Battery pack and motor vehicle including same

Abstract

A battery pack and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. The battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, a pack case that accommodates the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an internal space, and a cell cover that at least partially encloses and supports at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case, the cell cover including a folded portion formed in a folded shape, and at least one vent hole for discharging flames or gas is formed in the folded portion of the cell cover.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0089867 filed on July 20, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0055787 filed on April 27, 2023, and all of the content disclosed in the specifications and drawings of the applications is incorporated into this application.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly, to a battery pack manufactured by a Cell To Pack method and a vehicle including the same.

Background Art

[0003] Generally, a secondary battery refers to a battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as a lithium-ion battery, a lithium polymer battery, a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel zinc battery, etc. The output voltage of a battery cell corresponding to the basic unit of charge and discharge of such a secondary battery is generally 2.5V to 4.2V.

[0004] In recent years, as secondary batteries are applied to devices that require a high output voltage and a large charge capacity, such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), a battery pack is widely used, which is manufactured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel to form a battery module, and then connecting the plurality of battery modules thus formed in series or in parallel again.

[0005] However, existing technologies manufacture battery packs by housing battery cells in a box-shaped metal case to form a battery module and then housing such battery modules again in a battery pack case. As a result, there is a problem of increasing the overall weight and volume of the battery pack and decreasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0006] Also, when an existing Cell To Pack method of directly mounting a plurality of battery cells in a pack case of a battery pack is applied to a pouch-type battery cell with a soft case in order to increase the energy density of the battery pack, it is difficult to handle or stack a plurality of battery cells at the same time, and there is a risk of damaging the battery cells during the process of mounting the battery cells in the pack case.

[0007] Furthermore, in the existing Cell To Pack method, since a plurality of battery cells are arranged in a space-intensive and dense manner inside the pack case, it is difficult to discharge the gas and flame generated during thermal runaway of the battery cells in the intended direction. When thermal runaway occurs in some battery cells, it will cause a chain reaction of thermal runaway in the remaining battery cells. Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack capable of reducing the overall weight and volume of the battery pack and increasing the energy density of the battery pack, and an automobile including the same.

[0009] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to facilitate the handling and mounting of battery cells in the manufacturing process of a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, simplify and reduce the weight of the structure required for mounting the battery cells while preventing damage to the battery cells, and provide a battery pack capable of reducing manufacturing costs and an automobile including the same.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack capable of discharging gas and flames generated during thermal runaway of a battery cell in a desired direction to prevent a chain reaction of thermal runaway, and an automobile including the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery pack including: a plurality of pouch-type battery cells; a pack case that houses the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an internal space; and a cell cover that at least partially wraps and supports at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case, wherein the cell cover includes a bent portion formed in a bent shape, and at least one vent hole for discharging flames or gas is formed in the bent portion of the cell cover.

[0012] In one embodiment, a plurality of the vent holes are formed, and the plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion may be linear.

[0013] In one embodiment, a plurality of the vent holes are formed, and the plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion may be dotted lines spaced at a preset interval.

[0014] In one embodiment, the plurality of vent holes may be formed side by side.

[0015] In one embodiment, the plurality of vent holes may be formed in a staggered pattern.

[0016] In one embodiment, the plurality of vent holes may have a decreasing interval between the vent holes as they proceed from the central portion of the cell cover toward both side ends.

[0017] In one embodiment, the plurality of vent holes may have an increasing interval between the vent holes as they proceed from the central portion of the cell cover toward both side ends.

[0018] In one embodiment, the vent hole may be a through hole formed to penetrate a part of the cell cover, or may be a slit hole formed by notching a part of the cell cover to form a slit.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cell cover includes at least two bent portions, and the vent hole may be formed in at least one of the two bent portions.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cell cover includes a first cover portion covering one side surface of at least one battery cell among the plurality of battery cells, a second cover portion covering the other side surface of at least one battery cell among the plurality of battery cells, and a third cover portion connecting the first cover portion and the second cover portion and covering the upper end portion of the at least one battery cell, and the vent hole may be formed between two of the first cover portion, the second cover portion, and the third cover portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the bent portions include a first bent portion formed between the first cover portion and the third cover portion and a second bent portion formed between the second cover portion and the third cover portion, and the vent hole may be formed in at least one of the first bent portion and the second bent portion.

