Battery pack and automobile including same

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, which are configured to improve energy density and ensure structural stability even when a thermal event occurs.The battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell assembly, a cell case that houses the cell assembly and has an opening formed on at least one side, and a pack housing to which the cell case is coupled and which has a vent path facing the opening.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0124989, filed on September 30, 2022, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of that patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack configured to improve energy density and ensure structural stability even when a thermal event occurs, and a vehicle including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, as demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has grown rapidly and development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites has gained momentum, active research has been conducted into high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged.

[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention due to their advantages of being able to be freely charged and discharged since they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, as well as their extremely low self-discharge rate and high energy density.

[0005] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively, and include an electrode assembly in which positive and negative electrode plates coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials are arranged with a separator sandwiched therebetween, and an exterior packaging in which the electrode assembly is enclosed together with an electrolyte solution.

[0006] Meanwhile, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in an aluminum laminated sheet pouch, depending on the shape of the battery case. Can-type secondary batteries can be further classified into cylindrical secondary batteries and prismatic secondary batteries, depending on the shape of the metal can.

[0007] The pouch of a pouch-type secondary battery is generally divided into a lower sheet and an upper sheet covering the lower sheet. The pouch contains an electrode assembly formed by stacking and rolling up a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. After the electrode assembly is contained, the edges of the upper and lower sheets are sealed by heat sealing or the like. Furthermore, electrode tabs extending from each electrode are connected to electrode leads, and an insulating film may be attached to the electrode leads at the portions in contact with the sealing portions.

[0008] In this way, pouch-type secondary batteries can be flexibly adapted to various shapes. Another advantage of pouch-type secondary batteries is that they can be realized with smaller volume and mass than secondary batteries with the same capacity.

[0009] Such lithium secondary batteries are used as battery modules or battery packs in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked or laminated individually or mounted in a cartridge or the like to form a dense structure, and then electrically connected to each other.

[0010] However, such conventional battery packs may have disadvantages in terms of energy density. For example, typically, in the process of modularizing a plurality of battery cells by accommodating them in a module case, the volume of the battery pack may be unnecessarily increased or the space occupied by the battery cells may be reduced due to the presence of multiple components such as the module case and stacking frame. Furthermore, in addition to the space occupied by the components themselves, such as the module case and stacking frame, the space occupied by the battery cells may be reduced in order to ensure assembly tolerances for these components. As a result, the ability to increase energy density in conventional battery packs may be limited.

[0011] In addition, conventional battery packs may also be disadvantageous in terms of assembly. In particular, manufacturing a battery pack requires first modularizing a plurality of battery cells to form a battery module, and then housing the battery module in a pack case, which complicates the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the process and structure of forming a cell stack using the stacking frame, bolts, plates, etc. may be very complicated.

[0012] Furthermore, in the case of conventional battery packs, a module case is housed within a pack case, and battery cells are housed within the module case, which makes it difficult to ensure excellent cooling performance. In particular, when heat from the battery cells housed within the module case is dissipated to the outside of the pack case via the module case, the cooling efficiency may decrease and the cooling structure may become complicated.

[0013] Furthermore, in the case of a battery pack, one of the major issues is safety. In particular, if a thermal event occurs in one of the battery cells in the battery pack, it is necessary to suppress the propagation of the event to other battery cells.

[0014] If heat transfer between battery cells is not properly suppressed, it can lead to thermal events in other battery cells within the battery pack, potentially causing larger problems such as fire or explosion of the battery pack. Furthermore, fire or explosion occurring in the battery pack can cause significant damage to surrounding life and property. Therefore, a configuration that can properly control the aforementioned thermal events is required for such battery packs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a battery pack configured to improve energy density and ensure structural safety even when a thermal event occurs, and a vehicle including the same.

[0016] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the invention described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell assembly, a cell case that houses the cell assembly and has an opening on at least one side, and a pack housing to which the cell case is coupled and that has a vent path facing the opening.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cell casing includes a coupling portion configured to couple to the pack housing, and the coupling portion may be configured to make surface contact with the pack housing.

[0019] In one embodiment, the coupling portion may be configured to couple to a floor frame or top cover of the pack housing.

[0020] In one embodiment, the pack housing may include a plurality of frames coupled to one another, and at least some of the frames may include a vent path opposite the opening.

