Battery pack and device including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes battery modules each including a plurality of battery cells, and a pack frame for accommodating the battery modules. The battery modules are arranged in a multi-row single layer structure within the pack frame, and at least two of the battery modules are arranged in a row along a first direction to form a battery module group. A partition member is positioned between each battery module group and another battery module group, and the partition member extends along the first direction.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0051387 filed on April 20, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack and a device including the same that have improved safety against flame occurrence. [Background technology]

[0003] In modern society, as the use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras has become commonplace, the development of technologies related to such mobile devices has become active. In addition, rechargeable secondary batteries are used as the power source for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), etc. as a solution to air pollution caused by existing gasoline-powered vehicles that use fossil fuels, and the need for the development of secondary batteries is increasing.

[0004] Currently, commercial secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of these, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages over nickel-based secondary batteries, such as almost no memory effect, freedom in charging and discharging, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as positive and negative active materials, respectively, and include an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, each coated with the positive and negative active materials, are disposed with a separator therebetween, and a battery case that hermetically houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0006] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into can-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

[0007] In the case of secondary batteries used in small devices, two to three battery cells are arranged, whereas in the case of secondary batteries used in medium to large devices such as automobiles, a battery module in which a number of battery cells are electrically connected is used. In such battery modules, a number of battery cells are connected to each other in series or parallel to form a battery cell stack, thereby improving capacity and output. In addition, one or more battery modules may be mounted with various control and protection systems such as a BMS (Battery Management System) and a cooling system to form a battery pack.

[0008] In a battery pack made up of many battery modules, the heat generated from the many battery cells may be combined in a small space, causing a sudden and intense rise in temperature. In other words, a battery module in which many battery cells are stacked and a battery pack equipped with such a battery module can obtain high output, but it is difficult to remove the heat generated in the battery cells during charging and discharging. If the heat of the battery cells is not dissipated well, the battery cells deteriorate quickly, their lifespan is shortened, and the possibility of explosion or fire increases.

[0009] Furthermore, battery modules included in vehicle battery packs are often exposed to direct sunlight and may be placed in high temperature conditions such as in summer or in desert regions. In addition, since a large number of battery modules are arranged in a concentrated manner to increase the mileage of a vehicle, a flame or heat generated in any one battery module may easily spread to an adjacent battery module, which may ultimately lead to the battery pack itself catching fire or exploding.

[0010] Therefore, it is necessary to design a model that will not lead to a fire or explosion of the battery pack itself even if a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one battery cell. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a device including the same, which can prevent a thermal runaway phenomenon from leading to a fire or explosion even if the thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one of the battery cells.

[0012] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and may be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, and a pack frame for housing the battery modules. The battery modules are arranged in a multi-row single layer structure in the pack frame, and at least two of the battery modules are arranged in a row along a first direction to form a battery module group. A partition member is positioned between any one of the battery module groups and another of the battery module groups, and the partition member extends along the first direction.

[0014] The plurality of battery cells may be stacked along the first direction in an upright state such that one surface of a cell body of the battery cell is perpendicular to one surface of a bottom of the pack frame.

[0015] The battery cell may be a pouch-type battery cell.

[0016] The battery pack may further include a connecting member connecting any one of the battery module groups to the other of the battery module groups.

[0017] A space in which the connecting member is positioned may be provided on one or both sides of the partition member, and a sealing member may be disposed in the space in which the connecting member is positioned.

[0018] The battery module group may include a first battery module group, a second battery module group, and a third battery module group, and in each of the first battery module group, the second battery module group, and the third battery module group, the battery modules may be arranged in a row along the first direction.

[0019] Within the pack frame, the first battery module group, the second battery module group, and the third battery module group may be arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0020] The partition member may include a first partition member and a second partition member, and the first partition member may be positioned between the first battery module group and the second battery module group, and the second partition member may be positioned between the second battery module group and the third battery module group.

[0021] A first opening may be formed on one side of the first partition member connecting a space of the first battery module group and a space of the second battery module group, and a second opening may be formed on one side of the second partition member connecting a space of the second battery module group and a space of the third battery module group.

[0022] The first opening and the second opening may be located opposite each other with respect to the first direction.

