Cell module assembly and battery pack including same

Abstract

A cell module assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; and an insulating member disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and at least one other of the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member including a support plate, the support plate including a body and a spacer coupled to the body, the spacer having a higher melting point than the body so as to maintain its shape and structure during a thermal event of the battery cell.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0184465 dated December 26, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0184466 dated December 26, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a cell module assembly and a battery pack including the same, and more particularly to a cell module assembly including a blocking member for preventing heat conduction between battery cells during a thermal event in the battery cells, and a battery pack including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, commercialized secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of these, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages over nickel-based secondary batteries, such as almost no memory effect, freedom in charging and discharging, extremely low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0004] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as 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 disposed with a separator between them, and an exterior material, i.e., a battery case, that hermetically houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0005] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into can-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

[0006] These secondary batteries are widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium- to large-sized devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), and their usage is rapidly increasing. Furthermore, the use of battery packs for storing power is also increasing in homes, in addition to vehicles.

[0007] There is a continuing need for a cell module assembly and a battery pack including the same that ensure stability even when a thermal event occurs inside the battery cell. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a cell module assembly including a blocking member for preventing heat conduction between battery cells during a thermal event in the battery cells, and a battery pack including the same, and at the same time, to provide a solution that can maximize effectiveness while reducing production costs of the cell module assembly including the blocking member and the battery pack including the same.

[0009] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A cell module assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and an insulating member disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and at least one other of the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member including a support plate, the support plate including a body and a spacer coupled to the body, and the spacer may have a higher melting point than the body so as to maintain its shape and structure during a thermal event of the battery cell.

[0011] The main body can be made of a plastic material and the spacer can be made of a metal material.

[0012] The spacer has a frame structure, and the frame can include a plurality of sub-frames.

[0013] Each of the plurality of sub-frames may have the same shape and structure and may be arranged along the main surface of the blocking member.

[0014] Each of the plurality of sub-frames may have a rectangular or square frame shape so that the spacer has a lattice structure.

[0015] Each of the plurality of sub-frames may have a regular hexagonal border shape of the same size so that the spacer has a honeycomb structure.

[0016] The spacer can include a plurality of first bar members arranged along one direction and a plurality of second bar members arranged crossing the first bar members.

[0017] The first bar member and the second bar member may be perpendicular to each other.

[0018] Each of the plurality of first bar members may be arranged spaced apart from one another at a first predetermined equal interval, and each of the plurality of second bar members may be arranged spaced apart from one another at a second predetermined equal interval.

[0019] The spacer can be manufactured by welding the first bar member and the second bar member together.

[0020] A plurality of spacers may be provided and arranged in a dot array at predetermined intervals along at least one direction of the support plate.

[0021] The spacer can have the shape of a disk or a square plate.

[0022] The spacer can be manufactured in one piece by a casting method.

[0023] The spacer may be exposed to the outside from one or both of the outer surfaces of the support plate that face the battery cells, and one or both of the surfaces where the body and the spacer are joined may be flat without any steps.

[0024] The spacer includes a separation prevention portion disposed inside the support plate, and the separation prevention portion may have a convex portion protruding outward from the side surface or a concave portion recessed inward from the side surface.

[0025] The spacer can be inserted inside the body and not exposed on the surface of the support plate.

[0026] The body and the spacer can be integrally manufactured, and can be manufactured by injection molding the body after the spacer is placed, i.e., the body can be integrally formed by injection molding the body onto the spacer.

[0027] The main body and the spacer may be manufactured separately and then assembled, and the main body may include a pair of plate members, and the spacer may be arranged on one of the pair of plate members, and then the other of the pair of plate members may be joined. That is, the main body and the spacer may be configured in an assembled manner, and the main body may include a pair of plate members, and the main body may be configured by joining one of the pair of plate members, on which the spacer is arranged, to the other of the pair of plate members.

[0028] The pair of plate members constitute half of the main body when viewed from the side end of the support plate, and each of the pair of plate members has a spacer mounting portion formed thereon, and the spacer mounting portions may be formed as point-arranged spacer mounting portions spaced a predetermined distance apart along at least one direction of the support plate.

[0029] The spacer mounting portion has an opening shape with an opening, and the spacer is exposed to the outside of the support plate. The spacer mounting portion has a mounting step around the opening where the spacer detachment prevention portion is mounted. The mounting step can be formed on the surfaces of the pair of plate members facing each other.

[0030] The spacer mounting portion may have a concave shape and be formed on the surfaces of the pair of plate members facing each other, and the spacer may be inserted into the interior of the support plate.

[0031] Each of the pair of plate members may have a connecting member on a side thereof, and a female connecting member may be arranged on one of the pair of plate members, and a male connecting member may be arranged on the other of the pair of plate members.

[0032] The coupling member may be configured as a hook coupling.

[0033] Each of the pair of plate members may have a guide member at a corner, and a female guide member may be arranged on one of the pair of plate members, and a male guide member may be arranged on the other of the pair of plate members.