[0021] In one embodiment, the pack housing includes a flow hole that communicates with the vent path, and the flow hole may be formed at a position corresponding to the opening of the cell casing.

[0022] In one embodiment, the opening can be configured to fit tightly against a portion of the pack housing where the flow hole is formed.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cell casing may further include an insertion portion formed in the opening and configured to be inserted into the vent path through the flow hole.

[0024] In one embodiment, the insertion portion may be formed by bending the opening portion toward the inside of the vent path.

[0025] In one embodiment, the opening may be configured to have a larger area than the flow hole.

[0026] In one embodiment, a pair of the openings may be formed on both sides of the cell casing, and the communication holes may be formed at positions corresponding to the pair of openings.

[0027] In one embodiment, the pack housing may further include a guide portion bent from the flow hole toward the inside of the vent path.

[0028] In one embodiment, the cell assembly may be housed inside the cell casing, spaced apart from the opening.

[0029] In one embodiment, the cell casing further includes a flow prevention portion formed by folding from the opening toward the cell assembly, and the end of the flow prevention portion may be formed by folding in the direction of the vent path.

[0030] In one embodiment, a plurality of the cell assemblies are provided, a plurality of the cell cases are provided corresponding to the plurality of cell assemblies, the battery pack further includes a compression pad arranged between the cell cases, and the cell case may further include an extension portion extending from the open portion in the stacking direction of the plurality of cell cases and arranged between the pack housing and the compression pad.

[0031] Furthermore, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery pack according to the above-described aspect of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent thermal runaway and flame propagation between battery cells in one cell assembly, and also to prevent thermal runaway propagation and simultaneous multiple fires between multiple cell assemblies by directing the flow of vent gas and / or flame in a certain direction.

[0033] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one battery cell can be directly mounted and accommodated inside the pack housing without a separate module case. That is, the battery cell can be mounted in the pack housing in a shape in which a portion of the battery cell is enclosed by the cell case without a module case, so the mounted state of the cell assembly can be stably maintained even without a separate reinforcing member such as a pack cross beam for maintaining the mounted state of the cell assembly.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or a pack cross beam are not required, the space occupied by the module case or the reinforcing members and the space required to ensure tolerances within the pack housing are not required, which makes it possible to secure additional space within the pack housing for mounting cell assemblies, thereby further improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or a pack cross beam are not required, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0036] In addition to the above, various other effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be explained in the section of each embodiment, and explanations of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0037] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention to be described later, serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the matters described in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the detailed structure of the battery pack of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along line AA' in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cell assembly provided in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cell casing that covers the cell assembly of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram showing a pack housing provided in the battery pack of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a cell case is coupled to the pack housing of FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B show cell casings according to other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which vent gas or flame is emitted when a thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms himself / herself in order to best describe the invention.

[0040] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor at the time of this application.

[0041] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the detailed structure of the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack of Fig. 1 taken along line A-A' (specifically, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1 taken along line A-A' in the XY plane), Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack 10 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a cell assembly 100 provided in the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1. Meanwhile, in the embodiments of the present invention, electrode leads 112, which will be described later, are not shown in the drawings other than Fig. 5.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, the X-axis direction shown in the drawings may refer to the front-to-rear direction of a battery pack 10, which will be described later; the Y-axis direction may refer to the left-to-right direction of the battery pack 10, which is perpendicular to the X-axis direction on a horizontal plane (XY plane); and the Z-axis direction may refer to the up-down direction, which is perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0043] 1 to 5, a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cell assembly 100, a cell case 200, and a pack housing 300.

[0044] The cell assembly 100 may include at least one battery cell 110. Here, the battery cell may refer to a secondary battery. Such a battery cell 110 may be provided as a pouch-type battery cell, a cylindrical battery cell, or a prismatic battery cell. In one example, the battery cell 110 may be a pouch-type battery cell. An electrode lead 112 may be provided on at least one of both sides of the battery cell 110.

[0045] The cell casing 200 may house the cell assembly 100 therein. For this purpose, the cell casing 200 may be provided with an internal housing space for housing the cell assembly 100 therein. The cell casing 200 may include a material that is heat-resistant and highly rigid.

