Battery packs and automobiles containing them

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising a plurality of battery cells, a pack case housing the plurality of battery cells, and a side frame that supports the plurality of battery cells within the pack case and is equipped with a heat transfer prevention section for preventing heat transfer to adjacent battery cells in the event of a thermal event in at least one of the plurality of battery cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack and an automobile including the same, and more specifically, to a battery pack with improved safety and an automobile including the same.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0012306 filed on January 26, 2024, and all the contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the application are incorporated into this application.

Background Art

[0003] Secondary batteries with high applicability according to product groups and having electrical characteristics such as high energy density are generally applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by an electric drive source. Such secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving environmental friendliness and energy efficiency not only because of the primary advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels but also because no by-products are generated during energy use.

[0004] Currently, the types of widely used secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, nickel zinc batteries, etc. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, that is, a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in series to form a battery pack. Also, depending on the charge and discharge capacity required for the battery pack, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in parallel to form a battery pack. Therefore, the number and electrical connection form of the battery cells included in the battery pack can be variously set according to the required output voltage and / or charge and discharge capacity.

[0005] On the other hand, when configuring a battery pack by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel, it is common practice to first configure a battery module containing at least one battery cell, and then use that at least one battery module to add other components and configure the battery pack.

[0006] However, when a large number of battery cells are densely packed into a small space like this, they can become vulnerable to thermal events. In particular, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs in any one battery cell, high-temperature gases, flames, and heat may be generated. If these gases, flames, and heat are transmitted to other battery cells in the same battery pack, an explosive chain reaction such as thermal propagation may occur. Such a chain reaction can then cause accidents such as fires and explosions in the battery pack.

[0007] Furthermore, in the case of medium to large battery packs, such as those found in electric vehicles, the risk of thermal chain reactions can be even higher due to the inclusion of numerous battery cells to increase output and / or capacity. In addition, in the case of battery packs installed in electric vehicles, there may be drivers or other users nearby. Therefore, if thermal events occurring in the battery pack are not properly controlled and a chain reaction occurs, it could lead to not only significant property damage but also personal injury.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to explore measures to provide a battery pack and an automobile including it that can prevent heat transfer to adjacent battery cells during thermal events. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and an automobile including the same that can prevent heat propagation to adjacent battery cells during thermal events.

[0010] Furthermore, the technical problems that this invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a pack case housing the plurality of battery cells; and a side frame that supports the plurality of battery cells within the pack case and is equipped with a heat transfer prevention portion for preventing heat transfer to adjacent battery cells in the event of a thermal event in at least one of the plurality of battery cells.

[0012] Preferably, the side frame supports the battery cells so as not to interfere with the vents provided at the bottom of the plurality of battery cells, and the heat propagation prevention portion may be provided protruding from the bottom of the side frame so as to be closer to the bottom of the pack case than the vents.

[0013] Preferably, the heat propagation prevention portion may be filled with a predetermined filling material.

[0014] Preferably, the filling member may be a potting resin.

[0015] Preferably, the heat transmission prevention portion may be formed to have a predetermined height at the bottom of the side frame.

[0016] Preferably, the predetermined height may be at least 2.5 mm.

[0017] Preferably, a vent space can be formed between the pack case and the side frame to guide the venting of gases generated during thermal events.

[0018] Preferably, the vent space may be provided at the bottom of the heat propagation prevention section.

[0019] Preferably, the height of the vent space may be at least 5 mm.

[0020] Preferably, the pack case includes a base plate having a plurality of protrusions that support the bottom of the side frame, and an outer side wall coupled to the base plate and forming the side surface of the pack case, wherein the vent space may be formed between the plurality of protrusions.

[0021] Furthermore, preferably, the plurality of protrusions can be formed integrally with the base plate.

[0022] Preferably, the battery pack may include at least one vent device provided on the outer sidewall and communicating with the vent space.

[0023] Preferably, the side frame includes a pair of side walls provided on the outermost edge of the side frame, and a plurality of side structures provided between the pair of side walls and supporting the plurality of battery cells, and the heat propagation prevention portion may be provided at the bottom of the pair of side walls and at the bottom of the plurality of side structures.

[0024] Preferably, the heat propagation prevention portion may be formed to protrude from the bottom of the pair of side walls and the bottom of the plurality of side structures at a predetermined height.