[0034] The female guide member may be an L-shaped recess formed along the corner of the plate member, and the male guide member may be an L-shaped protrusion formed along the corner of the plate member.

[0035] The blocking member may further include a pair of swelling pads provided on both sides of the body, respectively.

[0036] The blocking member may further include a plurality of bodies, each of which may include a swelling pad disposed between the bodies.

[0037] The battery pack may further include a pair of bus bar housings, each having an opening through which the electrode leads of the battery cells pass, and disposed on both sides of the stack of battery cells; and a pair of end plates, each connecting both ends of the pair of bus bar housings.

[0038] A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention includes one or more of the above-described cell module assemblies according to the present invention, and a pack case that houses the cell module assemblies therein.

[0039] An energy storage device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes one or more of the above-described battery packs according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, even if a thermal event occurs inside a battery pack, i.e., if a problem such as thermal runaway or fire occurs in some battery cells, it is possible to effectively prevent such a problem from spreading to other battery cells.

[0041] At the same time, the production costs of the cell module assembly including the blocking member and the battery pack including the same can be reduced, while maximizing the effect.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery pack having a simple structure and enhanced stability during a thermal event in the battery cells.

[0043] In addition, various other additional effects can be achieved by the embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or the description of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0044] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention described below, serve to further understand the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters depicted in these drawings.

[0045] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cell module assembly (CMA) and a blocking member included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 shows the cell module assembly and the blocking member of FIG. 1 separately. [Figure 3] 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an embodiment of the blocking member of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view of the blocking member of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 4 illustrates one embodiment of a support plate and spacer included in the blocking member of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] Only the spacer in FIG. 5 is shown. [Figure 7] 7 shows a modified embodiment of the spacer of FIG. 6; [Figure 8] 8 shows another modified embodiment of the spacer of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 6 shows a modified embodiment of the support plate of FIG. 5; [Figure 10] 10 shows yet another embodiment of the spacer of FIGS. 5 to 9. [Figure 11] 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of another embodiment of a blocking member taken along (or parallel to) a major surface of body 210 of blocking member 200 of FIG. [Figure 12] 12 illustrates one embodiment of a support plate and spacer included in the blocking member of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 13 shows a modified embodiment of the support plate and spacer of FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 13 shows a modified embodiment of the support plate of FIG. 12; [Figure 15] 14 shows a modified embodiment of the support plate of FIG. 13; [Figure 16] 15 shows a cross section of the spacer of FIGS. 12 and 14 taken along line AA. [Figure 17] 15 shows another modified embodiment of the spacer of FIGS. 12 and 14. FIG. [Figure 18] 16 shows yet another embodiment of the spacer of FIGS. 12 to 15. [Figure 19] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] 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 interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept that is consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term in order to best describe his / her invention.

[0047] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there are various equivalents and modifications that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0048] In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description will be omitted and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0049] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, thicknesses are exaggerated to clearly show multiple layers and regions. In the drawings, thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation.

[0050] Furthermore, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is said to be "on" or "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly above" that other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there is no other part in the middle. Furthermore, being "on" or "above" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being "above" or "above" facing the opposite direction of gravity.

[0051] Meanwhile, in this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used, but these terms are used for convenience of explanation, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art of the present invention that they may differ depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc.

[0052] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, it does not mean that it excludes other elements, but that it may further include other elements, unless otherwise specified.

[0053] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cell module assembly (CMA) 100 and a blocking member 200 included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing the cell module assembly 100 and the blocking member 200 of Fig. 1 individually.

[0054] 1 and 2 show that the battery cell stack has multiple battery cells 110 connected in series, but the present invention is not limited to this and various combinations are possible, such as parallel connection. It is also possible to provide a predetermined number of battery cell stacks greater than or equal to one.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 1 , a battery cell stack is formed by providing a plurality of battery cells 110. A blocking member 200 is disposed between at least one battery cell 110 and at least one other battery cell 110. That is, in some cases, the blocking member 200 may be disposed between a plurality of battery cells 110. The blocking member 200 is disposed on a side of the battery cell 110. In the example of FIG. 1 , a blocking member 200 is disposed for every six battery cells 110, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example and various modifications and variations are possible.

[0056] A pair of end plates 120 are provided at both ends of the stack of multiple battery cells. The end plates 120 are arranged parallel to the battery cells 110. A pair of bus bar housings 130 are arranged on the surfaces of the battery cells 110 where the electrode leads 111, 112 face each other. In the example of FIG. 1, a pair of bus bar housings 130 are arranged. A pair of bus bar housings 130 are arranged on both sides of the stack of multiple battery cells 110. Each of the bus bar housings 130 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the battery cells 110 (for example, the X-axis direction in the drawing). A pair of end plates 120 connects the ends of the pair of bus bar housings 130. In the example of FIG. 1, the end plates 120 are arranged on the front and rear surfaces of the stack of battery cells 110.

