Battery pack with a stopper that can check for any disassembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack including a case body having an internal space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells, a lower case coupled to the lower part of the case body, a through hole formed in the lower case, and a plug configured to cover the through hole, the plug including a breaking portion that breaks when tension is applied from the outside of the lower case, and by checking whether the breaking portion has broken or not, it can be determined whether the user has intentionally disassembled the battery pack.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0166252, filed November 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack with a stopper that allows the user to check whether the battery pack has been voluntarily disassembled, specifically, to a battery pack with a stopper that allows the user to check whether the battery pack has been voluntarily disassembled so that the user can utilize the stopper in the manufacturer's warranty system. [Background technology]

[0003] As carbon emission regulations are tightened to reduce greenhouse gases, the importance of choosing environmentally friendly energy sources as electricity sources is gradually increasing. Among these, lithium secondary batteries are used as an energy source for various electronic devices because, unlike disposable primary batteries, they have the advantage of being reusable through repeated charging and discharging.

[0004] For example, the use of lithium secondary batteries is expanding not only in small electronic devices such as smartphones but also as a power source for electric vehicles, and therefore, an increasing number of electronic devices used by consumers are using battery packs including lithium secondary batteries as their energy source.

[0005] Generally, a battery pack is assembled by housing a plurality of battery cells inside a pack case, and can be manufactured to be fixedly attached to a device or detachably attached to a device.

[0006] The pack case may be composed of multiple parts such as a main case, an upper case, and a lower case, and fastening members may be used as a means for joining the multiple parts to assemble the battery pack.

[0007] In order to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the product by making the fastening members invisible from the outside, the coupling portions to which the fastening members are coupled can be designed to be located inside the pack case parts, and the coupling portions can be covered with a plug or the like so that they are not visible from the outside.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view and a partially enlarged view of a conventional battery pack.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the battery pack according to FIG.

[0010] 1 and 2, the battery pack 100 includes a case body 110 and a lower case 120 that forms the lower surface of the case body 110, and plugs 130 are attached to the four corners of the bottom of the lower case 120.

[0011] The lower case 120 is formed with a through-hole 140 for inserting a plug 130, and a fastening member 150 is inserted into a coupling portion inside the through-hole 140 to couple the case body 110 and the lower case 120. By covering the through-hole 140 with the plug 130 in this manner, the coupling portion coupling the case body 110 and the lower case 120 can be prevented from being exposed to the outside.

[0012] The plug 130 includes a base portion 131 at least a part of which is not inserted into the through-hole 140 of the lower case 120, and an insertion portion 132 which is completely inserted into the through-hole.

[0013] If the base portion 131 is made of a rubber material, it can function to protect the battery pack from impacts from the bottom when the battery pack is placed on the floor.

[0014] By forming a protrusion structure on the surface of the insertion part 132, the plug can be stably fixed in the through-hole 140.

[0015] Meanwhile, there are cases where a malfunction occurs during use of the battery pack, or where a user disassembles the battery pack at will in order to improve product performance.

[0016] A lithium secondary battery includes an electrolyte and an electrode assembly impregnated with the electrolyte. The electrode assembly is configured as a stack of a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator sandwiched between them. If the positive electrode and the negative electrode come into contact with each other due to an external impact, causing a short circuit, it can be a source of danger such as a fire.

[0017] Therefore, it is necessary to prevent accidents by preventing the user of the battery pack from arbitrarily disassembling the battery pack.

[0018] Furthermore, if a user disassembles a battery pack for repair or modifies it by replacing parts due to a malfunction of the battery pack, it is difficult to guarantee the performance of the product.

[0019] Therefore, when a battery pack is brought into a service center, a design change is needed to easily check whether the user has disassembled the battery pack at will and determine the validity of the product warranty. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0020] The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a battery pack equipped with a stopper that can be used to check whether or not the battery pack has been disassembled in an unintended manner, so that this can be used as a basis for determining product warranty when the battery pack is brought into a service center. [Means for solving the problem]

[0021] To achieve this object, a battery pack according to the present invention includes a case body having an internal space accommodating a plurality of battery cells, a lower case coupled to a lower portion of the case body, a through hole formed in the lower case, and a plug configured to cover the through hole, wherein the plug includes a breaking portion that breaks when tension is applied from the outside of the lower case.

[0022] The through hole includes an inner portion and an outer portion, and the inner portion and the outer portion are configured to have different inner diameters, and the inner portion may have a relatively larger inner diameter than the outer portion, and the outer portion may have a relatively smaller inner diameter than the inner portion.

[0023] The plug may include a base portion exposed to the outside of the lower case when the plug is coupled to the through-hole of the lower case, an insertion portion extending from the base portion and inserted into the through-hole, and an engagement portion coupled to the tip of the insertion portion on the opposite side of the base portion.

[0024] The insertion portion may include a lower end portion configured as a circular ring shape, and an upper end portion extending upward from the lower end portion, connected to the engagement portion, and configured as a shape in which a plurality of pillar structures are spaced apart at intervals.