[0046] In one example, the cell casing 200 may be formed in a shape that is roughly similar to the letter "n." That is, the cell casing 200 may be configured with such a shape to enclose the battery cell 110 housed therein except for the both sides and the bottom side where the electrode leads 112 are provided. Furthermore, the cell casing 200 may be configured to cover both side surfaces and the top end of the cell assembly 100 in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0047] Specifically, an opening O may be formed on at least one side of the cell casing 200. In one example, the opening O may be formed on at least one of both sides in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the cell casing 200. That is, the opening O may be formed in a region of the cell casing 200 corresponding to a portion where the electrode lead 112 of the battery cell 110 is provided.

[0048] The pack housing 300 may house the cell case 200, which houses the cell assembly 100. To this end, the pack housing 300 may include an internal housing space for housing the cell case 200. The pack housing 300 may include a material that is heat-resistant and highly rigid.

[0049] Specifically, the cell casing 200 may be coupled to the pack housing 300. The pack housing 300 may also include a vent path C that faces the opening O of the cell casing 200.

[0050] In a typical battery pack, a specific battery cell may experience a thermal runaway phenomenon, which can generate high-temperature and high-pressure vent gas. If this vent gas comes into contact with oxygen, it can cause a fire inside or outside the battery pack.

[0051] Furthermore, there is a high risk that a fire that breaks out in one battery cell will spread to other adjacent battery cells, which could result in multiple simultaneous fires in multiple battery cells.

[0052] In the battery pack 10 of the present invention, the above-mentioned problem can be solved by configuring the opening O of the cell case 200 and the vent path C of the pack housing 300 to face each other. In this case, the vent path C can be configured to communicate with the opening O and guide the vent gas and / or flame to the outside of the pack housing 300. That is, such a vent path C can provide a flow space for discharging the vent gas and / or flame discharged through the opening O to the outside of the pack housing 300.

[0053] Specifically, the battery pack 10 of the present invention can guide the discharge direction of vent gas and / or flame through the opening O, which is the exposed portion of the cell casing 200. That is, the cell casing 200 can direct the vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100 into the vent path C of the pack housing 300 and guide the flow in a certain direction.

[0054] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent thermal runaway and flame propagation between battery cells 110 in one cell assembly 100. Furthermore, by directing the flow of vent gas and / or flame in a certain direction, it is possible to prevent thermal runaway propagation and simultaneous multiple fires between multiple cell assemblies 100.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, at least one battery cell 110 can be directly mounted and accommodated inside the pack housing 300 without a separate module case. That is, the battery cell 110 can be mounted in the pack housing 300 in a shape in which a portion of the battery cell 110 is enclosed by the cell case 200 without a module case, so the mounted state of the cell assembly 100 can be stably maintained even without a separate reinforcing member such as a pack cross beam for maintaining the mounted state of the cell assembly 100.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case and a pack cross beam are not required, there is no need for the space occupied by the module case and reinforcing members or the space required to ensure tolerances within the pack housing 300. Therefore, it is possible to secure additional space within the pack housing 300 for mounting the cell assemblies 100, and the energy density of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or a pack cross beam are not required, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0058] Furthermore, the cell casing 200 may include or be made of a steel material, particularly stainless steel (SUS). This embodiment prevents the cell casing 200 from easily melting even in a high-temperature flame, thereby preventing flame propagation between the cell assemblies 100. Furthermore, this embodiment keeps the structure of the cell casing 200 intact even in the event of a flame, thereby stably maintaining the internal structure of the battery pack 10.

[0059] Meanwhile, the pack housing 300 may be constructed as a single unit, or may be constructed as an assembly of multiple members.

[0060] 4, in one embodiment, pack housing 300 may include multiple frames coupled together, i.e., pack housing 300 may include multiple frames coupled together to form an interior storage space of a predetermined size.

[0061] 3, at least some of the frames may have a vent path C facing the opening O. Therefore, depending on the orientation of the opening O of the cell casing 200 within the pack housing 300, all of the frames may have the vent path C, or only some of the frames may have the vent path C.

[0062] Specifically, the pack housing 300 may include a side frame 310, a floor frame 320, an upper cover 330, and a reinforcing frame 340, as shown in FIG.

