Battery module, battery pack including same, and automobile

Abstract

A battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies, each including at least one battery cell, and a module frame formed along a longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cell assemblies and accommodating the plurality of battery cell assemblies in a row in the longitudinal direction.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile. This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0017766, filed on February 8, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the relevant application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Secondary batteries, which have high applicability to various products and electrical properties such as high energy density, are commonly used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that are driven by electrical sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source because they are environmentally friendly and improve energy efficiency as they do not produce any by-products associated with energy use, as well as having the primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

[0003] Currently, types of secondary batteries that are widely used include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, i.e., a unit battery cell, is about 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Also, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel depending on the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be variously set depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0004] In addition, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series and parallel, a common method is to first construct a battery module consisting of at least one battery cell, and then use this at least one battery module to add other components to construct a battery pack or a battery rack.

[0005] A conventional battery module includes a plurality of battery cells and a module housing for accommodating the battery cells. The conventional module housing is generally made of a metal material and is provided as an assembly including a front frame, a rear frame, an upper frame, a lower frame, and a side frame.

[0006] As a result, in the case of a conventional module housing, since it is provided by assembling a plurality of metal frames, there are problems in that the weight of the entire battery module is increased, the structure is complicated, and the assembly process is complicated. Here, the increase in weight due to the module housing causes a problem in that the energy density per unit weight of the entire battery module is reduced.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a solution that can provide a battery module that has a slimmer and simpler structure and can increase the energy density per weight, as well as a battery pack and an automobile including the same. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can increase the energy density per weight, and a battery pack and an automobile including the same.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module having a slimmer and simpler structure, and a battery pack and an automobile including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a battery module is provided, comprising: a plurality of battery cell assemblies, each including at least one battery cell; and a module frame formed along a longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cell assemblies and housing the plurality of battery cell assemblies in a row in the longitudinal direction.

[0011] The plurality of battery cell assemblies may include a first battery cell assembly including the at least one battery cell and a second battery cell assembly including the at least one battery cell, and the first battery cell assembly and the second battery cell assembly may be attached to the module frame by being slidably inserted therein.

[0012] The first battery cell assembly may be slidably inserted into one side of the module frame, and the second battery cell assembly may be slidably inserted into the other side of the module frame.

[0013] The module frame may include a front cover that covers one side of the module frame, and a rear cover that is disposed opposite the front cover and covers the other side of the module frame.

[0014] The front cover may include a front end plate having a size sufficient to cover one side of the module frame, a front sealing plate disposed rearward of the front end plate and facing the battery cell assembly, and a front sealant applied to a periphery of the front sealing plate.

[0015] The rear cover may include a rear end plate having a size sufficient to cover the other side of the module frame, a rear sealing plate disposed in front of the rear end plate and facing the battery cell assembly, and a rear sealant applied to a periphery of the rear sealing plate.

[0016] The module frame may include at least one cooling passage for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies.

[0017] The at least one cooling channel may be formed along a longitudinal direction of the module frame and provided on an inner side of a bottom portion of the module frame.

[0018] The present invention is a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules according to the above-described embodiments, and the plurality of battery modules may be arranged side by side along the width direction of the module frame and connected to each other by bolting the module frames facing each other in the width direction.

[0019] The invention also provides a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one battery pack according to the above-mentioned embodiments. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module capable of increasing energy density per weight, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, through the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module having a slimmer and simpler structure, and a battery pack and a vehicle including the same.

[0022] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters described in the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of a first battery cell assembly of the battery module of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery module of FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a view for explaining an assembly process of a first battery cell assembly and a second battery cell assembly of the battery module of FIG. 1 with a module frame. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the battery pack of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments described herein are illustrative and are intended to facilitate understanding of the invention, and it should be understood that the present invention can be practiced in various forms different from the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the attached drawings may be drawn not to scale, but with some components exaggerated.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG.

[0026] 1 and 2, a battery module 10 may include a plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 and a module frame 300.

[0027] The plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 may include at least one battery cell 110, 210. The plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 may include a first battery cell assembly 100 and a second battery cell assembly 200.

[0028] The first battery cell assembly 100 may include a battery cell 110, a bus bar frame 130, and a top plate 150.

[0029] 3 is a perspective view of a first battery cell assembly of the battery module of FIG. 2. FIG.

