Battery pack and device including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules and a pack case that houses the plurality of battery modules, the pack case including an upper case and further including a heat dissipation member formed in contact with the upper case.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0054358 filed on April 27, 2021, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0047510 filed on April 18, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack that minimizes thermal contact resistance and a device including the same. [Background technology]

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

[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 in the spotlight for 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 positive and negative plates coated with the positive and negative active materials are arranged with a separator between them, 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 in a metal can and pouch-type secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is housed in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

[0007] In the case of a secondary battery used in a small device, two or three battery cells are arranged, whereas in the case of a secondary battery used in a medium to large device such as an automobile, a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected is used. In such a battery module, a plurality 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] Since a battery pack is composed of multiple battery modules, if some battery modules are overvoltage, overcurrent or overheated, the safety and operating efficiency of the battery pack may become an issue. In addition, the capacity of battery packs is gradually increasing to improve the driving distance of electric vehicles equipped with battery packs, and as a result, the internal energy of the pack is also increasing. In order to satisfy the strengthened safety standards and ensure the safety of the vehicle and the driver, it is necessary to design a structure to improve safety in the event of a fire in the module.

[0009] In particular, when a battery module in a battery pack ignites, there is a need for a structure that can block heat transfer and quickly transfer thermal energy. However, when forming such a structure, a problem occurs in that the thermal energy transfer is not smooth due to contact resistance between structures that form a thermal energy transfer path. Therefore, there is a need to develop a thermal energy transfer structure that can quickly transfer thermal energy while minimizing thermal contact resistance. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a device including the same that minimizes thermal contact resistance.

[0011] However, the problems that the present invention is intended to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the attached drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules and a pack case for accommodating the plurality of battery modules, the pack case including an upper case and further including a heat dissipation member formed in contact with the upper case.

[0013] The heat dissipation member may include a recess, and a cooling pad may be formed in the recess.

[0014] The cooling pad may be fitted and coupled to the recess, and the cooling pad may be formed to have the same size as the recess.

[0015] The cooling pad may be made of a silicone or acrylic material.

[0016] The heat dissipating member may be bent at a right angle, and may further include a plurality of fastening portions in an area of ​​one surface of the heat dissipating member where the heat dissipating member contacts the upper case, other than the recessed portion.

[0017] The fastening portion may further include a bolt member and a nut member which are coupled to the fastening portion, the nut member being positioned at a lower end of the fastening portion and coupled thereto.

[0018] When the bolt member and the nut member are coupled, the nut member rises and the heat dissipating member comes into close contact with the upper case.

[0019] The battery module may include a module frame, the module frame may include an upper frame and a side frame, and the heat dissipation member may be in contact with the upper frame and the side frame.

[0020] The heat dissipation member may be formed between adjacent battery modules among the plurality of battery modules.

[0021] The heat dissipation members may be formed in a plurality of types, and the surfaces of the heat dissipation members other than the surface in contact with the side frame of the battery module may be formed to face each other.

[0022] The heat dissipation member includes a first frame and a second frame connected to each other, and includes a frame member folded so that the inner surface of the first frame and the inner surface of the second frame face each other, a first insulating member attached to the outer surface of the first frame, a second insulating member attached to the outer surface of the second frame, a central insulating member positioned between the inner surface of the first frame and the inner surface of the second frame, a first heat dissipation member positioned between the inner surface of the first frame and the central insulating member, and a second heat dissipation member positioned between the inner surface of the second frame and the central insulating member.

[0023] A device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a battery pack as described above. Effect of the Invention

[0024] The battery pack according to the embodiment of the present invention can quickly transfer thermal energy to the pack frame and the outside of the pack when a fire occurs in the battery pack by using a novel type of thermal energy transfer structure. In addition, the thermal contact resistance of the thermal energy transfer structure can be minimized to increase the thermal energy transfer efficiency and improve the safety of the battery pack.

[0025] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipation member formed in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing a battery cell included in the battery module of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 4 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipation member and a cooling pad formed on the battery module of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 13 is a diagram showing a coupling structure of a fastening portion of a heat dissipation member. FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram showing a heat dissipation member according to another embodiment included in the battery pack of the present invention. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing a heat dissipation member according to another embodiment included in the battery pack of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not necessary for the explanation will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be 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, the thicknesses of various layers and regions are exaggerated to clearly express the layers and regions. In the drawings, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated to facilitate explanation.

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

[0031] Additionally, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "comprise" a certain element, this means that it may further include other elements, but not excluding other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

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

[0033] The terms first and second used in this application may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component.

