIG. 15 is inserted into the module frame.

[0093] Referring to FIGS. 11 to 17, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first sub-module 100a and a second sub-module 100b. Specifically, the battery module 100 may be one in which the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b are electrically coupled.

[0094] The first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b each may include a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a busbar assembly 300 including a busbar 330 electrically connected to the battery cell stack 120 and a busbar frame 310 covering the battery cell stack 120 from at least one side.

[0095] That is, the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b each include the same configuration, and hereinafter, the first sub-module 100a will be mainly described.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the first sub-module 100a includes a first battery cell stack 120a in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked, a first busbar assembly 300a covering the front surface (x-axis direction) and the rear surface (-x-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a, and a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 350a electrically connected to the first busbar assembly 300a.

[0097] The first battery cell stack 120a includes a plurality of first battery cells 110a, a first cooling fin 210a located between the plurality of first battery cells 110a, and a first compression pad 250a provided on one surface of the first outermost battery cell 110a.

[0098] The first cooling fin 210a can be positioned between a plurality of first battery cells 110a. For example, the first cooling fin 210a can be positioned for every two first battery cells 110a. Specifically, another first cooling fin 210a adjacent to one first cooling fin 210a can be positioned with two first battery cells 110a interposed therebetween.

[0099] The first cooling fin 210a can include a first plate 211a that contacts one side surface of the first battery cell 110a. Here, one side surface of the first battery cell 110a may be one surface of the battery cell 110 extending along the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the first battery cell 110a.

[0100] One surface of the first plate 211a can contact one side surface of the first battery cell 110a facing the one surface of the first plate 211a. The other surface of the first plate 211a can contact one surface of another adjacent first battery cell 110a facing the other surface of the first plate 211a. In this case, although not shown in this drawing, an adhesive member is interposed between the side surface of the first battery cell 110a and the first plate 211a, and the first battery cell 110a and the first plate 211a are adhesively fixed. For example, the adhesive member may be an insulating tape.

[0101] The upper surface (z-axis direction) of the first plate 211a can contact the upper surface (z-axis direction) of the module frame 200 in FIG. 17, and the lower surface of the first plate 211a can contact the lower surface (-z-axis direction) of the module frame 200 in FIG. 17. Therefore, the first cooling fin 210a can be fixed and positioned within the module frame 200, and thereby, the first battery cell 110a adhered to the first cooling fin 210a can also be fixed and positioned within the module frame 200.

[0102] The size of the first plate 211a is larger than the size of the first battery cell 110a. That is, the height (in the z-axis direction) of the first plate 211a is larger than the height of the first battery cell 110a. In this case, the first battery cell 110a can be attached on the first plate 211a and positioned so as to float inside the module frame 200 without contacting the module frame 200. Specifically, the upper and lower portions of the first battery cell 110a can have a certain height from the upper and lower portions of the module frame 200 and be in contact with the first plate 211a. More specifically, when the height (in the z-axis direction) of the first plate 211a is higher than the height (in the z-axis direction) of the first battery cell 110a, the first battery cell 110a is adhesively fixed while being positioned at the center of the first plate 211a.

[0103] The first cooling fin 210a can further include the first plate 211a and a first protrusion 213a with one end of the first plate 211a protruding. Specifically, referring to FIG. 13, the first cooling fin 210a can include a first plate 211a having a surface corresponding to or larger than one side surface of the first battery cell 110a, and a first protrusion 213a protruding from one end of the first plate 211a in parallel with the stacking direction (y-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a.

[0104] The first protrusion 213a may be a region protruding in a direction perpendicular to the first plate 211a. The first protrusion 213a may be a region protruding and extending in parallel with the stacking direction of the first battery cell stack. The first protrusion 213a can contact the upper surface and / or the lower surface of the module frame 200. Specifically, one surface of the first protrusion 213a can be positioned opposite to the upper or lower portion of the first battery cell 110a, and the other surface of the first protrusion 213a can contact the lower or upper surface of the module frame 200. For example, the first cooling fin 210a may be L-shaped. Thereby, the first cooling fin 210a can be more firmly fixed and positioned within the module frame 200.

[0105] More specifically, one surface of the first protruding portion 213a can be positioned to face the first battery cell 110a. That is, one surface of the first protruding portion 213a is positioned to face the upper part of the first battery cell 110a, and the upper and lower parts of the first battery cell 110a have a certain height from the upper and lower surfaces of the module frame 200 and can be adhesively fixed and positioned with the first plate 211a. In other words, a certain space is provided between the upper surface of the module frame 200 and the upper part of the first battery cell 110a, and between the lower surface of the module frame 200 and the lower part of the first battery cell 110a, and the refrigerant C can move in this space. In this case, the distance between the upper surface of the module frame 200 and the upper part of the first battery cell 110a can correspond to the distance between the lower surface of the module frame 200 and the lower part of the first battery cell 110a.

[0106] The other surface of the first protruding portion 213a can be in contact with the upper surface of the module frame 200. Specifically, the other surface of the first protruding portion 213a is in contact with and adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the module frame 200, whereby the first cooling fin 210a can be more firmly fixed and positioned within the module frame 200. In FIGS. 13 and 14, the description was based on the protruding portion 213a of the cooling fin 210a being positioned between the upper surface of the module frame 200 and the upper part of the first battery cell 110a, but the protruding portion of the first cooling fin 210a may be positioned between the lower surface of the module frame 200 and the lower part of the first battery cell 110a.

[0107] However, the shape of the first cooling fin 210a is not limited to that shown in this drawing, and it may be a flat plate shape, and the protruding portions may all be positioned at the upper and lower parts of the first cooling fin 210a. That is, the shape of the first cooling fin 210a can be any shape as long as it can contact the first battery cell 110a and fix the first battery cell 110a.

[0108] The first cooling fin 210a may be made of metal. Specifically, the first cooling fin 210a may be a metal with high thermal conductivity. Therefore, the first cooling fin 210a can directly receive the heat generated from the first battery cell 110a due to the charge and discharge of the battery. When heat is generated, the first battery cell 110a is primarily cooled while the heat is transferred to the first cooling fin 210a in contact with the side surface of the first battery cell 110a, and the refrigerant C is secondarily cooled by directly contacting the upper and lower portions of the first battery cell 110a. As a result, direct cooling is possible even for the upper and lower peripheral regions of the battery cell, which were relatively difficult to cool conventionally, and the cooling efficiency of the battery can be improved.

[0109] The first compression pad 250a can be located outermost of the first battery cell stack 120a. The first compression pad 250a can play a role in absorbing swelling when the first battery cell 110a swells due to charge and discharge. Specifically, the first compression pad 250a can prevent the battery case of the first battery cell 110a from breaking by pushing out the side portions (y-axis direction and -y axis direction) of the module frame 200 while the first battery cell 110a swells, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 100.

[0110] However, the first compression pad 250a is not limited to being located only outermost of the first battery cell stack 120a, and can also be located between the first battery cells 110a that make up the first battery cell stack 120a.

[0111] The first bus bar assembly 300a includes a first bus bar frame 310a and a first bus bar 330a mounted on the first bus bar frame 310a.

