Battery pack with improved gas venting path

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules, each including battery cells, a module housing that accommodates the battery cells, and a gas vent channel that is provided to communicate with the interior of the module housing; and a pack case that is provided to accommodate the plurality of battery modules and has a vent port in an upper plate that covers an upper portion of the plurality of battery modules, and the gas vent channel of each of the battery modules may be provided to communicate with the vent port.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly to a battery pack having a gas vent path that can safely and efficiently discharge venting gas to the outside of a pack case when gas is generated in a battery module.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0080408 filed on June 21, 2021, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of that application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source not only because they have the primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels, but also because they are environmentally friendly and can improve energy efficiency, as they do not produce any by-products associated with energy use.

[0004] Accordingly, secondary batteries are increasingly being applied to various devices. For example, they are widely used not only as energy sources for wireless mobile devices or wearable devices, which are multi-functional small products, but also as energy sources or energy storage systems (ESS) for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, which are presented as alternatives to existing gasoline and diesel vehicles.

[0005] Recently, the commonly used lithium secondary batteries each have an operating voltage of about 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, in the case of electric vehicles and power storage devices that require large capacity and high output, a battery module in which a plurality of lithium secondary batteries are connected in series and / or parallel, and a battery pack in which the battery modules are connected in series and / or parallel are formed, and these are used as an energy source.

[0006] Depending on the output or capacity of the battery pack required for the electric vehicle, the number of lithium secondary batteries accommodated in one battery module may increase, or the number of battery modules accommodated in one battery pack may increase.

[0007] However, in the case of a battery pack including such a large number of lithium secondary batteries, the damage caused by a fire or explosion becomes greater.

[0008] For example, if an event such as a short circuit between lithium secondary batteries or an abnormal temperature rise occurs in some battery modules, a large amount of vent gas may be generated in the lithium secondary batteries, and if deterioration progresses, high-temperature sparks containing electrode active material and aluminum particles may be emitted together with the vent gas. In this case, the vent gas and high-temperature sparks may cause thermal damage to adjacent battery modules, which may cause further events in other battery modules.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to develop a gas vent flow path that can minimize the impact on other battery modules when vent gas and high-temperature sparks are generated in some battery modules and can quickly and safely discharge vent gas to the outside of the battery pack. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack having a gas vent path that can minimize the influence on other battery modules when vent gas or sparks are generated inside some battery modules.

[0011] The technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to the present invention, a pack case may include a plurality of battery modules including battery cells, a module housing that accommodates the battery cells, and a gas vent channel that is arranged to communicate with the interior of the module housing, and a pack case that is arranged to accommodate the plurality of battery modules and has a vent port in an upper plate that covers an upper portion of the plurality of battery modules, and the gas vent channel of each of the battery modules may be arranged to communicate with the vent port.

[0013] The vent port may include a rupture membrane that ruptures above a certain pressure.

[0014] the gas vent channel is disposed in an upper portion of the module housing;

[0015] The gas outlet may include a duct portion having a hollow structure, a gas inlet portion provided on one side of the duct portion, and a gas outlet portion provided on the other side of the duct portion at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the gas inlet portion in the extension direction of the duct portion.

[0016] The gas inlet portion may be aligned with a first opening provided in the module housing, and the gas outlet portion may be aligned with a vent port provided in the upper plate, and the vent port may include a rupture membrane that ruptures above a certain pressure.

[0017] The vent ports may be multiple, and each of the multiple vent ports may be vertically connected to the gas outlet portion of each of the battery modules.

[0018] The upper plate is formed into a hollow structure and includes a lower plate portion facing an upper surface of the gas vent channel and an upper plate portion facing the lower plate portion across an empty space, and the vent port may include a first vent port provided in the lower plate portion and connected to the gas outlet portion in the vertical direction, and a second vent port provided in the upper plate portion separated by a predetermined interval in the horizontal direction from the position of the first vent port.

[0019] Either the first vent port or the second vent port may be provided with the rupture membrane, and the other may be provided with a mesh screen.

[0020] The housing may further include an outer cover plate disposed to surround an upper portion of the upper plate.

