Battery pack and automobile including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules, each including at least one battery cell; a pack housing that supports the plurality of battery modules; and a plurality of mounting units that are coupled to the pack housing and disposed between the plurality of battery modules to press the plurality of battery modules toward the pack housing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same. This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0126153, filed on September 28, 2020, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of that application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

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

[0003] Currently, widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such unit secondary battery cells, i.e., unit battery cells, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is constructed by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Alternatively, a battery pack can be constructed by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel depending on the required charge / discharge capacity of the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be variously set depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

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

[0005] A conventional battery pack typically includes a plurality of battery modules and a pack housing that supports the plurality of battery modules, and requires a certain amount of installation space to secure the plurality of battery modules to the pack housing.

[0006] For this reason, in conventional battery packs, the size of the pack housing is further increased to provide additional installation space within the pack housing, and in the case of a battery module, an additional structure such as a separate mounting plate for installation is provided.

[0007] Such additional installation space and structures such as a separate mounting plate reduce the energy density of the entire battery pack and increase the weight of the entire battery pack.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a solution to provide a battery pack having a more compact structure and an increased energy density, and a vehicle including the same. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack having a more compact structure and capable of increasing energy density, and a vehicle including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each including at least one battery cell; a pack housing supporting the plurality of battery modules; and a plurality of mounting units coupled to the pack housing and disposed between the plurality of battery modules to press the plurality of battery modules toward the pack housing.

[0011] Each of the plurality of mounting units may include a pressing bar disposed between opposing battery modules in the width direction of the pack housing and formed to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery module, and at least one mounting bolt passing through the pressing bar and fastened to the pack housing.

[0012] The pressure bar may be provided with at least one bolt hole through which the at least one mounting bolt passes.

[0013] The side of the pressing bar may have a shape corresponding to the side of the opposing battery module.

[0014] Each of the plurality of battery modules may include a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells and a pair of side plates provided on both sides of the battery cell assembly, and protruding ends protruding by a predetermined length may be provided on lower sides of the pair of side plates.

[0015] The protruding end may include an inclined portion formed at a predetermined angle from a lower portion of a side surface of the side plate, and a vertical portion extending perpendicularly from the inclined portion toward the pack housing and disposed at the lower portion of the side surface of the side plate.

[0016] The pressure bar may be disposed on top of the inclined portion of the opposing side plate and may have a shape corresponding to the inclined portion.

[0017] The at least one mounting bolt may be disposed between vertical portions of opposing side plates and fastened to the pack housing between the vertical portions.

[0018] Each of the plurality of battery modules may include at least one heat transfer material disposed between the battery cell assembly and a pack housing.

[0019] The present invention also provides a vehicle including at least one battery pack according to the above-described embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery pack having a more compact structure and an increased energy density, and a vehicle including the same.

[0021] 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 concept of the present invention, so the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the matters described in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the main part of the battery pack of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a mount unit of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mount unit of FIG. 5. [Figure 7]2 is a diagram for explaining a battery module attached to a pack housing by the mount unit of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram for explaining a battery module attached to a pack housing by the mount unit of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described herein are illustrative in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, and it should be understood that the present invention can be practiced in various forms different from the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the accompanying drawings may be drawn not to scale but with some components exaggerated.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of the battery pack of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a main part of the battery pack of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a mount unit of the battery pack of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mount unit of FIG. 5.

[0025] 1 to 6, the battery pack 10 may include a pack housing 100, a plurality of battery modules 300, and a plurality of mounting units 500.

[0026] The pack housing 100 is attached to a vehicle or the like and can support a plurality of battery modules 300, which will be described later. To this end, the pack housing 100 may have a size capable of accommodating a plurality of battery modules 300, which will be described later.

[0027] The pack housing 100 may include fastening holes 130 and module fixing portions 150 .

[0028] The fastening hole 130 may be provided in a plurality of holes at the bottom of the pack housing 100. Mount bolts 530 of a mount unit 500 (to be described later) may be screwed into the fastening holes 130.

[0029] The module fixing portion 150 may be provided on the inner walls of both sides of the pack housing 100. The module fixing portion 150 may have a shape corresponding to a protruding end 335 of a side plate 330 of a battery module 300, which will be described later.

[0030] When a plurality of battery modules 300 (to be described later) are attached to the pack housing 100, protruding ends 335 of the battery modules 300 provided on both sides of the outermost periphery may be fitted into the module fixing portion 150. This allows the battery modules 300 (to be described later) to be more stably fixed to the pack housing 100 when attached to the pack housing 100.

[0031] The plurality of battery modules 300 may be fixedly attached to the pack housing 100. Each of the plurality of battery modules 300 may include a battery cell assembly 310, a pair of side plates 330, and a heat transfer material 350.

[0032] The battery cell assembly 310 may include at least one or more battery cells 315. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the battery cell assembly 310 will be described as including a plurality of battery cells 315.

[0033] The plurality of battery cells 315 are secondary batteries and may be pouch-type secondary batteries, prismatic secondary batteries, or cylindrical secondary batteries. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described assuming that the plurality of battery cells 315 are pouch-type secondary batteries.