[0112] The first bus bar frame 310a is located on the front surface and / or the rear surface of the first battery cell stack 120a in the x-axis direction, covers the front surface and / or the rear surface of the first battery cell stack 120a, and at the same time guides the connection between the first battery cell stack 120a and an external device. The first bus bar frame 310a can be located on the front surface (x-axis direction) and the rear surface (-x-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a. A first bus bar 330a is mounted on the first bus bar frame 310a. As a specific example, referring to FIGS. 11 and 15, the inner surface of the first bus bar frame 310a is connected to the front surface (x-axis direction) and the rear surface (-x-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a, and the outer surface of the first bus bar frame 310a is connected to the first bus bar 330a.

[0113] The first bus bar frame 310a can include a material that is electrically insulating. The first bus bar frame 310a can limit contact with other parts of the first battery cell 110a except for the part where the first bus bar 330a is joined to an electrode lead (not shown), and can prevent an electrical short circuit from occurring.

[0114] The first bus bar 330a is mounted on one surface of the first bus bar frame 310a and is for electrically connecting the first battery cell stack 120a or the first battery cell 110a and an external device circuit. The first bus bar 330a is located on the first bus bar frame 310a. Such a first bus bar assembly 300a is covered by a seal assembly 400 and an end plate 500 described later, so it can be protected from external impacts and the durability reduction due to external moisture, foreign matters, etc. can be minimized.

[0115] The first bus bar 330a can be electrically connected to the first battery cell stack 120a via the electrode lead of the first battery cell 110a. Specifically, after passing through the slit formed in the first bus bar frame 310a, the electrode lead of the first battery cell 110a bends and is connected to the first bus bar 330a. The first battery cells 110a that make up the first battery cell stack 120a are connected in series or in parallel by the first bus bar 330a.

[0116] The first flexible printed circuit board 350a is configured to be mounted extending in the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a to sense the first battery cell 110a. That is, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the first flexible printed circuit board 350a can sense the electrical and thermal data of the first battery cell 110a while being placed on the upper part (z-axis direction) of the first battery cell stack 120a. In addition, the first flexible printed circuit board 350a is electrically connected to the first bus bar 330a while bending from the end of the first battery cell stack 120a toward the first bus bar frame 310a.

[0117] The first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b including such a configuration are electrically connected to each other to form one battery module 100.

[0118] Referring to FIGS. 11, 15, and 16, the battery module 100 according to this embodiment is formed by electrically connecting the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b to each other along the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the battery cells. Specifically, the first bus bar assembly 300a located at the other end of the first sub-module 100a and the second bus bar assembly 300b located at one end of the second sub-module 100b are electrically connected to form the battery module 100 according to this embodiment. In this case, referring to FIG. 16, the first bus bar assembly 300a and the second bus bar assembly 300b can be electrically connected by the connection cable 380. The connection cable 380 will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG. 18.

[0119] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, side plates 230 are provided on both side surfaces of a battery module 100 formed by electrically connecting a first sub-module 100a and a second sub-module 100b.

[0120] The side plate 230 may be a plate extending along the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction) of the battery module 100. Specifically, the length of the side plate 230 can correspond to the length of the battery module 100. Also, the length of the side plate 230 can correspond to the sum of the lengths of the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b. Here, the meaning of the lengths corresponding means that it can be the same as the length of the battery module or within an error range of around 10% from the same value.

[0121] The side plate 230 can be positioned to face the first outermost battery cell 110a of the first sub-module 100a and the second outermost battery cell 110b of the second sub-module 100b that make up the battery module 100. Also, the side plate 230 can be positioned to face the first compression pad 250a of the first sub-module 100a and the second compression pad 250b of the second sub-module 100b that make up the battery module 100.

[0122] The side plate 230 may be a rigid metal. The side plate 230 can serve to protect the first outermost battery cells 110a and 110b and the first compression pads 250a and 250b of the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b when the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b are inserted and mounted in the module frame 200.

[0123] In addition, since the first outermost battery cell stack 120a and the second outermost battery cell stack 120b that make up the battery module 100 of this embodiment are longer than general battery cell stacks, it is not easy to insert them into the module frame 200 for assembly. In this case, referring to FIGS. 15 to 17, the side plate 230 guides the insertion of the battery cell stack 120 that makes up the battery module 100 of this embodiment into the module frame 200, and enables easy assembly of the battery module without damaging the battery cell 110 and the first compression pad 250a and the second compression pad 250b.

[0124] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the inside of the A1 region in FIG. 11. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the A2 region in FIG. 11.

[0125] Referring to FIG. 18, a connection cable 380 is provided between the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b, whereby the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b can be electrically connected. The connection cable 380 may be a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC).

[0126] The connection cable 380 can connect the first flexible printed circuit board 350a located in the first sub-module 100a and the second flexible printed circuit board 350b located in the second sub-module 100b. At this time, the first bus bar frame 310a where the first flexible printed circuit board 350a is located and the second bus bar frame 310b where the second flexible printed circuit board 350b is located are each made of an insulating material, and insulate other components except the bus bar 330, the connection cable 380, and the flexible printed circuit board 350 that electrically connect the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b.

[0127] As described above, by connecting the first flexible printed circuit board 350a and the second flexible printed circuit board 350b via the connection cable 380, the first battery cell stack 120a and the second battery cell stack 120b can be electrically connected only by a cable without any other additional configuration, and the overall volume of the battery module 100 can be reduced. Therefore, the energy density of the battery can be increased, and the space utilization rate of the battery can be improved. In addition, when securing the installation space of the battery module 100 and providing the battery module 100 in a device such as an automobile, the running performance and fuel efficiency can be improved.

[0128] Referring to FIG. 19, the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b can be electrically connected by connecting the electrode leads 130 to each other. Specifically, the first electrode lead 130a of the first sub-module 100a and the second electrode lead 130b of the second sub-module 100b overlap each other and are electrically connected. In this case, the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b are in contact with and electrically connected to the bus bar 330 adjacent to each other. That is, the first electrode lead 130a, the second electrode lead 130b, and the bus bar 330 can be welded to each other and electrically connected.

[0129] Here, the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b that are electrically connected to each other may be electrode leads protruding from the outermost battery cells of the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 19, the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b are shown to be connected to each other on the other side (-x-axis direction) and one side (x-axis direction) of the battery module 100, but it is not limited thereto.

[0130] Specifically, in this drawing, the first electrode lead 130a protruding from the outermost battery cell of the first sub-module 100a to the other side (-x-axis direction) and the second electrode lead 130b protruding from the outermost battery cell of the second sub-module 100b to one side (x-axis direction) may be electrically connected to each other while corresponding to each other. In this case, the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b may have different polarities from each other.

[0131] The electrode leads that do not electrically connect between the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b are connected to other electrical components or the battery pack. That is, the first electrode lead 130a protruding from one side (x-axis direction) of the first sub-module 100a and the second electrode lead 130b protruding from the other side (-x-axis direction) of the second sub-module 100b can be electrically connected to other electrical components or the battery pack and positioned.

[0132] As described above, when the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b are electrically connected, the electrical connection relationship of the electrode leads and the current movement path will be described in detail below.

[0133] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the current movement path in the battery module.

[0134] Referring to FIG. 20, in the electrically connected first sub-module 100a and second sub-module 100b, the end extending in the x-axis direction is defined as one end, the end extending in the -x-axis direction is defined as the other end, and the region where the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b are electrically connected can be defined as the connection region A3. Hereinafter, the connection structure of the electrode leads and the current flow in the one end, the other end, and the connection region A3 will be described in detail.