[0057] At least one strap 140 may be included on each of the upper and lower sides between the pair of end plates 120, connecting the pair of end plates 120. For ease of explanation, the strap 140 connected to the upper side of the cell module assembly 100 is not shown in FIG. 1 . The strap 140 strengthens the binding of the cell module assembly 100. More specifically, the strap 140 strengthens the binding of the pair of end plates 120 and the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110 arranged therebetween. This prevents the alignment of the stack of the plurality of battery cells 110 from becoming distorted.

[0058] The end plate 120 may be made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum, iron, or stainless steel. The bus bar housing 130 may be made of, for example, a plastic material and may be manufactured by plastic injection molding.

[0059] The bus bar housing 130 includes a plurality of openings in a portion facing the electrode leads 111, 112. The electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 pass through the openings in the bus bar housing 130 and are coupled to the bus bar 150. When a plurality of battery cells 110 are connected in series, one of the electrode leads 111, 112 that pass through an opening (not shown) in one side of the bus bar housing 130 and are coupled to the bus bar 150 is a positive lead and the other is a negative lead. Alternatively, when a plurality of battery cells 110 are connected in parallel, both of the electrode leads 111, 112 that pass through an opening in one side of the bus bar housing 130 and are coupled to the bus bar 150 are positive leads or both are negative leads.

[0060] 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of the blocking member 200 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a top view of the blocking member 200 of FIG.

[0061] The blocking member 200 can be configured to be interposed between adjacent battery cells 110 to block heat. For example, if a thermal event occurs in some battery cells 110 and heat or high-temperature venting gas is generated, the blocking member 200 can suppress or block the generated heat and gas from transferring to adjacent battery cells 110. In addition, the blocking member 200 can play a role in blocking flames, sparks, etc. that are emitted from a specific battery cell 110.

[0062] The blocking member 200 has a substantially plate-like shape. The blocking member 200 may be configured as a plate standing in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the blocking member 200 may have a height that is the same as or similar to the height of the battery cells 110 standing in the vertical direction. The height of the blocking member 200 may be smaller or larger than the height of the battery cells 110.

[0063] A plurality of the blocking members 200 may be included depending on the number of battery cells. As described above, the blocking members 200 may be stacked together with the battery cells 110 to form the cell module assembly 100.

[0064] According to this embodiment of the present invention, in a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells 110, the blocking member 200 can effectively prevent the propagation of thermal runaway between the cells.

[0065] The blocking member 200 includes a plate-shaped support plate 210. The support plate 210 has a structure in which a main body 210a and a spacer 240 are combined. More specifically, the main body 210a and the spacer 240 are combined to form a single plate-shaped support plate 210. The main body 210a may be made of, for example, a plastic material. Examples of the plastic material include PC (polycarbonate) or a mixture of PC and GF (glass fiber). For example, the main body 210a may be made of a high-strength plastic such as reinforced plastic.

[0066] A spacer 240 is also coupled to the main body 210a. The spacer 240 has a frame structure when viewed as a whole. The spacer 240 has a structure in which a plurality of polygons are repeatedly arranged on the main body 210a along (or parallel to) the main surface that occupies a large area of ​​the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200. The frame structure is made up of a plurality of sub-frames 240a (see FIG. 5). The frame structure has a structure in which a plurality of first bar members 240-1 (see FIG. 6) arranged parallel to each other in one direction intersect with a plurality of second bar members 240-2 (see FIG. 6) arranged parallel to each other in the other direction. For the shape and structure of the spacer 240, please refer to the detailed explanation of FIGS. 5 to 10 described below.

[0067] The spacer 240 may be made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of the metal material include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, or a combination thereof. The spacer 240 is made of a metal material and can absorb heat generated from the battery cells 110 during a thermal event of the battery cells 110 to lower the temperature of the battery cells 110. In addition, the spacer 240 maintains its shape and structure even at high temperatures, so that even if the main body 210a partially melts due to high temperatures, the spacer 240 can maintain the separation distance between the battery cells 110. The melting point of the spacer 240 is higher than that of the main body 210a.

[0068] The outermost surface of the blocking member 200 includes a pair of swelling pads 220. The support plate 210 is disposed between the pair of swelling pads 220. The swelling pads 220 may be made of silicon, plastic, or a combination thereof. In the case of a plastic material, the swelling pads 220 may be made of, for example, a soft plastic. The swelling pads 220 can act as a buffer when the battery cell 110 expands.

[0069] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support plate 210 may be configured with, for example, two plates. A swelling pad 230 may be further provided between the two support plates 210. That is, for example, a five-layer structure of swelling pad 220-support plate 210-swelling pad 230-support plate 210-swelling pad 220 may be formed. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated structure, and various modifications and variations are possible, such as a three-layer structure of swelling pad 220-support plate 210-swelling pad 220.

[0070] The swelling pad 230 may be made of silicone, plastic, or a combination thereof. If made of plastic, it may be made of a soft plastic, such as polyurethane foam. In some cases, the swelling pad 230 may be made of the same material as the swelling pad 220.

