Battery cell, battery module, battery pack, and motor vehicle including the same

Abstract

To provide a battery cell, a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same, capable of controlling the internal pressure of the battery cell while enhancing the stability of an electrode tab. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery cell including: an electrode assembly including a cell body and an electrode tab provided on at least one side of the cell body; a cell case housing the electrode assembly therein; an electrode lead extending to an outside of the cell case by a predetermined length and connected to the electrode assembly via the electrode tab; a tab protection module housed inside the cell case and configured to cover at least a portion of the electrode tab; and a vent module provided in the tab protection module and configured to guide the discharge of vent gas to the outside of the cell case when the internal pressure of the cell case increases.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery cell, a battery module, a battery pack, and an automobile including the same, and more particularly to a battery cell, a battery module, a battery pack, and an automobile including the same, in which the stability of an electrode tab is enhanced and the internal pressure of the battery cell can be controlled.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0072272 filed on June 14, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0124535 filed on September 29, 2022, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of said applications are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries, which have high applicability to various products and electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely 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 by not producing any by-products associated with energy use, in addition to their primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

[0004] 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 constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Also, a battery pack may be constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in parallel according to a charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be variously set according to a required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] In addition, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series and parallel, a battery module including at least one battery cell is first constructed, and then other components are added to the at least one battery module to construct the battery pack.

[0006] In the case of conventional battery cells, the electrode tabs of the electrode assembly connected to the electrode leads are surrounded by only the cell case without any additional protective structure around them, which makes them vulnerable to external forces transmitted from the cell case or electrode leads.In addition, in the case of conventional battery cells, there is a problem that the joint of the cell case is damaged unpredictably because there is no structure that can properly exhaust vent gas to the outside when vent gas is generated due to a thermal event in the battery cell. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a battery cell, a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same, which enhance the stability of an electrode tab and enable control of the internal pressure of the battery cell.

[0008] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery cell including: an electrode assembly including a cell body and an electrode tab provided on at least one side of the cell body; a cell case housing the electrode assembly therein; an electrode lead extending to an outside of the cell case by a predetermined length and connected to the electrode assembly via the electrode tab; a tab protection module housed inside the cell case and configured to cover at least a portion of the electrode tab; and a vent module coupled to the tab protection module and configured to guide discharge of vent gas to an outside of the cell case when internal pressure of the cell case increases.

[0010] Preferably, the tab protection module includes a vent passage, the cell case includes a vent hole provided at a position corresponding to the vent passage, and the vent module may be configured to connect the vent passage to the vent hole or block communication between the vent passage and the vent hole in response to a change in internal pressure of the cell case.

[0011] The vent module may include a valve configured to open and close the vent passage in response to changes in internal pressure of the cell case, a support member having a vent guide portion including a hole provided at a position corresponding to the vent passage and the vent hole, and an elastic member disposed between the valve and the support member in an elastically pressurized state.

[0012] Preferably, the vent guide portion may be configured so that at least a portion of the vent guide portion protrudes from the vent hole to the outside of the cell casing.

[0013] Preferably, the vent module may further include a sealing member disposed between an inner surface of the cell casing and the support member, the sealing member being configured to seal a gap between the vent guide portion and the vent hole.

[0014] Preferably, the sealing member may be configured to surround an outer circumferential surface of the vent guide portion.

[0015] Preferably, the tab protection module may further include a mounting groove in which the support member is disposed.

[0016] Preferably, the support member may further include a coupling hole configured to couple with the tab protection module by a coupling member.

[0017] Preferably, the vent module may further include a buffer member provided on the inlet side of the vent passage and configured to come into contact with the valve when the internal pressure of the cell casing decreases.

[0018] Preferably, the tab protection module may be configured to have a shape that corresponds to an opposing inner surface of the cell casing.

[0019] Preferably, a joint between the electrode tab and the electrode lead may be configured to be located in an internal space of the tab protection module.

[0020] The tab protection module may be configured to have at least a portion thereof in intimate contact with the cell body.

[0021] In the battery cell of the present invention, the tab protection module may be disposed between an inner surface of the cell case and the electrode assembly, a first end of the tab protection module may be located on a first side of the electrode assembly, and a second end of the tab protection module may be located on a bonding side between the electrode tab and the electrode lead, and the electrode tab may be configured to be at least partially surrounded by the tab protection module between the first end of the tab protection module and the second end of the tab protection module.

[0022] The tab protection module may be provided on at least one side of the cell body and configured to at least partially cover upper and lower portions of the electrode tabs.

[0023] The cell casing may include a first hole, and the vent module may include a second hole configured in communication with the first hole to allow gas to escape from the cell casing.

