Cooling member, battery module including said cooling member, and battery pack

Abstract

A cooling member according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space between the upper plate and the lower plate, a sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, a coupling groove is formed inside the sealing portion, and a fastening portion is formed outside the sealing portion, which is coupled by a fastening member.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0165251 dated November 26, 2021 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0170979 dated December 2, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a cooling member, and to a battery module and a battery pack including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] In modern society, as the use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, video cameras, and digital cameras has become commonplace, technological development in fields related to these mobile devices is accelerating. Furthermore, rechargeable secondary batteries are being used as the power source for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), and other vehicles as a way to address air pollution caused by existing gasoline-powered vehicles that use fossil fuels, and there is a growing need for the development of secondary batteries.

[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of these, lithium secondary batteries are attracting the most attention due to their advantages of being able to be charged and discharged freely, having a low self-discharge rate, and having a high energy density.

[0005] Meanwhile, secondary batteries used in small devices typically use two to three battery cells, while secondary batteries used in medium- to large-sized devices such as automobiles typically use medium- to large-sized battery modules in which a number of battery cells are electrically connected. Since medium- to large-sized battery modules are preferably manufactured to be as small in size and weight as possible, prismatic batteries and pouch-shaped batteries, which can be stacked with a high degree of integration and have a low capacity-to-weight ratio, are primarily used as battery cells for medium- to large-sized battery modules.

[0006] Meanwhile, battery cells installed in a battery module can generate a large amount of heat during charging and discharging, and if their temperature rises above the appropriate temperature due to overcharging or other reasons, their performance can be reduced, and if the temperature rises excessively, there is a risk of explosion or fire. If a fire occurs inside a battery module, high-temperature heat, gas, or flames can be emitted outside the battery module. At this time, the heat, gas, sparks, or flames emitted from one battery module can be transferred to other adjacent battery modules at close intervals within the battery pack, causing continuous thermal runaway within the battery pack.

[0007] To prevent such thermal runaway, conventional battery modules have been provided with cooling members or heat dissipation members, and recently attempts have been made to use water-cooled cooling members or water-cooled heat dissipation members that are injected with cooling water. Conventional air-cooled cooling members that do not provide cooling water have the problem of not being able to cool the battery cell stack evenly because a temperature gradient is formed in the cooling member depending on the position of the fan. However, water-cooled cooling members have the advantage of minimizing temperature deviation in the cooling member because the cooling water can maintain a relatively constant temperature in the cooling member.

[0008] A water-cooled cooling element is formed by joining upper and lower plates, with cooling water contained in the space between the upper and lower plates. Conventionally, the upper and lower plates have been joined by methods such as welding to ensure watertightness. However, when the upper and lower plates have different physical properties or when at least one of the upper and lower plates partially contains a material with different physical properties, the upper and lower plates may not be joined well by welding or may be damaged during the joining process, limiting the materials that can be used for the water-cooled cooling element. Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can solve these problems in the prior art.

[0009] In order to prevent such thermal runaway, a water injection system has been applied to a conventional battery module, which extinguishes a fire by injecting cooling water through a nozzle when a fire is detected in the battery module. However, injecting cooling water from a tank disposed outside the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 requires multiple steps, such as checking for the occurrence of a fire, determining whether to inject cooling water, and transmitting the cooling water, making it difficult to time the fire to be extinguished appropriately.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a new technology that can quickly suppress the thermal runaway phenomenon by injecting cooling water at the right time and place when an internal fire occurs in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention provides a cooling member that can be made of various materials and has various designs, and a battery module and a battery pack including the cooling member.

[0012] Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cooling member that can inject cooling water at an appropriate time and place when an internal fire occurs in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000, and a battery module and a battery pack including the same.

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

[0014] A cooling member according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space between the upper plate and the lower plate, and a sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, a coupling groove is formed inside the sealing portion, and a fastening portion is formed outside the sealing portion that is coupled by a fastening member.

[0015] A sealing member may be disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate where the sealing portion is formed.

[0016] The coupling groove has a first recess formed therein, which is formed when the upper plate is inserted into the lower plate or when the lower plate is inserted into the upper plate.

[0017] The cooling member is formed with a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water.