[0025] Furthermore, the present invention provides an automobile, characterized in that it includes at least one battery pack according to the above-described embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to various embodiments as described above, it is possible to provide a battery pack that can prevent heat propagation to the adjacent battery cell side during a thermal event and a vehicle including the same.

[0027] In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, various additional effects can be achieved. Each of these effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, and the description will be omitted for effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.

[0028] The drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention to be described later. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a diagram for explaining a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining the cell array structure of the battery pack of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the bottom of the cell array structure of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged view of the main part of the cell array structure of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a diagram of the cell array structure of FIG. 4 excluding the filling member. [Figure 7] It is a side cross-sectional view of the main part in the width direction of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining the pack case of the battery pack of FIG. 2. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the gas discharge path of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is an enlarged view of part A of the battery pack of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of section B of the battery pack. [Figure 12] Figure 3 is a partially decomposed perspective view of the cell array structure. [Figure 13] This diagram illustrates the side structure of the side frame of the cell array structure shown in Figure 12. [Figure 14] This is a diagram illustrating the bottom of the side structure in Figure 13. [Figure 15] This diagram illustrates the arrangement of battery cells supported by the side structure in Figure 14. [Figure 16] This is a diagram illustrating an automobile based on one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used herein and in the claims shall not be interpreted in a manner limited to their general or dictionary meanings, but in accordance with the principle that inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their invention, and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0031] Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the present invention. It should be understood that there are various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for these at the time of filing.

[0032] On the other hand, while this specification may use terms to indicate directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, these terms are for explanatory convenience only, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that they may differ depending on the position of the object or the observer.

[0033] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the battery pack 10 may be installed in an automobile 1 (see Figure 16) or an energy storage device, as described later, and may serve as an energy source for the automobile or energy storage device. Such a battery pack 10 may be configured to include multiple battery cells to increase output and / or capacity, and may constitute a medium to large battery pack.

[0035] The battery pack 10 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to the following related drawings.

[0036] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the cell array structure of the battery pack in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the bottom of the cell array structure in Figure 3, Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the main part of the cell array structure in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a view of the cell array structure in Figure 4 with the filling material removed, and Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part in the width direction of the battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Referring to Figures 3 to 7, and Figures 1 and 2, the battery pack 10 may include a plurality of battery cells 110, a pack case 200, and a side frame 130.

[0038] The plurality of battery cells 110 are secondary batteries and can be provided as cylindrical secondary batteries, pouch-type secondary batteries, or prismatic secondary batteries. In this embodiment, the description will be limited to the case in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are provided as cylindrical secondary batteries. In order to increase the capacity of the battery pack 10, the plurality of battery cells 110 can be arranged in large numbers in both the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) and the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack case 200. For example, the plurality of battery cells 110 can be arranged in a matrix configuration within the pack case 200.

[0039] The pack case 200 can accommodate the plurality of battery cells 110. For this purpose, the pack case 200 may be provided with a housing space capable of accommodating the plurality of battery cells 110. In addition to the plurality of battery cells 110, various components that make up the battery pack 10 may also be accommodated in the housing space.

[0040] The side frame 130 can support the plurality of battery cells 110 within the pack case 200. Such a side frame 130 can, together with the battery cells 110, constitute a cell array structure 100, which will be described later. The cell array structure 100 will be described in more detail in the related descriptions below.

[0041] The side frame 130 may be equipped with a heat propagation prevention unit 150 to prevent heat propagation to adjacent battery cells 110 when a thermal event occurs in at least one of the plurality of battery cells 110. When such a thermal event occurs, flames may be generated in the battery cell 110 where the event occurred. The heat propagation prevention unit 150 may be configured to block the inflow of such flames to adjacent surrounding battery cells 110.

[0042] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heat propagation prevention unit 150 provided on the side frame 130 blocks the flow of flames generated in the event cell during a thermal event to the adjacent surrounding battery cells 110, thereby effectively preventing a thermal chain reaction that may be caused by heat propagation during a thermal event.

[0043] The side frame 130 can support the battery cells without interfering with the vent portions 115 provided at the bottom of the plurality of battery cells 110. The vent portions 115 of the plurality of battery cells 110 can be provided at the bottom of the battery cells to release flames or gases generated inside during thermal events downwards. The vent portions 115 can be formed at the bottom of the battery cells 110 so as to melt or rupture at a predetermined pressure or temperature above a predetermined level.