[0022] In one embodiment, a plurality of the vent holes are formed, and the plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion may be linear.

[0023] In one embodiment, a plurality of the vent holes are formed, and the plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion may be dotted lines spaced at a preset interval.

[0024] In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells may be adhered and fixed to the inner surfaces of the first cover portion and the second cover portion.

[0025] In one embodiment, the cell cover may be configured to support at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an upright state.

[0026] In one embodiment, the cell cover may include an insulating coating layer on its inner surface.

[0027] In one embodiment, the cell cover may be integrally formed.

[0028] In one embodiment, the cell cover may include stainless steel (SUS).

[0029] In one embodiment, the battery pack may include a battery assembly in which a plurality of battery cells wrapped by the cell cover are provided.

[0030] In one embodiment, the battery assembly may include a cell unit in which a plurality of battery cells each wrapped by the cell cover are stacked, a pair of side plates respectively disposed at both side ends of the cell unit to support the cell unit, and a pair of integrated end covers disposed in a direction intersecting the pair of side plates to support the cell unit and integrally cover terminal portions of the plurality of battery cells.

[0031] In one embodiment, the battery pack may further include a handle unit coupled to the pair of side plates.

[0032] In one embodiment, the side plate may include a support portion configured to contact the cell unit and support the cell unit, an end cover coupling portion coupled to the integrated end cover, and a handle coupling portion coupled to the handle unit.

[0033] On the other hand, according to another aspect of the present invention, an automobile including the above-described battery pack may be provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention have the effect of reducing the overall weight and volume of the battery pack and increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0035] Also, in the manufacturing process of a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, it is easy to handle and mount the battery cells, and while preventing damage to the battery cells, the structure required for mounting the battery cells can be simplified and lightweighted to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0036] Furthermore, there is an effect that gas and flames generated during thermal runaway of the battery cell can be discharged in a desired direction to prevent a chain reaction of thermal runaway.

[0037] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and are for the purpose of further understanding the technical idea of the present invention together with the content of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038]

Figure 1

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Figure 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0039] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims are not to be construed as being limited to ordinary or dictionary meanings. The inventor himself interprets them in accordance with the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention in accordance with the principle that he can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain the invention in the best way. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. At the time of this application, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace these.

[0040] In the drawings, the size of each component or a specific part constituting the component is exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown for ease of explanation and clarity. Therefore, the size of each component does not fully reflect the actual size. When it is recognized that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0041] As used herein, the terms "coupled" or "connected" include not only the case where one member is directly coupled or directly connected to another member, but also the case where one member is indirectly coupled or indirectly connected to another member via a joining member.

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery cell wrapped in a cell cover according to one embodiment in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the cell cover and the battery cell in Figure 3.

[0043] As described above, usually, battery cells are housed in a box-shaped metal case to form a battery module, and such battery modules are again housed in the pack case of a battery pack to form a battery pack. However, in this case, there is a problem that the weight and volume of the entire battery pack increase, and the energy density of the battery pack decreases.

[0044] To solve such a problem, a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to directly house battery cells 100 in a pack case 200 of the battery pack 10 by omitting the module case of the battery module.

[0045] According to this, since the battery cells 100 can be further housed in the space occupied by the module case of the battery module in the battery pack 10, the space efficiency is improved, and there is an effect that the battery capacity is improved. That is, the module case of the battery module may not be included in the components of the present invention.

[0046] However, it is not completely excluded to completely eliminate the embodiment using the module case. It is also conceivable that, if necessary, the pouch-type battery cells 100 of each embodiment of the present invention are housed in the module case provided in the battery module.

[0047] That is, a battery module provided with the pouch-type battery cells 100 to which the cell cover 300 in each embodiment of the present invention is coupled also belongs to the scope of the rights of the present invention.

[0048] On the one hand, the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment may further include a control module configured to control the charging and discharging of the pouch-type battery cell 100. Referring to FIG. 1, such a control module may include a battery management system 500 (Battery Management System; BMS) and a battery cut-off unit 600, and may be housed inside the pack case 200 together with the battery cell 100 and the cell cover 300.

[0049] And, in this specification, even when simply described as the battery cell 100, the battery cell 100 means the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery pack 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a pouch-type battery cell 100, a pack case 200, and a cell cover 300.