[0018] The flow passage forming groove has a second indentation formed by inserting the upper plate into the lower plate or by inserting the lower plate into the upper plate.

[0019] The cooling member has a deformation prevention groove formed therein to prevent deformation of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water.

[0020] The deformation prevention groove has a third recess formed by inserting the upper plate into the lower plate or by inserting the lower plate into the upper plate.

[0021] The cooling member may have an indentation formed by the upper plate being introduced into the lower plate or the lower plate being introduced into the upper plate, the indentation having a depth, and the direction in which the depth extends may be perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling water inside the cooling member.

[0022] The indentation may include an upper indentation formed by deformation of the upper plate and a lower indentation formed by deformation of the lower plate, and the lowest point of the upper surface of the upper indentation may be located lower than the upper surface of the lower plate where the indentation is not formed.

[0023] The lowest point of the upper surface of the upper indentation may be located below the lower surface of the lower plate where the indentation is not formed.

[0024] The indentation includes an upper indentation formed by deformation of the upper plate and a lower indentation formed by deformation of the lower plate, and the maximum outer diameter of the upper indentation is greater than the minimum inner diameter of the lower indentation.

[0025] The lower plate may include at least two materials with different physical properties.

[0026] The cooling member further includes an inlet port for injecting cooling water into an internal space between the upper plate and the lower plate and an outlet port for discharging cooling water from the internal space, and the inlet port and the outlet port are connected to an external heat exchanger so that the cooling water of the cooling member can circulate through the inlet port and the outlet port.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cooling member is located on top of a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and coolant contained in an internal space between the upper plate and the lower plate, the lower plate including an opening, an upper surface of the lower plate being covered by a cover film of the lower plate, the outer shape of the cover film being substantially the same as the outer shape of the lower plate, the cover film being made of a material having a lower melting point than the lower plate, and the cover film melting at a predetermined temperature or higher opens the opening of the lower plate.

[0028] The cover film may be attached to the lower plate.

[0029] The cover film may have a thickness of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0030] The cover film is made of one or more materials selected from high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyphenylene oxide (PPO).

[0031] A sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, and an outer fastening portion is formed outside the sealing portion.

[0032] A strip-shaped sealing member may be positioned between the upper plate and the lower plate where the sealing portion is formed.

[0033] A coupling groove is formed inside the sealing portion to complement the coupling between the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0034] A coupling fastening portion is formed in at least a portion of the coupling groove.

[0035] A ring-shaped sealing member may be disposed between the cover film having the fastening portion and the upper plate.

[0036] The cooling member is formed with a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water.

[0037] A channel-forming fastening portion may be formed at a portion of the channel-forming groove, and a ring-shaped sealing member may be positioned between the cover film on which the channel-forming fastening portion is formed and the upper plate.

[0038] The cooling member has a deformation prevention groove formed therein to prevent deformation of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water.

[0039] A deformation prevention fastening portion may be formed in a portion of the deformation prevention groove, and a ring-shaped sealing member may be positioned between the cover film where the deformation prevention fastening portion is formed and the upper plate.

[0040] Grooves are formed in the cooling member, and the grooves include a coupling groove for complementing the coupling between the upper plate and the lower plate, a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water, or a deformation prevention groove for preventing deformation of the shape of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water, and a clinching coupling is formed in at least a portion of the groove.

[0041] The cooling member further includes an inlet port for injecting cooling water into an internal space between the upper plate and the lower plate and an outlet port for discharging cooling water from the internal space, and the inlet port and the outlet port are connected to an external heat exchanger, so that the cooling water of the cooling member can circulate through the inlet port and the outlet port.

[0042] A battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present invention may include the cooling member described above.

[0043] A battery pack according to yet another embodiment of the present invention may include the cooling member described above.

[0044] The battery pack may include a battery module having a moduleless structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0045] According to an embodiment, the cooling element can be designed to include a variety of materials by applying a mechanical fastening method.

[0046] In addition, according to the embodiment, when an internal fire occurs in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000, the cooling member opens a portion thereof and injects cooling water at an appropriate time and place, thereby quickly extinguishing the internal fire in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 and preventing continuous thermal runaway.