[0034] Hereinafter, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the same or similar content may be described with respect to the entire battery pack.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipation member formed in the battery pack of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery cell included in the battery module of Fig. 3.

[0036] 1 and 2, a battery pack 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules 110 and a pack case 150 for housing the plurality of battery modules 110, and the pack case 150 includes an upper case 150a and further includes a heat dissipation member 200 formed in contact with the upper case 150a.

[0037] 3, the battery modules 110 may include a plurality of battery cells 111. More specifically, the battery cells 111 may be stacked in a preset direction and then mounted on a module frame 118 to form the battery module 110. There is no particular limit to the type of the battery cells 111, and the battery cells 111 may be pouch-type secondary batteries or square-type secondary batteries, but are preferably pouch-type secondary batteries.

[0038] 4, for example, a battery cell 111 according to this embodiment has a structure in which two electrode leads 116 and 117 face each other and protrude from one end 114a and the other end 114b of a cell body 113. More specifically, the electrode leads 116 and 117 are connected to an electrode assembly (not shown) and protrude from the electrode assembly (not shown) to the outside of the battery cell 111.

[0039] Meanwhile, the battery cell 111 can be manufactured by bonding both ends 114a, 114b of the cell case 114 and 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 111 according to this embodiment has a total of three sealing parts 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc, and the sealing parts 114sa, 114sb, and 114sc are structured to be sealed by a method such as heat fusion, and the other side may be formed of a bending part 115. The cell case 114 may be formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer.

[0040] In addition, the bent portion 115 extends long along one edge of the battery cell 111, and a protruding portion 111p of the battery cell 111, called a bat-ear, may be formed at the end of the bent portion 115. The battery cell 111 may be configured in multiple pieces, and the multiple battery cells 111 are stacked and electrically connected to each other.

[0041] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipation member and a cooling pad formed on the battery module of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view showing a coupling structure of a fastening portion of a heat dissipation member according to the present invention.

[0042] 5, the battery module 110 included in the battery pack 100 of the present invention includes a module frame 118, which may include an upper frame 130 and a side frame 140. At this time, the heat dissipation member 200 is in contact with the upper frame 130 and the side frame 140 of the battery module 110, so that when a fire breaks out within the battery module, the heat energy generated in the battery module can be quickly transferred to the upper case 150a and the pack case 150 of the battery pack 100. The transferred heat can be released to the outside.

[0043] Also, the heat dissipation member 200 may be formed between adjacent battery modules 110 among the plurality of battery modules 110, and one or more heat dissipation members 200 may be formed between the adjacent battery modules 110. The plurality of heat dissipation members 200 may be formed such that the other surfaces of the surfaces that contact the side frames 140 of the battery modules 110 face each other, and the other surfaces may be formed to contact each other. Also, a fixing member or the like may be additionally formed between the other surfaces so that the plurality of heat dissipation members 200 are fixed to each other.

[0044] 2, 3 and 5, the heat dissipation member 200 included in the battery pack 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a recess 250, and a cooling pad 300 may be formed in the recess 250. The cooling pad 300 may be a compressible cooling pad. The cooling pad 300 may be fitted and coupled to the recess 250, and therefore, the cooling pad 300 may be formed to have the same size as the recess 250.

[0045] Also, the thickness of the cooling pad 300 may be formed to be the same as the depth of the recessed portion 250. Furthermore, the cooling pad 300 may be formed from a compressible cooling pad and may be formed to be thicker than the depth of the recessed portion 250 since it is in close contact with the upper case 150a by bolt members and nut members described below.

[0046] The cooling pad 300 may be made of a silicone or acrylic material. Specifically, the cooling pad may be a silicone pad, a silicone rubber pad, a silicone polymer pad, an acrylic pad, an acrylic polymer pad, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0047] In this embodiment, a cooling pad 300 is formed on the recess 250 of the heat dissipation member 200. The cooling pad 300 is formed from a compressible cooling pad to minimize the thermal contact resistance between the heat dissipation member 200 and the upper case 150a, increase the degree of adhesion, and also form an additional cooling structure to enable rapid release of thermal energy from an ignition in the battery pack to the outside.

[0048] Also, referring to Figures 2 and 6, the heat dissipation member 200 of the present invention may be bent at a right angle and may further include a plurality of fastening portions 270 in the area of ​​one side of the heat dissipation member 200 where the heat dissipation member 200 contacts the upper case 150a, other than the recessed portion 250.