[0023] The partition members allow any one battery module to face one or two other battery modules. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, even if a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one battery cell, the battery pack is designed to sequentially propagate heat, thereby preventing fire or explosion at the battery pack level.

[0025] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module and a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of a battery cell included in the battery module of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a battery module and a connecting member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 7 is a plan view that illustrates a state in which a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one of the battery cells in the battery pack of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to a modified embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a plan view that illustrates a state in which a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one of the battery cells in the battery pack of FIG. 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention may, however, be embodied in various different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0028] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts unnecessary for the explanation are omitted, and the same reference numerals are used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0029] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, thicknesses are enlarged to clearly show multiple layers and regions. In the drawings, thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

[0030] In addition, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is said to be "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly above" the other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. In addition, being "above" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being located "above" in the opposite direction to gravity.

[0031] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "comprise" a certain element, this does not mean that it excludes other elements and may further include other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0032] Also, throughout the specification, a reference to "in a plane" means when the subject part is viewed from above, and a reference to "in cross section" means when the subject part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0033] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a battery module and a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a battery cell included in the battery module of Fig. 2.

[0034] 1 to 3, a battery module 100a according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells 110. The battery cells 110 are preferably pouch-type battery cells and may be formed in a rectangular sheet-type structure. For example, the battery cell 110 according to the present embodiment has a structure in which two electrode leads 111 and 112 face each other and protrude from one end and the other end, respectively.

[0035] 3, the battery cell 110 according to this embodiment has two electrode leads 111 and 112 that face each other and protrude from one end 114a and the other end 114b of a cell body 113. More specifically, the electrode leads 111 and 112 are connected to an electrode assembly (not shown) and protrude from the electrode assembly (not shown) to the outside of the battery cell 110.

[0036] Meanwhile, the battery cell 110 may be manufactured by bonding both ends 114a, 114b of the cell case 114 to one side 114c connecting them in a state where an electrode assembly (not shown) is housed in the cell case 114. In other words, the battery cell 110 according to this embodiment may have a total of three sealing parts 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc, and the sealing parts 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc may be structured to be sealed by a method such as thermal fusion, and the other side may be formed of the connecting part 115. The cell case 114 may be formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer.

[0037] In addition, the connecting portion 115 extends long along one edge of the battery cell 110, and a protrusion 110p of the battery cell 110 called a bat-ear may be formed at an end of the connecting portion 115. However, the protrusion 110p is only an exemplary structure, and a battery cell 110 according to another embodiment of the present invention may have a shape in which the connecting portion 115 extends in a straight line without the protrusion being formed.

[0038] FIG. 3 describes only the battery cell 110 having a structure in which the electrode leads 111, 112 protrude in both directions, but as another embodiment of the present invention, a unidirectional pouch-type battery cell in which the electrode leads both protrude in one direction is of course also possible.

[0039] Such a battery cell 110 may be configured in plurality, and the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other to form a battery cell stack 120. In particular, as shown in Fig. 2, the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked along a direction parallel to the y-axis. To this end, one electrode lead 111 of the battery cells 110 may protrude in the x-axis direction, and the other electrode lead 112 may protrude in the -x-axis direction.

[0040] The battery cell stack 120 may be housed in a module frame 200. The module frame 200 may be a metal frame with both sides open. More specifically, the module frame 200 may be open in both directions in which the electrode leads 111 and 112 protrude from the battery cell stack 120. However, the module frame 200 shown in FIG. 2 is only an exemplary structure, and there is no particular limitation on the shape of the module frame 200 as long as it can house the battery cell stack 120. For example, a shape in which an upper cover is joined to a U-shaped frame with an open top, a shape in which a U-shaped frame and an inverted U-shaped frame are combined with each other, etc. are possible.

[0041] End plates 410 and 420 may be positioned on both open sides of the module frame 200. The two end plates 410 and 420 are referred to as a first end plate 410 and a second end plate 420, respectively. The end plates 410 and 420 may cover both open sides of the module frame 200. The battery cell stack 120 is accommodated in a space formed by the module frame 200 and the end plates 410 and 420, so that the battery cell stack 120 can be physically protected. For this purpose, the module frame 200 and the end plates 410 and 420 may include a metal material having a predetermined strength, such as aluminum, or a plastic material. Meanwhile, the module frame 200 and the end plates 410 and 420 may be joined by a welding method in a state where corresponding edge portions are in contact with each other. However, this is an exemplary method, and as a mechanical connection form, bolt fastening, hook fastening, etc. may be applied.