[0051] The battery cell 100 is a pouch-type battery cell 100 and may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a pouch exterior material. That is, the battery cell 100 corresponds to a basic unit of charging and discharging, and the electrode assembly and the electrolyte substance may be housed inside a soft metal case, and may be manufactured by a method of sealing the metal case. In this case, the electrode assembly may be manufactured by a method of sandwiching a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

[0052] Also, electrode leads 110 electrically connected to the electrode assembly may be provided at the front end and the rear end of the battery cell 100. Such a battery cell 100 may be configured in a pouch shape. A plurality of such pouch-type battery cells 100 may be included in the battery pack 10. And, such a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in at least one direction.

[0053] The pack case 200 has an empty space (a vacant space) formed inside, and a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be accommodated in such an internal space. In particular, in the present invention, the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be directly placed on the pack case 200.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pack case 200 may be configured to include a lower frame 210, a side frame 220, and an upper cover 230. The pack case 200 can be made of a plastic or metal material. In addition, the pack case 200 can adopt the materials of various known exterior materials of the battery pack 10 at the time of filing the present invention.

[0055] A plurality of battery cells 100 are placed on the lower frame 210. A reinforcing frame 240 may be formed on the lower frame 210. The side frame 220 extends upward from the peripheral edge of the lower frame 210, and an internal space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells 100 is formed. When the reinforcing frame 240 is formed on the lower frame 210, the battery cell 100 is accommodated in the space formed by the side frame 220 and the reinforcing frame 240. Here, a cell cover 300 is coupled to the battery cell 100. The upper cover 230 is coupled to the side frame 220 and covers the side frame 220 and the lower frame 210. Here, a gas channel (not shown) through which gas can move may be formed inside the upper cover 230.

[0056] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell cover 300 can be provided so as to at least partially wrap at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. That is, the cell cover 300 can be configured in a shape that partially wraps the pouch-type battery cell 100 such that at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 wrapped by the cell cover 300 is exposed to the outside.

[0057] The cell cover 300 can be configured to support the pouch-type battery cell 100 in an upright state. Generally, it is never easy to stack the pouch-type battery cells 100 in a vertically standing shape.

[0058] However, the cell cover 300 in the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be configured to wrap one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 while maintaining the upright state, i.e., the standing state, of the wrapped pouch-type battery cells 100.

[0059] Also, the cell cover 300 can be integrally formed. In this case, the cell cover 300 can be formed by bending a metal plate having a plate-like structure. That is, the cell cover 300 can be formed in a shape where one plate is bent. As a result, a bent portion 340 (see FIG. 3) can be formed in the cell cover 300. And at least one vent hole 350 for discharging flames or gas can be formed in the bent portion 340 of the cell cover 300.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, a plurality of vent holes 350 can be formed. Here, FIGS. 3 and 4 are one embodiment, and the plurality of vent holes 350 can be linearly formed in the bent portion 340. For example, the plurality of vent holes 350 can be linearly formed in at least one of the first bent portion 341 and the second bent portion 342. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and there is also a possibility that they are formed in a shape including both a curved shape and a shape including both a curve and a straight line.

[0061] And, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of vent holes 350 can be formed in a dotted line shape on a straight line. In this case, the plurality of vent holes 350 formed in the bent portion 340 can be separated at a preset interval. Here, it is not necessarily in a dotted line shape, and the preset interval is not necessarily an equal interval. In this way, when the vent holes 350 are formed in a linear dotted line shape, it is easy to bend, and there is an effect that it becomes easy to manufacture the cell cover 300.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of vent holes 350 can be formed so as to be arranged. For example, the vent holes 350 formed in the first bent portion 341 and the vent holes 350 formed in the second bent portion 342 can be formed to face each other and be located on one dotted line in FIG. 3. Here, the first bent portion 341 and the second bent portion 342 will be described later.

[0063] Each of FIGS. 5 to 8 is a view showing each other embodiment of the battery cell wrapped in the cell cover of FIG. 3.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of vent holes 350 can be formed in a staggered pattern. For example, the vent holes 350 formed in the first bent portion 341 and the vent holes 350 formed in the second bent portion 342 can be alternately formed so as not to face each other and be located on different dotted lines in FIG. 5.