[0024] Furthermore, the battery module according to one aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery cell according to one aspect of the present invention as described above.

[0025] A battery pack according to an aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery module according to an aspect of the present invention as described above.

[0026] In addition, a vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery pack according to an aspect of the present invention as described above. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when an impact occurs outside the battery cell, it is possible to prevent the electrode tab, which is structurally weak, from being detached or damaged, and to guide the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case from the portion where the tab protection module is disposed. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the vent gas from being randomly discharged from an unpredictable portion of the cell case, and to guide the flow of the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case by concentrating the flow of the vent gas at the portion where the tab protection module is disposed.

[0028] In addition, various additional effects may be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, and the description of the effects that can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0029] 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. The present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates a battery cell according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the battery cell of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the battery cell of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA' of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the entire battery cell of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram showing a state in which vent gas is discharged to the outside of a cell case as the internal pressure of the battery cell in FIG. 1 increases. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a battery cell according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts according to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe the invention.

[0032] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for them at the time of this application.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a battery cell 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a top view of the battery cell 10 of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the battery cell 10 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the A-A' direction of FIG. 1.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the X-axis direction shown in the drawings may refer to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 10, the Y-axis direction may refer to the left-right direction of the battery cell 10 perpendicular to the X-axis direction on a horizontal plane (XY plane), and the Z-axis direction may refer to the up-down direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0035] 1 to 4, a battery cell 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode assembly 100, a cell case 200, an electrode lead 300, a tab protection module 400, and a vent module 500.

[0036] The battery cell 10 may be a secondary battery. The battery cell 10 may be a pouch-type battery cell.

[0037] The electrode assembly 100 may include a cell body 110 and an electrode tab 120 .

[0038] Although not shown in detail, the electrode assembly 100 may include a first electrode plate having a first polarity, a second electrode plate having a second polarity, and a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates. For example, the first electrode plate may be a positive electrode plate coated with a positive active material or a negative electrode plate coated with a negative active material, and the second electrode plate may be an electrode plate having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode plate.

[0039] The electrode tab 120 may be at least a part of an uncoated portion where a positive or negative active material is not applied. The uncoated portion may be a portion formed by protruding from the first or second electrode plate of the electrode assembly 100. Specifically, the electrode tab 120 may be formed by combining the portions of the uncoated portion that have been processed by a notching process. The cell body 110 may be defined as the remaining portion of the electrode assembly 100 excluding the electrode tab 120.

[0040] Meanwhile, in the present invention, the electrode tab 120 is not limited to being at least a part of the non-coated portion, that is, the electrode tab 120 may be provided separately and coupled to the non-coated portion.

[0041] The cell body 110 may be defined as a remaining portion of the electrode assembly 100 excluding the electrode tab 120. The electrode tab 120 may be provided on at least one of both sides of the cell body 110.

[0042] The cell case 200 may accommodate the electrode assembly 100 therein. That is, the cell case 200 may include an accommodation space for accommodating the electrode assembly 100 therein. The cell case 200 may accommodate an electrolyte therein and accommodate the electrode assembly 100 therein in a form in which the electrode assembly 100 is impregnated with the electrolyte. As an example, the cell case 200 may be, but is not limited to, a pouch film including a layer of a metal material (e.g., aluminum (Al)).

[0043] The electrode lead 300 may be drawn out to the outside of the cell case 200 by a predetermined length. A pair of such electrode leads 300 may be provided on both sides of the cell case 200 or only on one side. A lead film F may be interposed between the cell case 200 and the electrode lead 300 to seal between the cell case 200 and the electrode lead 300. For example, the lead film F may be provided as a heat-sealing film to increase the sealing force of the area of ​​the cell case 200 where the electrode lead 300 is disposed. The lead film F may be configured to include an insulating material to prevent the electrode lead 300 from being short-circuited.

[0044] The electrode lead 300 may then be connected to the electrode assembly 100 inside the cell casing 200 via the electrode tab 120. As an example, the electrode lead 300 may be interconnected with the electrode tab 120 by welding or the like.

[0045] The tab protection module 400 may be accommodated inside the cell casing 200 and configured to cover at least a portion of the electrode tab 120. As an example, the tab protection module 400 may be configured to include an insulating material, thereby minimizing the occurrence of short circuits in the cell body 110, the electrode tab 120, the electrode lead 300, etc. due to contact between the tab protection module 400 and the cell body 110, the electrode tab 120, the electrode lead 300, etc.