[0030] 1 and 2, the battery cell 110 is a secondary battery and may be provided as a pouch-type secondary battery, a prismatic secondary battery, or a cylindrical secondary battery. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the battery cell 110 will be described as a pouch-type secondary battery.

[0031] The battery cell 110 may include at least one or more battery cells. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described assuming that the battery cell 110 includes a plurality of battery cells. The battery cells 110 may be stacked so as to be electrically connectable to each other.

[0032] The bus bar frame 130 may cover at least one side of the battery cell 110 and be electrically connected to the electrode lead 115 of the battery cell 110 .

[0033] The upper plate 150 may cover the upper portion of the battery cell 110. The upper plate 150 may be made of a plastic material for insulating the battery cell 110.

[0034] With further reference to FIG. 2 , the second battery cell assembly 200 may include a battery cell 210 , a bus bar frame 230 and a top plate 250 .

[0035] The battery cell 210 is a secondary battery similar to the battery cell 110, and may be provided as a pouch-type secondary battery. At least one or more battery cells 210 may be provided. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the case where a plurality of battery cells 210 are provided.

[0036] The bus bar frame 230 may cover at least one side of the battery cell 210 and be electrically connected to an electrode lead (not shown) of the battery cell 210 .

[0037] The upper plate 250 may cover the upper portion of the battery cell 210. The upper plate 250 may be made of a plastic material for insulating the battery cell 210.

[0038] 4 is a bottom perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the battery module of FIG.

[0039] 1 to 3 together with FIGS. 4 and 5, the module frame 300 is formed to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 and can integrally house the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 in a row in the longitudinal direction.

[0040] Specifically, the first battery cell assembly 100 and the second battery cell assembly 200 may be attached by being inserted by sliding into the module frame 300. More specifically, the first battery cell assembly 100 may be attached by being inserted by sliding into one side of the module frame 300, and the second battery cell assembly 200 may be attached by being inserted by sliding into the other side of the module frame 300.

[0041] In addition, the module frame 300 may include a cooling channel 310 , a side flange 330 , a thermal adhesive injection hole 350 , a connector member connection portion 370 , and a lower reinforcement portion 390 .

[0042] The cooling channel 310 is for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100 and 200, and may be provided in at least one or more numbers. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the description will be limited to the case where the cooling channel 310 is provided in a plurality of numbers.

[0043] The plurality of cooling channels 310 may be formed along a longitudinal direction of the module frame 300 and provided inside a bottom portion of the module frame 300. The plurality of cooling channels 310 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

[0044] The plurality of cooling passages 310 are connected to communicate with a front cooling manifold 470 and a rear cooling manifold 570 described below, so that a coolant for cooling the battery cell assemblies 100 and 200 may circulate.

[0045] As described above, in the present embodiment, since the cooling passage 310 is integrally provided in the module frame 300, a cooling structure for the battery cells 110 and 210 can be implemented without providing a separate member such as a heat sink.

[0046] As a result, in this embodiment, by omitting additional components such as a separate heat sink, a battery module 10 with a slimmer and simpler structure can be provided, and the energy density per weight can be significantly improved.

[0047] The side flanges 330 may be provided on both sides of the module frame 300. The side flanges 330 may be provided with at least one or more bolt members B for bolting the module frames 300 facing each other, which will be described later.

[0048] The thermal adhesive injection holes 350 may be provided in plurality at the bottom of the module frame 300. A thermally conductive adhesive such as thermal resin may be filled into the module frame 300 through the thermal adhesive injection holes 350. The thermally conductive adhesive may further improve the cooling performance of the battery module 10.

[0049] The connector member connection portion 370 may be provided on an upper portion of the module frame 300. The connector member connection portion 370 may be connected to a connector member 50, which will be described later, and may guide a connection between the battery module 10 and an energy source, such as an external power supply.

[0050] The lower reinforcing part 390 may be provided at a bottom of the cooling channel 310. The lower reinforcing part 390 may be provided with a lattice-shaped rib structure and may reinforce the structural rigidity of the module frame 300. The lower reinforcing part 390 may also minimize the transmission of external impacts to the first battery cell assembly 100 and the second battery cell assembly 200.

[0051] The battery module 10 may include a front cover 400 and a rear cover 500 .

[0052] The front cover 400 may cover one side of the module frame 300. Specifically, the front cover 400 may cover the front of the module frame 300 in the longitudinal direction of the module frame 300.