[0071] Furthermore, the length of the support plate 210 is equal to or greater than the length of the swelling pad 220 and / or the swelling pad 230. Both ends of the support plate 210, which has greater rigidity than the swelling pad 220 and / or the swelling pad 230, can come into contact with the bus bar housing 130. This allows the overall structure of the cell module assembly 100 to be maintained even against external physical impact during welding pressure application or normal operation, as described above.

[0072] Fig. 5 shows one embodiment of the main body 210a and spacer 240 of the support plate 210 included in the blocking member 200 of Fig. 3. The spacer 240 of Fig. 5 has a structure in which a plurality of sub-frames 240a having a rectangular or square border shape are joined together and arranged in a row along the surface of the main body 210a facing the battery cells 110. The sub-frames 240a having a rectangular or square border shape are arranged in a row along the height direction (z-axis direction in Fig. 5) and length direction (y-axis direction in Fig. 5) of the main body 210a.

[0073] The spacer 240 may be exposed on one or both sides of the support plate 210. That is, it may be configured as an "exposed type." That is, the thickness of the spacer 240 is the same as or smaller than the thickness of the main body 210a. Figure 5 shows that the spacer 240 and the main body 210a have the same thickness, and the spacer 240 is exposed on both sides of the main body 210a.

[0074] Alternatively, the body 210a and the spacer 240 may be manufactured integrally. For example, the spacer 240 may be disposed first, and then the body 210a may be manufactured by plastic injection molding.

[0075] Meanwhile, although FIG. 5 shows that the multiple sub-frames 240a have the same shape and size, the present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figure, and the sub-frames may have different sizes or shapes.

[0076] 6 shows only the spacer 240 of FIG. 5. The spacer 240 includes a plurality of first bar members 240-1 arranged along one direction of the spacer 240 and a plurality of second bar members 240-2 arranged crossing the first bar members 240-1. In the example of FIG. 6, the first bar members 240-1 and the second bar members 240-2 are perpendicular to each other. For example, the first bar members 240-1 are arranged in the length direction of the main body 210a, and the second bar members 240-2 are arranged in the height direction of the main body 210a.

[0077] The first bar members 240-1 may be spaced apart at equal intervals from each other, and the second bar members 240-2 may also be spaced apart at equal intervals from each other.

[0078] In manufacturing the spacer 240, the first bar member 240-1 and the second bar member 240-2 may be integrally manufactured by a casting method, or the first bar member 240-1 and the second bar member 240-2 may each have a recess at the intersection, and after assembling them by fitting the recess of the first bar member 240-1 and the recess of the second bar member 240-2 into each other, the intersection of the first bar member 240-1 and the second bar member 240-2 may be welded together.

[0079] The enlarged view on the right side of Fig. 6 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 6. This shows an example in which the side surfaces of the spacer 240 are uniformly formed and the separation prevention portion 242 (see Fig. 7) is not included.

[0080] Meanwhile, opposing sides 241 of the spacer 240 are generally flat, and the planes of the sides 241 of the spacer 240 coincide with the planes of the sides of the support plate 210 (see FIG. 5). That is, when the support plate 210 is viewed from the outside, the surface where the body 210a and the spacer 240 are coupled is generally flat without any steps. This improves the coupling strength when the support plate 210 is coupled to the swelling pad 220 and / or the swelling pad 230. At the same time, continuous protrusion of the soft swelling pad 220 due to unnecessary protrusion of the spacer 240 is prevented, and uneven pressure on the outer surface of the battery cell 110 when the blocking member 200 is placed on the battery cell 110 is also prevented.

[0081] FIG. 7 shows a modified embodiment of the spacer 240 of FIG. 6. For convenience of explanation, the enlarged cross-sectional view on the right side of FIG. 6 is shown in a modified form. The spacer 240 of FIG. 7 may further include a separation prevention portion 242 in at least a portion thereof to prevent separation from the main body 210a. For example, at least one separation prevention portion 242 may be included in each sub-frame 240a (see FIG. 5). Each sub-frame 240a may include a separation prevention portion 242 in each of the first bar members 241 (see FIG. 6) facing each other. Alternatively, each sub-frame 240a may include a separation prevention portion 242 in each of the second bar members 242 (see FIG. 6) facing each other.

[0082] 7, the separation prevention portion 242 may have a convex portion protruding from the side of the spacer 240. As the separation prevention portion 242 is located inside the main body 210a, the spacer 240 and the main body 210a can maintain their fixed connection with each other even in the event of external physical impact or other circumstances.

[0083] Figure 8 shows another modified embodiment of the spacer 240 of Figure 7. In the example of Figure 8, the separation prevention portion 242 has a recessed portion recessed inward from the side of the spacer 240. In this case, too, the injection-molded main body 210a is positioned in the space of the recessed portion of the separation prevention portion 242, thereby improving the bond between the spacer 240 and the main body 210a.