[0046] The electrode tab 120 may have a relatively thin thickness compared to the cell body 110. As a result, the electrode tab 120 may be vulnerable to impacts due to external forces transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200. The tab protection module 400 covers the electrode tab 120, and may receive impacts due to external forces transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200 before the electrode tab 120 does. It should be noted that the electrode tab 120 may receive an internal force due to expansion and contraction generated by charging and discharging the battery cell 10. Another advantage of the tab protection module 400 is that it absorbs such internal forces from the electrode assembly 100 and maintains the integrity of the electrode lead 300.

[0047] Also, in the battery cell 10 of the present invention, a thermal event such as a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur. In this case, high-temperature and high-pressure vent gas may be generated inside the cell case 200. Meanwhile, in the present invention, since the above-mentioned tab protection module 400 is housed inside the cell case 200 while forming a predetermined internal space, the internal volume of the cell case 200 can be further increased, and it is possible to prevent a sudden increase in the internal pressure of the cell case 200 due to the generation of vent gas. That is, the cell case 200 may be a pouch made of a normal flexible material, and when the tab protection module 400 is present, the internal space of the pouch can be further filled, and the pouch can be further expanded compared to when the tab protection module 400 is not present. By expanding the periphery of the cell case 200 further outward, the internal volume of the cell case 200 can be increased, and the larger the internal volume is, the slower the rate of increase in the internal pressure of the cell case 200 due to the accumulation of gas can be. As a result, the time when a certain area of ​​the cell case 200 is damaged and the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 can be effectively delayed.

[0048] The vent module 500 may be provided in the tab protection module 400 and configured to guide the discharge of vent gas to the outside of the cell case 200 as the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases. That is, when high-temperature and high-pressure vent gas is generated inside the cell case 200, the vent module 500 may guide the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 from the tab protection module 400 side. To this end, the vent module 500 may be configured to communicate the outside of the cell case 200 with the inside of the cell case 200 as the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases. A detailed configuration of the vent module 500 will be described in more detail in the related description below.

[0049] According to this embodiment of the present invention, when an impact occurs outside the battery cell 10, it is possible to prevent the structurally weak electrode tab 120 from being detached or damaged, and to guide the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 from the portion where the tab protection module 400 is disposed. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the vent gas from being randomly discharged from unpredictable portions of the cell case 200, and to guide the flow of the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 by concentrating the flow of the vent gas at the portion where the tab protection module 400 is disposed.

[0050] Meanwhile, the tab protection module 400 may absorb shock caused by an external force transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200. The tab protection module 400 may be configured to distribute the absorbed shock to multiple regions of the electrode assembly 100. This can reduce or minimize the shock applied to the electrode tab 120.

[0051] In addition, the tab protection module 400 may be configured to cover at least a portion of the electrode tab 120 such that a predetermined space is formed between the electrode tab 120 and the inner surface of the cell case 200. This can minimize the transmission of impact due to an external force transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200 to the electrode tab 120.

[0052] The battery cell 10 of the present invention will now be described in more detail.

[0053] 3 and 4, the tab protection module 400 may be configured to have a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the cell case 200 that faces the tab protection module 400. With this configuration, the tab protection module 400 can more effectively buffer impacts due to external forces transmitted to the cell case 200 from the outside. This can minimize impacts applied to the electrode tab 120. In addition, with this shape structure, the tab protection module 400 can be accommodated inside the cell case 200 without causing deformation of the cell case 200. In particular, the vent module 500 may be provided in the tab protection module 400 and configured such that a portion of the vent module 500 faces the inner surface of the cell case 200. Therefore, through the shape structure corresponding to the inner surface of the cell case 200 that the tab protection module 400 faces, the discharge of vent gas to the outside of the cell case 200 by the vent module 500 can be more stably guided.

[0054] Specifically, the cell casing 200 may include a receiving portion 220 and a sealing portion 240 .

[0055] The receiving portion 220 may be configured to receive the electrode assembly 100 therein.

[0056] The sealing portion 240 may have a shape that extends outward from the periphery of the receiving portion 220 by a certain length.

[0057] Meanwhile, the cell case 200 may include a first case member 200a and a second case member 200b. The peripheral regions of the first case member 200a and the second case member 200b may be joined to each other by thermal welding to form the above-mentioned sealing part 240. A space may be formed inside the sealing part 240 due to the separation between the first case member 200a and the second case member 200b, and this space may become the above-mentioned receiving part 220.

[0058] In addition, the sealing portion 240 may include a case terrace T. The case terrace T may refer to a region of the entire sealing portion 240 that is located in a direction in which the electrode lead 300 is drawn out to the outside of the cell casing 200.

[0059] That is, the case terrace T may be configured to extend a certain length from the accommodating portion 220 and support the electrode lead 300. At this time, the gap between the electrode lead 300 and the cell case 200 may be sealed by the lead film F described above. Specifically, the lead film F may be interposed between the electrode lead 300 and the case terrace T.