[0042] Meanwhile, the battery module 100a according to the present embodiment may further include a bus bar frame 300 to which a bus bar 510 and a terminal bus bar 520 are attached.

[0043] The bus bar 510 and the terminal bus bar 520 may be joined to the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells 110. Specifically, the bus bar frame 300 to which the bus bar 510 and the terminal bus bar 520 are attached may be located on one side (x-axis direction) and the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120, respectively. The one side (x-axis direction) and the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120 correspond to the surface in the direction in which the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 protrude. In other words, any one of the bus bar frames 300 may be located between any one of the end plates 410, 420 and the battery cell stack 120.

[0044] A lead slit is formed in the bus bar frame 300, and the electrode leads 111, 112 may pass through the lead slit and then bend to be joined to the bus bar 510 or the terminal bus bar 520. As long as a physical and electrical connection is possible, there is no particular limitation on the joining method, and welding may be used as an example.

[0045] Meanwhile, a portion of the terminal bus bar 520 may be exposed to the outside of the battery module 100a. Specifically, a first terminal bus bar opening 410H may be formed in the first end plate 410 to expose a portion of the terminal bus bar 520, and a second terminal bus bar opening 420H may be formed in the second end plate 420 to expose a portion of the terminal bus bar 520. The exposed portion of the terminal bus bar 520 may be joined to a connection member 1400 as shown in FIG. 1 in order to form a HV (High Voltage) connection by being connected to another battery module or a BDU (Battery Disconnect Unit). That is, the battery module 100a may be connected to another battery module or a BDU (Battery Disconnect Unit) through the connection member 1400. Here, the HV connection is a connection that serves as a power source for supplying power, and refers to a connection between battery cells or a connection between battery modules.

[0046] The material of the connecting member 1400 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of electrical connection, and a metal material may be used.

[0047] Hereinafter, a battery module 100b according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0048] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery module and a connecting member according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of Fig. 4.

[0049] 4 and 5, a battery module 100b according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked, a module frame 200, first and second end plates 410, 420, and a bus bar frame 300.

[0050] Detailed descriptions of the battery cell stack 120, module frame 200, and first and second end plates 410, 420 overlap with those of the previously described battery module 100a and will therefore be omitted.

[0051] The bus bar frames 300 may be located on one side (x-axis direction) and the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120. The one side (x-axis direction) and the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120 correspond to the directions in which the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cells 110 protrude. However, the bus bar frame located on the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack 120 in FIG. 5 is omitted from the illustration.

[0052] A bus bar 510 and a terminal bus bar 520 may be positioned on the bus bar frame 300 located on the one side of the battery cell stack 120. However, two terminal bus bars 520 may be positioned on the bus bar frame 300 located on the one side of the battery cell stack 120. Therefore, only bus bars are positioned on the bus bar frame (not shown) located on the other side of the battery cell stack 120, and no terminal bus bars are positioned thereon.

[0053] To this end, two first terminal bus bar openings 410H may be formed in the first end plate 410, and two terminal bus bars 520 may be exposed to the outside through the first terminal bus bar openings 410H. A connection member 1400 for HV connection may be joined to each of the exposed terminal bus bars 520.

[0054] In other words, if there is a difference between the battery modules 100a and 100b described above, the positions of the terminal bus bars 520 and the connecting members 1400 are different. Specifically, in the battery module 100a shown in Figures 1 and 2, the two terminal bus bars 520 are located on opposite sides of the battery cell stack 120, and the connecting members 1400 are also located on opposite sides facing each other. In contrast, in the battery module 100b shown in Figures 4 and 5, the two terminal bus bars 520 are located on the same side of the battery cell stack 120, and the connecting members 1400 are also located on the same side.

[0055] A battery module 100a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a battery module 100b shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 each show an exemplary structure of a battery module that may be included in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Hereinafter, a battery pack 1000a according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0057] 6 is a plan view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed along the -z axis direction on an xy plane, where the xy plane may be a plane parallel to the ground.