[0135] The first outermost electrode lead 130a1 located at one end of the first sub-module 100a and the first electrode lead 130a6 located adjacent to it can be electrically connected to the outside to supply current to the first sub-module 100a and the second sub-module 100b. In this case, although the current is supplied from the outside to the first sub-module 100a, since the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b are electrically connected in the connection region A3, the current can also flow to the second sub-module 100b.

[0136] In the connection region A3, the outermost first electrode leads 130a2 and 130a3 in the first battery cell stack 120a of the first sub-module 100a with respect to the stacking direction (y-axis direction) and the outermost second electrode leads 130b1 and 130b5 in the second battery cell stack 120b of the second sub-module 100b with respect to the stacking direction (y-axis direction) are electrically connected to each other. Specifically, the outermost first electrode leads 130a2 and 130a3 located at the other end of the first sub-module 100a are electrically connected to the outermost second electrode leads 130b1 and 130b5 located at one end of the second sub-module 100b.

[0137] In this case, the electrode leads excluding the outermost first electrode leads 130a2 and 130a3 and the outermost second electrode leads 130b1 and 130b5 in the connection region A3 are electrically connected to the adjacent electrode leads respectively. More specifically, at the other end of the first sub-module 100a, the first electrode leads excluding the outermost first electrode leads 130a2 and 130a3 are electrically connected in pairs with the adjacent first electrode leads. Similarly, at one end of the second sub-module 100b, the second electrode leads excluding the outermost second electrode leads 130b1 and 130b5 are electrically connected in pairs with the adjacent second electrode leads.

[0138] At one end of the first sub-module 100a excluding the connection region A3, all the first electrode leads except the first outermost electrode lead 130a1 electrically connected to an external power source and the first electrode lead 130a6 adjacent thereto can be electrically connected to each other. As an example, adjacent first electrode leads are electrically connected in pairs.

[0139] At the other end of the second sub-module 100b excluding the connection region A3, adjacent second electrode leads can be electrically connected to each other. As an example, adjacent second electrode leads are electrically connected in pairs. Here, the second outermost electrode leads 130b2 and 130b4 of the second sub-module 100b are also electrically connected in pairs with the second electrode leads adjacent thereto.

[0140] As described above, when the electrical connection of the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b is formed, current can flow through such an electrical connection of the first electrode lead 130a and the second electrode lead 130b.

[0141] That is, the arrows in this drawing indicate the flow of current. However, the flow of current is not limited as described in this drawing, and it is also possible for an ordinary technician to change the electrical connection of the electrode leads to easily change the flow of current.

[0142] FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing that a first seal assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on one side of a module frame.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 21, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a first seal assembly 410 mounted on an open side of a module frame 200. Specifically, in the battery module 100 according to this embodiment, a bus bar assembly 300 electrically connected to a battery cell stack can be located on an open side of the module frame 200, and the first seal assembly 410 is mounted to cover the bus bar assembly 300.

[0144] The first seal assembly 410 can include a first seal cover 420 that covers one open side of the module frame 200, an inlet 421 that is a hole formed in the first seal cover 420, and a module connector 430 mounted on one area of the first seal cover 420.

[0145] The first seal cover 420 is a plate that covers one open side of the module frame 200 and can have a size corresponding to the size of one open side portion of the module frame 200. That is, the first seal cover 420 covers one open surface of the module frame 200 and is mounted on the module frame 200. As an example, the first seal cover 420 is fitted with the module frame 200.

[0146] The inlet 421 may be configured to allow a refrigerant to flow into the battery module 100. The inlet 421 may be a hole formed in one area of the first seal assembly 410. The inlet 421 may be a hole including a protruding portion protruding from the first seal cover 420 on the outer surface (x-axis direction) of the first seal cover 420. That is, the inlet 421 may be a hole including a protruding portion protruding in the direction opposite to the area where the module frame 200 is disposed. The protruding portion can be positioned to penetrate an inlet opening 540 formed in a first end plate 510 described later.

[0147] The inlet 421 can be located closer to the lower part (-z-axis direction) than the upper part of the first seal assembly 410. Specifically, the inlet 421 can be located below the central part with reference to the height (z-axis direction) of the first seal assembly 410. This is to improve the cooling performance of the battery cell stack and other electrical components located inside the module frame 200 by filling the inside of the module frame 200 with the refrigerant from the lower part to the upper part without any empty space after the refrigerant flows into the inside of the module frame 200.

[0148] However, the inlet 421 may be located on the same line as the outlet 461, which will be described later. For example, the inlet 421 may be located closer to the upper part than the lower part of the first seal assembly 410. In this case, after the refrigerant flows into the interior of the module frame 200, the refrigerant fills the space from the lower part to the upper part of the module frame 200 without any empty space, and then is discharged to the outside through the outlet 461.

[0149] The module connector 430 may be configured to detect and control phenomena such as overvoltage, overcurrent, and overheating of the battery cell. The module connector 430 is for LV (Low voltage) connection, where the LV connection can mean a sensing connection for detecting and controlling the voltage of the battery cell, etc. Voltage information and temperature information of the battery cell are transmitted to an external BMS (Battery Management System) via the module connector 430.

[0150] The module connector 430 is attached to the first seal cover 420. At this time, the module connector 430 is attached by being coupled to the first seal cover 420 via a coupling member 440. At least a part of the module connector 430 is exposed outside the first end plate 510, which will be described later, and the first end plate 510 is provided with a module connector opening 530 for this purpose.

[0151] The first seal assembly 410 is provided with a terminal bus bar 340. The terminal bus bar 340 may include a first terminal bus bar 341 and a second terminal bus bar 343, and the polarities of the first terminal bus bar 341 and the second terminal bus bar 343 may be different from each other.

[0152] The terminal bus bar 340 is electrically connected to the bus bar for electrically connecting one battery module 100 to other battery modules 100. To connect one battery module 100 to other external battery modules 100, at least a part of the terminal bus bar 340 is exposed outside the first end plate 510 described later, and the first end plate 510 is provided with a terminal bus bar opening 520 therefor.

[0153] The terminal bus bar 340 can further include a protruding portion 345 protruding from the outer surface of the first seal cover 420. The protruding portion 345 can be exposed outside the battery module 100 through the terminal bus bar opening 520 described later. The terminal bus bar 340 can be connected to other battery modules 100 and BDU (Battery Disconnect Unit) through the protruding portion 345 exposed through the terminal bus bar opening 520, and can form an HV (High voltage) connection with them.

[0154] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a process in which the first seal assembly of FIG. 21 is assembled. FIG. 22(a) is a diagram showing that a module connector is coupled to the first seal cover. FIG. 22(b) is a diagram showing that a sensing unit is coupled to the first seal cover. FIG. 22(c) is a diagram showing that all of the module connector and the sensing unit are coupled to the first seal cover.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 22, a module connector 430 is mounted on one surface of the first seal assembly 410, and a sensing unit 360 is mounted on the other surface of the first seal assembly 410, and the module connector 430 and the sensing unit 360 can be electrically connected to each other.

[0156] Referring to FIG. 22(a), a module connector 430 is mounted on one surface of the first seal cover 420. Specifically, the module connector 430 is mounted on the outer surface 420a of the first seal cover 420. The outer surface 420a of the first seal cover 420 may be a surface facing the first end plate 510 (see FIG. 24) described later and may not be a surface facing the module frame 200 (see FIG. 21).

