Battery pack and device including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module including a battery cell, a pack housing for accommodating the battery module, and a fixing bracket for fixing the battery module to the pack housing. The fixing bracket includes a lower plate that is in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module and an upper plate that is positioned on the lower plate. A cooling passage through which a coolant passes is formed between the upper plate and the lower plate.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [Cross-reference to related applications]

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0110996 filed on August 23, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a device including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack with improved cooling performance and a device including the same. [Background technology]

[0004] 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.

[0005] 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.

[0006] 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.

[0007] 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.

[0008] In the case of secondary batteries used in small devices, two to three battery cells are arranged, while in the case of secondary batteries used in medium to large devices such as automobiles, 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 can be mounted with various control and protection systems such as a BMS (Battery Management System) and a cooling system to form a battery pack.

[0009] If the temperature of a secondary battery rises above the appropriate level, the performance of the secondary battery may be degraded, and in the worst case, there may be a risk of explosion or fire. In particular, in a battery module or battery pack including a plurality of secondary batteries, i.e., battery cells, the temperature may rise more rapidly and sharply in a small space due to the sum of heat generated from the plurality of battery cells. In other words, a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and a battery pack equipped with such a battery module can obtain high output, but it is difficult to remove heat generated from the battery cells during charging and discharging. If the heat dissipation of the battery cells is not performed properly, the deterioration of the battery cells will be accelerated, the lifespan will be shortened, and the possibility of explosion or fire will increase.

[0010] Furthermore, battery modules included in vehicle battery packs are frequently exposed to direct sunlight and may be placed in high temperature conditions such as in summer or in desert regions.

[0011] As the demand for increased capacity and improved heat dissipation of battery packs continues, there is a substantial need to develop battery packs with effective cooling systems. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack having improved cooling performance and a device including the same.

[0013] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and can be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack includes a battery module including a battery cell, a pack housing for accommodating the battery module, and a fixing bracket for fixing the battery module to the pack housing. The fixing bracket includes a lower plate that is in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module and an upper plate that is positioned on the lower plate. A cooling passage through which a coolant passes is formed between the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0015] The retaining bracket may include an inlet port and an outlet port coupled to the cooling passage.

[0016] The lower plate may include a fixing portion that is in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module, and a fastening portion that extends from the fixing portion to a bottom of the pack housing.

[0017] The fastener can be fastened to the bottom of the pack housing.

[0018] The fastening portion has a fastening hole, and a bolt portion passes through the fastening hole to be fastened to the bottom portion of the pack housing.

[0019] The upper plate may include a body portion and a joining portion extending from the body portion and joined to the lower plate.

[0020] The joint and the lower plate can be welded together.

[0021] The cooling passage may be formed between the body and the bottom plate.

[0022] The body may have an indentation that indents downward, and the body may include a plurality of passages defined by the indentations.

[0023] The passage portions may be connected along a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling flow passage.

[0024] The body may have a plurality of protrusions protruding upward.

[0025] The protrusions may be disposed along a direction parallel to the cooling passages.

[0026] The battery module may be configured in plurality, and the fixing bracket may fix the plurality of battery modules to the pack housing.

[0027] A refrigerant pipe may be located between the upper plate and the lower plate, and the refrigerant may flow along the inside of the refrigerant pipe to form the cooling passage.

[0028] A device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the battery pack. Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper part of the battery module can be cooled by fixing the battery module to the pack housing using a fixing bracket having a cooling function, thereby improving the cooling performance of the battery cells and reducing the cooling deviation between the battery cells.

[0030] 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]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a fixing bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along the line AA' in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along the line BB' in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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" the other 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.

[0036] In addition, 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.

[0037] Also, throughout the specification, "in a plane" means when the subject part is viewed from above, and "in cross section" means when the subject part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0038] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] 1, a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a battery module 100, a pack housing 1100 that houses the battery module 100, and a fixing bracket 1200 that fixes the battery module 100 to the pack housing 1100. There is no particular limit to the number of battery modules 100, and one or a plurality of battery modules 100 can be housed in the pack housing 1100. FIG. 1 shows, as an example, four battery modules 100 housed in the pack housing 1100.