[0084] Figure 9 shows a modified embodiment of the main body 210a of Figure 5. Referring to Figure 9, the spacer 240 is not exposed on both sides of the support plate 210, but is inserted into the main body 210a. This can be configured as a so-called "insertion type." The left side of Figure 9 is a perspective view seen from the outside, and the right side is a see-through view.

[0085] In the embodiment of Figure 9, the spacer 240 is inserted internally, so it does not have the detachment prevention portion 242 as in the case of Figure 5. In other words, the side of the spacer 240 does not have any steps and can be uniform overall. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the spacer 240 itself. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the spacer 240 shown in Figure 5 can be molded to be inserted inside the main body 210a, and various modifications and variations are possible.

[0086] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the spacer 240 of FIGS. 5 to 9. The spacer 240 of FIG. 10 has a structure in which a plurality of sub-frames 240a having a regular hexagonal border shape are coupled and arranged in a row along the main surface of the support plate 210. The spacer 240 of FIG. 10 can also be manufactured as an exposed type on one or both sides of the support plate 210, or as an insert type inside the support plate 210. The spacer 240 of FIG. 10 can also include the separation prevention portion 242 of FIG. 7 or 8. For other details regarding the spacer 240 of FIG. 10, please refer to the contents described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.

[0087] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of another embodiment of the blocking member 200 of FIG.

[0088] The blocking member 200 includes a plate-shaped support plate 210. The support plate 210 has a structure in which a main body 210a and a spacer 240 are combined. More specifically, the main body 210a and the spacer 240 are combined to form a single plate-shaped support plate 210. The main body 210a may be made of, for example, a plastic material. Examples of the plastic material include PC (polycarbonate) or a mixture of PC and GF (glass fiber). For example, the main body 210a may be made of a high-strength plastic such as reinforced plastic.

[0089] A plurality of spacers 240 are coupled to the main body 210a. The spacers 240 may be spaced apart and arranged in a dotted pattern along (or parallel to) the main surface of the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200 when viewed as a whole. The spacers 240 may be arranged along at least one direction of the main body 210a. For example, in the example of FIG. 11, the spacers 240 may be arranged along the length and height directions of the main body 210a. The spacers 240 may also be arranged in a line or in a zigzag pattern. When viewed along at least one direction, the spacers 240 may be arranged at equal intervals. However, the present invention is not limited to the above and various modifications and variations are possible.

[0090] Meanwhile, the spacer 240 may have, for example, a circular plate, i.e., a coin shape, as shown in Fig. 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and variations are possible, such as a rectangular plate (see Fig. 18). The spacer 240 may be made of, for example, a metal material. Examples of metal materials include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, or a combination thereof.

[0091] The spacers 240 are made of a metal material and can absorb heat generated from the battery cells 110 during a thermal event of the battery cells 110, thereby lowering the temperature of the battery cells 110. In addition, the spacers 240 maintain their shape and structure even at high temperatures, so that even if the main body 210a is partially melted by high temperatures, the spacers 240 can maintain the spacing between the battery cells 110.

[0092] Figure 12 shows one embodiment of the main body 210a and spacer 240 included in the blocking member 200 of Figure 11. Figure 13 shows a modified embodiment of the main body 210a and spacer 240 of Figure 12. The left side of each of Figures 12 and 13 shows an external view, and the right side shows a perspective view.

[0093] 12 and 13 illustrate the case where the main body 210a and the spacer 240 can be manufactured as a single unit. For example, the main body 210a can be manufactured by arranging a plurality of spacers 240 at intervals in a dotted pattern, and then by plastic injection molding. The thickness of the spacer 240 is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the main body 210a.

[0094] Also, referring to FIG. 12, the spacer 240 may be exposed on one or both sides of the support plate 210, that is, it may be configured as a so-called "exposed type."

[0095] Meanwhile, the spacer 240 may further include a separation prevention portion 242 to prevent separation from the main body 210a. The separation prevention portion 242 may protrude from a side of the spacer 240 and have a step that is lower than both surfaces 241 of the spacer 240. For example, when the spacer 240 is circular, the diameter (D2) of the separation prevention portion 242 may be larger than the diameter (D1) of the spacer 240. The separation prevention portion 242 is located inside the main body 210a, so that the spacer 240 can be fixedly coupled to the main body 210a even in the event of external physical impact or other circumstances. For reference, although the exposed surfaces 241 of the spacer 240 are not shown in FIG. 12, the rear surface has the same shape as the front surface shown in the perspective view of FIG. 12.

[0096] In addition, both sides 241 of the spacer 240 are generally flat, and the planes on which both sides 241 of the spacer 240 extend coincide with the planes on both sides of the main body 210a. That is, when the support plate 210 is viewed from the outside, the surface where the main body 210a and the spacer 240 are coupled is generally flat without any steps. This improves the coupling strength when the support plate 210 is coupled to the swelling pad 220 and / or the swelling pad 230. At the same time, this prevents continuous protrusion of the soft swelling pad 220 due to unnecessary protrusion of the spacer 240, and also prevents uneven pressure from being applied to the outer surface of the battery cell 110 when the blocking member 200 is placed on the battery cell 110.