[0157] The module connector 430 can be mounted and positioned in a fourth region A4 which is a region of the outer surface 420a of the first seal cover 420. The fourth region A4 is a region corresponding to the size of the module connector 430. A hole penetrating the first seal cover 420 is provided at the center of the fourth region A4, and a groove where a coupling member 440 can be mounted is provided at the apex of the fourth region A4. In this case, a coupling member 440 is provided at the apex of the module connector 430, and the coupling member 440 can be positioned in a region corresponding to the groove of the fourth region A4. Therefore, the coupling member 440 is coupled to the groove of the fourth region A4, whereby the module connector 430 is mounted in the fourth region A4.

[0158] Any coupling member 440 can be used as long as it can couple and fix the module connector 430 to the fourth region A4. As an example, it may be a bolt and nut or a rivet, etc.

[0159] Referring to FIGS. 22(b) and 22(c), a sensing unit 360 is mounted on the other surface of the first seal cover 420. Specifically, the sensing unit 360 is mounted on the inner surface 420b of the first seal cover 420. The inner surface 420b of the first seal cover 420 may be a surface facing the module frame 200 (see FIG. 21) and may not be a surface facing the first end plate 510 (see FIG. 24) described later.

[0160] The sensing unit 360 can include a sensing printed circuit board 361 and a sensing cable 363 electrically connected to the sensing printed circuit board 361. The sensing printed circuit board 361 is electrically connected to the module connector 430. The sensing printed circuit board 361 can be located in an area corresponding to the module connector 430. Specifically, the sensing printed circuit board 361 can be located in the fourth area A4. The sensing printed circuit board 361 can be electrically connected to the module connector 430 through the hole in the fourth area A4 and positioned.

[0161] The sensing cable 363 is a cable electrically connected to the sensing printed circuit board 361 and can include a cable connection part 363a and a cable extension part 363b.

[0162] The cable connection part 363a is connected to the sensing printed circuit board 361 and can be positioned in contact with the inner surface 420b of the first seal cover 420. The cable connection part 363a is fixed in contact with the inner surface 420b of the first seal cover 420 and is positioned without moving arbitrarily within the battery module 100 and does not cause damage to the components.

[0163] Specifically, the cable connection part 363a extends from the sensing printed circuit board 361 to the lower part of the first seal cover 420 and can extend after being bent from the lower part of the first seal cover 420. At this time, the part that is bent from the lower part of the first seal cover 420 and extends from the cable connection part 363a can be defined as the cable extension part 363b.

[0164] The cable extension part 363b can be electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board 350 located in the busbar assembly, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 22.

[0165] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the process of mounting the first seal assembly of FIG. 21 on one surface of the module frame. FIG. 23(a) is a diagram showing that the sensing cable is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board. FIG. 23(b) is a diagram showing that the first seal assembly is coupled to the module frame. FIG. 23(c) is a diagram showing that the first seal assembly and the module frame are sealed.

[0166] Referring to FIGS. 22(c) and 23(a), the sensing cable 363 can be electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board 350 located in the bus bar assembly. In this case, the sensing cable 363 can transmit voltage information and temperature information of the battery cell obtained from the flexible printed circuit board 350 to the sensing printed circuit board 361. In this case, the sensing printed circuit board 361 can transmit information such as battery cell information obtained from the flexible printed circuit board 350 to the module connector 430. That is, the sensing unit 360 can transmit the battery cell data obtained from the flexible printed circuit board 350 to the module connector 430.

[0167] Therefore, the module connector 430 can transmit the data obtained from the flexible printed circuit board 350 and the sensing unit 360 to the BMS (Battery Management System), and the BMS can control the charging and discharging of the battery cell based on the collected voltage data.

[0168] Referring to FIGS. 23(a) and 23(b), the first seal cover 420 covers an open side of the module frame 200 and is attached to the module frame 200. As an example, the first seal cover 420 is fitted with the module frame 200. In this case, the peripheral edge of the first seal cover 420 can include a protruding portion that protrudes partially in a direction of coupling with the module frame 200. At this time, a step is formed at the peripheral edge of the module frame 200 that couples with the first seal cover 420 so that the protruding portion of the peripheral edge of the first seal cover 420 can be fitted therein. Thus, the first seal cover 420 and the module frame 200 are fitted together.

[0169] Referring to FIG. 23(c), when the first seal cover 420 and an open side of the module frame 200 are coupled to each other, a first seal member 610 can be interposed along the peripheral edges of the first seal cover 420 and the module frame 200. When the first seal cover 420 and the module frame 200 are coupled, a fine gap may be generated therebetween due to assembly tolerances, and the first seal member 610 is used to seal the gap to improve the sealing force of the battery module 100. Therefore, leakage of the refrigerant located inside the battery module 100 can be prevented, leakage of the gas generated inside the battery module 100 can also be prevented, and the discharge direction of the gas can also be controlled, improving the safety of the battery module 100. Although shown externally to illustrate the first seal member 610 in FIG. 23(c), the first seal member 610 can be interposed between the module frame 200 and the first seal cover 420.

[0170] In this case, the first seal member 610 may be, for example, an adhesive tape.

[0171] Although not shown in this drawing, after the first seal assembly 410 is coupled to the module frame 200 and the periphery is sealed to the first seal member 610, other gaps present in the first seal assembly 410 can be sealed with the second seal member 620 (see FIGS. 25 and 26). That is, the second seal member 620 can be positioned to fill the gaps located in the region between the module frame 200 and the first seal assembly 410, excluding the region sealed by the first seal member 610. This seals the portion other than the periphery of the first seal assembly 410 that cannot be sealed by the first seal member 610 using the second seal member 620, in order to further improve the sealing force of the battery module 100. The second seal member 620 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26.

[0172] FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view showing a first end plate according to an embodiment of the present invention being attached to a first seal assembly.

[0173] Referring to FIG. 24, in the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first end plate 510 can be positioned to cover the first seal assembly 410.

[0174] The first end plate 510 can include a terminal bus bar opening 520, a module connector opening 530, and an inlet opening 540.

[0175] The terminal bus bar opening 520 is an opening provided in the first end plate 510. Specifically, the terminal bus bar opening 520 may be an opening formed in a region corresponding to the position of the terminal bus bar 340 provided in the first seal assembly 410.

[0176] The terminal bus bar opening 520 may be a protruding portion that protrudes from the first end plate 510 toward the outside of the battery module 100, and may have a configuration in which only the upper surface (z-axis direction) of the protruding portion is open. That is, although not shown in this drawing, the terminal bus bar opening 520 is exposed in the z-axis direction, whereby the protruding portion can be exposed to the outside. In this case, a part of the terminal bus bar 340 can be exposed to the outside on the upper surface of the protruding portion.

[0177] The size of the terminal bus bar opening 520 can be mainly determined by the size around the terminal bus bar 340. However, for ease of assembly or for reasons in the manufacturing process, the size of the terminal bus bar opening 520 is larger than the size of the exposed portion of the terminal bus bar 340, and at this time, a gap can occur between the terminal bus bar opening 520 and the terminal bus bar 340 exposed to the outside.

[0178] The module connector opening 530 and the inlet opening 540 are openings provided in the first end plate 510 and are holes passing through the first end plate 510. Specifically, the module connector opening 530 may be an opening formed in a region corresponding to the position of the module connector 430 provided in the first seal assembly 410, and the inlet opening 540 may be an opening formed in a region corresponding to the position of the inlet 421 provided in the first seal assembly 410. In this case, the module connector 430 is positioned by passing through the module connector opening 530, and the inlet 421 is positioned by passing through the inlet opening 540, whereby at least a part of the module connector 430 and the inlet 421 can be exposed to the outside.