[0053] The forward cover 400 may include a forward end plate 410 , a forward sealing plate 430 , a forward sealant 450 , and a forward cooling manifold 470 .

[0054] The front end plate 410 may cover one side of the module frame 300. To this end, the front end plate 410 may have a size capable of covering one side of the module frame 300. Specifically, the front end plate 410 may have a size capable of covering the front of the module frame 300. The front end plate 410 may be joined to the module frame 300 by welding.

[0055] The front end plate 410 may be provided with a connection hole 415 .

[0056] A plurality of connection holes 415 may be provided. The connection holes 415 may connect a front cooling manifold 470 (to be described later) and the cooling passages 310 to each other.

[0057] The front sealing plate 430 may be disposed behind the front end plate 410 and facing the battery cell assembly 100. Specifically, the front sealing plate 430 may be disposed between the front end plate 410 and the bus bar frame 130 of the first battery cell assembly 100 to seal the first battery cell assembly 100.

[0058] The front sealant 450 is for making the sealing of the battery cell assembly 100 more airtight and may be applied to the periphery of the front sealing plate 430. The front sealant 450 may be provided as, but is not limited to, an adhesive member. The front sealant 450 may be provided as a member such as a square ring for sealing.

[0059] The front cooling manifold 470 may be attached to a lower portion of the front end plate 410 and connected to communicate with the connection hole 415. The front cooling manifold 470 is for circulating the coolant through the cooling passage 310 and may be connected to an external cooling device.

[0060] The rear cover 500 may cover the other side of the module frame 300. Specifically, the rear cover 500 may cover the rear of the module frame 300 in the longitudinal direction of the module frame 300.

[0061] In addition, the rear cover 500 may include a rear end plate 510, a rear sealing plate 530, a rear sealant 550, and a rear cooling manifold 570.

[0062] The rear end plate 510 may cover the other side of the module frame 300. To this end, the rear end plate 510 may have a size capable of covering the other side of the module frame 300. Specifically, the rear end plate 510 may have a size capable of covering the rear of the module frame 300. The rear end plate 510 may be joined to the module frame 300 by welding.

[0063] The rear end plate 510 may be provided with a connection hole 515 .

[0064] A plurality of connection holes 515 may be provided. The connection holes 515 may connect a rear cooling manifold 570 (to be described later) and the cooling passages 310 to each other.

[0065] The rear sealing plate 530 may be disposed in front of the rear end plate 510 and may be disposed to face the battery cell assembly 200. Specifically, the rear sealing plate 530 may be disposed between the rear end plate 510 and the bus bar frame 230 of the second battery cell assembly 200 to seal the second battery cell assembly 200.

[0066] The rear sealant 550 is for making the sealing of the battery cell assembly 200 more airtight and may be applied to the periphery of the rear sealing plate 530. The rear sealant 550 may be provided as an adhesive member. However, without being limited thereto, the rear sealant 550 may be provided as a member such as a square ring for sealing.

[0067] The rear cooling manifold 570 may be attached to a lower portion of the rear end plate 510 and connected to communicate with the connection hole 515. The rear cooling manifold 570 is for circulating the coolant through the cooling passage 310 and may be connected to an external cooling device, etc.

[0068] FIG. 6 is a view for explaining an assembly process of the first and second battery cell assemblies of the battery module of FIG. 1 and a module frame.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 6, in the battery module 10, the first battery cell assembly 100 and the second battery cell assembly 200 may be slidably inserted from one side and the other side of the module frame 300, specifically, from the front and rear of the module frame 300, respectively, to be accommodated in a row within the module frame 300.

[0070] As described above, the module frame 300 of the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment allows the battery cell assemblies 100, 200 to be inserted into the module frame 300 from both directions. That is, in the battery module 10 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, 200 can be integrally accommodated in one single module frame 300.

[0071] Therefore, in the battery module 10 according to this embodiment, the structure of the module frame 300 that houses the battery cell assemblies 100 and 200 can be simplified, so that a simpler and slimmer structure can be realized.

[0072] As a result, the battery module 10 according to this embodiment can significantly improve the energy density per weight. In addition, the battery module 10 according to this embodiment can be mounted by sliding the battery cell assemblies 100, 200 into the single module frame 300 from both directions, which simplifies the assembly process of the battery module 10 and significantly reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0073] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the battery pack of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack of FIG.

[0074] 7 to 9, the battery pack 1 may include a plurality of the battery modules 10 and a connector member 50.