[0034] The pair of side plates 330 may be provided on both sides of the battery cell assembly 310. The pair of side plates 330 may have protruding ends 335 protruding by a predetermined length at the lower sides of the side plates.

[0035] The protruding end 335 may include a sloped portion 337 and a vertical portion 338 .

[0036] The inclined portion 337 may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the lower portion of the side surface of the side plate 330. Specifically, the inclined portion 337 may be formed to be inclined downward at a predetermined angle from the lower portion of the side surface of the side plate 330.

[0037] The vertical portion 338 may extend vertically from the inclined portion 337 toward the pack housing 100 and be disposed at a lower portion of a side surface of the side plate 330. When the battery module 300 is attached to the pack housing 100, the vertical portion 338 may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the vertical portion 338 of the side plate 330 of the opposing battery module 300. Furthermore, when the battery module 300 is attached to the pack housing 100, the fastening hole 130 of the pack housing 100 may be disposed at a lower portion of a predetermined space between the opposing vertical portions 338.

[0038] A plurality of the heat transfer materials 350 may be provided and disposed between the battery cell assembly 310 and the pack housing 100. The heat transfer materials 350 are disposed in contact with the battery cell assembly 310 and the pack housing 100, and may transfer heat generated in the battery cell assembly 310 to the pack housing 100, thereby guiding cooling of the battery cells 315 of the battery cell assembly 310.

[0039] The plurality of mount units 500 may be coupled to the pack housing 100 and disposed between the plurality of battery modules 300 to press the plurality of battery modules 300 toward the pack housing 100 .

[0040] Each of the plurality of mounting units 500 may include a pressure bar 510 and a mounting bolt 530 .

[0041] The pressure bar 510 may guide the battery modules 300 to be more stably attached to the pack housing 100 by pressing the battery modules 300 downward when the mount unit 500 is fastened.

[0042] The pressing bar 510 may be disposed between the opposing battery modules 300 in the width direction of the pack housing 100 and may be formed to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery modules 300. Meanwhile, the pressing bar 510 may also serve to reinforce the rigidity of the battery modules 300 between the opposing battery modules 300.

[0043] The side of the pressing bar 510 may have a shape corresponding to the side of the opposing battery module 300. Specifically, the pressing bar 510 may be disposed on the upper part of the inclined portion 337 of the protruding end 335 of the opposing side plate 330, and may have a shape corresponding to the inclined portion 337. Thus, the lower part of the side of the pressing bar 510 may be formed to be inclined downward at a predetermined angle corresponding to the inclined portion 337.

[0044] The pressing bar 510 may have a bolt hole 515 through which at least one mounting bolt 530 (described later) passes. At least one or more bolt holes 515 may be provided. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described only in terms of the case where a plurality of bolt holes 515 are provided.

[0045] The plurality of bolt holes 515 may be arranged at predetermined distances from one another along the longitudinal direction of the pressing bar 510. Each of the plurality of bolt holes 515 may be formed to penetrate the pressing bar 510 along the height direction of the pressing bar 510.

[0046] The mounting bolt 530 may be passed through the pressing bar 510 and fastened to the pack housing 100. Specifically, the mounting bolt 530 may be passed through the bolt hole 515 of the pressing bar 510 and screwed into the fastening hole 130 of the pack housing 100.

[0047] More specifically, when the battery module 300 is attached to the pack housing 100, the mounting bolt 530 is disposed between the vertical portions 338 of the protruding ends 335 of the opposing side plates 330, and can be screwed into the fastening holes 130 of the pack housing 100 between the vertical portions 338.

[0048] There may be at least one or more mounting bolts 530. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the case where there are a plurality of mounting bolts 530.

[0049] Hereinafter, a mounting mechanism for the plurality of battery modules 300 fixed to the pack housing 100 by the mount unit 500 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0050] 7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining the battery module attached to the pack housing by the mount unit of FIG.

[0051] 7 and 8, when the plurality of battery modules 300 are attached to the pack housing 100, they may be fixed to the pack housing 100 by the plurality of mount units 500.

[0052] First, an operator may place the plurality of battery modules 300 in the pack housing 100. At this time, the protruding ends 335 of the side plates 330 of the battery modules 300, which are disposed opposite the inner walls of both sides of the pack housing 100, may be fitted into the module fixing portions 150 of the pack housing 100.

[0053] When the battery module 300 is disposed in the pack housing 100, the worker or the like can fasten the plurality of mount units 500 to the pack housing 100 to more stably fix the battery module 300.

[0054] Specifically, each mounting unit 500 may be screwed into the fastening hole 130 of the pack housing 100 while moving downward in the space between the opposing side plates 330 of the battery module 300. More specifically, the mounting bolt 530 passing through the pressing bar 510 of the mounting unit 500 may be screwed into the fastening hole 130.

[0055] By screwing the mounting bolts 530 in this manner, the pressing bars 510 can press the upper portions of the protruding ends 335 of the side plates 330 of the opposing battery modules 300, specifically the inclined portions 337 of the protruding ends 335, downward together.