[0021] The duct portion may be configured to include a plurality of partitions that divide the interior space.

[0022] The duct portion may be configured to include a plurality of narrow passages extending longitudinally between each of the plurality of partition plates.

[0023] The battery cells may include a first battery cell group and a second battery cell group disposed to face each other across a firewall that divides an internal space of the module housing.

[0024] The first opening may include a 1_1 opening provided on a left side of an upper end of the module housing with respect to the firewall, and a 1_2 opening provided on a right side of an upper end of the module housing, and the gas inlet portion may include a first gas inlet portion aligned with the 1_1 opening, and a second gas inlet portion aligned with the 1_2 opening.

[0025] The gas outlet portion may include a first gas outlet portion provided in a left edge region of the duct portion, and a second gas outlet portion provided in a right edge region of the duct portion.

[0026] The first opening may be configured to be sealed with a plug of heat meltable material.

[0027] The module housing and the gas vent channel may be integrally formed.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle including the above-described battery pack can be provided. Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery pack can be provided that prevents the generation of venting gas or sparks in any of the battery modules from affecting the other battery modules and is equipped with a gas vent path that can quickly and safely exhaust the venting gas to the outside of the pack case.

[0030] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects of the present invention not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a gas venting path for the battery pack in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the battery module of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the lower part of the battery module of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of region A in FIG. 5. [Figure 8]FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the gas vent channel of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the gas vent channel of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 illustrates a first opening of a module housing according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 13 is a diagram showing a communication structure between a module housing and a gas vent channel according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 2 is a view showing one side edge region of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 13] 4A and 4B are views illustrating a communication structure between a gas vent channel and an upper plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 4A and 4B are views illustrating a communication structure between a gas vent channel and an upper plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 4 and shows a modified example of the upper plate. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which an outer cover plate is added to prevent exposure of the top plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as being in accordance with the meaning and concept of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concept of the term in order to best describe the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiment described in this specification and the configuration shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and therefore there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for them at the time of this application.

[0033] In this specification, terms such as top plate and base plate are used to identify the main components that form the pack case, but it is obvious that, for example, when the battery pack is turned upside down, the top plate becomes the bottom of the battery pack and the base plate becomes the ceiling of the battery pack. That is, it is made clear in advance that the terms top plate, base plate, etc. may be interpreted differently from their dictionary meanings depending on the arrangement of the battery pack or the position of the observer.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a gas venting path of the battery pack of FIG.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules 100 and a pack case 200 that accommodates the plurality of battery modules 100, and includes a configuration in which a gas vent channel 150 of each battery module 100 is connected to a vent port 221 provided in an upper plate 220 of the pack case 200 for venting gas when gas is generated in each battery module 100.

[0036] 3, when gas is generated in each battery module 100, the venting gas moves to the edge of the battery module 100 and can be discharged to the outside of the pack case 200 through a vent port 221 of the pack case 200 located at the top of each battery module 100. The vent port 221 includes a rupturable membrane 223 that ruptures at a certain pressure or more, and is normally closed. When venting gas is generated, the rupturable membrane 223 can be ruptured by the pressure to open the venting gas.

[0037] In the battery pack 10 according to the present invention, even if gas is generated in any of the battery modules 100, the venting gas can be immediately discharged from the battery module 100 to the outside of the pack case 200, so that hot air or high-temperature sparks are not propagated to other battery modules 100 inside the pack case 200. Therefore, even if high-temperature venting gas is generated in any of the battery modules 100, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention is effective in preventing radio waves of thermal runaway to other battery modules 100.

[0038] Hereinafter, a battery module 100 and a pack case 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned effects will be described in detail.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a battery module 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main portion of the battery module 100 of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a view showing the lower portion of the battery module 100 of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 5.

[0040] First, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. The battery module 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 110, a module housing 120, a firewall 130, a heat sink 140, and a gas vent channel 150.