[0058] 6, a battery pack 1000a according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module 100a including a plurality of battery cells 110, and a pack frame 1200 that houses the battery module 100a. In this embodiment, the battery module 100a may be the battery module 100a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 6, the battery cells 110 included in the battery module 100a are roughly represented by dotted lines for ease of explanation. Also, unlike FIGS. 1 and 4, a connecting member 1400 is roughly represented.

[0059] The battery modules 100a may be arranged on the bottom 1200F of the pack frame 1200, and the battery modules 100a may be arranged in a multi-row single-layer structure in the pack frame 1200. At least two battery modules 100a may be arranged in a row along the first direction d1 to form battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the battery modules 100a may be arranged in two rows in the pack frame 1200. A plurality of battery modules 100a may be arranged in a row along the first direction d1 to form one battery module group 100Ga, and another plurality of battery modules 100a may be arranged in a row along the first direction d1 to form another battery module group 100Gb.

[0060] Furthermore, the battery modules 100a are arranged in a single-layer structure, not in a multi-layer structure, along the height direction (z-axis direction).

[0061] The battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb may be arranged along a second direction d2 perpendicular to the first direction d1. The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 are parallel to the ground or one surface of the bottom 1200F of the pack frame 1200, in other words, parallel to the xy plane.

[0062] A partition member 1300 is located between any one of the battery module groups 100Ga and the other battery module group 100Gb, and the partition member 1300 extends along the first direction d1. That is, any one of the battery module groups 100Ga and the other battery module group 100Gb are spatially separated by the partition member 1300 within the pack frame 1200.

[0063] 6 together with FIG 3, the plurality of battery cells 110 may be stacked along a first direction d1 in an upright state such that one surface of the cell body 113 of the battery cell 110 is perpendicular to one surface of the bottom 1200F of the pack frame 1200. In other words, the direction in which the battery modules 100a are arranged in the battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb may coincide with the direction in which the battery cells 110 are stacked.

[0064] Hereinafter, advantages of the battery pack 1000a according to the present embodiment when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one of the battery cells will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a plan view that illustrates a state in which a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one of the battery cells in the battery pack of FIG.

[0066] 3, 6 and 7, a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur in one of the battery cells 110 included in the battery pack 1000a according to the present embodiment. An example of a thermal runaway phenomenon is as follows. Physical, thermal and electrical damage may occur in the battery cell 110, including overcharging, and the internal pressure of the battery cell 110 may increase. If the fusion strength of the cell case 114 of the battery cell 110 exceeds its limit, high temperature heat, venting gas, etc. generated in the battery cell 110 may be ejected to the outside of the battery cell 110.

[0067] A thermal runaway phenomenon occurring in any one battery cell may spread to other battery cells due to the convection effect, and may even spread to other battery modules. In particular, due to the structure of a battery pack in which battery modules are closely packed together to increase space utilization, the thermal runaway phenomenon does not propagate sequentially to the battery modules, but may occur simultaneously in many closely packed battery modules. In other words, a thermal runaway phenomenon that starts in a battery cell and spreads simultaneously to many battery modules can lead to the battery pack itself catching fire or exploding, which is a serious problem.

[0068] However, in the battery pack 1000a according to the present embodiment, a partition member 1300 is disposed between the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb, and the battery modules 100a are disposed in a row within the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb, so that the propagation of the thermal runaway phenomenon occurs not only in units of the battery module 100a but also in units of the battery cells 110 in sequence. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one battery cell inside the left battery module of one of the battery module groups 100Ga, venting gas and heat may be propagated to the adjacent battery cells 110 in sequence. As an example, FIG. 7 shows the propagation of the thermal runaway phenomenon from a battery cell 110' of one of the battery module groups 100Ga to a battery cell 110" of another battery module group 100Gb.

[0069] In addition, the partition member 1300 prevents the venting gas and heat from being immediately transmitted to other battery module groups 100Gb, and the venting gas and heat can be transmitted to the space between the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb where the connecting member 1400 is located.

[0070] In this embodiment, a heat insulating structure is designed so that a thermal runaway phenomenon is not propagated between the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb beyond the HV connection order of the connection members 1400.