[0056] The pressing bar 510 presses the protruding end 335 of the side plate 330 of the opposing battery module 300 downward, so that the plurality of battery modules 300 are more stably fixed and supported to the pack housing 100 without moving.

[0057] As described above, the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment is fastened to the pack housing 100 in the space between the battery modules 300 by the mounting unit 500, thereby guiding more stable fixation and installation of the battery modules 300.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, the mounting unit 500 is fastened by utilizing the space between the plurality of battery modules 300, so that the battery modules 300 can be stably fixed to the pack housing 100 without the need for additional installation space within the pack housing 100.

[0059] In addition, in this embodiment, the battery module 300 is fixed to the pack housing 100 by the mount unit 500 having a simple structure, which eliminates the need for a separate mount plate having a relatively large size and a fastening structure for fixing such a plate, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the battery pack 10 and significantly shortening the manufacturing time.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the need for additional installation space and structures such as a separate mounting plate is eliminated, thereby increasing the energy density of the entire battery pack 10 and reducing the weight of the entire battery pack 10, thereby providing a battery pack 10 with a more compact structure.

[0061] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] The battery pack 20 according to this embodiment is similar to the battery pack 10 according to the previously described embodiment, and therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the previously described embodiment, omitting redundant explanations of configurations that are substantially the same or similar to those of the previously described embodiment.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 9, a protrusion insertion groove 349 may be provided on the side plate 340 of the battery module 300 of the battery pack 20.

[0064] The protrusion insertion groove 349 may be provided in the inclined portion 347 of the protruding end 345 of the side plate 340. The protrusion insertion groove 349 may be formed downward from the top of the inclined portion 347 to a predetermined depth.

[0065] The mounting unit 505 of the battery pack 20 may be provided with a plate insertion protrusion 559.

[0066] The plate insertion protrusions 559 may be provided on both inclined side surfaces 557 of the pressing bar 550 of the mounting unit 505. The plate insertion protrusions 559 may be provided in a shape corresponding to the protrusion insertion grooves 349.

[0067] In the battery pack 20 according to this embodiment, when the pressing bar 550 of the mounting unit 505 presses the protruding end 345 of the opposing side plate 340 downward, the plate insertion protrusion 559 can be inserted into the protrusion insertion groove 349.

[0068] In this embodiment, the downward pressure is applied while the plate insertion protrusion 559 is inserted into the protrusion insertion groove 349, thereby minimizing the occurrence of movement or misalignment of the battery module 300 during the downward pressure, thereby significantly reducing problems such as assembly tolerances that may occur during the downward pressure.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] 10, the automobile 1 according to this embodiment may include at least one battery pack 10 according to the above-described embodiments. However, this is merely an example, and the automobile 1 may include at least one battery pack 20 according to the above-described embodiments (see FIG. 9), or may include an assembly of the battery pack 10 and the battery pack 20.

[0071] The battery pack 10 provided in the automobile 1 can be provided as an energy source for the automobile. For example, the battery pack 10 can be provided in the automobile 1 in an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or any other manner in which the battery pack 10 can be used as an energy source.

[0072] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the battery pack 10 can be installed in other devices, appliances, and equipment, such as an energy storage system that uses a secondary battery, in addition to the automobile 1.

[0073] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery pack 10, 20 having a more compact structure and an increased energy density, and a vehicle 1 including the battery pack 10, 20.

[0074] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical ideas and perspectives of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10 Battery Pack 100 pack housing 300 Battery Module 500 Mounting Units

Claims

1. A battery pack, a plurality of battery modules including at least one battery cell; a pack housing supporting the plurality of battery modules; a plurality of mount units coupled to the pack housing and disposed between the plurality of battery modules to press the plurality of battery modules toward the pack housing; Including, Each of the plurality of mount units comprises: a pressing bar disposed between the opposing battery modules in the width direction of the pack housing and formed to a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery modules; at least one mounting bolt that passes through the pressure bar and fastens to the pack housing; Each of the plurality of battery modules comprises: a battery cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells; a pair of side plates provided on both sides of the battery cell assembly, The pair of side plates are provided with protruding ends protruding by a predetermined length at the lower sides thereof, The protruding end includes an inclined portion formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from a lower portion of a side surface of the side plate, the pressing bar is disposed on an upper portion of the inclined portion of the opposing side plate, and has a shape corresponding to the inclined portion; a side surface of the pressing bar has a shape corresponding to a side surface of the opposing battery module; The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein a lower portion of a side surface of the pressing bar is formed to be inclined downward at a predetermined angle corresponding to the inclined portion.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure bar has at least one bolt hole through which the at least one mounting bolt passes.

3. The protruding end further comprises: The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a vertical portion extending vertically from the inclined portion toward the pack housing and disposed on a lower side surface of the side plate.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one mounting bolt is disposed between vertical portions of opposing side plates and fastened to the pack housing between the vertical portions.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of battery modules includes at least one heat transfer material disposed between the battery cell assembly and the pack housing.

6. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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