[0044] The heat propagation prevention section 150 may be provided protruding from the bottom of the side frame 130 so as to be closer to the bottom of the pack case 200 than the vent section 115. Such a heat propagation prevention section 150 can form a predetermined partition structure below the vent section 115 of the battery cell 110 (in the -Z axis direction). Therefore, the heat propagation prevention section 150 can guide the flame or gas g (see Figures 10 and 11) released to the outside from the vent section 115 of the event cell during a thermal event of the battery cell 110 to the below side of the heat propagation prevention section 150 (in the -Z axis direction) while restricting the lateral movement of the flame or gas g.

[0045] The heat propagation prevention section 150 may be filled with a predetermined filling member 170. The filling member 170 is filled into the heat propagation prevention section 150 at the bottom of the side frame 130, and can temporarily block the flame or gas generated in the event cell during the thermal event, while guiding the direction of the flame or gas toward the bottom (-Z axis direction) of the side frame 130.

[0046] The filling member 170 may be made of potting resin. The potting resin can be formed by injecting a fluid resin material into the plurality of battery cells 110 and allowing it to harden. Here, the injection of the resin material may be carried out at room temperature of approximately 15°C to 25°C to prevent thermal damage to the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0047] The filling member 170 may include a material with high heat resistance. This allows the filling member 170 to effectively prevent thermal runaway to adjacent battery cells 110 when a thermal event such as overheating occurs in at least one specific battery cell 110 among the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0048] The filling member 170 may include a material having high flame retardant properties. This allows the filling member 170 to minimize the risk of fire in the event that a thermal event such as overheating occurs in at least one specific battery cell 110 among the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0049] The filling member 170 may include a silicone resin. However, it is not limited to this, and the filling member 170 may further include other resin materials in addition to the silicone resin that can improve the fixing and heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 110.

[0050] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the filling member 170 can increase the heat dissipation efficiency of the multiple battery cells 110, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery cells 110.

[0051] The filling member 170 can serve as an insulator, interrupting the flow of power to adjacent battery cells 110 when damage or other abnormalities occur in at least one specific battery cell 110 among the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0052] The filling member 170 may include a material having high specific heat performance. This increases the thermal mass of the filling member 170, delaying the temperature rise of the battery cell 110 even under conditions such as rapid charging and discharging of the battery cell 110, thereby preventing a rapid temperature rise of the battery cell 110.

[0053] The filling member 170 may contain glass bubbles. The glass bubbles can reduce the specific gravity of the filling member 170 and increase the energy density per unit weight.

[0054] The filling member 170 can be filled not only in the heat propagation prevention section 150 but also between the battery cells 110. According to this embodiment of the present invention, the filling member 170 can more stably fix the battery cells 110 to the side frame 130.

[0055] The filling member 170 can be continuously filled between the battery cells 110 and between the heat propagation prevention section 150 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery cells 110 without any discontinuity or separation. In this way, the filling member 170 according to one embodiment of the present invention is continuously filled between the battery cells 110 and between the heat propagation prevention section 150 without any discontinuity, thereby achieving uniform heat distribution without causing deviations in heat distribution in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery cells 110, and significantly improving the cooling performance of the battery pack 10. Furthermore, the filling member 170 can also be continuously filled between the busbar assembly 400 described later, between the battery cells 110, and between the heat propagation prevention section 150 without any discontinuity or separation between the busbar assembly 400 described later and the battery cells 110.

[0056] The heat propagation prevention portion 150 may be formed to have a predetermined height h1 at the bottom of the side frame 130. The predetermined height h1 may be the height from the bottom of the battery cell 110 placed on the side frame 130 to the lower end of the side frame 130. That is, the heat propagation prevention portion 150 may be formed to extend further downward (in the -Z axis direction) than the bottom of the battery cell 110 by the predetermined height h1. The predetermined height h1 is a height that can restrict the lateral movement of flames or gases generated during the thermal event while guiding the movement of flames or gases toward the lower part of the side frame 130, and may be at least 2.5 mm.

[0057] The filling member 170 can be filled into the heat propagation prevention section 150 up to a predetermined height h1. On the other hand, as described above, the filling member 170 can also be filled between the battery cells 110 within the side frame 130 beyond the predetermined height h1.