[0071] As described above, by designing the sequential propagation, the time for the venting gas and heat to propagate can be increased, and the intensity of the thermal runaway can be prevented from gradually decreasing or becoming stronger during the sequential propagation. That is, even if a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one of the battery cells 110, the battery pack 1000a according to the present embodiment can prevent the battery pack 1000a from catching fire or exploding. If the partition member 1300 is not present, the thermal runaway phenomenon that starts in any one of the battery cells 110 can be immediately propagated to the battery modules 100a in the other battery module group 100Gb, and a large amount of venting gas and high-temperature heat can be discharged from many battery modules 100a in a short period of time. This is likely to lead to catching fire and exploding the battery pack 1000a.

[0072] Meanwhile, as described above, in the present embodiment, the direction in which the battery modules 100a are arranged in the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb can coincide with the direction in which the battery cells 110 are stacked. Therefore, the thermal runaway phenomenon can also be propagated sequentially between the battery cells 110 in the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb. By aligning the arrangement direction of the battery modules 100a with the stacking direction of the battery cells 110, it is intended to further delay the propagation of the thermal runaway phenomenon.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] 8, a battery pack 1000a' according to a modified embodiment of the present invention may include battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb, a partition member 1300, a connecting member 1400, and a sealing member 1500. The battery pack 1000a' according to the present embodiment may have a similar or identical structure to the battery pack 1000a described above, except for the sealing member 1500.

[0075] Any one of the battery module groups 100Ga and another battery module group 100Gb may be connected to each other by a connecting member 1400. A space in which the connecting member 1400 is located may be provided on one or both sides of the partition member 1300. FIG 8 shows a state in which a space in which the connecting member 1400 is located is provided on both sides of the partition member 1300.

[0076] The sealing member 1500 according to the present embodiment may be disposed in the space where the connecting member 1400 is positioned, and may include a heat-resistant material. According to the present embodiment, the sealing member 1500 is disposed to fill the space where the connecting member 1400 is positioned, so that the sealing member 1500 can be designed to limit the transfer of venting gas and heat between the battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gb.

[0077] Hereinafter, a battery pack 1000b according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0078] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] 9, a battery pack 1000b according to another embodiment of the present invention includes battery modules 100a, 100b including a plurality of battery cells 110, and a pack frame 1200 that houses the battery modules 100a, 100b. The plurality of battery modules 100a, 100b are arranged in a row along a first direction d1 to form a battery module group 100G. In this embodiment, the battery modules 100a, 100b may include the battery module 100a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the battery module 100b shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 9, the battery cells 110 included in each battery module 100a, 100b are roughly represented by dotted lines for convenience of explanation. Also, the connecting member 1400 is roughly represented, unlike in FIGS. 1 and 4.

[0080] In this case, the battery module group 100G may include a first battery module group 100Ga, a second battery module group 100Gb, and a third battery module group 100Gc. In each of the first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc, at least two battery modules 100a, 100b may be arranged in a row along the first direction d1.

[0081] The first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, 100Gc may be arranged along a second direction d2 perpendicular to the first direction d1 within the pack frame 1200. As described above, the first direction d1 and the second direction d2 are parallel to the ground or one surface of the bottom 1200F of the pack frame 1200, in other words, parallel to the xy plane.

[0082] Meanwhile, the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment may include a partition member 1300. The partition member 1300 may include a first partition member 1300a and a second partition member 1300b. The first partition member 1300a may be located between the first battery module group 100Ga and the second battery module group 100Gb, and the second partition member 1300b may be located between the second battery module group 100Gb and the third battery module group 100Gc. The first partition member 1300a and the second partition member 1300b may extend along a first direction d1. The first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc are spatially separated by the first partition member 1300a and the second partition member 1300b.

[0083] Also, a first opening 1300Ha connecting the space of the first battery module group 100Ga and the space of the second battery module group 100Gb may be formed on one side of the first partition member 1300a, and a second opening 1300Hb connecting the space of the second battery module group 100Gb and the space of the third battery module group 100Gc may be formed on one side of the second partition member 1300b. In this case, the first opening 1300Ha and the second opening 1300Hb may be located on opposite sides based on the first direction d1. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the first opening 1300Ha may be formed on the rightmost side, and the second opening 1300Hb may be formed on the leftmost side. Meanwhile, in the case of the first partition member 1300a, a hole may be formed so that one of the connecting members 1400 can pass through.