[0065] In this way, if a plurality of vent holes 350 are formed in a staggered pattern, when a thermal event occurs in any one of the pouch-type battery cells 100, it is possible to fundamentally block the movement of flames or gas from the pouch-type battery cell 100 to another adjacent pouch-type battery cell 100. However, depending on the arrangement of ejecta and the like, as in FIG. 3, there may be a case where a plurality of vent holes 350 are formed so as to face each other and be arranged side by side. In this case, a heat insulating material is appropriately arranged to prevent the movement of flames or gas from one pouch-type battery cell 100 to another adjacent pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0066] Also, in another embodiment, referring to FIG. 6, as the plurality of vent holes 350 proceed from the central portion of the cell cover 300 toward both end portions, that is, as they proceed toward the portion where the electrode leads 110 (see FIG. 4) of the battery cell 100 are disposed, the interval between the plurality of vent holes 350 may be configured to decrease. That is, more vent holes 350 may be formed at both end portions of the cell cover 300 than at the central portion. Such an embodiment has an advantage of being advantageous for side vents configured to discharge more gas through the side portions.

[0067] And, in yet another embodiment, referring to FIG. 7, as the plurality of vent holes 350 proceed from the central portion of the cell cover 300 toward both end portions, the interval between the plurality of vent holes 350 may be configured to increase. That is, more vent holes 350 may be formed at the central portion of the cell cover 300 than at both end portions. Such an embodiment has an advantage of being advantageous for central vents configured to discharge more gas through the central portion.

[0068] On the other hand, in still another embodiment, referring to FIG. 8, the vent hole 350 may be composed of a slit hole 350a formed by cutting out a part of the cell cover 300 in a slit shape. This is still another embodiment of the embodiment in which, in FIG. 3, the vent hole 350 is composed of a through hole formed to penetrate a part of the cell cover 300.

[0069] The cell cover 300 can be composed of a material including stainless steel (SUS) that is easy to process and has high corrosion resistance. The cell cover 300 can be composed of a variety of materials other than SUS to ensure rigidity. In particular, the cell cover 300 can be composed of a metal material. For example, it can be composed of a chromium (Cr)-based metal material. In the case of such a metal material, the stacked state of the battery cell 100 can be held more stably, and the battery cell 100 can be protected more safely from external impacts. Also, as an example, when the cell cover 300 is made of a steel material such as SUS, when a flame occurs from the battery cell 100 due to its high melting point, the overall structure can be held stably. In particular, in the case of a steel material, since the melting point is higher than that of an aluminum material, it will not be melted by the flame ejected from the battery cell 100, and its shape can be held stably. Therefore, it becomes possible to ensure good effects such as prevention or delay of flame propagation between the battery cells 100 and vent control effect.

[0070] The cell cover 300 may include an insulating coating layer (not shown) on the inner surface. The insulating coating layer (not shown) can be formed by coating, applying, or adhering any one of insulating materials such as silicon resin, polyamide, and rubber. According to the configuration of the insulating coating layer of the cell cover 300 according to this embodiment, the insulating coating effect can be maximized with a minimum coating amount. Also, since the insulating coating layer (not shown) is applied to the inner surface of the cell cover 300, the insulation between the battery cell 100 and the cell cover 300 can be strengthened.

[0071] And the cell cover 300 can be configured such that at least one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the bottom surface of the battery pack 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this at all.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cell cover 300 configured to wrap at least one of a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be accommodated in the internal space of a pack case 200.

[0073] The cell cover 300 can be configured to wrap together various numbers of pouch-type battery cells 100. For example, one cell cover 300 can be configured to wrap one pouch-type battery cell 100 together. Alternatively, one cell cover 300 can be configured to wrap two pouch-type battery cells 100 together. Alternatively, one cell cover 300 may be configured to wrap three pouch-type battery cells 100 together. Alternatively, one cell cover 300 may be configured to wrap even more pouch-type battery cells 100 together.

[0074] The cell cover 300 can include at least two bending portions 340, and the vent hole 350 can be formed in at least one of the two bending portions 340. Taking an example for explanation with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell cover 300 can be configured to include a first cover portion 310, a second cover portion 320, and a third cover portion 330.