[0058] A vent space V may be formed between the pack case 200 and the side frame 130 to guide the venting of gas g generated during the thermal event. The vent space V can work in cooperation with the heat propagation prevention section 150 to guide the gas g generated during the thermal event (see Figures 11 and 12) to perform directional venting in a specific direction.

[0059] The vent space V may be provided at the bottom of the heat propagation prevention section 150. The vent space V and the heat propagation prevention section 150 can guide downward venting from the bottom of the battery cell 110.

[0060] The height h2 of the vent space V may be formed to be higher than the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150. Preferably, the height h2 of the vent space V may be at least twice the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150. In this embodiment, the height h2 of the vent space V may be at least 5 mm.

[0061] During the thermal event, the filling member 170 may detach at least partially from the heat propagation prevention section 150 due to the flame or gas generated in the event cell. The filling member 170 that has detached from the heat propagation prevention section 150 may accumulate in the vent space V. In this case, if the vent space V does not have sufficient space, the filling member 170 that has detached from the heat propagation prevention section 150 may at least partially block the vent space V. If the vent space V is blocked, the gas g generated during the thermal event will accumulate, increasing the internal pressure in the vent space V and potentially increasing the risk of secondary damage such as explosions. For example, if the height h2 of the vent space V is formed to be about the same as or lower than the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150, there is a higher risk that the vent space V will be blocked by the filling member 170 that has detached from the heat propagation prevention section 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, since the height h2 of the vent space V is formed to be higher than the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150, the vent space V can be sufficiently secured, and the blockage of the vent space V that may occur due to the filling member 170 detaching from the heat propagation prevention section 150 during a thermal event can be effectively prevented. In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, the height h2 of the vent space V is set to be at least twice the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150, and as a result, even if an accumulation of the filling member 170 equal to the height h1 of the heat propagation prevention section 150 occurs on the vent space V, the vent path that guides the gas flow within the vent space V can be more reliably secured without the vent space V becoming blocked.

[0062] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the pack case of the battery pack shown in Figure 2.

[0063] Referring to Figure 8 and the aforementioned figures, the pack case 200 may include a base plate 210 and an outer side wall 230.

[0064] The base plate 210 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions 215 that support the bottom of the side frame 130. The bottom of the side frame 130 can be placed on the plurality of protrusions 215. The plurality of protrusions 215 may be provided with adhesive members to more stably support and fix the side frame 130. The plurality of protrusions 215 may also be provided with cushioning members to more stably support and fix the side frame 130. Furthermore, the plurality of protrusions 215 may be provided with both adhesive members and cushioning members.

[0065] The outer sidewall 230 can be coupled to the base plate 210. Such an outer sidewall 230 can form a side surface of the pack case 200.

[0066] The vent space V may be formed between the plurality of protrusions 215. Therefore, there may be multiple vent spaces V. The plurality of vent spaces V may extend to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the pack case 200. Such plurality of vent spaces V may be configured to communicate with a vent device 300, which will be described later, while inducing directional venting in a specific direction.

[0067] The plurality of protrusions 215 can be formed integrally with the base plate 210. For example, the plurality of protrusions 215 can be formed integrally with the base plate 210 by a forming process. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the vent space V can be formed by the plurality of protrusions 215 integrally provided with the base plate 210 without adding any separate components for providing the vent space V.

[0068] The battery pack 10 may include at least one venting device 300.

[0069] The at least one vent device 300 is provided on the outer sidewall 230 and can communicate with the vent space V. The at least one vent device 300 can discharge the gas g (see Figures 10 and 11) in the vent space V to the outside of the pack case 200 during the thermal event.

[0070] Multiple vent devices 300 may be provided. These multiple vent devices 300 may be provided on both sides (+Y axis direction and -Y axis direction) along the width direction (Y axis direction) of the outer side wall 230 and on the rear side (+X axis direction) along the longitudinal direction (X axis direction) of the outer side wall 230.

[0071] The following describes in more detail the gas discharge path of the battery pack 10 during thermal events according to this embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the gas exhaust path of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10 is an enlarged view of part A of the battery pack in Figure 9, and Figure 11 is an enlarged view of part B of the battery pack in Figure 9.