[0040] The pack housing 1100 may be a structure with an open top, and the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment may further include a pack housing cover 1110 that covers the open top of the pack housing 1100. The battery module 100 may be accommodated in an internal space between the pack housing 1100 and the pack housing cover 1110.

[0041] In addition, the battery pack 1000 according to this embodiment may further include a sealing member 1120 located between the pack housing 1100 and the pack housing cover 1110 for internal sealing.

[0042] The fixing bracket 1200 is a structure that fixes the battery module 100 to the pack housing 1100. There is no particular limit to the number of fixing brackets 1200, and there is also no particular limit to the number of battery modules 100 fixed by the fixing brackets 1200. Fig. 1 shows, as an example, a plurality of fixing brackets 1200, and also shows how one fixing bracket 1200 fixes two battery modules 100 to the pack housing 1100.

[0043] The battery module and the battery cell according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0044] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] 2 to 4, the battery module 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 110. Specifically, the battery module 100 includes a battery cell stack 120 in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked, a module frame 200 that houses the battery cell stack 120, a heat sink 300 located under a lower side 210a of the module frame 200, and end plates 400 located on both open sides of the module frame 200.

[0046] First, the battery cell 110 may be a pouch-type battery cell. Such a pouch-type battery cell may be formed by accommodating an electrode assembly in a pouch case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and then fusing the outer periphery of the pouch case. Such a battery cell 110 may be formed in a rectangular sheet structure. Specifically, 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 114a and the other end 114b of a battery body 113, respectively. The battery cell 110 may be manufactured by adhering both ends (one end 114a and the other end 114b) of the battery case 114 and one side 114c connecting them, with an electrode assembly (not shown) accommodated in the battery case 114. In other words, the battery cell 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have a total of three sealing parts, and the other side may be a connecting part 115. The space between both ends (one end 114a, the other end 114b) of the battery case 114 can be defined as the length direction of the battery cell 110, and the space between one side portion 114c and the connecting portion 115 that connects both ends (one end 114a, the other end 114b) of the battery case 114 can be defined as the width direction of the battery cell 110.

[0047] Although only the battery cell 110 having the electrode leads 111, 112 protruding in both directions has been described above, it is of course possible to provide a unidirectional pouch-type battery cell in which the electrode leads both protrude in one direction as another embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Such a battery cell 110 may be configured in a plurality of units, and the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked in one direction so as to be electrically connected to each other to form a battery cell stack 120. The battery case 114 generally has a laminate structure of a resin layer / metal thin film layer / resin layer. For example, if the surface of the battery case is made of an O (oriented)-nylon layer, it tends to slip due to external impact when stacking a plurality of battery cells to form a medium- to large-sized battery module. Therefore, in order to prevent this and maintain a stable stacked structure of the battery cells, an adhesive member such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive such as double-sided tape or a chemical adhesive that bonds by a chemical reaction when adhered can be attached to the surface of the battery case to form the battery cell stack 120.

[0049] The module frame 200 that houses the battery cell stack 120 can include a top cover 220 and a U-shaped frame 210 .

[0050] The U-shaped frame 210 may include a lower portion 210a and two side portions 210b extending upward from both ends of the lower portion 210a. The lower portion 210a may cover the lower surface of the battery cell stack 120, and the side portions 210b may cover both side surfaces of the battery cell stack 120.

[0051] The upper cover 220 may be formed as a single plate-shaped structure covering the remaining upper surface (z-axis direction) excluding the lower surface and both side surfaces surrounded by the U-shaped frame 210. The upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 may be joined by welding or the like with corresponding corners in contact with each other to form a structure that covers the battery cell stack 120 from above, below, left and right. The upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 may physically protect the battery cell stack 120. To this end, the upper cover 220 and the U-shaped frame 210 may include a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0052] Meanwhile, although not specifically shown, the module frame 200 according to the modified example may be a monoframe made of a metal plate having an integrated upper surface, lower surface, and both sides. That is, instead of a structure in which the U-shaped frame 210 and the upper cover 220 are connected to each other, the module frame 200 may be manufactured by extrusion molding and have an integrated upper surface, lower surface, and both sides.