[0060] The above-described tab protection module 400 may have a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the receiving portion 220 adjacent to the case terrace T. In this case, the adjacent area between the receiving portion 220 and the case terrace T may be structurally weakened due to a shape such as a bent structure.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present invention, the tab protection module 400 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 220 in a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the accommodation portion 220 adjacent to the case terrace T, and therefore the rigidity of the adjacent region between the accommodation portion 220 and the case terrace T can be reinforced. As a result, the tab protection module 400 can reinforce the rigidity of the structurally weak region of the cell case 200, thereby further increasing the structural rigidity of the cell case 200. That is, the accommodation portion 220 of the cell case 200 may have a shape that fits the tab protection module 400 such that there is little or no space between the accommodation portion 220 and the tab protection module 400 when the battery cell 10 is fully assembled. The combination between the components forms a tight stack between the layers, which prevents the tab protection module 400 from moving when subjected to an external impact, thereby preventing the movement of the electrode tab 120.

[0062] 3 and 4, the coupling portion between the electrode tab 120 and the electrode lead 300 may be configured to be located in an internal space of the tab protection module 400. That is, the tab protection module 400 defines a space therein, within which the electrode tab 120 may be coupled to the electrode lead 300.

[0063] For example, the entire area of ​​the bond between the electrode tab 120 and the electrode lead 300 can be configured to be located within the interior space of the tab protection module 400 .

[0064] As a result, damage to the electrode tab 120 can be minimized, and the connection between the electrode tab 120 and the electrode lead 300 can be stably maintained.

[0065] On the other hand, since the electrode lead 300 is interposed between one surface (e.g., the upper surface) and the other surface (e.g., the lower surface) of the case terrace T, the portion of the case terrace T that supports the electrode lead 300 may be structurally weaker than other portions of the cell casing 200.

[0066] The tab protection module 400 described above can reinforce the rigidity of the area where the receiving portion 220 and the case terrace T are in contact. In addition, since the tab protection module 400 includes the vent module 500 described above, it is possible to minimize the discharge of vent gas from the area where the electrode lead 300 is located in the cell case 200 or from the area adjacent thereto. Specifically, according to the present invention, since the flow of vent gas is concentrated in the area where the tab protection module 400 is disposed and the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200, it is possible to prevent the structurally weak part, i.e., the part of the case terrace T supporting the electrode lead 300, from being unevenly broken due to an increase in internal pressure, thereby preventing the vent gas from being discharged in an unpredictable direction or from an unpredictable part of the cell case 200. That is, the case terrace T is structurally weaker than other parts of the cell case 200, and therefore the case terrace T may be damaged when vent gas accumulates and excessive internal pressure is generated. However, the vent module 500 provided in the tab protection module 400 prevents excessive internal pressure buildup due to gas accumulation near the case terrace T, thereby preventing damage to the cell casing 200 in the area where the case terrace T is formed.

[0067] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the battery cell 10 of FIG.

[0068] 3 to 5, the tab protection module 400 may be provided on at least one side of the above-mentioned cell body 110. In this state, the tab protection module 400 may at least partially cover the upper and lower parts of the electrode tabs 120. The tab protection module 400 may be provided on one side of the cell body 110 so as to cover most of the upper and lower parts of the electrode tabs 120.

[0069] Specifically, the tab protection module 400 may include a first protective cap 410 and a second protective cap 420 .

[0070] The first protective cap 410 may be provided on at least one side of the cell body 110. Also, the first protective cap 410 may at least partially cover an upper portion of the electrode tab 120.

[0071] Such a first protective cap 410 may include a first cap body 412 and a first cap wing 414 .

[0072] The first cap body 412 may at least partially cover an upper portion of the electrode tab 120. In addition, the first cap body 412 may be configured to have a shape corresponding to an inner surface of the cell casing 200 facing the first cap body 412.

[0073] The first cap wing 414 may be configured to extend from both ends of the first cap body 412. The first cap wing 414 may be configured to cover a portion of one side of the cell body 110 where the electrode tab 120 is not located. That is, the electrode tab 120 extends from one side of the cell body, and the first cap wing 414 may be located on the same side as the one side of the cell body 110 from which the electrode tab 120 extends, but may cover the portion where the electrode tab 120 is not located.

[0074] The second protective cap 420 may be provided on at least one side of the cell body 110. The second protective cap 420 may be connected to the first protective cap 410 in the up-down direction and may at least partially cover the lower portion of the electrode tab 120.

[0075] Such a second protective cap 420 may include a second cap body 422 and a second cap wing 424 .