[0073] Referring to Figures 9 to 11, a thermal event may occur in a specific battery cell 110 of the battery pack 10. In the battery cell 110 where the event occurs, a flame or gas g may be generated through the bottom vent portion 115 (see Figure 7). The heat propagation prevention portion 150 can block the movement of the flame or gas g to the side of the affected cell while forcing the movement of the flame or gas g to the underside of the affected cell. Furthermore, the filling member 170 filled in the heat propagation prevention portion 150 can temporarily block and weaken the flame or gas g. Subsequently, the gas g can be rapidly discharged to the outside of the vent device 300 while flowing through the vent space V provided below the heat propagation prevention portion 150.

[0074] Thus, according to one embodiment of the present invention, in the event of a thermal event, the heat propagation prevention unit 150 and the filling member 170 effectively prevent flame from flowing into the battery cell 110 around the event cell, and the gas g can be quickly discharged to the outside of the pack case 200 through the vent space V. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, heat propagation during a thermal event can be effectively prevented, and secondary damage that could cause fires, explosions, etc., can be minimized.

[0075] The following describes in more detail other components of the cell array structure 100 and the battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] Figure 12 is a partially exploded perspective view of the cell array structure in Figure 3, Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the side structure of the side frame of the cell array structure in Figure 12, Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the bottom of the side structure in Figure 13, and Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of battery cells supported by the side structure in Figure 14.

[0077] Referring to Figures 12 to 15 and Figures 1 to 3, the battery pack 10 may include the cell array structure 100. The cell array structure 100 may include the battery cells 110 and the side frames 130.

[0078] The side frame 130 may include a pair of side walls 132 and a plurality of side structures 135.

[0079] The pair of sidewalls 132 may be provided on both sides of the outermost edge of the side frame 130. Each of the pair of sidewalls 132 is formed to a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the battery pack 10 and can accommodate the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0080] The pair of sidewalls 132 can be coupled to the outer sidewall 230 of the pack case 200. Therefore, the cell array structure 100 can be more stably fixed within the pack case 200 when it is housed inside the pack case 200.

[0081] The plurality of side structures 135 may be provided between a pair of side walls 132. Each of the plurality of side structures 135 may support the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0082] The plurality of side structures 135 are formed to a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the battery pack 10, and can accommodate the plurality of battery cells 110 while supporting them on both sides in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the battery pack 10.

[0083] The heat propagation prevention portion 150 may be provided at the bottom of the pair of side walls 132 and at the bottom of the plurality of side structures 135. The heat propagation prevention portion 150 may be integrally formed with the bottom of the pair of side walls 132 and the plurality of side structures 135.

[0084] The heat propagation prevention portion 150 may be formed to protrude from the bottom of the pair of side walls 132 and the bottom of the plurality of side structures 135 at a predetermined height h1.

[0085] A cell mounting portion 155 may be formed on the upper part of the heat propagation prevention portion 150. The cell mounting portion 155 can support the bottom outer edge of the battery cell 110 when the battery cell 110 is housed in the pair of side walls 132 and the plurality of side structures 135. Here, the cell mounting portion 155 may be provided so as not to interfere with the vent portion 115 of the battery cell 110. The cell mounting portion 155 may have a predetermined width that allows only the bottom outer edge of the battery cell 110 to be supported while exposing the vent portion 115 to the bottom of the heat propagation prevention portion 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, when the battery cell 110 is housed in the pair of side walls 132 and the plurality of side structures 135, the cell mounting portion 155 of the heat propagation prevention portion 150 can support the battery cell 110 more stably without causing interference with the vent portion 115.

[0086] The cell array structure 100 may include a cooling tube 190.

[0087] The cooling tube 190 is for cooling a plurality of battery cells 110 and may be formed to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the battery pack 10. Such a cooling tube 190 may be positioned between the plurality of battery cells 110 and may be provided to contact the outer surfaces of the plurality of opposing battery cells 110 in order to enhance cooling performance. The cooling tube 190 may be provided with cooling channels for the flow of a cooling medium.

[0088] Multiple cooling tubes 190 may be provided. The multiple cooling tubes 190 may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart from each other in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the battery pack 10. The multiple cooling tubes 190 may be connected by cooling pipes or the like so that they can communicate with each other, and may also be connected to an external cooling device or the like for the flow of the cooling medium.

[0089] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the battery pack 10 may include a busbar assembly 400.

[0090] The busbar assembly 400 is provided on the upper side of the cell array structure 100 and can be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells 110. In this embodiment, both the positive and negative electrodes of the battery cells 110 can be provided on the upper side of the cell array structure 100. Therefore, the electrical connection between the busbar assembly 400 and the battery cells 110 can be achieved on the upper side of the cell array structure 100.