[0041] The battery cells 110 may be pouch-type battery cells 110 having high energy density and being easily stacked. The pouch-type battery cells 110 may be provided in the form of a cell stack in which the cells are vertically (Z-axis direction) and stacked horizontally (Y-axis direction) as shown in Fig. 5. Of course, unlike the present embodiment, the battery module 100 may be configured using rectangular parallelepiped battery cells 110 or cylindrical battery cells 110.

[0042] The module housing 120 is a component for housing the plurality of battery cells 110, and may be manufactured into a sealed structure using a material with high mechanical rigidity to protect the plurality of battery cells 110 from external physical and chemical elements. The module housing 120 may include a lower housing 121 surrounding a lower portion of the battery cell 110 and an upper housing 122 surrounding an upper portion of the battery cell 110. The upper housing 122 and the lower housing 121 are provided in the form of a substantially U-shaped plate, and may be connected to each other by bolting and / or welding.

[0043] A battery module 100 according to the related art is generally configured so that one cell stack can be housed in one module housing 120. However, the battery module 100 of the present embodiment is configured so that a plurality of cell stacks can be housed in one module housing 120.

[0044] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the battery module 100 of the present embodiment includes a first battery cell group G1 forming one cell stack and a second battery cell group G2 forming another cell stack, and the first battery cell group G1 and the second battery cell group G2 may be housed in the module housing 120 such that they are arranged opposite each other across a firewall 130 that divides the internal space of the module housing 120.

[0045] That is, a first battery cell group G1 is disposed in one side space of the lower housing 121 separated by the firewall 130, and a second battery cell group G2 is disposed in the other side space of the partitioned lower housing 121. The first battery cell group G1 and the second battery cell group G2 thus disposed may be configured to be housed in two spaces that are enclosed by the upper housing 122, the lower housing 121, and the firewall 130, and are sealed, respectively, with their upper portions covered by the upper housing 122.

[0046] Here, the firewall 130 refers to a plate-like structure that divides the internal space of the module housing 120 into two physically separated spaces. The firewall 130 may be made of, for example, a fire-resistant material or a rigid material, with a sheet of a fire-resistant material (e.g., mica) attached to both sides. The firewall 130 serves to block heat transfer between the first battery cell group G1 and the second battery cell group G2, and prevents sagging of the center of the module housing 120 by connecting the upper housing 122 and the lower housing 121 to the center of the firewall 130 at their upper and lower ends, respectively.

[0047] Although not shown, for example, the upper housing 122 may have an opening in which a central side region is partially opened. The opening may be used to provide a connection means for electrically connecting the first battery cell group G1 and the second battery cell group G2. A rod-shaped metal bus bar may be used as the connection means, and the opening may be sealed after the connection means is provided.

[0048] One battery module 100 according to the present embodiment may have the same capacity as, for example, two battery modules 100 each having a structure in which one cell stack is housed in one module housing 120, but may be embodied with a smaller volume. Therefore, the battery module 100 may be advantageous in reducing the left-right width (X-axis direction) of the pack case 200 when manufacturing the battery pack 10.

[0049] Meanwhile, a heat sink 140 may be provided on the lower end of the module housing 120, in other words, on the bottom surface of the lower housing 121, as shown in Fig. 6. Here, the heat sink 140 refers to a cooling component that indirectly contacts the battery cells 110 to absorb heat. The heat sink 140 may be provided in the form of a plate-shaped body made of an aluminum material having a flow passage therein, and may be integrated with the lower housing 121 as in the present embodiment, or may be configured to be detachable from the surface of the lower housing 121.

[0050] The gas vent channel 150 is a component for discharging vent gas generated inside the battery module 100 to the outside of the battery module 100, and may be provided such that one side communicates with the inside of the module housing 120 and the other side communicates with the outside air. The gas vent channel 150 may be attached to the outside of the module housing 120 or may be provided integrally with the module housing 120.

[0051] The gas vent channel 150 of the present embodiment has a size that corresponds approximately to the top surface of the upper housing 122, and is provided in the shape of a hollow, flat, rectangular box, and may be attached to the top of the module housing 120. In addition, the gas vent channel 150 may be made of a fire-resistant material so that it is less likely to deform even if high-temperature gas or high-temperature sparks flow into it.