[0075] The plurality of battery modules 10 may be stacked so as to be electrically connectable to each other. Here, the plurality of battery modules 10 may be arranged side by side along the width direction of the module frame 300, and may be connected to each other by bolting the module frames 300 facing each other in the width direction. Specifically, the plurality of battery modules 10 may be fixed to each other by being bolted to each other by the bolt members B at the side flanges 330 of the facing battery modules 10.

[0076] In addition, the side flanges 330 which are bolted together by the bolt members B can also function as a cross beam for absorbing external shocks to the battery pack 1.

[0077] The connector member 50 is for electrically connecting the plurality of battery modules 10, and may be electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules 10 at the upper portion of the plurality of battery modules 10. The connector member 50 may be electrically connected to an external power source, etc.

[0078] In the case of the battery pack 1 according to this embodiment, the multiple battery modules 10 are fixed to each other by bolting them together at the side flanges 330 of the opposing battery modules 10 using the bolt members B, eliminating the need for additional members such as plates or frames for interconnecting the battery modules 10.

[0079] As a result, the battery pack 1 according to the present embodiment can be realized as a battery pack 1 having a simpler and slimmer structure. Therefore, the battery pack 1 according to the present embodiment can significantly improve the energy density per weight due to such a slimmer structure.

[0080] At least one or more battery packs 1 may be installed in an automobile. The automobile may be an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile that uses the battery pack 1 as an energy source.

[0081] Since the automobile according to this embodiment includes the at least one battery pack 1, the battery pack 1 having high energy density and a slim and simple structure can be installed inside the vehicle.

[0082] Therefore, the energy density per weight of the automobile according to this embodiment can be significantly improved, and the battery pack 1 can be more easily mounted inside the vehicle.

[0083] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module 10 capable of significantly increasing the energy density per weight, a battery pack 1 including the battery module 10, and an automobile.

[0084] Furthermore, through the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a slimmer and simpler structured battery module 10, a battery pack 1 including the same, and an automobile.

[0085] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and that various modifications can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art 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]

[0086] 10 Battery Module 100 First battery cell assembly (battery cell assembly) 200 Second battery cell assembly (battery cell assembly) 110, 210 battery cells 300 module frame

Claims

1. A battery module, a plurality of battery cell assemblies including at least one battery cell; a module frame formed along a longitudinal direction of the plurality of battery cell assemblies and housing the plurality of battery cell assemblies in a row in the longitudinal direction; Including, The module frame is formed of a single metal frame, the plurality of battery cell assemblies are attached to the module frame by being inserted into the module frame through a sliding motion; the module frame is provided with at least one cooling passage for cooling the plurality of battery cell assemblies; The at least one cooling passage is formed along a longitudinal direction of the module frame and is provided on an inner side of a bottom portion of the module frame; The bottom of the module frame is provided with a thermal adhesive injection hole; The thermal adhesive injection hole is used to fill the thermal conductive adhesive into the module frame so as to improve the cooling performance of the battery module; A lower reinforcing portion having a lattice-shaped rib structure is provided at the bottom of the cooling flow passage, A battery module comprising:

2. The plurality of battery cell assemblies include a first battery cell assembly including the at least one battery cell; a second battery cell assembly including the at least one battery cell; Including, The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the first battery cell assembly and the second battery cell assembly are attached to the module frame by being inserted into the module frame through a sliding motion.

3. the first battery cell assembly is slidably inserted into one side of the module frame, The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the second battery cell assembly is inserted into the other side of the module frame by sliding.

4. a front cover covering one side of the module frame; a rear cover disposed opposite the front cover and covering the other side of the module frame; The battery module according to claim 3 , comprising:

5. The front cover is a front end plate having a size that covers one side of the module frame; a front sealing plate disposed rearward of the front end plate and facing the first battery cell assembly; a forward sealant applied to a periphery of the forward sealing plate; The battery module according to claim 4 , comprising:

6. The rear cover is a rear end plate sized to cover the other side of the module frame; a rear sealing plate disposed in front of the rear end plate and facing the second battery cell assembly; a rear sealant applied to a periphery of the rear sealing plate; The battery module according to claim 4 , comprising:

7. A battery pack comprising: A battery module comprising a plurality of battery modules according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The battery pack is characterized in that the plurality of battery modules are arranged side by side along a width direction of the module frame, and are connected to each other by bolting the module frames facing each other in the width direction.

8. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 7.

Images