[0084] The partition member 1300 allows any one of the battery modules 100a, 100b to face one or two other battery modules 100a, 100b. Specifically, when any one of the battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc is taken as a reference, the outermost battery module faces only one battery module, and the innermost battery module faces the two battery modules on the left and right.

[0085] Meanwhile, the battery modules 100a, 100b inside the pack frame 1200 are electrically connected to each other by a connecting member 1400. The connecting member 1400 connecting the battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, 100Gc can pass through the first opening 1300Ha and the second opening 1300Hb. That is, the connecting member 1400 connecting the battery module 100a of the first battery module group 100Ga to the battery module 100b of the second battery module group 100Gb can pass through the first opening 1300Ha, and the connecting member 1400 connecting the battery module 100a of the second battery module group 100Gb to the battery module 100b of the third battery module group 100Gc can pass through the second opening 1300Hb.

[0086] That is, the HV connection line through the connection member 1400 between the battery modules 100a, 100b inside the pack frame 1200 may be connected in a row. In order to realize such an HV connection line, the battery modules in the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment may include all of the battery modules 100a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the battery modules 100b shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As an example, as shown in FIG. 9, the rightmost battery module of the first battery module group 100Ga, the leftmost battery module of the second battery module group 100Gb, and the rightmost battery module of the third battery module group 100Gc may be the battery module 100a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the remaining battery modules may be the battery modules 100b shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, this is an exemplary structure, and there is no particular limitation on the shape and arrangement of the battery modules as long as the above-mentioned HV connection line can be realized.

[0087] Meanwhile, the multiple battery cells 110 may be stacked along the first direction d1 in an upright state such that one surface of the cell body 113 of the battery cell 110 is perpendicular to one surface of the bottom 1200F of the pack frame 1200. In other words, the direction in which the battery modules 100a, 100b are arranged in the battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, 100Gc may coincide with the direction in which the battery cells 110 are stacked.

[0088] Hereinafter, advantages of the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in any one of the battery cells will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0089] FIG. 10 is a plan view that shows a schematic representation of a state in which a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one of the battery cells in the battery pack of FIG.

[0090] 3, 9 and 10, a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur in one of the battery cells 110 included in the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment. As an example, the thermal runaway phenomenon may occur in one of the battery cells included in the battery modules of the second battery module group 100Gb.

[0091] A thermal runaway phenomenon occurring in any one battery cell can spread to other battery cells and even to other battery modules due to heat transfer effects, i.e., effects such as conduction, convection, and radiation. In particular, due to the structure of a battery pack in which battery modules are closely packed together to increase space utilization, the thermal runaway phenomenon does not propagate sequentially to the battery modules, but may occur simultaneously in many closely packed battery modules. In other words, a thermal runaway phenomenon that starts in a battery cell and spreads simultaneously to many battery modules can lead to the ignition and explosion of the battery pack itself, which is a serious problem.

[0092] However, in the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment, the first and second partition members 1300a and 1300b are disposed between the first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc, and the battery modules 100a and 100b are disposed in a row within the first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc, so that the propagation of the thermal runaway phenomenon occurs sequentially not only in units of the battery modules 100a and 100b but also in units of the battery cells 110. In particular, the propagation path of the thermal runaway phenomenon is designed to coincide with the HV connection line formed through the connection member 1400.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 10, when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one battery cell, venting gas and heat may be transmitted in sequence to the adjacent battery cells 110. As an example, FIG. 10 shows a state in which the thermal runaway phenomenon is transmitted to a battery cell 110′ of the first battery module group 100Ga and a battery cell 110″ of the third battery module group 100Gc.

[0094] In addition, the first and second partition members 1300a and 1300b prevent the venting gas and heat from being directly transmitted to the first and third battery module groups 100Ga and 100Gc, and the venting gas and heat can be transmitted through the first and second openings 1300Ha and 1300Hb. In this embodiment, a heat insulating structure is designed so that the thermal runaway phenomenon is not transmitted between the first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, and 100Gc beyond the HV connection order of the connection member 1400. In particular, the first partition member 1300a having the first opening 1300Ha and the second partition member 1300b having the second opening 1300Hb may form a transmission path for the thermal runaway phenomenon that is connected in a line even when a large number of battery modules 100a and 100b are arranged.