[0047] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0048] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a lower plate included in a cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the cooling member of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view showing the AA cross section of FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is a photograph showing clinching bonding applied to the BB cut surface of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 6A to 6C are diagrams illustrating a process for forming the cross-sectional structure of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 10 is a top view showing the position of an indentation formed in a cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a cooling member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view illustrating the position of a fastening portion in the cooling member of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of the cooling member of FIG. 8. [Figure 11] 9 is a diagram showing a lower plate included in the cooling member of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 12]9 is a diagram showing the connection between a lower plate and a cover film included in the cooling member of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 13] 9 is a view showing a CC cross section of the cooling member of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049]

[0023] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the embodiments. The present invention can be realized in various different forms other than those described below, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0050] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not necessary for the explanation will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0051] Furthermore, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for the sake of convenience, and it is obvious that the content of the present invention is not limited to those shown in the drawings. In the following drawings, the thickness of each layer is enlarged to clearly show various layers and regions. In the following drawings, the thickness of some layers and regions is exaggerated for the sake of convenience.

[0052] Furthermore, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other portion is described as being "above" another portion, this should be interpreted as including not only the case where the corresponding layer, film, region, plate, or other portion is "directly above" the other portion, but also the case where there are other portions therebetween. Conversely, when a corresponding layer, film, region, plate, or other portion is described as being "directly above" another portion, it can mean that there are no other portions therebetween. Furthermore, being "above" a reference portion means being located above or below the reference portion, and does not necessarily mean being "above" in the opposite direction of gravity. Meanwhile, just as describing something as being "above" another portion, describing something as being "below" another portion can also be understood with reference to the above content.

[0053] Furthermore, since the upper and lower surfaces of a particular component may be determined differently depending on the reference direction, throughout this specification, "upper surface" or "lower surface" is defined to mean the two surfaces of the component that face each other along the z-axis.

[0054] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, this means that it can further include other elements, but not excluding other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0055] Furthermore, throughout the specification, "on a plane" means when the part is viewed from above, and "on a cross section" means when the part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0056] A cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0057] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a lower plate included in the cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the cooling member of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view showing a cross section taken along line AA of Fig. 3.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 1, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment is provided to reduce the internal temperature of a battery module (100, see FIG. 15) or a battery pack (1000, see FIG. 14) including battery cells. The cooling member 500 may be a water-cooled cooling member 500 into which a refrigerant or coolant is injected. By providing the cooling member 500 as a water-cooled type, the cooling efficiency of the cooling member 500 can be maintained uniformly, and the battery cells in the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 can be uniformly cooled. In this case, the coolant used in the cooling member 500 may be one of known types or a mixture thereof, and any known type may be used as long as it can dissipate heat from the battery cells by moving along a flow path inside the cooling member 500.

[0059] The cooling member 500 is disposed on one side of the battery cell stack to dissipate heat from the battery cells. The cooling member 500 is disposed parallel to the stacking direction of the battery cell stack so as to be located close to the multiple battery cells of the battery cell stack. Specifically, the cooling member 500 may be located on the top of the battery cell stack. However, this is not necessarily the case, and the cooling member 500 may be located on the bottom or side of the battery cell stack depending on the design.

[0060] The size of the cooling member 500 is adjusted to the size of the battery cell stack to which the cooling member 500 is applied. As an example, the cooling member 500 is provided to correspond to one battery cell stack, and in this case, the length of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the length of the battery cell stack or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin, and the width of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the width of the battery cell stack or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin. As another example, the cooling member 500 is provided to correspond to a plurality of battery cell stacks, and in this case, the length and width of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the length and width of the plurality of battery cell stacks or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin. Here, the cooling member 500 may be located inside the battery module 100, or may be located outside the battery module 100 inside the battery pack 1000.

[0061] The cooling member 500 may include an upper plate 510 and a lower plate 520 that form the outer shape of the cooling member 500 , and inlet / outlet ports 530 for injecting cooling water into the interior of the cooling member 500 .

[0062] The cooling member 500 is formed by joining the peripheries of an upper plate 510 and a lower plate 520. A sealing part 540 formed by joining the peripheries of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 of the cooling member 500 may be located at the periphery of the cooling member 500. Cooling water is contained between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 joined together in the cooling member 500 and can circulate. A sealing member 590, which will be described later, may be located between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 on which the sealing part 540 is formed.