[0052] Specifically, referring to Figures 5 and 7 to 9, the gas vent channel 150 includes a duct portion 151 having a hollow structure, a gas inlet portion 152 which is a hole for allowing gas to flow into the duct portion 151, and a gas outlet portion 153 which is a hole for allowing gas to flow out from the duct portion 151.

[0053] Duct portion 151 has an area corresponding to the upper surface of module housing 120, and is provided with a hollow structure inside to allow gas to flow. In addition, a plurality of partitions 154 spaced apart from each other in the width direction and extending long in the longitudinal direction are provided inside duct portion 151, so that the internal space can be divided.

[0054] For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the inside of the duct section 151 may be divided by partitions 154 to form narrow passages 157 between the partitions 154. Hot sparks or flames traveling with the venting gas may be restricted or extinguished due to a bottleneck or trap phenomenon while traveling through the narrow passages. As a further measure to suppress the movement of hot sparks or flames, a metal mesh screen (not shown) may be further applied to the narrow passages or gas inlet section 152.

[0055] The gas inlet portion 152 may be provided on the bottom surface of the duct portion 151 and configured to align with a first opening 123 provided on the upper end of the module housing 120 .

[0056] 8, the gas inlet part 152 may be located in a central region of a bottom surface of the duct part 151 and may be provided in an elongated shape as long as the width of the module housing 120. The gas inlet part 152 may include a first gas inlet part 152a and a second gas inlet part 152b, and the first gas inlet part 152a and the second gas inlet part 152b may be configured to be symmetrical with respect to each other with respect to the center of the module housing 120.

[0057] 10 and 11, the first opening 123 of the module housing 120 includes a 1_1 opening 123a provided on the left side of the upper end of the module housing 120 with respect to the firewall 130, and a 1_2 opening provided on the right side of the upper end of the module housing 120. When a gas vent channel 150 is attached to the upper surface of the module housing 120, the 1_1 opening may be aligned with the first gas inlet portion 152a in the vertical direction, and the 1_2 opening may be aligned with the second gas inlet portion 152b in the vertical direction.

[0058] As a result, gas and high-temperature sparks generated in the first battery cell group G1 may flow into the duct portion 151 through the 1_1 opening 123a and the first gas inlet portion 152a, and gas and high-temperature sparks generated in the second battery cell group G2 may flow into the duct portion 151 through the 1_2 opening 123b and the second gas inlet portion 152b.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 11, a blocking wall may be formed in the internal space of the duct portion 151 between the first gas inlet portion 152a and the second gas inlet portion 152b to prevent gas generated in the first battery cell group G1 from moving to the second battery cell group G2.

[0060] Although not shown, the first opening 123 may be sealed with a plug (not shown) made of a heat-meltable material (e.g., rubber or plastic). The plug normally serves to block the inflow of foreign matter from the first opening 123 into the module housing 120. When venting gas or a high-temperature spark occurs, the plug may disappear due to heat and pressure, opening the first opening 123. A mesh net may be used instead of the plug.

[0061] The gas outlet portion 153 is provided on the upper surface of the duct portion 151, and may include a first gas outlet portion 153a and a second gas outlet portion 153b, and may be configured to be aligned with the vent port 221 of the upper plate 220 in the vertical direction.

[0062] The first gas outlet portion 153a may be provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the first gas inlet portion 152a in the left extension direction (-X axis direction) of the duct portion 151, and the second gas outlet portion 153b may be provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the second gas inlet portion 152b in the right extension direction (+X axis direction) of the duct portion 151.

[0063] That is, referring to FIGS. 9 and 12, the first gas outlet 153a serves as an outlet through which the venting gas flowing from the first gas inlet 152a into the duct 151 is discharged to the outside, and the second gas outlet 153b serves as an outlet through which the venting gas flowing from the second gas inlet 152b into the duct 151 is discharged to the outside.

[0064] The first gas outlet 153a and the second gas outlet 153b may be formed in a hole shape having a size that matches the vent port 221 vertically, and may be provided in the left and right edge regions of the upper surface of the duct part 151, respectively.