[0075] The first cover portion 310 can be configured to cover one side surface of at least one of the plurality of battery cells 100. The first cover portion 310 can be configured in a shape that extends downward from one end of the third cover portion 330. For example, the first cover portion 310 can be configured in a shape that extends downward in a long shape from the left end of the third cover portion 330. And the first cover portion 310 can be configured to wrap the wide surface of the battery cell 100 accommodated inside.

[0076] The second cover part 320 may be configured to cover the other side surface of at least one battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100. The second cover part 320 may be positioned so as to be horizontally separated from the first cover part 310. And the second cover part 320 may be configured in a shape extending downward from the other end of the third cover part 330. For example, the second cover part 320 may be configured in a shape extending in a long shape downward from the right end of the third cover part 330. And the second cover part 320 may be configured to wrap the wide surface of the battery cell 100 housed inside.

[0077] The third cover part 330 connects the first cover part 310 and the second cover part 320 and covers the upper end portion of at least one battery cell 100.

[0078] Here, as described above, a bending part 340 may be formed in the cell cover 300, and the bending part 340 may be configured to include a first bending part 341 and a second bending part 342. The first bending part 341 may be formed between the first cover part 310 and the third cover part 330. For example, the first cover part 310 may be formed by bending at a right angle from one side of the third cover part 330 so as to face downward, and the first bending part 341 may be formed in the part bent from the third cover part 330. Also, the second bending part 342 may be formed between the second cover part 320 and the third cover part 330. For example, the second cover part 320 may be formed by bending at a right angle from the other side of the third cover part 330 so as to face downward, and the second bending part 342 may be formed in the part bent from the third cover part 330. However, the bending from the third cover part 330 is not necessarily at a right angle, and the bending to a right angle is merely one example, and the bending angle can be changed variously.

[0079] Here, the vent hole 350 for discharging gas or flame can be formed between two of the first cover portion 310, the second cover portion 320, and the third cover portion 330. Specifically, for example, the vent hole 350 can be formed in at least one of the first bending portion 341 and the second bending portion 342. That is, the vent hole 350 may be formed only in the first bending portion 341, or may be formed only in the second bending portion 342, or may be formed in both the first bending portion 341 and the second bending portion 342.

[0080] And at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be adhered and fixed to the inner surfaces of the first cover portion 310 and the second cover portion 320. The member for adhesion can be thermally conductive. By such adhesion, the cell cover 300 is firmly coupled to the battery cell 100 and helps to discharge the heat generated from the battery cell 100 to the outside of the battery cell 100.

[0081] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modified embodiment of the battery cell wrapped by the cell cover of FIG. 3, and FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the cell cover and the battery cell in FIG. 9.

[0082] The vent hole 350 can be formed at various positions of the cell cover 300 along the vent direction as intended in advance. For example, referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the vent hole 350 can be formed at the central portion of the third cover portion 330. Here, the vent hole 350 can be formed by a method of forming a notch in a predetermined portion of the cell cover 300. And the vent hole 350 can be formed in one or more. In this way, when the vent hole 350 is formed at the central portion of the third cover portion 330, gas or the like can be discharged upward. As a result, there is an effect that the gas and flame generated during thermal runaway of the battery cell can be discharged in the intended direction, for example, the upward direction where no other battery cell or other battery module is arranged, to prevent a chain reaction of thermal runaway.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the internal space can be defined by the first cover portion 310, the second cover portion 320, and the third cover portion 330 of the cell cover 300. Then, one or more battery cells 100 can be accommodated in the internal space of the cell cover 300 thus defined.

[0084] The cell cover 300 can be configured in an "n" shape, a "u" shape, or a "c" shape that surrounds three sides of at least one battery cell 100. Referring to FIG. 1, the cell cover 300 can be configured such that a plurality of battery cells 100 can be stacked horizontally in a state where they are vertically arranged.

[0085] For example, referring to FIG. 1, each cell cover 300 is configured in a shape that wraps one or more battery cells 100, and a plurality of battery cells 100 surrounded by the cell covers 300 can be stacked on top of each other in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 1. In this case, the cell cover 300 enables a configuration in which a plurality of battery cells 100 are stacked side by side in the Y-axis direction while standing upright to be stably maintained.

[0086] In addition, by surrounding three sides of at least one battery cell 100, the cell cover 300 can easily position bus bars and terminals of each unit on the side surfaces not wrapped by each cell cover 300.