[0053] The end plates 400 may be positioned on both open opposing sides of the module frame 200 to cover the battery cell stack 120. That is, two end plates 400 may be positioned on both open sides of the module frame 200 and joined to the module frame 200 by a method such as welding. Such end plates 400 may physically protect the battery cell stack 120 and other electrical components from external impacts.

[0054] The battery module 100 according to the present embodiment may include a cooling port 500, and a refrigerant may be supplied to the heat sink 300 and discharged from the heat sink 300 through the cooling port 500. Specifically, the cooling port 500 may include a refrigerant inlet port 500a and a refrigerant outlet port 500b spaced apart from each other.

[0055] The module frame 200 according to this embodiment may include a module frame protrusion 211 that protrudes from a lower side 210a of the module frame 200 so as to pass through the end plate 400. The cooling port 500 may be formed on the module frame protrusion 211. A coolant flows into the heat sink 300 through a coolant injection port 500a in the cooling port 500, and then the coolant can be discharged from the heat sink 300 through a coolant discharge port 500b in the cooling port 500.

[0056] As described above, the heat sink 300 according to the present embodiment may be disposed under the lower part 210a of the module frame 200. The heat sink 300 may include a frame part 310 which forms the framework of the heat sink 300 and is directly joined to the lower part 210a of the module frame 200 by welding or the like, and a recessed part 340 formed by recessing downward from the frame part 310. The recessed part 340 serves as a path through which the refrigerant flows. In addition, the heat sink 300 may include a heat sink protrusion 300P which protrudes from one side of the heat sink 300 to a part where the module frame protrusion 211 is located. That is, the recessed part 340 may be connected to two heat sink protrusions 300P, and the two heat sink protrusions 300P may be a part into which the refrigerant flows and a part through which the refrigerant flows out, respectively. For this purpose, the heat sink protrusion 300P may be disposed to correspond to the module frame protrusion 211 in which the cooling port 500 is formed.

[0057] The heat sink protrusion 300P and the module frame protrusion 211 can be directly joined to each other by a method such as welding.

[0058] The recess 340 of the heat sink 300 corresponds to a portion where the frame part 310 is recessed downward. The recess 340 may be a pipe having a U-shaped cross section cut vertically based on the direction in which the refrigerant flow path extends, and the lower part 210a may be disposed on the open upper side of the U-shaped pipe. As the frame part 310 of the heat sink 300 contacts the lower part 210a, the space between the recess 340 and the lower part 210a becomes an area where the refrigerant flows. That is, the lower part 210a may function as an upper plate for the heat sink 300. As a result, the lower part 210a of the module frame 200 may directly contact the refrigerant.

[0059] There is no particular limitation on the manufacturing method of the recess 340 of the heat sink 300, but by providing a recessed structure to the plate-shaped heat sink 300, a U-shaped recess 340 with an open upper side can be formed.

[0060] As described above, the recess 340 is connected from one of the heat sink protrusions 300P to the other. The coolant supplied through the coolant inlet port 500a first flows into the space between the recess 340 and the lower portion 210a. The coolant then moves along the recess 340 and is finally discharged through the coolant outlet port 500b.

[0061] Meanwhile, a thermally conductive resin layer 800 containing a thermally conductive resin can be disposed between the lower portion 210a of the module frame 200 and the battery cell stack 120. The thermally conductive resin layer 800 can be formed by applying a thermally conductive resin to the lower portion 210a and curing the applied thermally conductive resin. In particular, in a battery cell 110 in which the electrode leads 111, 112 (see FIG. 4) protrude in both opposing directions, heat is generated intensely in the portion of the battery cell stack 120 adjacent to the electrode leads 111, 112 of the battery cell 110, and the thermally conductive resin layer 800 can be formed in two separate regions so as to correspond to both portions of the battery cell stack 120 where heat is generated intensely. FIG. 3 shows the thermally conductive resin layer 800 applied in two separate regions.