[0065] On the other hand, the pack case 200 is a component for storing the battery modules 100, and may include a base plate 210, an upper plate 220, a left side frame 230, a right side frame 240, a front cover 250, and a rear cover 260, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0066] In particular, the upper plate 220 is a portion that covers the upper portion of the battery module 100, and includes a plurality of vent ports 221 configured to be able to discharge venting gas.

[0067] 13 and 14, the vent port 221 may be provided at a position vertically corresponding to the first gas outlet 153a or the second gas outlet 153b of each battery module 100 when the battery module 100 is covered with the upper plate 220. For example, in the present embodiment, the battery modules 100 are arranged along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack case 200 such that the first gas outlet 153a and the second gas outlet 153b of each battery module 100 are located at both edges in the width direction of the pack case 200. Half of the vent ports 221 are provided in the left edge region of the upper plate 220 and the other half of the vent ports 221 are provided in the right edge region of the upper plate 220 such that the gas outlets 153 and the vent ports 221 of all the battery modules 100 are aligned in the vertical direction and connected one by one.

[0068] Meanwhile, the arrangement structure of the battery modules 100 housed in the pack case 200 or the positions of the first gas outlet 153a and the second gas outlet 153b provided in the battery module 100 may be appropriately changed as necessary, different from the present embodiment. In this case, the vent port 221 may be provided in the upper plate 220 according to the changed positions of the first gas outlet 153a and the second gas outlet 153b.

[0069] The vent port 221 in this embodiment includes a through hole 222 and a rupturable membrane 223 .

[0070] The through hole 222 may be formed to have a size equal to or larger than that of the gas outlet portion 153 so as to prevent leakage of the venting gas, and a sealing member (not shown) such as an O-ring may be applied around the through hole 222 .

[0071] The rupturable membrane 223 covers the through hole 222 and may be configured to rupture when the internal pressure of the pack case 200 exceeds a certain pressure. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent moisture or foreign matter from penetrating into the inside of the pack case 200 under normal conditions, and when venting gas is generated, the rupturable membrane 223 ruptures due to the heat and pressure of the venting gas, thereby opening the through hole 222 and allowing the venting gas to be discharged to the outside of the pack case 200. At this time, since the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pack case 200 is large, the venting gas is quickly discharged to the outside from the through hole without leaking to other parts.

[0072] The rupturable membrane 223 may be provided in the form of a thin plate made of aluminum or plastic material, but is not limited thereto, and may be any material that can be ruptured by a predetermined pressure. The rupturable membrane 223 also has at least one notch (a hole) formed by partially cutting the surface of the rupturable membrane 223 in the thickness direction. The notch is for making the rupturable membrane 223 more likely to rupture when a predetermined pressure is applied.

[0073] In this embodiment, a support frame 225 provided in a frame shape may be used so that the rupturable membrane 223 can be easily attached to the through hole 222 .

[0074] The periphery of the rupture membrane 223 is supported by the support frame 225, and the support frame 225 is attached to the upper plate 220 using bolts or rivets, so that the through hole 222 can be covered by the rupture membrane 223. In this case, assembly is easier than attaching the rupture membrane 223 directly to the upper plate 220, and airtightness can be improved.

[0075] In addition, the upper plate 220 according to the present embodiment may further include a partition wall extending across the upper plate 220 in the width direction and protruding downward from the surface to form a wall. A plurality of partition walls may be provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the upper plate 220. Such partition walls serve to prevent deformation of the upper plate 220 and to block thermal waves between adjacent battery modules 100 when the battery modules 100 are covered by the upper plate 220, by being located in the spaces between the battery modules 100.

[0076] According to the configuration of the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, when venting gas is generated in the battery module 100, the venting gas can be discharged according to the following flow.

[0077] Venting gas is generated in each battery module 100 -> gas flows out of the module housing 120 from the 1_1 opening 123a or 1_2 opening 123b at the top of the module housing 120 -> gas flows into the gas vent channel 150 from the first gas inlet portion 152a or the second gas inlet portion 152b of the venting gas channel -> venting gas moves along the duct portion 151 to the first gas outlet portion 153a or the second gas outlet portion 153b located on both edges of the battery module 100 -> the rupture membrane 223 of the vent port 221 ruptures to open the vent port 221 -> venting gas is discharged to the outside of the pack case 200 from the opened vent port 221.