[0063] The side frames 310 may form side surfaces of the pack housing 300. In one example, the side frames 310 formed along the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) of the pack housing 300 may have the vent path C formed along the front-rear direction of the pack housing 300. That is, the vent path C of the side frames 310 may be configured to face the opening O of the cell case 200.

[0064] Additionally, although not shown in detail, the side frame 310 may include exhaust ports. Such exhaust ports may be configured to communicate with the vent path C to exhaust vent gases and / or flames to the exterior of the pack housing 300.

[0065] The floor frame 320 constitutes the lower part of the pack housing 300 and can be coupled to the lower part of the side frame 310 .

[0066] In this case, a heat sink (not shown) may be provided on floor frame 320. In one example, the lower portion of cell assembly 100 housed in cell case 200 may be placed on floor frame 320. As a result, heat generated from cell assembly 100 may be discharged to the outside of pack housing 300 via the heat sink provided on floor frame 320.

[0067] That is, since the cell assembly 100 can be in direct surface contact with the pack housing 300 without a separate module case, the heat emitted from the cell assembly 100 is directly transferred to the pack housing 300, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery pack 10.

[0068] The upper cover 330 is coupled to the upper part of the side frame 310 and can cover the cell case 200 housed inside the pack housing 300 .

[0069] The reinforcing frame 340 may be configured to reinforce the rigidity of the pack housing 300. In this case, the floor frame 320 may be disposed below the reinforcing frame 340. Furthermore, both ends of the reinforcing frame 340 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) may be coupled to one of the side frames 310 that is disposed along the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300. The reinforcing frame 340 may be disposed approximately in the center of the pack housing 300 when viewed from the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0070] Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 340 may have the aforementioned vent path C formed along the front-rear direction of the pack housing 300. That is, the vent path C of the reinforcing frame 340 may be configured to face the opening O of the cell case 200.

[0071] According to this embodiment, multiple vent paths C can be configured within the frame depending on the orientation of the open portion O of the cell case 200 housed inside, which has the advantage of reducing the manufacturing time and cost of the pack housing 300.

[0072] The detailed structure of the battery pack 10 of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

[0073] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cell case 200 that covers the cell assembly 100 of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a pack housing 300 provided in the battery pack 10 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the state in which the cell case 200 is coupled to the pack housing 300 of FIG. 7.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 8, the cell casing 200 may include a case body 210 and a coupling portion 220.

[0075] The case body 210 may be configured to enclose a portion of the cell assembly 100 in the internal space of the pack housing 300. Furthermore, the case body 210 may be configured to cover both side surfaces and an upper end portion of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). In particular, the case body 210 may be formed in a substantially "n" shape. Furthermore, an opening O may be formed on at least one side of the case body 210.

[0076] The coupling portion 220 may be configured to be coupled to the pack housing 300. Specifically, the coupling portion 220 may be configured to extend from the lower end of the case body 210 to both sides of the pack housing 300 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0077] Such coupling portion 220 may be configured to make surface contact with pack housing 300. In one example, coupling portion 220 may be configured to make surface contact with floor frame 320 of pack housing 300.

[0078] According to this embodiment, the cell case 200 and the cell assembly 100 housed therein can be housed more stably within the pack housing 300. This allows the flow of vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100 to be guided more stably in one direction.

[0079] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a cell casing 202 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Since the cell case 202 in this embodiment is similar to the cell case 200 in the above-described embodiment, redundant explanations of configurations that are substantially identical or similar to those in the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0081] 9, the cell casing 202 may be formed in a shape similar to the letter "U." That is, the cell casing 202 may be configured to enclose the battery cell 110 housed therein except for the upper and both sides where the electrode leads 112 are provided. In particular, the cell casing 202 may be configured to cover both side surfaces and a lower end of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0082] Specifically, an opening O may be formed on at least one side of the cell casing 202. In one example, the opening O may be formed on at least one of both sides in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the cell casing 202. That is, the opening O may be formed in a region of the cell casing 202 corresponding to a portion where the electrode lead 112 of the battery cell 110 is provided.

[0083] Furthermore, the coupling portion 220 of the cell casing 202 may be configured to be coupled to the top cover 330 of the pack housing 300. That is, the coupling portion of the cell casing 202 may be configured to come into surface contact with the top cover 330.