[0076] The second cap body 422 may at least partially cover a lower side of the electrode tab 120. In addition, the second cap body 422 may be configured to have a shape corresponding to an inner surface of the cell casing 200 facing the second cap body 422.

[0077] The second cap wing 424 may be configured to extend from both ends of the second cap body 422. The second cap wing 424 may be configured to cover a portion of one side of the cell body 110 where the electrode tab 120 is not located. That is, the electrode tab 120 extends from one side of the cell body 110, and the second cap wing 424 may be located on the same side as the one side of the cell body 110 from which the electrode tab 120 extends, but may cover a portion where the electrode tab 120 is not located.

[0078] The first and second protective caps 410 and 420 may be assembled to each other in the up-down direction of the electrode tab 120 to at least partially surround the electrode tab 120 .

[0079] This can minimize the impact caused by an external force transmitted from the outside through the cell case 200 to the electrode tab 120. In addition, the impact caused by an external force transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200 is also distributed to an area of ​​the cell body 110 where the electrode tab 120 is not located, so that the impact applied to the electrode tab 120 can be further minimized.

[0080] With further reference to FIGS. 3-5, the tab protection module 400 may be configured to be at least partially intimately attached to the cell body 110. As shown in FIG.

[0081] In particular, the first cap wing 414 of the first protective cap 410 and the second cap wing 424 of the second protective cap 420 may be configured to closely contact a portion of one side of the cell body 110 where the electrode tab 120 is not located. As a result, impacts due to external forces transmitted from the outside to the cell case 200 can be more reliably distributed to the entire cell body 110, and impacts applied to the electrode tab 120 can be further minimized.

[0082] In addition, since a portion of the tab protection module 400 is in close contact with a portion of the cell body 110 where the electrode tab 120 is not located, the flow of the vent gas may be more concentrated inside the tab protection module 400. As a result, the flow of the vent gas may be more concentrated at the vent module 500 provided in the tab protection module 400, which may induce the discharge of the vent gas to the outside of the cell case 200.

[0083] The vent module 500 of the present invention will now be described in detail.

[0084] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 due to an increase in the internal pressure of the battery cell 10 of FIG.

[0085] 3 to 6, the tab protection module 400 may include a vent passage P. Also, the cell case 200 may include a vent hole O provided at a position corresponding to the vent passage P. That is, the vent hole O may be positioned to communicate with the vent passage P, as described in more detail below.

[0086] For example, the vent passage P may have a hollow channel that communicates with the outside within the cell casing 200. The vent passage P may be provided in the first cap body 412 of the first protective cap 410 described above, but is not limited thereto, and may also be provided in the second cap body 422 of the second protective cap 420.

[0087] Also, the vent hole O may have a predetermined area so as to correspond to an outlet side of the vent passage P (a region of the vent passage P facing the outside of the cell case 200). The vent hole O may be provided in the first case member 200a described above, but is not limited thereto, and may also be provided in the second case member 200b.

[0088] The vent module 500 may be configured to connect the vent passage P and the vent hole O or to block the connection between the vent passage P and the vent hole O in response to a change in the internal pressure of the cell case 200 .

[0089] That is, a portion of the vent module 500 may be provided within the vent passage P. Also, when the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases, the vent module 500 may open the vent passage P to guide the vent gas to be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200. Also, when the internal pressure of the cell case 200 decreases, the vent module 500 may close the vent passage P to block the inflow of oxygen into the inside of the cell case 200.

[0090] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the vent module 500, which controls communication between the vent hole O and the vent passage P, allows the vent gas to be more stably discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 in the portion where the tab protection module 400 is disposed. In addition, when the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 and the internal pressure of the cell case 200 is reduced, the inflow of oxygen into the inside of the cell case 200 can be minimized by closing the vent passage P, and the possibility of a fire occurring inside the battery cell 10 can be minimized.

[0091] With further reference to FIGS. 3-6, the vent module 500 may include a valve 510, a support member 520, and a resilient member 530.

[0092] The valve 510 may be configured to open and close the vent passage P in response to changes in the internal pressure of the cell casing 200. Such a valve 510 may be provided in the vent passage P described above.

[0093] The valve 510 may also include a first portion 512 and a second portion 514 .

[0094] The first portion 512 may be provided in the vent passage P and may have a shape that at least partially corresponds to the communication hole P1 that communicates with the inside of the tab protection module 400. In particular, the first portion 512 may be formed at least partially into a tapered shape. That is, the first portion 512 may be formed in a size and shape that allows it to be inserted into the communication hole P1 so as to block the communication hole P1 and prevent gas or air from passing through.

[0095] The second portion 514 may be connected to the first portion 512 and may be disposed closer to the vent hole O than the first portion 512. The second portion 514 may be provided with a shape that protrudes further in the radial direction (e.g., a wider shape) than the first portion 512.