[0097] The shape and structure of the anti-detachment portion 242 does not necessarily have to be circular as shown in the present invention, but may be any shape that protrudes from the side of the spacer 240 and has a step that is lower than both surfaces 241 of the spacer 240, thereby allowing the anti-detachment portion 242 to be positioned inside the main body 210a.

[0098] 13, the spacer 240 is not exposed on either side of the support plate 210, but is inserted into the main body 210a. This can be configured as a so-called "insertion type." As mentioned above, the left side view shows the external view, and the portion indicated by the spacer 240 is shown for reference only. When actually viewed from the outside, only the generally flat main body 210a is visible, and the spacer 240 is not visible because it is located inside.

[0099] In the embodiment of Figure 13, the spacer 240 is inserted internally, so it does not have the detachment prevention portion 242 as in the case of Figure 12. In other words, the spacer 240 does not have any steps on its side and can be uniform overall. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the spacer 240 itself. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications and variations are possible, such as molding the spacer 240 shown in Figure 12 so that it can be inserted inside the main body 210a.

[0100] Figure 14 shows a modified embodiment of the body 210a of Figure 12. Figure 15 shows a modified embodiment of the body 210a of Figure 13. The left side of each of Figures 14 and 15 shows an external view, and the right side shows an exploded perspective view.

[0101] 14 and 15 illustrate a so-called "assembled" configuration in which the body 210a and the spacer 240 are assembled and coupled together. The body 210a is fabricated from a pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2, each of which is half the body 210a when viewed from the side (i.e., when viewed from the side edge of the body 210a, based on a plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the support plate). That is, the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2 are parallel to the two sides of the body 210a facing the battery cells 110, and each half is formed based on a plane between the two sides. The spacer 240 is provided on the spacer mounting portion 211 and 211-1 of one of the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2, and the other of the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2 is then coupled together.

[0102] The pair of plate members 210a-1, 210a-2 also have a plurality of spacer mounting portions 211, 211-1 arranged at intervals in a dot pattern, and spacers 240 are mounted on the spacer mounting portions 211, respectively.

[0103] 14, similar to the case of FIG. 12, the spacers 240 are exposed on one or both sides of the support plate 210. This can be configured as a so-called "exposed type."

[0104] The spacer mounting portion 211 has an opening shape so that the spacer 240 is exposed. Similar to the case of FIG. 12, a detachment prevention portion 242 may be further included to prevent the spacer 240 from detaching from the main body 210a, i.e., to prevent the spacer 240 from detaching from the opening-shaped spacer mounting portion 211. The spacer mounting portion 211 of the main body 210a also includes a mounting step 212 that corresponds to (matches) the shape of the detachment prevention portion 242 so that the detachment prevention portion 242 can be attached thereto. The mounting step 212 is formed on the opposing surfaces (surfaces disposed inside the main body 210a) of the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2. Since the description of the spacer 240 including the detachment prevention portion 242 will be redundant, please refer to the description of FIG. 12.

[0105] Meanwhile, the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2 may further include connecting members 213 provided on the side surfaces (side edges) of the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2. The first connecting member 213 may be configured with multiple members. The connecting member 213 may be configured with a pair of female and male connecting members. The example in FIG. 14 shows a hook connection. That is, it shows a locking ring and locking device structure. Alternatively, one may have a recess and the other a convex portion having a matching or corresponding shape, so that the convex portion fits into the recess and is connected. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated or described above. Any structure that allows the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2 to be connected and fixed to each other is sufficient. Alternatively, various modifications and variations are possible, such as bonding the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2 together with an adhesive or the like.

[0106] Furthermore, the pair of plate members 210a-1, 210a-2 may further include guide members 214 provided at the corners of the pair of plate members 210a-1, 210a-2. The guide members 214 may be configured with multiple members. The guide members 214 may be configured with a pair of female-shaped coupling members and male-shaped coupling members. For example, one may have a recess and the other may have a convex portion having a matching or corresponding shape. The example in FIG. 14 shows an L-shaped recess and an L-shaped convex portion formed along the corners. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example, and any structure capable of guiding the pair of plate members 210a-1, 210a-2 to align with each other at the corners will suffice.

[0107] 14, both surfaces 241 of the spacer 240 also have generally flat surfaces, and the planes on which both surfaces 241 of the spacer 240 extend coincide with both surfaces of the main body 210a. For other matters, please refer to the above description of FIG. 12.

[0108] 15, the spacers 240 are not exposed on either side of the support plate 210, but are inserted into the main body 210a. This can be configured as a so-called "insertion type." As mentioned above, the left-hand view shows the view from the outside, and the portion indicated by the spacers 240 is shown for reference only. When the support plate 210 is actually viewed from the outside, only the generally flat main body 210a is visible, and the spacers 240 are not visible because they are located inside.