[0084] In this case, a heat transfer material (not shown) may be provided on the lower part of the upper cover 330. In one example, the upper part of the cell assembly 100 housed in the cell case 202 may be placed on the upper cover 330 side. As a result, heat generated from the cell assembly 100 may be discharged to the outside of the pack housing 300 via the heat transfer material provided on the upper cover 330.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the shape of the cell case 202 can be configured so that the cell assembly 100 can be placed on the top cover 330 side within the pack housing 300, so the cell case 202 can be configured in various shapes depending on the installation environment of the battery pack 10.

[0086] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the lower part of the cell case 202 can be stably placed on the floor frame 320 of the pack housing 300. Therefore, the stacking, placement, assembly, etc. of the cell case 202 and the cell assembly 100 housed therein can be more stably maintained.

[0087] 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which vent gas or flame is emitted during thermal runaway of a battery cell 110 in a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, in FIG. 10, vent gas and flame, which will be described later, are indicated by reference characters "V" and "F," respectively.

[0088] 7, 8 and 10, the pack housing 300 may further include a flow hole H.

[0089] The communication hole H may be configured to communicate with the vent path C. The communication hole H may also be formed at a position corresponding to the opening O of the cell case 200. In this case, at least one communication hole H may be formed along the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) of the pack housing 300. For example, such a communication hole H may be provided in the side frame 310 or the reinforcing frame 340.

[0090] In one example, each of the openings O of the multiple cell casings 200 that house the cell assemblies 100 therein can be configured to correspond to each of the multiple flow holes H.

[0091] That is, the open portion O of the cell case 200 is configured to face the flow hole H, so that the vent gas and / or flame flow discharged from the cell assembly 100 can flow into the vent path C more quickly.

[0092] According to this embodiment, not only can the flow of vent gas and / or flame be guided more stably, but the vent gas and / or flame can also be more quickly discharged to the outside of the pack housing 300 through the openings O of the multiple cell cases 200.

[0093] In particular, the opening O can be configured to fit closely to the portion of the pack housing 300 where the flow hole H is formed.

[0094] In other words, the opening O can be tightly fitted to the part of the pack housing 300 where the communication hole H is formed so that no gap is formed between the opening O and the communication hole H in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0095] This makes it possible to prevent vent gas and / or flames discharged from one cell assembly 100 from being directed toward other cell assemblies 100 housed in adjacent cell cases 200. As a result, simultaneous multiple fires between multiple cell assemblies 100 can be further suppressed.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10, the openings O of the cell casing 200 may be formed in pairs on both sides of the cell casing 200.

[0097] Furthermore, the communication holes H of the pack housing 300 may be formed at positions corresponding to the pair of openings O of the cell case 200 .

[0098] In one example, the pair of openings O of the cell case 200 can be provided at positions corresponding to the flow holes H of the side frames 310 arranged opposite each other in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0099] In another example, as described above, the pack housing 300 may be provided with a reinforcing frame 340. In this case, one of the pair of openings O of the cell case 200 may be provided at a position corresponding to the flow hole H of the side frame 310. The other of the pair of openings O of the cell case 200 may be provided at a position corresponding to the flow hole H of the reinforcing frame 340. Furthermore, when the pack housing 300 is provided with the reinforcing frame 340, the cell cases 200 that house the cell assemblies 100 therein may be disposed on both sides of the reinforcing frame 340.

[0100] 3 and 10, a partition wall (W) extending in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) of the pack housing 300 may be provided inside the reinforcing frame 340. Such a partition wall W can block vent gas and / or flames discharged from the opening O of the cell casing 200 arranged on one side of the reinforcing frame 340 from flowing into the opening O of the cell casing 200 arranged on the other side of the reinforcing frame 340.

[0101] In this implementation, the openings O formed on both sides of the cell casing 200 allow for faster removal of thermal events from the cell assembly 100 .

[0102] 3 and 10, the cell assembly 100 can be housed inside the cell casing 200, spaced apart from the opening O.

[0103] That is, the length of the cell assembly 100 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) can be formed to be shorter than the length of the cell case 200 in the left-right direction.

[0104] This allows vent gas and / or flames discharged from the cell assembly 100 to impinge on the inner end of the cell casing 200 adjacent to the opening O and be discharged to the vent path C.

[0105] This type of implementation not only ensures that the flow of vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100 is directional, but also more reliably prevents simultaneous ignition between multiple cell assemblies 100.