[0049] In particular, the upper case 150a and the heat dissipation member 200, and the upper case 150a and the cooling pad 300 are in close contact with each other through the plurality of fastening parts 270. In order to effectively form the close contact, the battery pack 100 according to the present embodiment may further include a bolt member 280 and a nut member 290 coupled to the fastening parts 270. In this case, the bolt member 280 is positioned and coupled to an upper end of the fastening part based on the fastening part 270, and the nut member 290 is positioned and coupled to a lower end of the fastening part 270.

[0050] 6, when the bolt member 280 and the nut member 290 are coupled, the nut member 290 is positioned at the lower end of the fastening portion 270 and coupled thereto, so that the nut member 290 rises and the heat dissipation member 200 of the present invention is tightly attached to the upper case 150a. Therefore, due to the tight attachment, the thermal contact resistance between the upper case 150a and the heat dissipation member 200 is minimized, so that when a fire breaks out within the module, thermal energy can be quickly transferred through the heat dissipation member 200 and the upper case 150a and released to the outside.

[0051] Hereinafter, a heat dissipation member 400 included in a battery pack 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Details overlapping with the heat dissipation member 200 described above will be omitted.

[0052] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing a heat dissipation member according to another embodiment included in the battery pack of the present invention.

[0053] 7 and 8, the heat dissipation member 400 according to the present embodiment may be formed in an integrated shape in which a plurality of heat dissipation members 200 of Fig. 2 are formed and each heat dissipation member 200 is formed so that the surfaces of the heat dissipation members 200 that are in contact with the side frame 140 of the battery module 110 are in contact with each other. Therefore, the heat dissipation member 200 of Fig. 2 may be understood to correspond to the first heat dissipation member 451 or the second heat dissipation member 455 included in the heat dissipation member 400 according to the present embodiment.

[0054] Specifically, the heat dissipation member 400 according to this embodiment includes a first frame 411 and a second frame 415 connected to each other, and a frame member 410 folded so that the inner surfaces of the first frame 411 and the second frame 415 face each other, a first insulating member 431 attached to the outer surface of the first frame 411, a second insulating member 435 attached to the outer surface of the second frame 415, a central insulating member 470 located between the inner surfaces of the first frame 411 and the inner surfaces of the second frame 415, a first heat dissipation member 451 located between the inner surface of the first frame 411 and the central insulating member 470, and a second heat dissipation member 455 located between the inner surface of the second frame 415 and the central insulating member 470.

[0055] In addition, the insulating member 430 may include a first insulating member 431 and a second insulating member 435, and the first insulating member 431 may be attached to the outer surface of the first frame 411, and the second insulating member 435 may be attached to the outer surface of the second frame 415.

[0056] Also, the heat insulating member 430 may be made of silicon oxide. As an example, the silicon oxide may be made of a material such as glass fiber. However, the material of the heat insulating member 430 is not limited thereto, and any material having high heat insulating properties is included in this embodiment. Thus, in this embodiment, the heat insulating member 430 can block heat transfer between adjacent battery modules 110 (FIG. 1).

[0057] Meanwhile, the central insulating member 470 may be disposed between the inner surface of the first frame 411 and the inner surface of the second frame 415. More specifically, the central insulating member 470 may be disposed between the first heat dissipating member 451 and the second heat dissipating member 455.

[0058] Also, the central insulating member 470 may be made of silicon oxide. For example, the silicon oxide may be made of a material such as glass fiber. However, the material of the central insulating member 470 is not limited thereto, and any material having high insulating properties may be included in this embodiment.

[0059] As a result, in this embodiment, even if heat is transferred from the battery module 110 (FIG. 1) to the first heat dissipation member 451 and the second heat dissipation member 455, respectively, the central insulation member 470 can block heat transfer between the first heat dissipation member 451 and the second heat dissipation member 455.

[0060] Meanwhile, the heat dissipating member 450 may include a first heat dissipating member 451 and a second heat dissipating member 455. More specifically, the first heat dissipating member 451 may be disposed between the inner surface of the first frame 411 and the central heat insulating member 470, and the second heat dissipating member 455 may be disposed between the inner surface of the second frame 415 and the central heat insulating member 470.

[0061] Here, the heat dissipating member 450 may further include a surface bent in a direction perpendicular to the frame member 410. More specifically, the first heat dissipating member 451 may further include a surface bent in a direction perpendicular to the first frame 411, and the second heat dissipating member 455 may further include a surface bent in a direction perpendicular to the second frame 415. Here, the first heat dissipating member 451 and the second heat dissipating member 455 may be bent in opposite directions to each other.

[0062] Also, the heat dissipating member 450 may be made of materials such as aluminum (Al), graphite, etc. However, the material of the heat dissipating member 450 is not limited to these, and any material having high thermal conductivity is included in this embodiment.