[0179] The sizes of the module connector opening 530 and the inlet opening 540 can be determined mainly by the sizes around the module connector 430 and the inlet 421. However, for ease of assembly or due to manufacturing process reasons, the sizes of the module connector opening 530 and the inlet opening 540 are larger than the sizes of the exposed portions of the module connector 430 and the inlet 421. At this time, a gap can occur between the module connector 430 and the inlet 421 that are exposed outside the module connector opening 530 and the inlet opening 540.

[0180] The terminal bus bar 340 and the module connector 430 are each exposed to the outside through the terminal bus bar opening 520 and the module connector opening 530, so that the external electrical components can be easily connected to the HV and LV. Therefore, the efficiency of the assembly process can be improved.

[0181] Since the inlet 421 is exposed to the outside of the battery module 100 through the inlet opening 540, when the refrigerant is injected into the inside of the module frame 200 through the inlet 421, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant from leaking between the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510. Therefore, the refrigerant does not come into contact with the terminal bus bar 340 or the module connector 430 that makes an electrical connection with the outside. That is, a short circuit between the above components does not occur, and the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved.

[0182] A third seal member 630 can be interposed between the first end plate 510 and the first seal assembly 410.

[0183] The third sealing member 630 may have a shape corresponding to the periphery of the first seal assembly 410 or the periphery of the first end plate 510. The third sealing member 630 may be a resin that is applied to correspond to the periphery of the first seal assembly 410 or the periphery of the first end plate 510 and then cured. Specifically, the third sealing member 630 is applied to the first groove 411, which is a groove formed along the periphery of the first seal assembly 410, and can be cured after the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510 are joined. As an example, the third sealing member 630 may be an epoxy resin.

[0184] That is, by interposing the third sealing member 630 between the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510, the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510 can be joined without a gap formed by assembly tolerances.

[0185] Therefore, the sealing force of the battery module 100 can be improved to prevent leakage of the refrigerant located within the battery module 100, and the cooling performance of the battery module 100 can be improved. Also, within the battery module 100, the vent gas generated at a certain temperature and pressure or higher can be prevented from being discharged to the outside through the gap while the vent direction can be adjusted, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 100.

[0186] However, the type and formation method of the third sealing member 630 are not limited to the above-described content, and may be in the form of a gasket formed of an elastic member, or any form that can serve to seal the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510.

[0187] FIG. 25 is a view of the first end plate attached to the first seal assembly as viewed from the -x axis direction of FIG. 24. FIG. 26 is a view showing the A5 region along B-B' of FIG. 25.

[0188] Referring to FIGS. 25 and 26, it can be seen that the first seal member 610 and the third seal member 630 are located along the periphery of the first seal assembly 410, and the second seal member 620 is located in a region of the first seal assembly 410.

[0189] Regarding the second seal member 620, referring to FIG. 26, the second seal member 620 can be located in a region excluding the peripheral region of the first seal assembly 410. That is, the second seal member 620 can seal the remaining region of the first seal assembly 410 that cannot be covered by the first seal member 610 and the third seal member 630. Specifically, the second seal member 620 can seal a region with a gap in the first seal assembly 410. However, the region where the second seal member 620 is located is not limited to the region shown in this drawing. For example, the second seal member 620 may seal a portion with a gap in a region of the first seal assembly 410 to which the module connector 430 is coupled.

[0190] As a result, in addition to the peripheral portion of the first seal assembly 410, the portion with a gap is also sealed by the second seal member 620, so that the sealing force of the battery module 100 is improved, leakage of the refrigerant located inside the battery module 100 is prevented, and the cooling performance of the battery module 100 can be improved. Also, since the gas generated inside the battery module 100 at a certain temperature and pressure or higher is not discharged between the gaps of the first seal assembly 410 and the first end plate 510, the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved.

[0191] FIG. 27 is a view showing that the second seal assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to the other surface of the module frame.

[0192] Referring to FIG. 27, the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a second seal assembly 450 mounted on the open other surface of the module frame 200. Specifically, in the battery module 100 according to this embodiment, the bus bar assembly electrically connected to the battery cell stack can be located on the open other side of the module frame 200, and the second seal assembly 450 is mounted to cover the bus bar assembly.

[0193] The second seal assembly 450 can include a second seal cover 460 that covers the open other surface of the module frame 200, and an outlet 461 that is a hole formed in the second seal cover 460.

[0194] The second seal cover 460 is a plate that covers the open other surface of the module frame 200 and can have a size corresponding to the size of the open other surface of the module frame 200. Here, the meaning of the sizes corresponding means that it can be the same as the size of the open other side of the module frame 200 or within an error range of around 10% based on the same value. That is, the second seal cover 460 covers the open other side of the module frame 200 and is mounted on the module frame 200. As an example, the second seal cover 460 is fitted with the module frame 200.

[0195] The outlet 461 can discharge the refrigerant flowing into the battery module 100 through the inlet out of the battery module 100.

[0196] The outlet 461 may be a hole formed in a region of the second seal cover 460. The outlet 461 may be a hole including a protruding portion protruding from the outer surface (-x-axis direction) of the second seal cover 460. That is, the outlet 461 may be a hole including a protruding portion protruding in the opposite direction of the module frame 200. The protruding portion can be located through the outlet opening 560 formed in the second end plate 550 described later.

[0197] Outlet 461 can be located near the upper part (in the z-axis direction) of the second seal assembly 450. Specifically, outlet 461 can be located above the central part with reference to the height of the second seal assembly 450. However, the position of outlet 461 is not limited to this, but it is provided at a higher position than the inlet 421 described in FIG. 20.

[0198] Specifically, outlet 461 is provided at a higher position than the position of inlet 421. Alternatively, outlet 461 can be provided on the same line as inlet 421. In this case, however, both inlet 421 and outlet 461 can be located above the central part (in the z-axis direction) of the first seal cover 420 and the second seal cover 460. This is to ensure that after the refrigerant flows into the module frame 200, the refrigerant fills the empty space from the lower part to the upper part of the module frame 200 without any gaps and is then discharged to the outside through outlet 461. If inlet 421 and outlet 461 are located below the central part (in the -z-axis direction) of the first seal cover 420 and the second seal cover 460, even if the refrigerant flows into the inside of the module frame 200, it cannot contact all of the battery cell stack and other electrical components, and the cooling efficiency should decrease.

[0199] Therefore, if inlet 421 and outlet 461 are located on the same line, it is preferably located above the first seal cover 420 and the second seal cover 460. If inlet 421 and outlet 461 are not located on the same line, inlet 421 is preferably provided at a lower position than outlet 461.

[0200] When the second seal assembly 450 and the open other side of the module frame 200 are coupled to each other, the first seal member 610 can be interposed along the periphery of the second seal cover 460 and the module frame 200. This is because when the second seal cover 460 and the module frame 200 are coupled, a fine gap may occur between them due to assembly tolerances, and the seal member 600 is used to seal the gap to improve the sealing force of the battery module 100. Therefore, leakage of the refrigerant located inside the battery module 100 is prevented, leakage of the vent gas generated inside the battery module 100 is also prevented, and the discharge direction of the gas can be controlled, thereby improving the safety of the battery module 100.

[0201] In this case, the first seal member 610 may be, for example, an adhesive tape.