[0106] 3 and 10, a plurality of cell assemblies 100 may be provided. Also, a plurality of cell casings 200 may be provided corresponding to the plurality of cell assemblies 100.

[0107] The battery pack 10 may further include a compression pad P disposed between the cell casings 200. In one example, the compression pad P may include an elastic material such as a sponge. Furthermore, the compression pad P may include a heat insulating material.

[0108] The compression pad P may be configured to be in close contact with the cell case 200 that faces the cell case 200 in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of cell cases 200. As a result, the compression pad P may be configured to suppress swelling that may occur in the cell assembly 100. The size of the surface of the compression pad P that faces the cell case 200 may be formed to correspond to the size of the side surface of the cell case 200 in the stacking direction (X-axis direction).

[0109] This delays the spread of flames due to thermal runaway of the cell assembly 100 and simultaneously suppresses swelling that may occur in the cell assembly 100, thereby further ensuring the structural stability of the battery pack 10.

[0110] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a battery pack 11 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] Since the battery pack 11 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, redundant explanations of configurations that are substantially the same or similar to those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 11 , in the battery pack 11 , the cell case 200 may further include an insert portion 230 .

[0113] The insertion portion 230 is formed in the opening O and can be configured to be inserted into the vent path C of the pack housing 300 through the flow hole H.

[0114] Specifically, the insertion portion 230 may be extended from the opening O. In particular, the insertion portion 230 may be formed in a shape in which the left end portion and / or the right end portion of the case body 210 is extended.

[0115] Furthermore, the insertion portion 230 can be fitted tightly to the flow hole H in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) of the pack housing 300. This allows the vent gas and / or flame discharged from one cell assembly 100 to flow only into the vent path C of the pack housing 300, and more reliably prevents it from flowing toward other cell assemblies 100 housed in adjacent cell cases 200.

[0116] According to the battery pack 11 of this embodiment, the cell assembly 100 can be more stably accommodated inside the pack housing 300. In addition, the flow of vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100 can be more stably guided in a specific direction.

[0117] 12 is a diagram showing a battery pack 12 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which vent gas and flame are indicated by reference characters "V" and "F," respectively.

[0118] The battery pack 12 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, and therefore, a redundant description of the configuration that is substantially the same as or similar to the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 12, in the battery pack 12, the insertion portion 230 may be formed by bending from the opening O toward the inside of the vent path C.

[0120] Specifically, the insertion portion 230 can be extended from the open portion O. The insertion portion 230 can be inserted into the vent path C through the communication hole H and bent inward of the vent path C.

[0121] In this case, the insert 230 may be formed of an elastic material or in an elastic shape to facilitate insertion of the bent insert 230 into the vent path C. When inserted into the vent path C, the insert 230 may come into contact with the inner surface of the pack housing 300 (the inner surface of the side frame 310 or the reinforcing frame 340). This may make the connection of the cell case 200 to the pack housing 300 more stable.

[0122] Additionally, vent gases and / or flames discharged from cell assembly 100 can naturally flow into vent path C along insert 230 bent inwardly of vent path C.

[0123] According to the battery pack 12 of this embodiment, the cell assembly 100 can be more reliably accommodated inside the pack housing 300. Also, the discharge direction of the vent gas and / or flame can be more reliably guided along the insertion portion 230.

[0124] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a battery pack 13 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] Since the battery pack 13 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, redundant explanations of configurations that are substantially the same or similar to those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 13, in the battery pack 13, the opening O of the cell case 200 may be configured to have a larger area than the flow hole H of the pack housing 300.

[0127] Specifically, the opening O of the cell casing 200 can be formed larger than the flow hole H of the opposing pack housing 300. This can further minimize the possibility that vent gas and / or flames discharged from one cell assembly 100 will be directed toward another cell assembly 100 housed in an adjacent cell casing 200.

[0128] According to the battery pack 13 of this embodiment, simultaneous and multiple fires among the plurality of cell assemblies 100 can be more reliably prevented.

[0129] 14 is a diagram showing a battery pack 14 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which vent gas and flame are indicated by reference characters "V" and "F," respectively.

[0130] Since the battery pack 14 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, redundant descriptions of configurations that are substantially the same as or similar to those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 14, in the battery pack 14, the pack housing 300 may further include a guide portion D.