[0096] The support member 520 may include a vent guide portion 522. The vent guide portion 522 may include a hole H provided at a position corresponding to the vent passage P and the vent hole O. That is, the vent guide portion 522 may be sandwiched within the vent hole O and may have a size that allows the vent guide portion 522 to pass through the vent hole O. Through the hole H of the vent guide portion 522, when the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases, the vent gas may be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200.

[0097] The elastic member 530 may be disposed between the valve 510 and the support member 520 in an elastically pressurized state. For example, the elastic member 530 may provide a predetermined elastic force to the valve 510 in response to a change in the internal pressure of the cell casing 200.

[0098] Such an elastic member 530 may be provided in the vent passage P. In particular, one side of the elastic member 530 may be disposed in the support member 520, and the other side of the elastic member 530 may be disposed in the valve 510.

[0099] Specifically, the valve 510 can close the vent passage P by the elastic force of the elastic member 530 when there is not a sufficient amount of gas inside the battery cell 10 to generate pressure that can overcome the force of the elastic member 530 (e.g., when a thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery cell 10 does not occur).

[0100] Meanwhile, when vent gas is generated inside the cell case 200 due to thermal runaway of the battery cell 10 and the internal pressure of the cell case 200 rises above a reference pressure, the valve 510 may move toward the vent hole O. In this case, the pressure applied to the valve 510 from inside the cell case 200 by the vent gas may be higher than the elastic restoring force applied in the direction in which the elastic member 530 in a compressed state expands. Therefore, when the battery cell 10 experiences thermal runaway, the valve 510 may move in a direction that further compresses the elastic member 530. With this configuration, the vent passage P and the vent hole O communicate with each other, and the vent gas may be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 through a gap between the first portion 512 of the valve 510 and the inner surface of the vent passage P.

[0101] As a result, the vent gas can be quickly discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 by communication between the vent passage P and the vent hole O. Furthermore, the internal pressure of the cell case 200 can be quickly reduced by the discharge of the vent gas.

[0102] Furthermore, the valve 510 may be configured to close the vent passage P when the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 and the internal pressure of the cell case 200 falls below the reference pressure. When the internal pressure of the cell case 200 is below the reference pressure, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 530 expanding in a direction to push out the valve 510 is greater than the force applied to the valve 510 according to the internal pressure of the cell case 200 due to the vent gas being discharged to the outside of the cell case 200. In this case, the elastic member 530 may be restored to its initial state. When the internal pressure of the cell case 200 decreases as the vent gas is discharged to the outside, the valve 510 may move toward the communication hole P1 of the vent passage P to close the vent passage P.

[0103] In particular, the vent guide portion 522 may be configured such that at least a portion thereof protrudes from the vent hole O of the cell case 200 to the outside of the cell case 200. That is, the outlet side of the hole H of the vent guide portion 522 may protrude beyond the region of the cell case 200 in which the vent hole O is formed.

[0104] This restricts the vent gas from flowing back into the cell case 200 through the gap between the vent hole O and the vent guide portion 522 while it is discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 from the outlet side of the hole H of the vent guide portion 522 protruding to the outside.

[0105] With further reference to FIGS. 4-6, the vent module 500 may further include a sealing member 540.

[0106] The sealing member 540 may be disposed between the inner surface of the cell case 200 and the support member 520. Also, the sealing member 540 may be configured to seal a gap between the vent guide portion 522 and the vent hole O. The sealing member 540 may be disposed between the inner surface of the first case member 200a and the support member 520, but is not limited thereto, and may also be provided between the inner surface of the second case member 200b and the support member 520.

[0107] As an example, the sealing member 540 may be, but is not limited to, a hot melt sealing.

[0108] According to this embodiment, when the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases, the vent gas can be discharged to the outside of the cell case 200 only through the vent passage P of the tab protection module 400. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the vent gas from being randomly discharged from unpredictable parts of the cell case 200, and more reliably induce the discharge of the vent gas through the part where the tab protection module 400 is disposed.

[0109] In particular, the above-described sealing member 540 may be configured to surround the outer circumferential surface of the vent guide portion 522. That is, the sealing member 540 may be configured to surround the entire outer circumferential surface of the vent guide portion 522 between the inner surface of the cell casing 200 and the support member 520.

[0110] According to this embodiment, the exhaust of the vent gas from the portion where the tab protection module 400 is disposed can be guided more reliably.

[0111] 3 to 6, the tab protection module 400 may further include a mounting groove C.