[0202] Although not shown in this drawing, after the second seal assembly 450 is coupled to the module frame 200 and the periphery is sealed with the first seal member 610, the gap existing on the second seal assembly 450 is sealed with the second seal member 620 (see FIG. 29). This seals the portion other than the periphery of the second seal assembly 450 that cannot be sealed with the first seal member 610 using the second seal member 620, in order to further improve the sealing force of the battery module 100. The second seal member 620 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 29.

[0203] FIG. 28 is an exploded perspective view showing that a second end plate according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a second seal assembly.

[0204] Referring to FIG. 28, in the battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the second end plate 550 can be positioned to cover the second seal assembly 450.

[0205] The second end plate 550 can include an outlet opening 560.

[0206] The outlet opening 560 is an opening provided in the second end plate 550 and is a hole passing through the second end plate 550. Specifically, the outlet opening 560 may be an opening formed in a region corresponding to the position of the outlet 461 provided in the second seal assembly 450. In this case, by positioning the outlet 461 to pass through the outlet opening 560, at least a part of the outlet 461 can be exposed to the outside.

[0207] The size of the outlet opening 560 can be mainly determined by the size around the outlet 461. However, for ease of assembly or due to reasons in the manufacturing process, the size of the outlet opening 560 is larger than the size of the exposed portion of the outlet 461. At this time, a gap can occur between the outlets 461 exposed to the outside of the outlet opening 560.

[0208] Since the outlet 461 is exposed to the outside of the battery module 100 through the outlet opening 560, when the refrigerant located inside the module frame 200 is discharged through the outlet 461, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant from leaking between the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550. Therefore, since the refrigerant does not come into contact with other electrical components, a short circuit does not occur, and the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved.

[0209] A third seal member 630 can be interposed between the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550.

[0210] The third seal member 630 may have a shape corresponding to the periphery of the second seal assembly 450 or the periphery of the second end plate 550. The third seal member 630 may be a resin that is applied to correspond to the periphery of the second seal assembly 450 or the periphery of the second end plate 550 and then cured. Specifically, the third seal member 630 is applied to the second groove 451, which is a groove formed along the periphery of the second seal assembly 450, and can be cured after the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550 are joined. As an example, the third seal member 630 may be an epoxy resin.

[0211] That is, by interposing the third seal member 630 between the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550, the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550 can be joined without a gap formed by assembly tolerances.

[0212] Therefore, the sealing force of the battery module 100 is improved, leakage of the refrigerant located within the battery module 100 is prevented, and thus the cooling performance of the battery can be improved. Also, within the battery module 100, the vent gas generated at a certain temperature and pressure or higher can have its vent direction adjusted while not being discharged to the outside through the gap, improving the safety of the battery module 100.

[0213] The type and formation method of the third seal member 630 are not limited to the above-described content, and it may be in the form of a gasket formed of an elastic member or any form that can serve to seal the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550.

[0214] FIG. 29 is a view of the second end plate attached to the second seal assembly as viewed from the -x axis direction in FIG. 28. FIG. 30 is a view showing the A6 region along C-C' in FIG. 29.

[0215] Referring to FIGS. 29 and 30, it can be seen that the first seal member 610 and the third seal member 630 are located along the periphery of the second seal assembly 450, and the second seal member 620 is located in a region of the second seal assembly 450.

[0216] Regarding the second seal member 620, referring to FIG. 30, the second seal member 620 can be located in a region excluding the peripheral region of the second seal assembly 450. That is, the second seal member 620 can seal the remaining region of the second seal assembly 450 that cannot be covered by the first seal member 610 and the third seal member 630. Specifically, the second seal member 620 can seal a region with a gap in the first seal assembly 410. However, the region where the second seal member 620 is located is not limited to the region shown in this drawing.

[0217] Thereby, in addition to the peripheral portion of the second seal assembly 450, the portion where the gap is located is also sealed by the second seal member 620, so that the sealing force of the battery module 100 is improved and the leakage of the refrigerant located inside the battery module 100 is prevented, and the cooling performance of the battery module 100 can be improved. Also, since the gas generated inside the battery module 100 at a certain temperature and pressure or above is not discharged between the gaps of the second seal assembly 450 and the second end plate 550, the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved.

[0218] FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view of a second seal assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 32 is a view when FIG. 31 is viewed from the -y axis direction.

[0219] Referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, the second seal assembly 450 according to another embodiment of the present invention can further include an outlet 461 and a module vent portion 470. Since the outlet 461 is the same as the above-described content, the module vent portion 470 will be mainly described below.

[0220] The module vent part 470 can discharge the gas generated inside the battery module 100 to the outside when the temperature and pressure are above a certain level. Specifically, the module vent part 470 allows the gas inside the battery module 100 to be discharged to the outside while preventing the refrigerant inside the battery module 100 from leaking.

[0221] The module vent part 470 is provided in a region of the second seal cover 460. The module vent part 470 can include a vent hole 471, a membrane 473, a fixing cover 475, and a vent protrusion 477.

[0222] The vent hole 471 may be a passage through which the gas generated inside the battery module 100 moves to the outside. The vent hole 471 may be at least one or more holes provided in a region of the second seal cover 460. The vent hole 471 can be structurally connected to the module connection part 472 described later in FIG. 33, and this will be described in detail in FIG. 33.

[0223] The membrane 473 may be a membrane that can discharge the gas located inside the battery module 100 to the outside through the vent hole 471 while preventing the refrigerant from leaking to the outside.

[0224] The membrane 473 can be located between the inner surface 460b of the second seal cover 460 and the fixing cover 475. The membrane 473 can be located in contact with the inner surface 460b of the second seal cover 460. In this case, one surface of the membrane 473 can be fixed in contact with the inner surface 460b of the second seal cover 460, and the other surface of the membrane 473 can be fixed in contact with one surface of the fixing cover 475.

[0225] The fixing cover 475 can allow the gas and refrigerant located inside the battery module 100 to pass through primarily. The fixing cover 475 can be located adjacent to the battery cell stack most closely.

[0226] The fixed cover 475 can be positioned in contact with the membrane. Specifically, one surface of the fixed cover 475 is adhered and fixed to the other surface of the membrane 473. In this case, the size of the fixed cover 475 corresponds to the size of the membrane 473 or is larger than the size of the membrane 473.

[0227] The fixed cover 475 may be in the form of a flat plate provided with holes. However, no holes are located in the peripheral region of the fixed cover 475.

[0228] When gas is generated inside the battery module, the gas passes through the holes of the fixed cover 475, passes through the membrane 473, and is discharged to the outside. Specifically, the gas sequentially passes through the holes of the fixed cover 475, the membrane 473, and the vent hole 471 and is discharged to the outside of the battery module. However, in this case, if the gas directly contacts the membrane 473, damage such as the membrane 473 being torn by pressure may occur. Therefore, in order to prevent damage, the holes of the fixed cover 475 are formed smaller than in this drawing. That is, the gas can pass through the membrane 473 in a state where it is maximally dispersed through the holes of the fixed cover 475, and damage to the membrane 473 can be prevented.

[0229] The peripheral region of the fixed cover 475 can contact the inner surface 460b of the membrane 473 and / or the second seal cover 460. In this case, although not shown in this drawing, an adhesive member can be interposed along the peripheral region of the fixed cover 475, and the fixed cover 475 can be fixed and positioned on the second seal assembly 450 by the adhesive member. The holes provided in the fixed cover 475 can move gas and refrigerant inside the battery module 100 to the membrane 473. The holes may be at least one or more.