[0132] The guide portion D may be formed by being bent from the through hole H toward the inside of the vent path C. Specifically, the guide portion D may extend from the through hole H toward the inside of the vent path C and be bent.

[0133] Such guide portion D can provide more directionality to the discharge direction of the vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100. In other words, the vent gas and / or flame discharged from the cell assembly 100 can pass through the flow holes H and naturally flow into the vent path C along the guide portion D.

[0134] Furthermore, the vent gas and / or flame that flows into the vent path C can collide with the guide portion D, minimizing backflow into the cell casing 200. In this case, the degree of bending from the flow hole H of the guide portion D toward the inside of the vent path C can be set to an angle that can suppress backflow of the vent gas and / or flame into the cell casing 200.

[0135] The battery pack 14 according to this embodiment can not only guide the flow of vent gas and / or flame more stably, but also prevent or minimize the possibility of vent gas and / or flame discharged from one cell assembly 100 flowing back into another cell assembly 100, causing fire in the other cell assembly 100.

[0136] 15 is a diagram showing a battery pack 15 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which vent gas and flame are indicated by reference characters "V" and "F," respectively.

[0137] Since the battery pack 15 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, redundant descriptions of configurations that are substantially the same or similar to those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 15, in the battery pack 15, the cell casing 200 may further include a flow prevention portion M.

[0139] The flow prevention portion M may be formed by bending from the opening O of the cell casing 200 toward the cell assembly 100. Specifically, the flow prevention portion M may be formed by bending toward the inside of the cell casing 200 so as to face the cell assembly 100.

[0140] In addition, the end of the flow prevention portion M may be formed by being bent in the direction of the vent path C. Specifically, the flow prevention portion M may be formed by being bent from the open portion O of the cell casing 200 toward the cell assembly 100, and the end may be formed by being bent in the direction of the vent path C. In one example, the end of the flow prevention portion M may be formed by being bent multiple times in the direction of the vent path C.

[0141] In this case, vent gas and / or flames that flow into the vent path C through the opening O may collide with the outer surface of the flow prevention portion M, minimizing their flow into the cell casing 200.

[0142] The battery pack 15 according to this embodiment can prevent or minimize the occurrence of fire caused by backflow of vent gas and / or flame discharged from one cell assembly 100 into the cell assembly 100.

[0143] 16 and 17 are diagrams showing a battery pack 16 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In this case, Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the state of the battery pack 16 before swelling of the cell assembly 100, and Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the state of the battery pack 16 after swelling of the cell assembly 100.

[0144] Since the battery pack 16 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, redundant descriptions of configurations that are substantially the same as or similar to those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0145] 16 and 17, in the battery pack 16, the cell casing 200 may further include an extension 240.

[0146] 16 and 17, in the battery pack 16, the cell casing 200 may further include an extension portion 240.

[0147] Specifically, the extension portion 240 may extend from the open portion O in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the multiple cell cases 200. Furthermore, the extension portion 240 may be disposed between the pack housing 300 and the compression pad P in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0148] In particular, the extension portions 240 of the cell cases 200 adjacent to each other with the compression pad P therebetween can be arranged overlapping each other between the pack housing 300 and the compression pad P in the left-right direction of the pack housing 300 (Y-axis direction).

[0149] In an embodiment of the present invention, when swelling occurs in the cell assembly 100, the cell assembly 100 may expand. In this case, the cell case 200 that houses the cell assembly 100 may also expand at the side in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the multiple cell cases 200. This may cause the gap between the pack housing 300 and the extension portion 240 to widen in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0150] In the battery pack 16 according to this embodiment, as described above, the extension portions 240 of the cell cases 200 can be disposed between the pack housing 300 and the compression pad P. Therefore, even if swelling occurs in the cell assembly 100, as shown in Fig. 17, the extension portions 240 of adjacent cell cases 200 sandwiching the compression pad P are folded in an overlapping state, thereby sealing gaps in the stacking direction of the multiple cell cases 200.

[0151] 17, the compression pad P can be compressed in response to the expansion of the side surfaces of the cell cases 200 due to the expansion of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the compression pad P can be expanded in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300 while being compressed in the stacking direction of the multiple cell cases 200. This allows the compression pad P to press the extension portions 240 of the cell cases 200 adjacent to each other across the compression pad P toward the pack housing 300. In this case, gaps in the stacking direction of the multiple cell cases 200, particularly gaps between the cell cases 200 and the pack housing 300, can be more reliably sealed.