[0109] In the embodiment of FIG. 15, the spacer mounting portion 211-1 of the main body 210a has a concave step, unlike the open shape of FIG. 14. A spacer 240 is disposed within the spacer mounting portion 211-1 of each of the pair of plate members 210a-1 and 210a-2. For other overlapping details regarding the spacer 240 and the main body 210a, please refer to the contents described in FIGS. 12 to 14. FIG. 16 shows a cross section of the spacer of FIGS. 12 and 14 taken along line AA. As described above, the spacer 240 has a separation prevention portion 242 protruding from the side surface.

[0110] Figure 17 shows another embodiment of the spacer of Figures 12 and 14. For ease of explanation, Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional view so that it can be understood by comparing it with the cross-sectional views of the spacers of Figures 12 and 14 in Figure 16. The spacer of Figure 17 has a recessed anti-detachment portion 242 recessed inward from the side of the spacer 240. When manufacturing the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200 using this type of spacer 240, it is advantageous to manufacture the spacer 240 and the main body 210a as a single unit.

[0111] FIG. 18 shows yet another embodiment of the spacer 240 of FIGS. The cross section of the spacer 240 may be rectangular. (a) on the left shows the case where the separation prevention member 241 is not applied, and (b) on the right shows the case where the separation prevention member 241 is applied.

[0112] Meanwhile, for other explanations regarding the blocking member 200 in FIGS. 11 to 18, please refer to what has been said above regarding the blocking member 200 in FIGS.

[0113] 3 to 18, the metal spacers 240 are disposed to penetrate the plastic body 210a or inside the body 210a, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs compared to when the support plate 210 is made of metal alone. Furthermore, since the metal spacers 240 can absorb heat generated from the battery cells 110 during a thermal event in the battery cells 110, they can lower the temperature of the battery cells 110. Furthermore, since the spacers 240 maintain their shape and structure even at high temperatures, the spacers 240 can maintain the separation distance between the battery cells 110 even if the body 210a is partially melted by high temperatures.

[0114] At the same time, according to the present invention, even when the spacer 240 is disposed, both surfaces of the main body 210a including the spacer 240 (the surfaces facing the battery cell 110) are generally flat, which improves the connection when the main body 210a is connected to the swelling pad 220 and / or the swelling pad 230. Furthermore, continuous protrusion of the soft swelling pad 220 due to unnecessary protrusion of the spacer 240 is prevented, and uneven pressure on the outer surface of the battery cell 110 when the blocking member 200 is disposed on the battery cell 110 can also be prevented.

[0115] Fig. 19 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. The battery pack according to the example of Fig. 19 mainly includes the cell module assembly 100 of Fig. 1, a blocking member 200, a pack case 300, and a battery management system (BMS) 400.

[0116] Various cables such as a power cable 160 are connected to the cell module assembly 100. As the other cell module assemblies 100 and the blocking member 200 overlap with those described above, reference is made to those described above.

[0117] The pack case accommodates the cell module assembly 100, the interrupter 200, and the battery management system 400 therein. In the embodiment of FIG. 19, it includes a lower case member 310 and an upper case member 320. The lower case member 310 and the upper case member 320 are combined to surround the outside of the cell module assembly 100. For example, the lower case member 310 may have a generally flat plate shape. For example, the upper case member 320 may have a U-shaped frame shape. The cell module assembly 100 may be placed on the flat lower case member 310, and the upper case member 320 may cover the cell module assembly 100.

[0118] However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications and variations are possible, such as the lower case member 310 and the upper case member 320 each being an L-shaped frame or a roll-press type monoframe.

[0119] An insulating sheet 330 having electrical insulation properties is provided between the cell module assembly 100 and the lower case member 310. Furthermore, an insulating sheet 340 having electrical insulation properties is provided between the cell module assembly 100 and the upper case member 320. The insulating sheets 330 and 340 may be films made of, for example, PC (polycarbonate), PET, PP, or a combination thereof.

[0120] When the battery management system 400 is mounted on the front surface of the cell module assembly 100, the front surface between the upper case member 320 and the lower case member 310 can be additionally provided with a BMS cover 350 to cover the battery management system 400.

[0121] Meanwhile, the above-described embodiment has been described as an example in which the electrode leads 111, 112 are provided on both sides of the battery cell 110, and a pair of bus bar housings 130 are provided on both ends of the battery cell stack, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to a case in which the electrode leads 111, 112 are all provided on one side of the battery cell 110, and the bus bar housing 130 is disposed at one end of the battery cell stack, i.e., the end toward which the electrode leads 111, 112 face. That is, the above-described descriptions of the bus bar housing 130, the blocking member 200, and the pack case 300 can also be applied to the latter case.

[0122] The battery pack according to the present invention may further include various other components in addition to the components described above. For example, the battery pack according to the present invention may include a battery management system (BMS) and a plurality of electrical components for controlling or managing the charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as relays, fuses, and current sensors.

[0123] In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention and the energy storage system (ESS) according to the present invention include one or more of the above-described battery packs according to the present invention. In addition, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include general components included in an energy storage system in addition to the battery pack.