[0091] The battery pack 10 may include a pack cover 500.

[0092] The pack cover 500 can cover the upper side of the cell array structure 100. Such a pack cover 500 can be coupled to the pack case 200, specifically, it can be bolted to the outer side wall 230 via bolt members or the like. The pack cover 500 may be provided with guide openings that can guide connections to external devices of the cooling pipe assembly and electrical unit, etc., which will be described later.

[0093] The battery pack 10 may include a cooling pipe assembly.

[0094] The cooling pipe assembly is for supplying the cooling medium to the cooling tube 190 side of the cell array structure 100 and for discharging the cooling medium that has circulated through the cooling tube 190 to the outside of the pack case 200, and can connect the plurality of cooling tubes 190 to the external cooling device.

[0095] The cooling medium may be configured as a cooling fluid that can circulate through the cooling tube 190 while cooling the battery cell 110. For example, the cooling medium may be cooling water. However, it is not limited to this, and the cooling medium may also be configured as another cooling fluid that can circulate through the cooling tube 190 while cooling the battery cell 110.

[0096] The battery pack 10 may include an electrical unit.

[0097] The electrical unit may include electrical components such as a battery management system (BMS) that is housed within the pack case 200 and controls the cell array structure 100 of the battery pack 10. Such an electrical unit may further include components such as a current sensor, a fuse, and a service plug.

[0098] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating an automobile according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] Referring to Figure 16, an automobile 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery pack 10 according to the present invention. Furthermore, an automobile 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include, in addition to such battery pack 10, various other components included in the automobile. For example, an automobile 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include, in addition to the battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle body, a motor, an electronic control unit (ECU), and other control devices.

[0100] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the automobile 1, but can also be installed in other devices, mechanisms, and equipment such as energy storage systems that use secondary batteries.

[0101] Through the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery pack 10 and an automobile 1 including the same that can prevent heat propagation to the adjacent battery cell 110 during thermal events.

[0102] As described above, the present invention has been explained with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalents of the technical concept and claims of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 10 Battery Packs 110 battery cells 200 pack case 130 Side Frame

Claims

1. Multiple battery cells, A pack case for housing multiple of the aforementioned battery cells, A side frame that supports a plurality of the battery cells within the pack case and has a heat transfer prevention section for preventing heat transfer to adjacent battery cells when a thermal event occurs in at least one of the plurality of battery cells, Includes a battery pack.

2. The aforementioned side frame is The battery cells are supported so as not to interfere with the vents provided at the bottom of the multiple battery cells. The heat propagation prevention unit is The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack is provided protruding from the bottom of the side frame so as to be closer to the bottom of the pack case than the vent portion.

3. The heat propagation prevention section includes: The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined filling member is filled in.

4. The filling member is The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the material is potting resin.

5. The heat propagation prevention unit is The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the side frame is formed to have a predetermined height.

6. The aforementioned predetermined height is The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the diameter is at least 2.5 mm.

7. Between the aforementioned pack case and the aforementioned side frame, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein a vent space is formed to guide the venting of gas generated during a thermal event.

8. The aforementioned vent space is The battery pack according to claim 7, provided at the bottom of the heat propagation prevention section.

9. The height of the aforementioned vent space is The battery pack according to claim 7, wherein it is at least 5 mm in diameter.

10. The aforementioned pack case is A base plate having multiple protrusions that support the bottom of the side frame, The outer sidewall, which is connected to the base plate and forms the side of the pack case, Includes, The aforementioned vent space is The battery pack according to claim 7, formed between the plurality of protrusions.

11. The plurality of protrusions are, The battery pack according to claim 10, which is integrally formed with the base plate.

12. The battery pack according to claim 10, comprising at least one vent device provided on the outer sidewall and communicating with the vent space.

13. The aforementioned side frame is A pair of side walls provided on the outermost edge of the side frame, A plurality of side structures are provided between a pair of side walls and support the plurality of battery cells, Includes, The heat propagation prevention unit is The battery pack according to claim 1, provided at the bottom of a pair of sidewalls and at the bottom of a plurality of side structures.

14. The heat propagation prevention unit is The battery pack according to claim 13, which is formed to protrude from the bottom of a pair of sidewalls and from the bottom of a plurality of side structures at a predetermined height.

15. An automobile comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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