[0152] According to the battery pack 16 of this embodiment, when a swelling phenomenon occurs in a cell assembly 100 and a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs at the same time, the direction of vent gas and / or flames emitted from one cell assembly 100 toward other cell assemblies 100 housed in adjacent cell cases 200 can be minimized.

[0153] Meanwhile, in the various embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 to 17 above, the flow holes H of the pack housing 300 are shown as open, but the flow holes H may be configured to be closed rather than open in a normal state. For example, the flow holes H of the pack housing 300 may be provided with a separate door member (not shown) and be closed in a normal state. However, if vent gas or the like is generated from a specific cell assembly 100, the flow hole H corresponding to that cell assembly 100 may be configured to open under pressure, heat, or the like. For example, the flow holes H may be configured to be blocked by a member such as a mica sheet. Furthermore, such a mica sheet may have cuts or notches cut into specific portions in advance so that they can be opened under pressure, or the like.

[0154] According to this embodiment of the present invention, vent gas, flames, and the like flowing through the vent path C can be more effectively prevented from flowing through the communication holes H into the other cell assemblies 100 side.

[0155] The battery packs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 according to the present invention can be applied to automobiles such as electric vehicles, that is, an automobile according to the present invention can include at least one of the battery packs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 according to the present invention.

[0156] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to these, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of equivalents of the claims.

[0157] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art of the present invention that these terms are used for the convenience of explanation and may differ depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0158] 10 Battery Pack 11 Battery pack 12 Battery Pack 13 Battery pack 14 Battery Pack 15 Battery Pack 16 Battery Pack 100 Cell Assembly 110 battery cells 112 Electrode Lead 200 cell cases 202 Cell Case 210 Case Body 220 Joint 230 Insertion section 240 Extension 300 pack housing 310 Side Frame 320 floor frame 330 Upper cover 340 Reinforcement Frame C Vent path D Guide section H Flow hole M Flow prevention part O open part P Compression Pad W Bulkhead

Claims

1. A cell assembly; a cell case that houses the cell assembly therein and has an opening formed on at least one side; a pack housing to which the cell case is coupled and which has a vent path facing the opening; Including the battery pack.

2. The cell casing is a coupling portion configured to couple to the pack housing; The coupling portion is The battery pack of claim 1 , configured to make surface contact with the pack housing.

3. The coupling portion is The battery pack of claim 2 , configured to couple to a floor frame or a top cover of the pack housing.

4. The pack housing includes: It has multiple frames that are joined together, At least some of the plurality of frames The battery pack of claim 1 , further comprising a vent path opposite the opening.

5. The pack housing includes: a flow hole communicating with the vent path; The flow hole is The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is formed at a position corresponding to the opening of the cell case.

6. The opening is The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the battery pack is configured to come into close contact with a portion of the pack housing where the communication hole is formed.

7. The cell casing is The battery pack according to claim 6 , further comprising an insertion portion formed in the opening and configured to be inserted into the vent path through the flow hole.

8. The insertion portion is The battery pack according to claim 7 , wherein the opening is bent inwardly of the vent path.

9. The opening is The battery pack according to claim 6 , configured to have an area larger than that of the flow holes.

10. The opening is A pair of the cell casings are formed on both sides of the cell casing, The flow hole is The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the openings are formed at positions corresponding to the pair of openings.

11. The pack housing includes: The battery pack according to claim 5 , further comprising a guide portion formed by bending the flow hole inwardly of the vent path.

12. The cell assembly comprises: The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is housed inside the cell case and spaced from the opening.

13. The cell casing is a flow prevention portion formed by bending the opening portion toward the cell assembly, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the flow prevention portion is bent toward the vent path.

14. The cell assembly comprises: There are several available, The cell casing is a plurality of the cell assemblies are provided corresponding to the plurality of cell assemblies, The battery pack further comprising a compression pad disposed between the cell casings; The cell casing is The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising an extension portion extending from the opening in a stacking direction of the plurality of cell cases and disposed between the pack housing and the compression pad.

15. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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