[0078] Therefore, the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is structured such that the venting gas does not move inside the pack case 200 but is immediately discharged from each battery module 100 to the outside of the pack case 200 as described above, so that even if any problem occurs in one battery module 100 and venting gas is generated, the venting gas does not thermally damage other battery modules 100. As a result, the present invention has an effect of preventing a thermal runaway phenomenon in which venting gas or high-temperature sparks are propagated to other battery modules 100 when an internal ignition occurs in one battery module 100, thereby spreading the ignition of the battery pack 10. In addition, the battery pack 10 of the present invention can intuitively know which battery module 100 inside is ignited from the position where the venting gas is discharged, and can accurately and effectively take follow-up measures such as supplying fire-extinguishing water to the battery module 100 in a concentrated manner.

[0079] Next, a modification of the above-mentioned upper plate 220 and another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0080] First, referring to FIG. 5, the modified upper plate 220A is formed in a hollow structure and includes a lower plate portion 226 facing the upper surface of the gas vent channel 150, and an upper plate portion 227 facing the lower plate portion with an empty space O therebetween.

[0081] The vent port 221 includes a first vent port 221A provided in the lower plate portion 226 and aligned with the gas outlet portion 153 of the gas vent channel 150 so as to be vertically connected thereto, and a second vent port 221B provided in the upper plate portion 227 spaced a predetermined distance horizontally from the position of the first vent port 221A. The first vent port 221A may be provided with a rupturable membrane 223, and the second vent port 221B may be provided with a mesh net 229 instead of the rupturable membrane 223. Conversely, the mesh net 229 may be provided in the first vent port 221A, and the rupturable membrane 223 may be provided in the second vent port 221B.

[0082] The upper plate 220A according to this modified example has a more complicated exhaust path for the venting gas than the above-described upper plate 220, and therefore is advantageous in reducing the pressure of the venting gas. In addition, due to the complicated exhaust path and the configuration of the first vent port 221A and the second vent port 221B, high-temperature sparks and flames are less likely to be exhausted to the outside of the pack case 200 when the venting gas is exhausted. As a result, this modified example is more advantageous than the above-described embodiment in preventing the risk of external fire around the battery pack 10.

[0083] Next, a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 16. The same reference numerals as those in the above-mentioned embodiment denote the same components, and the same components will not be described repeatedly, and differences from the above-mentioned embodiment will be mainly described.

[0084] Compared to the above-described embodiment, the battery pack according to this embodiment of the present invention may further include an outer cover plate 270 provided to surround the upper portion of the upper plate 220 as shown in FIG.

[0085] In the battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the rupture membrane 223 is directly exposed on the upper plate 220, and may be damaged by an external force. In contrast, in order to protect the rupture membrane 223 from an external force, a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention is configured to cover the rupture membrane 223 with an outer cover plate 270. The outer cover plate 270 may be made of, for example, a high-strength plastic, aluminum, or iron plate, and may be provided with a ventilation structure such as a grating to allow ventilation, if necessary.

[0086] Meanwhile, the battery pack according to the present invention can be applied to automobiles such as electric automobiles and hybrid automobiles. That is, the automobile according to the present invention may include the battery pack according to the present invention. The battery pack may be installed in a body frame under a seat of the vehicle or in a trunk space, and may be arranged upside down so that an upper plate of the pack case faces downward when installed in the vehicle, if necessary.

[0087] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms indicate relative positions and are used only for convenience of explanation, and may change depending on the position of the target object, the position of the observer, etc.