[0087] The battery cell 100, such as the pouch-type battery cell 100, can generally be said to be formed in a hexahedral shape. And electrode leads 110 (see FIG. 4), that is, a negative electrode lead and a positive electrode lead, can be formed on two of the six surfaces respectively. Then, the cell cover 300 is provided to wrap at least one of the three surfaces out of the remaining four surfaces excluding the two surfaces on which the electrode leads are formed in the six-sided battery cell 100.

[0088] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in combination, a bus bar frame 120 can be coupled to the cell cover 300. It can be configured to support a bus bar that is electrically connected to the electrode lead 110 of at least one battery cell 100 covered by the cell cover 300. In this case, the bus bar frame 120 may include terminals that are electrically connected to the bus bar.

[0089] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a battery assembly mounted on a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the battery assembly of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged view showing the bottom surface portion of the P1 portion of FIG. 11. FIGS. 11 to 13 are modified embodiments of the battery cell of FIG. 1.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 11 to 13, the battery pack 10 may include a battery assembly 400 in which a plurality of battery cells 100 wrapped in a cell cover 300 are provided.

[0091] Here, the battery assembly 400 includes a cell unit 410, a pair of side plates 420, and a pair of integrated end covers 430, and may further include a handle unit 440 coupled to the pair of side plates 420 depending on the embodiment.

[0092] A plurality of battery cells 100 each wrapped in a cell cover 300 are stacked in the cell unit 410. Here, since the content regarding the cell cover 300 and the battery cell 100 is common to what has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0093] Then, referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the pair of side plates 420 may be respectively disposed at both ends in the width direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 11) of the plurality of cell units 410 and configured to support the plurality of cell units 410. For this purpose, at least one of the pair of side plates 420 may include a support portion 421, an end cover coupling portion 422, and a handle coupling portion 423.

[0094] The support portion 421 can be configured to support the plurality of cell units 410 by contacting one side surface or the other side surface in the width direction of the plurality of cell units 410. In this case, the support portion 421 can be configured in a plate-like structure.

[0095] The end cover coupling portion 422 can be configured to extend from both end portions on both sides of the support portion 421 in the side direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 11) and couple with one end portion in the side direction of the integrated end cover 430.

[0096] The handle coupling portion 423 can be configured to extend from, for example, the upper end portion of the support portion 421 in the upper direction (Z-axis direction in FIG. 11) and couple with at least one handle unit 440 among the plurality of handle units 440. Here, the handle coupling portion 423 can be configured to be detachable from at least one handle unit 440.

[0097] The pair of side plates 420 can evenly distribute the pressure applied to the plurality of cell units 410 to the entire cell units 410 while blocking or grouping the plurality of cell units 410 together with the integrated end cover 430. Also, the pair of side plates 420 can be made of a metal material containing aluminum, or can be made of a material combining aluminum and a polymer synthetic resin using insert molding.

[0098] The pair of integrated end covers 430 are arranged in a direction intersecting from the pair of side plates 420 to support the cell units 410. For example, they are respectively arranged at both end portions in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 11) of the plurality of cell units 410 to support the plurality of cell units 410. And it can be configured to integrally cover the terminal portions of the battery cells 100 included in the plurality of cell units 410.

[0099] That is, referring to FIG. 12, each integrated end cover 430 has one end in the side direction coupled to the first side plate 420a, which is one of the pair of side plates 420, and the other end in the side direction coupled to the second side plate 420b, which is the other of the pair of side plates 420, and can be configured to integrally cover the terminal portions of the battery cells 100 included in the plurality of cell units 410. In this case, the integrated end cover 430 may be provided with vent holes 434 at positions corresponding to each of the plurality of cell units 410. Such an integrated end cover 430 may be made of a metal material containing aluminum or a polymer synthetic resin, or may be made of a material combining a metal material containing aluminum and a polymer synthetic resin using insert molding.

[0100] By applying such an integrated end cover 430, the battery assembly 400 can omit individual end covers that are applied to each cell unit 410 and cover the terminals or bus bars of the battery cells 100 included in the cell unit 410, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0101] The handle unit 440 may be configured to be gripped by a carrier who transports the battery assembly 400, or to be connected to a predetermined transport device that lifts or transports the battery assembly 400.