[0062] The thermally conductive resin may include a thermally conductive adhesive material, and specifically may include at least one of a silicone material, a urethane material, and an acrylic material. The thermally conductive resin is liquid when applied, and hardens after application to fix one or more battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell stack 120. In addition, the thermally conductive resin has excellent thermal conductivity properties, and can quickly transfer heat generated from the battery cells 110 to the lower side of the battery module.

[0063] The battery module 100 according to the present embodiment realizes an integrated cooling structure between the module frame 200 and the heat sink 300, thereby further improving the cooling performance. The lower part 210a of the module frame 200 serves as a corresponding upper plate of the heat sink 300, thereby realizing the integrated cooling structure. Cooling efficiency is increased by direct cooling, and the space utilization rate on the battery module 100 and the battery pack 1000 to which the battery module 100 is attached can be improved through the structure in which the heat sink 300 is integrated with the lower part 210a of the module frame 200.

[0064] Specifically, heat generated from the battery cells 110 can be transferred to the outside of the battery module 100 through the thermally conductive resin layer 800, the lower part 210a of the module frame 200, and the heat sink 300 through which the refrigerant flows. By removing unnecessary cooling structures from the past, the heat transfer path is simplified and the air gap between each layer can be reduced, thereby improving cooling efficiency and performance. In particular, since the lower part 210a is configured as the upper plate of the heat sink 300 and the lower part 210a is in direct contact with the refrigerant, there is an advantage in that more direct cooling through the refrigerant is possible.

[0065] In addition, by removing unnecessary cooling structures, the height of the battery module 100 is reduced, which can reduce costs and improve space utilization. Furthermore, since the battery modules 100 can be arranged compactly, the capacity and output of the battery pack 1000 including a plurality of battery modules 100 can be increased.

[0066] Meanwhile, the lower part 210a of the module frame 200 may be joined by welding to the frame part 310 in the heat sink 300 where the recess 340 is not formed. In this embodiment, the cooling integrated structure of the lower part 210a of the module frame 200 and the heat sink 300 not only improves the cooling performance as described above, but also supports the load of the battery cell stack 120 accommodated in the module frame 200 and reinforces the rigidity of the battery module 100. In addition, the frame part 310 and the lower part 210a of the module frame 200 are sealed by welding or the like, so that the refrigerant can flow through the recess 340 formed inside the frame part 310 without leakage.

[0067] The fixing bracket according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0068] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a fixing bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line A-A' in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line B-B' in Fig. 1. However, in Figs. 6 and 7, the pack housing cover is omitted, and the battery module 100 and the pack housing 1100 are simply depicted.

[0069] 5 to 7 together with FIG. 1, the fixing bracket 1200 according to the present embodiment includes a lower plate 1400 in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module 100, and an upper plate 1300 located on the lower plate 1400. A cooling flow path through which a refrigerant R passes is formed between the upper plate 1300 and the lower plate 1400. Here, the upper surface of the battery module 100 may be the upper surface of the upper cover 220 (see FIG. 3).

[0070] The lower plate 1400 may include a fixing portion 1410 that is in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module 100 and a fastening portion 1420 that extends from the fixing portion 1410 to the bottom portion 1100F of the pack housing 1100. As described above, the pack housing 1100 may be a structure with an open top, and may include a bottom portion 1100F and a partition portion 1100W. The battery module 100 according to this embodiment may be disposed on the bottom portion 1100F.

[0071] The fastening portion 1420 may be fastened to the bottom 1100F of the pack housing 1100. There is no particular limitation on the fastening method, but as an example, the fastening may be performed by a bolt. Specifically, a fastening hole 1420H is formed in the fastening portion 1420, and the bolt portion 1100B may pass through the fastening hole 1420H to be fastened and fixed to the bottom 1100F of the pack housing 1100.

[0072] The fixing portion 1410 of the lower plate 1400 is in close contact with the upper surface of the battery module 100, and the fastening portion 1420 extending from the fixing portion 1410 is fastened to the bottom portion 1100F of the pack housing 1100, thereby fixing the battery module 100 to the pack housing 1100. Even if the battery pack 1000 according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle that is subject to strong external shocks and vibrations, the battery module 100 can be stably fixed.