[0095] As described above, by designing the sequential propagation, the time for the venting gas and heat to propagate can be increased, and the intensity of the thermal runaway can be gradually reduced during the sequential propagation. In other words, the battery pack 1000b according to the present embodiment can prevent the thermal runaway phenomenon from occurring in any one of the battery cells 110 from leading to the ignition or explosion of the battery pack 1000b itself. If the partition member 1300 were not present, the thermal runaway phenomenon that started in any one of the battery cells 110 would immediately propagate to the other battery modules in the first battery module group 100Ga or the third battery module group 100Gc, and a large amount of venting gas and high-temperature heat would be discharged from many battery modules in a short period of time. This would likely lead to the ignition and explosion of the battery pack 1000b.

[0096] Meanwhile, as described above, in the present embodiment, the direction in which the battery modules 100a, 100b are arranged in the first to third battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, 100Gc and the direction in which the battery cells 110 are stacked can be aligned. Therefore, even in the battery module groups 100Ga, 100Gb, the thermal runaway phenomenon can be propagated sequentially between the battery cells 110. By aligning the arrangement direction of the battery modules 100a, 100b with the stacking direction of the battery cells 110, it is intended to further delay the propagation of the thermal runaway phenomenon.

[0097] Meanwhile, the partition member 1300 of the present invention described above has a structure capable of controlling the effects of heat transfer, such as conduction, convection, and radiation, and has a function of preventing the expansion of heat transfer. Based on this, the partition member 1300 may include a heat insulating material to prevent conduction, and may also include a thin metal plate material to prevent venting gas.

[0098] In this embodiment, terms indicating directions such as front, back, left, right, up, and down are used, but these terms are merely for convenience of explanation and may change depending on the position of the target object, the position of the observer, etc.

[0099] The battery pack according to the present embodiment described above may include various control and protection systems such as a battery management system (BMS), a battery disconnect unit (BDU), and a cooling system, in addition to the battery module.

[0100] The battery pack may be applied to various devices, specifically, transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrids, and ESS (Energy Storage Systems), but is not limited thereto, and may be applied to various devices that can use secondary batteries.

[0101] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1000a, 1000b: Battery pack 100a, 100b: battery module 100Ga, 100Gb, 100Gc: Battery module group 1300: Partition wall material

Claims

1. a battery module including a plurality of battery cells; and a pack frame that houses the battery module; The battery modules are arranged in a multi-row single-layer structure (a structure in which the battery modules are arranged in a row in a single layer in the height direction) in the pack frame, the plurality of battery cells are stacked along a first direction in an upright state such that one surface of a cell body of the battery cell is perpendicular to one surface of a bottom of the pack frame; At least two of the battery modules are arranged in a row along the first direction to form a battery module group; A partition member is disposed between any one of the battery module groups and another one of the battery module groups, the partition member extends from the pack frame along the first direction to separate spaces housing the respective battery module groups, and a space is provided on one side of the partition member.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery cells are pouch-type battery cells.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a connecting member connecting any one of the battery module groups to the other one of the battery module groups.

4. The space in which the connecting member is located is provided on one side of the partition member, The battery pack according to claim 3 , further comprising a sealing member disposed in the space in which the connecting member is located.

5. the battery module group includes a first battery module group, a second battery module group, and a third battery module group; 5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein in each of the first battery module group, the second battery module group, and the third battery module group, the battery modules are arranged in a row along the first direction.

6. 6. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein within the pack frame, the first battery module group, the second battery module group, and the third battery module group are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7. the partition member includes a first partition member and a second partition member, a first partition member is positioned between the first battery module group and the second battery module group; The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein a second partition member is located between the second battery module group and the third battery module group.

8. a first opening is formed on one side of the first partition member to connect a space of the first battery module group and a space of the second battery module group; The battery pack according to claim 7 , wherein a second opening is formed on one side of the second partition member to connect a space of the second battery module group and a space of the third battery module group.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are located on opposite sides to each other with respect to the first direction.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein any one battery module faces one or two other battery modules by the partition member.

11. A device comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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