[0088] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 10 Battery Pack 100 Battery Module 110 Battery Cell 120 module housing 121 Lower housing 122 Upper housing 123 First Opening 123a 1st_1 opening 123b 1st_2 opening 130 Firewall 140 Heatsink 150 Gas Vent Channel 151 Duct section 152 Gas inlet section 152a First gas inlet 152b Second gas inlet 153 Gas Outlet 153a First Gas Outlet 153b Second gas outlet 154 Partition plate Aisle 157 200 pack case 210 Base Plate 220 Upper Plate 220A Top Plate 221 Vent Port 221A 1st vent port 221B 2nd vent port 222 Through hole 223 Rupture membrane 225 Support Frame 226 Lower plate part 227 Upper plate 229 Mesh Net 230 Left side frame 240 Right side frame 250 Front cover 260 Rear cover 270 Outer cover plate ESS Power Storage Device G1 1st battery cell group G2 Second battery cell group O. Open space

Claims

1. A plurality of battery modules including battery cells, a module housing that receives the battery cells, and a gas vent channel that is provided to communicate with an interior of the module housing; and a pack case provided to house the plurality of battery modules and having a vent port on an upper plate covering an upper portion of the plurality of battery modules; Including, The gas vent channel of each of the battery modules is provided to communicate with the vent port; the gas vent channel is disposed in an upper portion of the module housing; The gas vent channel is A duct portion having a hollow structure; A gas inlet portion provided on one surface of the duct portion; a gas outlet portion provided on the other surface of the duct portion at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the gas inlet portion in an extension direction of the duct portion; Including, The vent port is provided in a plurality of numbers corresponding to each of the plurality of battery modules, and the gas outlet portion of the gas vent channel of each of the plurality of battery modules is connected to the corresponding vent port. A battery pack comprising:

2. The vent port includes a rupture membrane that ruptures when a certain pressure is reached or exceeded.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

3. A plurality of battery modules each including a battery cell, a module housing for accommodating the battery cell, and a gas vent channel provided in communication with an interior of the module housing; and a pack case provided to house the plurality of battery modules and having a vent port on an upper plate covering an upper portion of the plurality of battery modules; Including, The gas vent channel of each of the battery modules is provided to communicate with the vent port; the gas vent channel is disposed in an upper portion of the module housing; The gas vent channel is A duct portion having a hollow structure; A gas inlet portion provided on one surface of the duct portion; a gas outlet portion provided on the other surface of the duct portion at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the gas inlet portion in an extension direction of the duct portion; Including, the gas inlet portion is aligned with a first opening provided in the module housing, and the gas outlet portion is aligned with a vent port provided in the upper plate; The vent port includes a rupture membrane that ruptures when a certain pressure is exceeded. A battery pack comprising:

4. The vent ports are connected to the gas outlets of the battery modules in a vertical direction.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3.

5. The upper plate is The gas vent channel is formed in a hollow structure, and includes a lower plate portion facing an upper surface of the gas vent channel, and an upper plate portion facing the lower plate portion with an empty space therebetween, The vent port is a first vent port provided in the lower plate portion and connected to the gas outlet portion in a vertical direction; and a second vent port provided in the upper plate portion spaced a predetermined distance horizontally from the position of the first vent port.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3.

6. The rupture membrane is provided on one of the first vent port and the second vent port, and a mesh net is provided on the other.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5 .

7. The upper plate further includes an outer cover plate provided to surround the upper portion of the upper plate.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3.

8. The duct portion includes a plurality of partitions that divide the internal space.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

9. The duct portion has a plurality of narrow passages extending in the longitudinal direction between each of the plurality of partition plates. The battery pack according to claim 8 .

10. The battery cells include a first battery cell group and a second battery cell group disposed to face each other across a firewall that divides an internal space of the module housing.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3.

11. the first opening includes a first_1 opening provided on a left side of an upper end of the module housing based on the firewall, and a first_2 opening provided on a right side of an upper end of the module housing based on the firewall; The gas inlet portion includes a first gas inlet portion aligned with the 1_1 opening and a second gas inlet portion aligned with the 1_2 opening.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10.

12. The gas outlet portion includes a first gas outlet portion provided in a left edge region of the duct portion, and a second gas outlet portion provided in a right edge region of the duct portion.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10.

13. The first opening is sealed with a plug made of a heat-meltable material.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10.

14. The module housing and the gas vent channel are integrally formed.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

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

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