[0073] The upper plate 1300 is positioned on the lower plate 1400 to form a cooling passage in the fixing bracket 1200. Specifically, the upper plate 1300 may include a main body portion 1320 and a joining portion 1310 extending from the main body portion 1320 and joined to the lower plate 1400.

[0074] The joint portion 1310 and the lower plate 1400 can be welded together. In particular, the joint portion 1310 can be joined to a fixing portion 1410 that is in close contact with the upper surface of the battery module 100 in the lower plate 1400.

[0075] A cooling passage through which the coolant R passes may be formed between the body 1320 and the lower plate 1400. That is, when the joining part 1310 is joined to the fixing part 1410, the space between the body 1320 and the fixing part 1410 becomes a region through which the coolant R passes, that is, a cooling passage.

[0076] The fixing bracket according to this embodiment may include an inlet port 1510 and an outlet port 1520 connected to the cooling flow path. Specifically, the inlet port 1510 and the outlet port 1520 may be disposed at both ends of the body part 1320 of the upper plate 1300, respectively. The inlet port 1510 and the outlet port 1520 are connected to the space between the body part 1320 and the fixing part 1410. The refrigerant R supplied through the inlet port 1510 first flows into the space between the body part 1320 and the fixing part 1410. The refrigerant R then moves along the body part 1320 and is finally discharged through the outlet port 1520. Although not specifically shown, the inlet port 1510 and the outlet port 1520 may be connected to a refrigerant pipe and a cooling motor, etc., to form the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation system.

[0077] The lower portion of the battery cell 110 is cooled through the heat sink 300 of the battery module 100 described above. That is, referring to Fig. 4, the area corresponding to the connection portion 115 of the battery cell 110 is cooled.

[0078] Furthermore, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment can cool the upper part of the battery cell 110 by forming a cooling passage inside the fixing bracket 1200 for fixing the battery module 100. That is, referring to FIG. 4, a region corresponding to one side 114c of the battery cell 110 is cooled. Since the upper part of the battery cell 110 is also cooled, there is an advantage that the cooling performance for the battery cell 110 is improved and the cooling deviation between the battery cells 110 is reduced. In particular, in the present embodiment, a complex component such as a separate heat sink is not provided on the battery module to cool the upper part of the battery cell 110, but a refrigerant passage is formed in the fixing bracket 1200, so that a complex design or manufacturing process is not required.

[0079] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of battery modules 100 are configured in the pack housing 1100, and a fixing bracket 1200 can fix the plurality of battery modules 100 to the pack housing 1100. Fig. 1 shows one fixing bracket 1200 fixing two battery modules 100 to the pack housing 1100. In summary, any one of the fixing brackets 1200 can fix the plurality of battery modules 100 to the pack housing 1100 and at the same time perform a cooling function for the upper surfaces of the plurality of battery modules 100.

[0080] 5 to 7 again, the main body 1320 according to the present embodiment has an indentation 1320D indented downward, and the main body 1320 may include a plurality of passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 partitioned by the indentation 1320D. As an example, FIGS. 5 and 7 show a state in which two indentations 1320D are formed in one main body 1320, and three passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 are provided. However, there is no particular limit to the number of indentations 1320D and passages 1321, 1322, and 1323. Also, the passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 may be partially partitioned. In other words, the cooling channels of the passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 may not be completely partitioned, but may be shared at the lower end.

[0081] Such passages 1321, 1322, 1323 are connected in a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling flow path. Here, the direction of the cooling flow path may be a direction between inlet port 1510 and outlet port 1520, which is a direction in which refrigerant R moves, i.e., a direction parallel to the y-axis in Fig. 6. Each of the passages 1321, 1322, 1323 is connected in a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling flow path, and refrigerant R flows along each of the passages 1321, 1322, 1323.

[0082] Also, the passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 may be arranged apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the cooling flow path. Fig. 7 shows three passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the cooling flow path, i.e., in the x-axis direction.