[0063] Cooling water is supplied through side-by-side inlet ports 532 and discharged through outlet ports 534. The cooling water within the cooling element 500 can be designed to circulate continuously through an external heat exchanger connected to the inlet / outlet ports 530 to maintain its temperature constant.

[0064] The inlet port 532 and the outlet port 534 may be positioned parallel to one end of the cooling member 500. This simplifies the design for the inflow and outflow of coolant supplied from the outside of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000. This also minimizes the temperature difference between the area around the inlet port 532 and the area around the outlet port 534. Specifically, the coolant flowing into the inlet port 532 may have the lowest temperature, and the coolant flowing out of the outlet port 534 may have the highest temperature. Therefore, if the inlet port / outlet port 530 are positioned adjacent to each other, heat exchange occurs between them, minimizing the temperature deviation of the entire coolant flowing within the interior space of the cooling member. By arranging the inlet port / outlet port 530 side by side, the cooling member 500 may have uniform heat dissipation performance overall.

[0065] The upper plate 510 is provided in a plate shape, and its central portion is recessed or indented to form a step with respect to the peripheral portion. Specifically, the upper plate 510 may have a recessed shape based on a cross section in the width direction. This is because the step forms an internal space in the upper plate 510 to accommodate cooling water. Here, the width direction of the upper plate 510 may be parallel to the short side of the upper plate 510.

[0066] The lower plate 520 may have an overall similar shape to the upper plate 510. The lower plate 520 is also provided in a plate shape, but its central portion is recessed or indented to form a step with respect to the peripheral portion. The lower plate 520 may have a recessed shape based on a cross section in the width direction, thereby forming an internal space for accommodating cooling water. Here, the width direction of the lower plate 520 may be parallel to the short side of the lower plate 520.

[0067] 2, the lower plate 520 may include at least one opening 521. The opening 521 may be a passage for injecting cooling water into the battery cell in the event of an internal fire in the battery cell. A plurality of openings 521 may be provided along the short side or long side of the lower plate 520, and the cooling member 500 may include a plurality of openings 521, thereby allowing cooling water to be injected in response to a fire occurring at any position within the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000.

[0068] When the cooling member 500 is provided above the battery cells, the lower plate 520 may be the portion of the cooling member 500 that is located closest to the battery cells. Therefore, the lower plate 520 is preferably made of a material with high thermal conductivity to promote heat dissipation from the battery cells. Furthermore, in order to improve the overall heat dissipation performance of the cooling member 500, the upper plate 510 of the cooling member 500 is also made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 that form the outer shape of the cooling member 500 are made of a highly rigid metal, and specific examples of such metals include aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, and alloys containing these metals.

[0069] Lower plate 520 may be made of one material or two or more materials. Because opening 521 of lower plate 520 must be closed before an internal ignition occurs, opening 521 of lower plate 520 is filled or fitted with a material that melts at a predetermined temperature or above or breaks at a predetermined pressure or above. Alternatively, opening 521 may be closed by attaching a film-like material made with similar physical properties to the upper surface of lower plate 520.

[0070] The member used to close the opening 521 is made of a material that is more likely to melt due to heat or break due to pressure than the lower plate 520. For example, the member used to close the opening 521 is made of a material having a melting point of 300°C or less. The member used to close the opening 521 may be made of a thermoplastic polymer resin having a melting point of 200°C or less. Examples of the thermoplastic polymer resin include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and other materials having a melting point of approximately 100°C or more and 200°C or less.

[0071] Meanwhile, as described above, the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520 may be made of two or more materials, thereby including two or more materials with different physical properties in the cooling member 500. Alternatively, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 may be made of materials with different physical properties, or another material with different physical properties may be added between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. Conventionally, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 of the cooling member 500 have been joined primarily by brazing or laser welding. However, when the cooling member 500 is designed to include two or more materials, one of the materials may deform during the welding process, making the welding process difficult or impossible. Furthermore, when laser welding or the like is used, a local temperature gradient may be formed in the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520, which may cause at least a portion of the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520 to bend.