[0025] The upper end portion may be configured so that its thickness decreases toward the portion connected to the engaging portion, or may be configured so that a relatively thin portion is included within the upper end portion.

[0026] The engaging portion may have a circular tubular shape, and may be configured so that the thickness of the engaging portion is greater than the thickness of the upper end portion of the insertion portion.

[0027] The insertion portion and the engagement portion are inserted into the through-hole, and the engagement portion can be fixed in position by being caught on a step portion formed inside the through-hole.

[0028] The breaking portion may be formed at the portion where the engaging portion and the upper end portion of the insertion portion are connected, or may be formed at the upper end portion.

[0029] The lower case and the case body can be joined together by fastening members inserted into the through holes.

[0030] When the plug covering the through hole is pulled to remove the fastener, the breakaway portion of the plug may break.

[0031] A plurality of ring-shaped protrusions may be formed on the outer surface of the lower end.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention can also be provided in the form of a combination of various means for solving the problems. [Effects of the Invention]

[0033] As described above, the battery pack according to the present invention allows a user to easily check whether the battery pack has been arbitrarily disassembled.

[0034] Therefore, by simply checking the plug of the battery pack received at the service center, it is possible to easily and accurately determine whether the product warranty is valid.

[0035] Furthermore, by providing the plug on the lower case of the battery pack, the battery pack can be protected from shocks such as vibrations applied to the battery pack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a bottom perspective view and a partially enlarged view of a conventional battery pack. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the battery pack according to FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of a plug provided in the battery pack according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view of a plug according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description will be given of embodiments that will enable those skilled in the art to easily carry out the present invention. In describing the operation principles of the embodiments of the present invention in detail, detailed descriptions of related well-known functions or configurations will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0038] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for parts having similar functions and actions. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as being connected to another part, this includes not only when the part is directly connected to another part, but also when the part is indirectly connected via another element therebetween. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, when a part is described as including a certain component, it does not exclude other components, but means that the part may further include other components.

[0039] Descriptions that limit or further embody elements are applicable to all inventions and are not limited to a particular invention unless otherwise specified.

[0040] Throughout the description and claims of this invention, the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0041] Throughout the description and claims, the term "or" includes "and" unless otherwise stated. Thus, the term "comprising A or B" means three cases: including A, including B, or including both A and B.

[0042] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] 3 is a front view of a plug provided in a battery pack according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view of FIG.

[0044] The appearance of the battery pack according to the present invention can be considered to be the same as the conventional battery pack 100 shown in FIG.

[0045] Referring to Figures 3 to 6, Figure 5 shows a portion of a battery pack, and a battery pack 200 according to the present invention includes a case body 210 having an internal space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells, a lower case 220 coupled to the lower part of the case body 210, a through hole 240 formed in the lower case 220, and a plug 230 provided to cover the through hole 240.

[0046] The through-holes 240 formed in the lower case 220 are configured to communicate with the case body 210, and the case body 210 and the lower case 220 are connected by fastening members 250 inserted into the through-holes 240. The fastening members 250 may be screws, rivets, or the like.

[0047] The plug 230 includes a portion that is easily broken due to its structure, that is, a breaking portion 260 that breaks when tension is applied from the outside of the lower case 220.

[0048] The through-hole 240 is cylindrical, and the inner diameters of the inner portion 241 and the outer portion 242 are different from each other, and the inner diameter of the inner portion 241 is larger than the inner diameter of the outer portion 242. That is, there is a step between the inner portion 241 and the outer portion 242.

[0049] The plug 230 includes a base portion 231 whose bottom surface protrudes outward from the lower case 220 when coupled to the through-hole 240 of the lower case 220, an insertion portion 232 extending from the base portion 231 and inserted into the through-hole 240, and an engagement portion 233 coupled to the end of the insertion portion 232 on the opposite side of the base portion 231.

[0050] The insertion portion 232 includes a lower end portion 232b configured as a circular ring shape, and an upper end portion 232a extending upward from the lower end portion 232b, connected to the engagement portion 233, and configured as a plurality of pillar structures spaced apart at intervals.

[0051] The engaging portion 233 has a circular tube shape, and is configured so that the thickness of the engaging portion 233 is greater than the thickness of the upper end portion 232 a of the insertion portion 232 .

[0052] Insertion portion 232 and engagement portion 233 are inserted into through-hole 240, and engagement portion 233 is fixed in position by hitting a step formed between inner portion 241 and outer portion 242 of through-hole 240. That is, because the outer diameter of circular tubular engagement portion 233 is larger than the inner diameter of outer portion 242, once engagement portion 233 is inserted into inner portion 241 and hits the step, it becomes difficult to remove entire plug 230 from through-hole 240 even when base portion 231 is pulled. Furthermore, the area of ​​base portion 231 is configured to be larger than the area of ​​through-hole 240 so that entire plug 230 does not enter completely inside through-hole 240.

[0053] If the length of the insertion portion 232 and the length of the outer portion 242 of the through-hole are the same, the plug 230 inserted into the through-hole 240 can be stably fixed without moving inside or outside the battery pack.