[0112] The support member 520 may be disposed in the mounting groove C. The mounting groove C may be provided in the first cap body 412 of the first protection cap 410 described above, but is not limited thereto, and may also be provided in the second cap body 422 of the second protection cap 420. The mounting groove C may be formed by being recessed to a predetermined depth from the outer surface of the tab protection module 400.

[0113] According to this embodiment, the support member 520 including the vent guide portion 522 can be stably mounted on the tab protection module 400. This has the advantage that when the internal pressure of the cell casing 200 increases, vent gas can be discharged more stably.

[0114] With further reference to FIGS. 3-6, the support member 520 may further include a coupling hole 524.

[0115] Such a coupling hole 524 may be configured to couple with the tab protection module 400 via a coupling member B. As an example, the coupling member B may be, but is not limited to, a bolt.

[0116] In one embodiment, the coupling hole 524 may be formed in at least a portion of an end of the support member 520. Also, the coupling member B may be inserted into the coupling hole 524 to fix the support member 520 to the first cap body 412 of the first protective cap 410. Meanwhile, the coupling member B is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be inserted into the coupling hole 524 to fix the support member 520 to the second cap body 422 of the second protective cap 420.

[0117] According to this embodiment, the support member 520 including the vent guide portion 522 is more stably fixed to the tab protection module 400. This has the advantage that when the internal pressure of the cell case 200 increases, the vent gas can be discharged more stably.

[0118] Other configurations of the above-mentioned tab protection module 400 will now be described.

[0119] 3 to 5, the first protective cap 410 and the second protective cap 420 may be coupled to each other by a hook coupling, which allows the first protective cap 410 and the second protective cap 420 to be coupled to each other in an easier and simpler manner.

[0120] Specifically, a fastening hook 440 for the hook coupling may be provided on one of the first protective cap 410 and the second protective cap 420. Also, the remaining one of the first protective cap 410 and the second protective cap 420 may be provided with a hook groove 450 in which the fastening hook 440 is hooked.

[0121] For example, the fastening hooks 440 may be formed as a pair and provided on the second protective cap 420. The pair of fastening hooks 440 may be provided to protrude from both sides of the second cap body 422 by a predetermined length.

[0122] In addition, the hook grooves 450 may be formed as a pair to correspond to the fastening hooks 440 and provided in the first protective cap 410. The pair of hook grooves 450 may be formed on both sides of the first cap body 412 in a groove shape capable of fixing ends of the fastening hooks 440.

[0123] Meanwhile, in the tab protection module 400, the formation positions of the fastening hook 440 and the hook groove 450 are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the fastening hook 440 may be provided in the first protection cap 410 and the hook groove 450 may be provided in the second protection cap 420.

[0124] 3 and 4, the tab protection module 400 may further include a lead slot 430 through which the electrode lead 300 passes. Such a lead slot 430 may be formed in the front of the tab protection module 400.

[0125] Specifically, when the first protection cap 410 and the second protection cap 420 are coupled to each other, an opening space of a predetermined size may be formed between the first protection cap 410 and the second protection cap 420 in the up-down direction when viewed from the front of the tab protection module 400. The lead slot 430 may be an opening space of a predetermined size formed when the first protection cap 410 and the second protection cap 420 are assembled. That is, the lead slot 430 may be a space defined between the first protection cap 410 and the second protection cap 420. This space may be provided to have a size and shape capable of accommodating the electrode lead 300. Thus, after the electrode assembly 100 is assembled with the tab protection module 400 and the electrode lead 300, the first protection cap 410 may be located on a first side (e.g., an upper side) of the electrode lead 300, and the second protection cap 420 may be located on a second side (e.g., a lower side) of the electrode lead 300.

[0126] According to this embodiment, not only can damage to the electrode lead 300 be prevented, but also the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode lead 300 can be minimized.

[0127] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a battery cell 12 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0128] Since the battery cell 12 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery cell 10 according to the previously described embodiment, a redundant description of configurations that are substantially the same or similar to those of the previously described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the previously described embodiment.

[0129] 7, in the battery cell 12 according to the present embodiment, the vent module 500 may further include a buffer member R. As an example, the buffer member R may be made of a material such as rubber, silicone, or urethane, but is not limited thereto.

[0130] The buffer member R may be provided on the inlet side of the vent passage P (a region of the vent passage P toward the inside of the cell casing 200) and configured to come into contact with the valve 510 when the internal pressure of the cell casing 200 decreases.

[0131] In the battery cell 12 according to this embodiment, the communication hole P1 may have a tapered portion that contacts the first portion 512 of the valve 510. In addition, the first portion 512 may have a tapered portion that contacts the tapered portion of the communication hole P1. The buffer member R may be provided in the tapered portion of the communication hole P1.