[0072] However, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment is manufactured using a mechanical fastening method rather than a welding method, and therefore, unlike conventional methods, can be manufactured to include two or more materials. Specifically, the mechanical fastening method of this embodiment can minimize damage to the materials forming the cooling member 500 by not applying heat or by applying heat at a temperature lower than the melting point of the material provided to the cooling member 500. Therefore, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment can be made of various materials regardless of the welding temperature, making it easier to design the cooling member 500 and more diverse.

[0073] An example of a mechanical fastening method used for the cooling member 500 is a rivet, which is a connection using a fastening member. In this embodiment, the cooling member 500 may include a fastening portion 560. The fastening portion 560 refers to a portion of the cooling member 500 that is fastened using a fastening member such as a rivet. The fastening portion 560 is formed with a fastener into which a fastening member can be inserted.

[0074] Another example of a mechanical fastening method used in the cooling member 500 is clinching. Clinching is a deformation joining method in which a punch or the like is used to press one side of two stacked plate-shaped members, thereby deforming their shape and mechanically joining the two members. Taking into account the shape, clinching may also be called penetration joining. The portion where the clinching is formed is called an indentation portion (570, see FIG. 5).

[0075] As described above, when a mechanical fastening method is used instead of a welding method when manufacturing the cooling member 500, excessive heat is not generated during the manufacturing process, thereby minimizing unintended deformation of the cooling member 500 and ensuring dimensional stability by reducing the difference between the pre-designed dimensions and the dimensions of the final product. In particular, aluminum, which is a material commonly used for the cooling member 500, can begin to deform when exposed to temperatures above its melting point of 660°C. However, when the above-described mechanical fastening method is used, heat above the melting point is not applied to the cooling member 500, thereby further improving the dimensional stability of the cooling member 500.

[0076] 1 and 3, a plurality of grooves 550 are formed in the cooling member 500. The grooves 550 may include a coupling groove 554 that is located inside the sealing portion 540 to complement the coupling between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, a flow path forming groove 556 that guides the flow of cooling water, and a deformation prevention groove 558 that prevents deformation of the cooling member 500 due to the inflow of cooling water.

[0077] Here, the grooves 550 may be pre-formed in the upper plate 510. Alternatively, the grooves 550 may be formed by a process such as clinching after the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined together. Therefore, the upper plate 510 provided during the manufacture of the cooling member 500 does not necessarily have to have the grooves 550 pre-formed. Also, even if the grooves 550 are pre-formed in the upper plate 510, a clinching bond can be formed by applying pressure to the grooves 550. Therefore, the fact that the grooves are pre-formed in the upper plate 510 does not exclude the possibility of forming a clinching bond in that portion.

[0078] The coupling grooves 554 are located inside the sealing portion 540 and can prevent the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 from being separated due to excessive pressure being applied to the sealing portion 540 by the cooling water. The coupling grooves 554 are intended to enhance the rigidity of the sealing portion 540 and are formed at positions corresponding to the vertices of the sealing portion 540 to which excessive pressure is likely to be applied. The coupling grooves 554 may also be arranged at intervals along the periphery of the sealing portion 540. The shape of the coupling grooves 554 may be formed in a fan shape with a central angle of 90 degrees or a semicircular shape, taking into account the shape of the sealing portion 540, but is not limited thereto.

[0079] Flow path forming grooves 556 are formed in the cooling member 500. By providing the flow path forming grooves 556 in the cooling member 500, the flow of coolant provided to the cooling member 500 can be determined. A plurality of flow path forming grooves 556 may be formed, and the plurality of flow path forming grooves 556 may be positioned along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500. The flow path forming grooves 556 are formed in a circular shape, but are not limited to this, and may be formed in a square, triangle, or other geometric shape. At positions in the cooling member 500 where the flow path forming grooves 556 are formed, additional linear grooves may be provided to connect the flow path forming grooves 556.