[0054] On the other hand, if the plug 230 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, even if the outer diameter of the insertion portion 232 is made slightly larger than the inner diameter of the outer portion 242, the insertion portion 232 can be compressed and inserted into the through-hole 240, and after being inserted into the through-hole 240, it will expand again, allowing the insertion portion 232 to fill the internal space of the outer portion 242.

[0055] In particular, the outer diameter of the engagement portion 233 is larger than the inner diameter of the inner portion 241 and the outer portion 242 of the through hole 240, but since the entire plug 230 is made of an elastic material, the engagement portion 233 can be easily inserted into the inner portion of the through hole 240.

[0056] In addition, if the base portion 231 protruding outward from the lower case 220 is made of an elastic material, when the battery pack 200 is placed on the ground, it can buffer external shocks such as ground vibrations from being transmitted to the battery pack 200.

[0057] In one embodiment, to remove the fastening member 250 connecting the case body 210 and the lower case 220, the plug 230 covering the through-hole 240 is pulled, and the breakable portion 260, which is a structurally weak portion of the plug 230, is broken.

[0058] The breakable portion 260 may be formed at the portion where the engaging portion 233 and the upper end portion 232a of the inserting portion 232 are connected, or may be formed at the upper end portion 232a.

[0059] 3 to 6 show plug 230 having a breakable portion 260 formed at the portion where engaging portion 233 and upper end portion 232a of insertion portion 232 are connected. Specifically, upper end portion 232a is configured so that its thickness decreases toward the portion where it is connected to engaging portion 233.

[0060] Alternatively, unlike the illustrated example, the upper end 232a may have a narrowed central portion, or the lower portion of the upper end 232a where the upper end 232a and the lower end 232b are connected may be configured to be narrow.

[0061] In this way, the thinner portion can be easily cut by pulling the base portion outside the lower case, so that the engaging portion 233 remains inside the through-hole 240 and only the inserting portion 232 is pulled out to the outside of the through-hole 240.

[0062] Therefore, the battery pack manufacturer can easily check whether the user intentionally removed the plug by removing the plug from the battery pack received at the service center and checking it.

[0063] Specifically, when removing the cap from the battery pack, it is possible to confirm whether the user intentionally removed the cap by attaching a tool such as a push-pull gauge to the cap and measuring the magnitude of the torque or force while pulling it.

[0064] The breaking limit of the stopper can be set as a standard using DOE (Design of Experiment), and if a force smaller than the breaking limit is required to remove the stopper, it can be considered that the user has removed the stopper intentionally.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a front view of a plug according to another embodiment.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 7, plug 230 differs from plug 230 shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 in that a plurality of ring-shaped protrusions 234 are formed on the outer surface of lower end 232b.

[0067] The protrusion 234 can function as a gasket when inserted into the outer portion 242 of the through-hole 240, thereby preventing external substances from entering the inside of the battery pack.

[0068] 3 to 6 can be similarly applied to the explanation of the plug 230 shown in FIG.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention will be possible based on the contents of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 100, 200 battery packs 110, 210 case body 120, 220 lower case 130, 230 stopper 131, 231 base 132, 232 Insertion section 140, 240 through holes 150, 250 Fastening members 232a Upper end 232b Lower end 233 Engagement part 234 Protrusion 241 Inner part 242 Outer part 260 Breaking part

Claims

1. a case body having an internal space accommodating a plurality of battery cells; a lower case coupled to a lower portion of the case body; a through hole formed in the lower case; a plug configured to cover the through-hole, The plug includes a breaking portion that breaks when tension is applied from outside the lower case.

2. the through-hole includes an inner portion and an outer portion; The inner portion and the outer portion are configured to have different inner diameters, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the inner portion is larger than that of the outer portion, and the outer portion is smaller than that of the inner portion.

3. The stopper is a base portion exposed to the outside of the lower case when the plug is coupled to the through-hole of the lower case; an insertion portion extending from the base portion and inserted into the through hole; 3. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: an engaging portion coupled to a tip of the insertion portion on a side opposite to the base portion.

4. The insertion portion is a lower end portion configured as a circular ring shape; 4. The battery pack according to claim 3, further comprising: an upper end portion extending upward from the lower end portion, connected to the engagement portion, and configured as a plurality of pillar structures spaced apart at intervals.

5. 5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein the upper end portion is configured so that its thickness decreases toward the portion connected to the engagement portion, or the upper end portion includes a portion that is relatively thin.

6. The engagement portion has a circular tubular shape, The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the thickness of the engagement portion is greater than the thickness of an upper end portion of the insertion portion.

7. the insertion portion and the engagement portion are inserted into the through-hole, The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the engaging portion is fixed in position by being caught on a step portion formed inside the through-hole.

8. The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the breaking portion is formed at a portion where the engaging portion and an upper end portion of the insertion portion are connected, or at the upper end portion.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower case and the case body are joined together by fastening members inserted into the through-holes.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein the breakable portion of the plug is broken when the plug covering the through-hole is pulled to remove the fastening member.

11. The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein a plurality of ring-shaped protrusions are formed on an outer surface of the lower end portion.

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