[0230] The vent protrusion 477 may be a region where a region corresponding to the module vent portion 470 protrudes outward (in the x-axis direction) of the battery module 100. The vent protrusion 477 may be a region that extends and protrudes outward from a region provided with the vent hole 471. A part of the vent protrusion 477 passes through the second end plate 550 and is exposed to the outside, so that the vent gas can be completely discharged to the outside of the battery module 100. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 33.

[0231] FIG. 33 is a diagram showing that the second seal assembly of FIG. 31 is coupled to the second end plate.

[0232] Referring to FIG. 33, when the second end plate 550 is mounted to cover the second seal assembly 450, at least a part of the outlet 461 and the module vent portion 470 can be exposed to the outside through the second end plate 550.

[0233] Specifically, a part of the outlet 461 is exposed to the outside through the outlet opening 560 provided in the second end plate 550, and a part of the module vent portion 470 can be exposed to the outside through the vent opening 570 provided in the second end plate 550.

[0234] Since the outlet 461 and the outlet opening 560 are the same as those described above with reference to FIG. 28, the description thereof will be omitted, and the module vent portion 470 and the vent opening 570 will be described in detail below.

[0235] The module vent portion 470 includes a vent protrusion 477 that protrudes in a direction opposite to the module frame 200, and the vent protrusion 477 is provided with a module connection portion 472.

[0236] The module connection part 472 is a single hole that communicates with the above-described vent hole 471, and a part of it can be exposed to the outside by passing through the second end plate 550 like the vent protrusion 477. The module connection part 472 is connected to the pack vent part 2000 (Fig. 35) of the battery pack described later, so that the vent gas that has moved through the vent hole 471 is discharged to the outside of the battery module. That is, since at least a part of the module connection part 472 passes through the second end plate 550 and is exposed to the outside, it becomes easy to assemble with the pack vent part 2000. Therefore, the efficiency of the battery assembly process can be improved. Also, the vent gas discharged through the module connection part 472 does not stay in the space between the second end plate 550 and the second seal assembly 450. That is, since no vent gas remains inside the battery module 100, the safety of the battery module 100 can be improved.

[0237] The vent opening 570 is an opening provided in the second end plate 550 and is a hole that penetrates the second end plate 550. Specifically, the vent opening 570 may be an opening formed in a region corresponding to the position of the vent protrusion 477 provided in the second seal assembly 450. In this case, the vent protrusion 477 passes through the vent opening 570 together with the module connection part 472, so that at least a part of the vent protrusion 477 and the module connection part 472 can be exposed to the outside.

[0238] The size of the vent opening 570 can be mainly determined by the size around the vent protrusion 477. However, for ease of assembly or for reasons in the manufacturing process, the size of the vent opening 570 is larger than the size of the exposed part of the vent protrusion 477, and at this time, a gap can occur between the vent opening 570 and the vent protrusion 477 exposed to the outside.

[0239] FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing the inside of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 35 is a view showing a pack vent portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D' of FIG. 34. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of FIG. 34 viewed from the -z axis direction.

[0240] Referring to FIGS. 34 to 37, in a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of battery modules 100 are mounted in a space partitioned by internal beams 1110 within a lower pack frame 1100, and the plurality of battery modules 100 are connected to a pack vent portion 2000. Specifically, module vent portions 470 are provided at the ends of the plurality of battery modules 100, and the module vent portions 470 are connected to the pack vent portion 2000.

[0241] The pack vent portion 2000 can include a direction adjustment portion 2100, a pack connection portion 2200, and an outlet 2300.

[0242] Referring to FIGS. 35 to 37, the direction adjustment portion 2100 may be a pipe that controls the direction of vent gas so that the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1000. Specifically, the direction adjustment portion 2100 may be a pipe having one end blocked and the other end open and connected to the outlet 2300.

[0243] The direction adjustment portion 2100 can be located inside the side pack frame 1150. The direction adjustment portion 2100 extends along the side pack frame to the outlet 2300 and can discharge the vent gas to the outside through the outlet 2300.

[0244] Specifically, the direction adjustment unit 2100 can be positioned between the outer surface 1151 and the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150. In other words, a space is formed between the outer surface 1151 and the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150, and the direction adjustment unit 2100 can be positioned in such a space. In this case, referring to FIG. 36, the diameter of the direction adjustment unit 2100 is the same as or smaller than the width w1 of the side pack frame 1500. However, the position of the direction adjustment unit 2100 is not limited to this. As an example, the direction adjustment unit 2100 may be located outside the side pack frame 1150 and extend along the length of the side pack frame 1150.

[0245] The direction adjustment unit 2100 is connected to the pack connection unit 2200. The pack connection unit 2200 may be a region protruding from one surface of the direction adjustment unit 2100 toward the module vent part 470. In this case, referring to FIG. 35, the direction adjustment unit 2100 and the pack connection unit 2200 may be in a manifold shape.

[0246] The pack connection unit 2200 may be configured to connect the module vent part 470 and the pack vent part 2000. That is, the pack connection unit 2200 may be configured to connect the module vent part 470 and the direction adjustment unit 2100. Specifically, the pack connection unit 2200 is connected to the module vent part 470 so that the gas generated inside the battery module 100 can move to the pack vent part 2000. In this case, the pack connection unit 2200 is fitted and connected to the module vent part 470, but is not limited thereto.

[0247] The module vent part 470 includes a module connection part 472 that is exposed outside the battery module 100 and is connected to the pack connection part 2200, and a vent protrusion 477 that protrudes surrounding the module connection part 472. The vent protrusion 477 may be an area that surrounds the module connection part 472 and protrudes in the opposite direction of the module frame 200 from the second seal assembly 450. The vent protrusion 477 can physically protect the module connection part 472 and at the same time guide the connection of the pack connection part 2200 to the module connection part 472.

[0248] When the direction adjustment part 2100 is located inside the side pack frame 1150, the pack connection part 2200 can penetrate the side pack frame 1150. That is, the pack connection part 2200 can penetrate the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150. In this case, a hole is provided in an area of the inner surface 1152 of the side pack frame 1150 corresponding to the area where the pack connection part 2200 is provided. The hole can correspond to the size of the pack connection part 2200 or be larger than the size of the pack connection part 2200 for ease of assembly. Here, the meaning of corresponding in size can mean being the same as each other or within an error range of around 10% based on the same value as the size of the pack connection part 2200.

[0249] The discharge port 2300 shown in FIGS. 34 and 37 is connected to the direction adjustment part 2100 and can discharge the gas that has moved through the direction adjustment part 2100 to the outside of the battery pack 1000.

[0250] The discharge port 2300 is provided in the side pack frame 1150. Referring to FIG. 37, the discharge port 2300 is provided in an area of the side pack frame 1150. Specifically, the discharge port 2300 is provided in an area of the side pack frame 1150 where the pack connection part 2200 is not located. This is for setting the distance between the direction adjustment part 2100 and the discharge port 2300, that is, the movement path of the vent gas to be maximally long, and relatively reducing the intensity and temperature of the vent gas and discharging it to the outside.

[0251] The discharge port 2300 may be a member that opens, closes, or ruptures according to the pressure inside the battery pack 1000.