[0102] Here, the handle unit 440 may be configured to be detachably coupled to the pair of side plates 420. Also, the handle unit 440 may be made of a metal material having a predetermined strength, a polymer synthetic resin, or a combination thereof.

[0103] The battery assembly 400 described above can be scaled up by increasing the number of stacked cell units 410.

[0104] As shown in detail in FIG. 12, a pair of side plates 420 and a pair of integrated end covers 430 of the battery assembly 400 can be coupled to each other to block or group a plurality of cell units 410. For this purpose, the integrated end cover 430 may include a terminal cover portion 431, a first coupling portion 432, and a second coupling portion 433.

[0105] The terminal cover portion 431 may be configured to integrally cover the terminal portions (electrode lead portions) of the battery cells 100 included in the plurality of cell units 410. Such a terminal cover portion 431 may be provided with vent holes 434 at positions corresponding to each cell unit 410.

[0106] The first coupling portion 432 may extend from the terminal cover portion 431 toward the first side plate 420a and be configured to be coupled to the end cover coupling portion 422 of the first side plate 420a. In this case, the first coupling portion 432 and the end cover coupling portion 422 may be coupled by a fastening member such as a bolt or a rivet.

[0107] The second coupling portion 433 may extend from the terminal cover portion 431 toward the second side plate 420b and be configured to be coupled to the end cover coupling portion 422 of the second side plate 420b. In this case, the second coupling portion 433 and the end cover coupling portion 422 may be coupled by a fastening member such as a bolt or a rivet.

[0108] On the other hand, the handle unit 440 can be coupled to the handle coupling portion 423 of the corresponding side plate 420 in various ways that can be coupled and separated.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 13, the first coupling portion 432 of the integrated end cover 430 can be coupled to the end cover coupling portion 422 of the first side plate 420a via a fastening member 700.

[0110] In addition, the integrated end cover 430 may include a cell unit support portion 435. The cell unit support portion 435 may be configured to extend from a terminal cover portion 431 provided with vent holes 434 to the bottom surfaces of a plurality of cell units 410 to support the plurality of cell units 410. In this case, the cell unit support portion 435 may be configured to support the lower ends of bus bar frames 120 provided on the plurality of cell units 410.

[0111] In this way, the cell units 410 each including at least one battery cell 100 are blocked and fixed to a pair of side plates 420 and the integrated end cover 430, making it easier to handle and mount the battery cells 100 mounted on the battery pack 10. At the same time, the structure required for mounting the battery cells 100 can be simplified and lightened, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0112] According to the present invention, a plurality of battery cells 100 are not separately housed in a module case and mounted on the pack case 200 of the battery pack 10. Instead, they are only partially covered by a cell cover 300 with a simplified structure and directly mounted on the pack case 200. This reduces the weight and volume of the entire battery pack 10, increases the energy density of the battery pack 10, directly mounts a plurality of battery cells 100 on the case, prevents damage to the battery cells 100 that occurs during use, and easily controls the swelling of the battery cells 100 and designs the gas vent path.

[0113] In addition, by forming a plurality of vent holes 350 along the bent portion of the cell cover 300, it is not only easy to perform the sheet metal processing step of manufacturing the cell cover 300 and the assembly step of fitting the battery cells 100 into the cell cover 300, but also a vent passage for the gas discharged from the battery cells 100 can be ensured.

[0114] Furthermore, cell units 410 each including at least one battery cell 100 are blocked and fixed to a pair of side plates 420 and an integrated end cover 430, thereby facilitating the handling and mounting of the battery cells 100 mounted on the battery pack 10. At the same time, the structure required for mounting the battery cells 100 is simplified and lightweight, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0115] Furthermore, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains should clearly understand from the following description that various embodiments according to the present invention can solve various technical problems not mentioned above.

[0116] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an automobile including a battery pack according to each embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] An automobile 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery packs 10 according to the above-described embodiments. Here, the automobile 20 includes various automobiles 20 provided to use electricity, such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

[0118] In this specification, directional terms such as up, down, left, and right are used, but these terms are only used for ease of explanation and may vary depending on the position of the object and the position of the observer. This is self-evident to those skilled in the art of the present invention.