[0124] As described above, the present invention has been described using limited examples and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims set forth below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 100 Cell Module Assembly 110 battery cells 111 Electrode lead 112 Electrode Lead 120 End Plate 130 Busbar housing 140 Strap 150 busbar 200 Blocking member 210 Support Plate 210a main body 211, 211-1 Spacer mounting part 220 Swelling Pad 230 Swelling Pad 240 spacer 240a subframe 240-1 First bar member 240-2 Second bar member 242 Anti-detachment unit 300 pack case 310 Lower case member 320 Upper case member 330 Insulation Sheet 340 Insulation Sheet 350 BMS cover 400 Battery Management System

Claims

1. a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; and a blocking member disposed between at least one of the plurality of battery cells and at least another of the plurality of battery cells; the blocking member includes a support plate, the support plate including a body and a spacer coupled to the body; The cell module assembly, wherein the spacer has a higher melting point than the main body so as to maintain the shape and structure of the battery cell during a thermal event.

2. The body is made of a plastic material, The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer is made of a metal material.

3. The spacer has a frame of a frame structure, The cell module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a plurality of sub-frames.

4. The cell module assembly according to claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of sub-frames has the same shape and structure and is arranged along a main surface of the blocking member.

5. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of sub-frames having a rectangular or square frame shape so that the spacer has a lattice structure.

6. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of sub-frames having regular hexagonal frame shapes of the same size so as to have a honeycomb structure.

7. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer includes a plurality of first bar members arranged along one direction and a plurality of second bar members arranged crossing the first bar members.

8. The cell module assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first bar member and the second bar member are orthogonal to each other.

9. The first bar members are spaced apart from one another at a first predetermined equal interval, The cell module assembly according to claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of second bar members is disposed spaced apart from each other at a second predetermined equal interval.

10. The cell module assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer is fabricated by welding the first bar member and the second bar member together.

11. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the spacers are provided and arranged at points spaced apart at a predetermined distance along at least one direction of the support plate.

12. The cell module assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the spacer has a shape of a circular plate or a square plate.

13. The cell module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spacer is integrally fabricated by a casting process.

14. the spacer is exposed to the outside from one or both surfaces of the outer surface of the support plate that face the battery cells; The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the one or both surfaces to which the main body and the spacer are joined are flat without any steps.

15. the spacer includes a separation prevention portion disposed inside the support plate, The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the separation prevention portion has a convex portion that protrudes outward from the side surface, or a concave portion that is recessed inward from the side surface.

16. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer is inserted inside the body and is not exposed on the surface of the support plate.

17. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cell module assembly is integrally constructed by injection molding the main body onto the spacer.

18. The main body and the spacer are configured to be assembled, 2. The cell module assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes a pair of plate members, and is configured by coupling one of the pair of plate members to the other of the pair of plate members on which the spacers are arranged.

19. The pair of plate members constitute half of the main body when viewed from the side end of the support plate, 20. The cell module assembly of claim 18, wherein each of the pair of plate members is formed with a spacer mounting portion, and the spacer mounting portions are formed in a point arrangement spaced a predetermined distance apart along at least one direction of the support plate.

20. the spacer mounting portion has an opening, and the spacer is exposed to the outside of the support plate; 20. The cell module assembly of claim 19, wherein the spacer mounting portion has a mounting step around the opening where the spacer's anti-detachment portion is mounted, and the mounting step is formed on the surfaces of the pair of plate members facing each other.

21. 20. The cell module assembly of claim 19, wherein the spacer mounting portion has a recessed portion formed on the surfaces of the pair of plate members facing each other, and the spacer is inserted into the interior of the support plate.

22. Each of the pair of plate members has a connecting member on a side surface thereof, The cell module assembly according to claim 18 , wherein a female connecting member is disposed on one of the pair of plate members, and a male connecting member is disposed on the other of the pair of plate members.

23. The cell module assembly of claim 22 , wherein the coupling members are configured as hook couplings.

24. Each of the pair of plate members has a guide member at a corner thereof; The cell module assembly according to claim 18 , wherein a female guide member is disposed on one of the pair of plate members, and a male guide member is disposed on the other of the pair of plate members.

25. 25. The cell module assembly of claim 24, wherein the female guide member is an L-shaped recess formed along a corner of the plate member, and the male guide member is an L-shaped protrusion formed along the corner of the plate member.

26. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking member further includes a pair of swelling pads provided on both sides of the main body, respectively.

27. The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking member has a plurality of bodies, and further includes a swelling pad disposed between the bodies.

28. a pair of bus bar housings each including an opening through which the electrode leads of the battery cells pass and disposed on either side of the stack of battery cells; and The cell module assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of end plates respectively connecting opposite ends of the pair of bus bar housings.

29. A cell module assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 28; and A battery pack including a pack case that houses the cell module assembly therein.

30. 30. An energy storage device comprising the battery pack of claim 29.

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