[0063] As a result, in this embodiment, the upper portion of the battery module 110 (FIG. 1) is positioned adjacent to the folded surface of the first heat dissipation member 451 or the folded surface of the second heat dissipation member 455, respectively, so that heat generated in the battery module 110 (FIG. 1) is easily dispersed to the first heat dissipation member 451 or the second heat dissipation member 455.

[0064] Meanwhile, the heat dissipation member 400 according to the present embodiment includes recesses 452 and 456, and the cooling pad 300 may be formed on the recesses 452 and 456. In this case, the cooling pad 300 may be a compressible cooling pad. By forming the cooling pad 300 on the recesses 452 and 456 of the heat dissipation member 400 according to the present embodiment, the thermal contact resistance between the heat dissipation member 200 and the upper case 150a is minimized, the degree of adhesion is increased, and an additional cooling structure is formed to enable rapid external release of ignition heat energy in the battery pack. In addition, the heat dissipation member 400 according to the present embodiment is bent at a right angle, and a plurality of fastening parts 481 may be further included in the region of one side of the heat dissipation member 400 in contact with the upper case 150a, other than the recesses 452 and 456.

[0065] In particular, the upper case 150a and the heat dissipation member 400, and the upper case 150a and the cooling pad 300 are in close contact with each other through a plurality of fastening portions 481. Therefore, the thermal contact resistance between the upper case 150a and the heat dissipation member 400 is minimized through the close contact, so that when a fire occurs within the module, thermal energy can be quickly transferred through the heat dissipation member 400 and the upper case 150a and released to the outside.

[0066] In the conventional heat transfer structure, there is a problem that the pack case and the upper case of the battery pack, especially the inside of the battery pack where the battery module is located and the adjacent side of the upper case are not in close contact with each other, which increases the thermal contact resistance. Also, as the thermal contact resistance increases, the thermal energy in the battery pack is not transferred quickly, so that when a fire occurs in the module, it is difficult to transfer the thermal energy quickly and suppress the fire.

[0067] Therefore, the battery pack of the present invention includes a heat dissipation member, and the heat dissipation member includes a recess and a compressible cooling pad formed on the recess, so that the heat dissipation member is in close contact with the upper case of the battery pack. Also, a fastening portion included on the heat dissipation member can be used to increase the degree of contact between the heat dissipation member and the upper case, and the heat dissipation member can be fixed to the upper case, thereby forming a stable heat transfer structure.

[0068] In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention can be applied to various devices, including transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid cars, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various devices that can use a battery module, which also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0069] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical ideas and perspectives of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 100: Battery pack 110: Battery module 111: Battery cell 118: Module frame 130: Upper frame 140: Side frame 150: Pack case 150a: Upper case 150b: Side case 200, 400: Heat dissipation material 250: Depression 270: Fastening part 280: Bolt parts 290: Nut material 300: Cooling pad

Claims

1. A plurality of battery modules; and a pack case that houses the plurality of battery modules, the pack case includes an upper case, a heat sink member formed in contact with the upper case, The heat dissipation member is a frame member including a first frame and a second frame connected to each other, the first frame and the second frame being folded so that an inner surface of the first frame and an inner surface of the second frame face each other; a central insulating member located between an inner surface of the first frame and an inner surface of the second frame; a first heat dissipating member located between the inner surface of the first frame and the central insulating member; and a second heat dissipation member located between the inner surface of the second frame and the central insulating member; Battery pack.

2. The heat dissipation member includes a recessed portion, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed with a cooling pad that is in close contact with the upper case.

3. The cooling pad is fitted and coupled to the recess, The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling pad is formed to have the same size as the recess.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling pad is made of a silicone-based or acrylic-based material.

5. A battery pack as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a plurality of fastening portions in an area of ​​one surface of the heat dissipation member where the heat dissipation member contacts the upper case, other than the recessed portion.

6. The fastening portion further includes a bolt member and a nut member that are coupled to each other. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the nut member is located at a lower end of the fastening portion and coupled thereto.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein when the bolt member and the nut member are coupled, the nut member rises and the heat dissipation member comes into close contact with the upper case.

8. The battery module includes a module frame; The module frame includes a top frame and a side frame; The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipation member is in contact with the upper frame and the side frame.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8 , wherein the heat dissipation member is formed between adjacent battery modules among the plurality of battery modules.

10. The heat dissipation member is a first heat insulating member attached to an outer surface of the first frame; and A second heat insulating member attached to an outer surface of the second frame. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising:

11. A device comprising a battery pack according to claim 1.

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