[0119] The present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the equivalent scope of the technical idea and claims of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered from an illustrative perspective rather than a limiting perspective. That is, the true scope of the technical idea of the present invention is shown in the claims, and all differences within the equivalent scope thereof should be construed as being included in the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0120] The present invention relates to a battery pack and an automobile including the same, and is particularly applicable to industries related to secondary batteries.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0121] 10 Battery pack 20 Automobile 100 Pouch-type battery cell 110 Electrode lead 120 Bus bar frame 200 Pack case 210 Lower frame 220 Side frame 230 Upper cover 240 Reinforcing frame 300 Cell cover 310 First cover part 320 Second cover part 330 Third cover part 340 Bending part 341 First bending part 342 Second bending part 350 Vent hole 350a Slit hole 400 Battery assembly 410 Cell unit 420 Side plate 420a First side plate 420b Second Side Plate 421 Support Part 422 End Cover Coupling Part 423 Handle Coupling Part 430 Integrated End Cover 431 Terminal Cover Part 432 First Coupling Part 433 Second Coupling Part 434 Vent Hole 435 Cell Unit Support Part 440 Handle Unit 500 Battery Management System 600 Battery Cutoff Unit 700 Fastening Member

Claims

1. A plurality of pouch - type battery cells, A pack case that houses the plurality of pouch - type battery cells in an internal space, In the internal space of the pack case, a cell cover that at least partially wraps and supports at least one of the plurality of pouch - type battery cells, comprising The cell cover includes a bent portion formed in a bent shape, and at least one vent hole for discharging flame or gas is formed in the bent portion of the cell cover. A battery pack.

2. A plurality of the vent holes are formed, The plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion are linear. The battery pack according to claim 1.

3. A plurality of the vent holes are formed, The plurality of vent holes formed in the bent portion are dotted - line - shaped at preset intervals. The battery pack according to claim 1.

4. The plurality of vent holes are formed side by side. The battery pack according to claim 3.

5. The plurality of vent holes are formed in a staggered pattern. The battery pack according to claim 3.

6. As the plurality of vent holes proceed from the central portion of the cell cover toward both side ends, the interval between the plurality of vent holes decreases. The battery pack according to claim 3.

7. As the plurality of vent holes proceed from the central portion of the cell cover toward both side ends, the interval between the plurality of vent holes increases. The battery pack according to claim 3.

8. The vent hole is a through hole formed to penetrate a part of the cell cover, or a slit hole formed by notching a part of the cell cover in a slit shape. The battery pack according to claim 1.

9. The cell cover includes at least two bending portions. The vent hole is formed in at least one of the two bending portions. The battery pack according to claim 1.

10. The cell cover is A first cover portion that covers one side surface of at least one battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, A second cover portion that covers the other side surface of at least one battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, A third cover portion that connects the first cover portion and the second cover portion and covers the upper end portion of the at least one battery cell, and includes The vent hole is formed between two of the first cover portion, the second cover portion, and the third cover portion. The battery pack according to claim 9.

11. The bending portion is A first bending portion formed between the first cover portion and the third cover portion, A second bending portion formed between the second cover portion and the third cover portion, and includes The vent hole is formed in at least one of the first bending portion and the second bending portion. The battery pack according to claim 10.

12. At least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells is adhered and fixed to the inner surfaces of the first cover portion and the second cover portion. The battery pack according to claim 10.

13. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover is configured to support at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in an upright state.

14. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover includes an insulating coating layer on an inner surface.

15. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover is integrally formed.

16. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell cover is made of a material including stainless steel (SUS).

17. The battery pack according to claim 1, including a battery assembly in a form in which a plurality of battery cells wrapped by the cell cover are provided.

18. The battery assembly includes a cell unit in which a plurality of pouch-type battery cells each wrapped by the cell cover are stacked, a pair of side plates respectively disposed at both side ends of the cell unit to support the cell unit, a pair of integrated end covers disposed in a direction intersecting from the pair of side plates to support the cell unit and integrally covering terminal portions of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the battery pack according to claim 17.

19. The battery pack according to claim 18, further including a handle unit coupled to the pair of side plates.

20. The side plate includes a support portion configured to contact the cell unit and support the cell unit, an end cover coupling portion coupled to the integrated end cover, and a handle coupling portion coupled to the handle unit. The battery pack according to claim 19, comprising **Claim 21** An automobile comprising the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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