[0252] As an example, the discharge port 2300 is connected to the inside of the battery pack 1000 and is configured as a member that opens outward only when the pressure inside the battery pack 1000 reaches a certain pressure or higher and closes when the pressure is below the certain pressure. As an example, the discharge port 2300 may be a relief valve. However, the discharge port 2300 is not limited thereto, and any member that can be opened and closed by the pressure of the battery pack 1000 is included in this embodiment.

[0253] As another example, the discharge port 2300 can rupture when the pressure inside the battery pack 1000 reaches a certain level or higher. More specifically, the discharge port 2300 may include a rupture surface (not shown) configured to rupture when the pressure of the inflowing gas reaches a certain pressure or higher, such as a rupture disc. However, the structure of the discharge port 2300 is not limited thereto, and any configuration that communicates with the direction adjustment unit 2100 and enables the internal gas to be discharged to the outside is included in this embodiment.

[0254] As described above, the high-temperature gas and / or flame generated inside the battery module 100 is discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1000 by moving to the pack vent portion 2000 through the module vent portion 470. Specifically, the high-temperature gas and / or flame that has flowed in through the pack connection portion 2200 moves inside the direction adjustment unit 2100 and is finally discharged to the outside through the discharge port 2300 from the side pack frame 1150 where the discharge port 2300 is located.

[0255] As a result, the side pack frame 1150 and the direction adjustment unit 2100 provided inside the side pack frame 1150 can form a vent path, and the high-temperature gas and / or flame moving along the vent path can be cooled in contact with the inner surface of the direction adjustment unit 2100, and the gas and / or flame cooled by the discharge port 2300 can be safely discharged to the outside. Therefore, the safety of the battery pack 1000 can be improved.

[0256] The battery module and the battery pack including the battery module described above are applicable to various devices. Such devices can be applied to transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and is applicable to various devices that can use the battery module and the battery pack including the battery module, which also belong to the scope of the rights of the present invention.

[0257] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, but the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also belong to the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0258] 100: Battery module 100a: First sub-module 100b: Second sub-module 110: Battery cell 120: Battery cell laminate 200: Module frame 300: Bus bar assembly 400: Seal assembly 500: End plate 1000: Battery pack 2000: Pack vent part

Claims

1. A sub-module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a bus bar assembly including a bus bar that electrically connects the battery cells and a bus bar frame that covers the battery cell stack from at least one side, a module frame in which the sub-module is housed, a seal assembly that covers both open ends of the module frame, and an end plate that covers the seal assembly. A battery module including the above components.

2. Cooling fins are located between two adjacent battery cells in the battery cell stack, The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fin includes a plate that is adhesively fixed to one side surface of the battery cell.

3. The cooling fin further includes a protruding portion that protrudes from one end portion of the plate, The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the protruding portion protrudes and extends in parallel with the stacking direction of the battery cell stack.

4. The protruding portion is in contact with the upper surface or the lower surface of the module frame, The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the other end portion of the plate is in contact with the lower portion or the upper portion of the module frame.

5. The upper and lower portions of the battery cell have a certain height from the upper and lower surfaces of the module frame and are in contact with the plate. The battery module according to claim 2.

6. A space is provided between the upper surface of the module frame and the upper portion of the battery cell, and between the lower surface of the module frame and the lower portion of the battery cell, The battery module according to claim 5, wherein a refrigerant moves through the space.

7. The sub-module includes a first sub-module and a second sub-module, One end portion of the first sub-module and the other end portion of the second sub-module are electrically connected to each other, The battery module according to claim 1, wherein a first electrode lead located at the other end portion of the first sub-module and a second electrode lead located at one end portion of the second sub-module are electrically connected to each other.

8. The first electrode lead includes a first outermost electrode lead derived from the outermost battery cell of the battery cell stack constituting the first sub-module, The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the second electrode lead includes a second outermost electrode lead derived from the outermost battery cell of the battery cell stack constituting the second sub-module.

9. There are a plurality of the first electrode leads, and the first electrode leads excluding the first outermost electrode lead are electrically connected in pairs with adjacent ones of the first electrode leads. There are a plurality of the second electrode leads, and the second electrode leads excluding the second outermost electrode lead are electrically connected in pairs with adjacent ones of the second electrode leads. The battery module according to claim 8.

10. The seal assembly includes a first seal assembly that covers an open end portion of the module frame and a second seal assembly that covers an open other end portion of the module frame. The inlet, which is a hole through which the refrigerant flows in, and the outlet, which is a hole through which the refrigerant is discharged, are located in each of the first seal assembly and the second seal assembly, or are located in any one of the first seal assembly and the second seal assembly. The battery module according to claim 1.

11. The inlet is located below the midpoint of the height of the first seal assembly with reference to the height of the first seal assembly. The outlet is located above the midpoint of the height of the second seal assembly with reference to the height of the second seal assembly. The battery module according to claim 10.

12. The inlet and the outlet are located on the same line. The inlet is located above the midpoint of the height of the first seal assembly with reference to the height of the first seal assembly. The outlet is located above the midpoint of the height of the second seal assembly with reference to the height of the second seal assembly. The battery module according to claim 10.

13. The refrigerant is in direct contact with the battery cell stack and the bus bar assembly housed inside the module frame. The battery module according to claim 10.

14. The refrigerant is insulating oil. The battery module according to claim 10.

15. A first seal member is interposed along the periphery of the seal assembly coupled to both open end portions of the module frame. The battery module according to claim 1.

16. The first seal member is an adhesive tape. The battery module according to claim 15.

17. The battery module according to claim 15, further comprising a second sealing member positioned to fill a gap located in a region between the module frame and the seal assembly, excluding the region sealed by the first sealing member.

18. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising a third sealing member interposed along a periphery of the end plate and the seal assembly.

19. The battery module according to claim 18, wherein the third sealing member is an epoxy resin.

20. The seal assembly includes a module vent portion provided in a region of the seal assembly, wherein the module vent portion includes a vent hole penetrating the seal assembly, a module connection portion which is one hole communicating with the vent hole, a fixing cover provided between the vent hole and the bus bar assembly and fixed in contact with an inner surface of the seal assembly, and a membrane which is a film provided between the vent hole and the fixing cover and fixed in contact with the fixing cover. The battery module according to claim 1.

21. The module connection portion protrudes from the seal assembly in a direction opposite to the module frame, The battery module according to claim 20, further comprising a vent protrusion which is a region protruding from the seal assembly in a direction opposite to the module frame and surrounding the module connection portion.

22. The end plate covering the seal assembly provided with the module connection portion and the vent protrusion includes a vent opening, The battery module according to claim 21, wherein the vent opening is a hole penetrating the end plate, and the module connection portion and the vent protrusion are positioned to pass through the vent opening.

23. A battery pack including the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 22, and a pack vent portion connected to the battery module.

24. The pack vent portion includes a pack connection portion connected to the battery module, a direction adjustment portion which is a pipe communicating with the pack connection portion, and a discharge port provided in a region of a side pack frame and connected to the direction adjustment portion. The battery pack according to claim 23.

25. The direction adjustment portion is located inside the side pack frame, one end portion of the direction adjustment portion is blocked, and the other end portion of the direction adjustment portion is connected to the discharge port. The battery pack according to claim 24, wherein the pack connection portion is a region protruding from one surface of the direction adjustment portion toward the battery module.

26. The pack connection portion is connected to the module connection portion of the battery module. The battery pack according to claim 25, wherein the module connection portion is a hole communicating with the inside of the battery module.

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