[0132] When the vent gas is discharged to the outside of the cell casing 200 and the internal pressure of the cell casing 200 falls below the reference pressure, the buffer member R may come into contact with the first portion 512 of the valve 510. This can minimize damage to the valve 510 when the internal pressure of the cell casing 200 falls below the reference pressure and the valve 510 closes the vent passage P.

[0133] Meanwhile, a battery module may be configured by including at least one of the battery cells 10, 12 according to the present invention. That is, the battery module according to the present invention may include at least one of the battery cells 10, 12 according to the present invention. More specifically, at least one of the battery cells 10, 12 may configure a cell assembly, and the cell assembly may be housed in a module case.

[0134] In addition, a battery pack may be configured by including at least one battery module according to the present invention. That is, the battery pack according to the present invention may include at least one battery module according to the present invention. The battery pack may further include a pack case for accommodating the battery module therein, and various devices for controlling charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as a battery management system (BMS), a current sensor, and a fuse.

[0135] Furthermore, the battery pack according to the present invention may be applied to automobiles such as electric vehicles, that is, an automobile according to the present invention may include at least one battery pack according to the present invention.

[0136] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims.

[0137] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such terms indicate relative positions and are used only for convenience of explanation, and may change depending on the position of the object of interest, the position of the observer, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 10, 12 Battery cells 100 electrode assembly 110 Cell Body 120 Electrode tab 200 Cell Case 300 Electrode Lead 400 Tab Protection Module 500 Vent Module 510 Valve 520 Support member 522 Vent guide part 524 Binding Hole 530 Elastic Members 540 Sealing material B Connecting member C Mounting groove H Hall O Vent Hole P Vent passage R Cushioning material

Claims

1. an electrode assembly including a cell body and an electrode tab provided on at least one of both sides of the cell body; a cell case that accommodates the electrode assembly therein; an electrode lead extending to the outside of the cell case by a predetermined length and connected to the electrode assembly via the electrode tab; a tab protection module housed within the cell casing and configured to cover at least a portion of the electrode tab; a vent module coupled to the tab protection module and configured to guide the discharge of vent gas to an outside of the cell case when an internal pressure of the cell case increases.

2. The tab protection module includes: Including a vent passageway; The cell casing comprises: The vent hole is provided at a position corresponding to the vent passage, The vent module includes:

2. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell is configured to connect the vent passage to the vent hole or to block communication between the vent passage and the vent hole in response to a change in internal pressure of the cell case.

3. The vent module includes: a valve that opens and closes the vent passage in response to a change in internal pressure of the cell case; a support member including a vent guide portion including holes provided at positions corresponding to the vent passage and the vent hole; The battery cell according to claim 2 , further comprising: an elastic member disposed between the valve and the support member in an elastically pressurized state.

4. The vent guide portion is The battery cell according to claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the vent hole protrudes to an outside of the cell case.

5. The vent module includes: The battery cell according to claim 3 , further comprising a sealing member disposed between the inner surface of the cell case and the support member, the sealing member sealing a gap between the vent guide portion and the vent hole.

6. The sealing member is The battery cell according to claim 5 , wherein the insulating layer surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the vent guide portion.

7. The battery cell according to claim 3 , wherein the tab protection module further comprises a mounting groove in which the support member is disposed.

8. The support member is The battery cell according to claim 3 , further comprising a coupling hole configured to couple with the tab protection module by a coupling member.

9. The vent module includes: The battery cell according to claim 3 , further comprising a buffer member provided at an inlet side of the vent passage and configured to come into contact with the valve when the internal pressure of the cell case decreases.

10. The tab protection module includes: The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the battery cell has a shape corresponding to an inner surface of the opposing cell casing.

11. The electrode tab and the electrode lead are joined together by The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the battery cell is located in an internal space of the tab protection module.

12. The tab protection module includes: The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the battery cell is in intimate contact with the cell body.

13. the tab protection module is disposed between an inner surface of the cell casing and the electrode assembly; a first end of the tab protection module located on a first side of the electrode assembly; a second end of the tab protection module located at a side of a joint between the electrode tab and the electrode lead; 2 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrode tab is configured to be at least partially surrounded by the tab protection module between the first end of the tab protection module and the second end of the tab protection module. 3 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrode tab is configured to be at least partially surrounded by the tab protection module between the first end of the tab protection module and the second end of the tab protection module.

14. The tab protection module includes: provided on at least one side of the cell body, The battery cell according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrode tab is configured to at least partially cover an upper portion and a lower portion of the electrode tab.

15. the cell casing having a first hole; The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the vent module comprises a second hole communicating with the first hole to allow gas to escape from the cell casing.

16. A battery module comprising at least one battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A battery pack comprising at least one battery module according to claim 16.

18. A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 17.

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