[0083] 5 and 6, the body 1320 according to the present embodiment may have a plurality of protrusions 1320P protruding upward. The protrusions 1320P may be spaced apart from each other and arranged in a direction parallel to the direction of the cooling passage. More specifically, each of the passages 1321, 1322, and 1323 may have a plurality of protrusions 1320P.

[0084] As described above, the upper plate 1300 according to the present embodiment forms a cooling passage in the fixing bracket 1200, and performs the function of dissipating heat generated from the upper part of the battery module 100 in addition to fixing the battery module 100. At this time, the recessed part 1320D and the protruding part 1320P are formed in the body part 1320 according to the present embodiment, so that the external surface area of ​​the body part 1320 can be expanded and the heat dissipation effect on the upper part of the battery module 100 can be enhanced. In addition, the recessed part 1320D and the protruding part 1320P form a kind of beading structure, and can increase the rigidity against bending of the fixing bracket 1200. Therefore, the structural safety of the battery pack 1000 can be complemented.

[0085] Meanwhile, although not specifically shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant pipe may be disposed between the upper plate 1300 and the lower plate 1400, and the refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant pipe to form a cooling passage. More specifically, a separate refrigerant pipe is disposed in the space between the body part 1320 of the upper plate 1300 and the fixing part 1410 of the lower plate 1400, and the refrigerant flows inside the refrigerant pipe.

[0086] Meanwhile, in this specification, the coolant is a medium for cooling, and is not particularly limited, but may be cooling water. That is, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment may have a water-cooling type cooling structure.

[0087] Meanwhile, referring again to FIG. 1, the battery pack 1000 according to the present embodiment may include various control and protection systems, such as a BDU (Battery Disconnect Unit) module 1600, a BMS (Battery Management System) module 1700, and a cooling system. The BDU module 1600 forms an HV (High Voltage) line with the battery modules 100, and is responsible for the function of stably supplying or cutting off power to the power system of the device to protect the power system of the device when a fault current occurs. The BMS module 1700 forms an LV (Low Voltage) line with the battery modules 100, and is responsible for the function of managing the temperature and voltage of each battery module 100 based on measured temperature and voltage data.

[0088] The battery pack can be applied to various devices, specifically, transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrids, and ESS (Energy Storage System), but is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various devices that can use secondary batteries.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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 following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 100: Battery module 1000: Battery pack 1100: Pack housing 1200: Fixed bracket 1300: Upper plate 1400: Lower plate

Claims

1. A battery module including battery cells; a pack housing that houses the battery module; a fixing bracket for fixing the battery module to the pack housing; Including, the fixing bracket includes a lower plate in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module and an upper plate located on the lower plate, A cooling passage through which a coolant passes is formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, The lower plate includes a fixing portion that is in close contact with an upper surface of the battery module and a fastening portion that extends from the fixing portion to a bottom of the pack housing.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing bracket includes an inlet port and an outlet port coupled to the cooling channel.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein the fastening portion is fastened to a bottom portion of the pack housing.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the fastening portion has a fastening hole formed therein, and a bolt portion passes through the fastening hole and is fastened to the bottom portion of the pack housing.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the upper plate includes a body portion and a joint portion extending from the body portion and joined to the lower plate.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the joint portion and the lower plate are joined by welding.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the cooling passage is formed between the main body portion and the lower plate.

8. The main body portion is formed with an indentation extending downward, The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the main body portion includes a plurality of passage portions defined by the indentations.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8 , wherein each of the passage portions is connected along a direction parallel to a direction of the cooling flow passage.

10. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the main body portion is formed with a plurality of protruding portions protruding upward.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10 , wherein the protrusions are spaced apart from each other and arranged in a direction parallel to a direction of the cooling flow passage.

12. The battery module is composed of a plurality of battery modules, The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the fixing bracket secures a plurality of battery modules to the pack housing.

13. A refrigerant pipe is located between the upper plate and the lower plate, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant flows along the inside of the refrigerant pipe to form the cooling flow path.

14. A device comprising the battery pack of claim 1.

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