[0080] The flow path groove 556 is continuously formed along the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500 at the center of the cooling member 500 except for a predetermined section, thereby forming a U-shaped flow of cooling water. The flow of cooling water injected through the inlet port 532 of the cooling member 500 is restricted by the flow path groove 556. As the cooling water flows along the U-shape, the cooling water injected through the inlet port 532 is discharged to the outlet port 534 located next to the inlet port 532. Specifically, the U-shaped flow path through which the cooling water flows includes a first flow path extending from the inlet port 532 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500, a second flow path extending from an end of the first flow path along a curve rotating clockwise or counterclockwise, and a third flow path extending from an end of the second flow path toward the outlet port 534 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500.

[0081] Deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed in the cooling member 500. The provision of the deformation prevention grooves 558 in the cooling member 500 prevents deformation of the cooling member 500 due to the cooling water. For example, when cooling water is injected into the cooling member 500, the injected cooling water is concentrated in one half of the space of the cooling member 500 due to the flow path forming groove 556 that crosses the center. Before the cooling water moves through the U-shaped flow path to the remaining half of the space, a large pressure acts on that space, which may cause at least a portion of the cooling member 500 to expand or the cooling member 500 to be damaged. When the deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed in the flow path of the cooling member 500, deformation caused by large pressure acting on a specific section due to temporary concentration of the cooling water can be minimized. The deformation prevention grooves 558 are arranged at intervals partially along the U-shaped flow path through which the cooling water flows in the cooling member 500. The deformation prevention groove 558 may be located between the flow path groove 556 and the sealing portion 540 in the width direction of the cooling member 500. The specific position of the deformation prevention groove 558 can be appropriately set to accommodate the flow rate and flow speed of the cooling water without excessively obstructing the cooling water flowing in through the inlet port 532. The deformation prevention groove 558 is typically formed in a circular shape, but is not limited to this and may be formed in a rectangular, triangular, or other geometric shape. Here, the width direction of the cooling member 500 may be parallel to the short sides of the cooling member 500. Also, here, the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500 may be parallel to the long sides of the cooling member 500.

[0082] Additionally, a protrusion is formed around the periphery of the cooling member 500, extending from one side of the cooling member 500 and positioned continuously along the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500. The protrusion is in contact with the electrode leads of each battery cell stack or the bus bars connected to the electrode leads, or is positioned in close proximity to the bus bars. Since the electrode leads or bus bars that provide electrical connection in the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 are prone to heat generation, if the protrusion promotes heat dissipation from the electrode leads or bus bars, an increase in temperature of the battery cells can be more effectively prevented.

[0083] The fastening portions 560 are located outside the sealing portion 540 and are continuously formed along the periphery of the sealing portion 540 to firmly bond the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. By being located outside the sealing portion 540, the fastening portions 560 can complement the rigidity of the sealing portion 540 without directly damaging the sealing member 590. The number of fastening portions 560 may vary depending on the size of the cooling member 500 and the size of the fastening member.

[0084] Meanwhile, unlike the above, it is also possible to apply a clinching connection method instead of a connection method using a fastening member at the position where the fastening portion 560 is formed. In this case, indentations 570 are formed on both the inside and outside of the sealing portion 540 using the clinching connection method, and the durability of the sealing portion 540 can be enhanced by the two indentations 570. However, since the indentations 570 are usually formed larger than the fastening portion 560, applying the indentations 570 on the outside of the sealing portion 540 may reduce the space required to accommodate the coolant. Therefore, it is more preferable to apply the fastening portion 560 rather than the indentations 570 on the outside of the sealing portion 540.

[0085] 4, a sealing member 590 may be disposed between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 to further improve watertightness between them. When a conventional welding method is used, it is difficult to provide the sealing member 590, which is somewhat sensitive to heat, when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined. Therefore, when a welding process is used, in order to enhance the watertightness of the welded surface, a sealant or the like is typically applied as an additional process after the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined. However, because the cooling member 500 according to this embodiment is formed using a mechanical joining method, the sealing member 590, which is sensitive to heat, can be joined during the process of joining the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0086] The sealing member 590 is provided in the sealing unit 540. The sealing member 590 is provided on the inner surfaces of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 and can be in contact with the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The sealing member 590 can improve the watertightness of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The sealing member 590 can fill gaps existing between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 by being compressed by an external force when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are combined. The sealing member 590 can prevent the cooling water inside the cooling member 500 from leaking out through the gaps. Here, the sealing member 590 may be referred to as a water pad.

[0087] The sealing member 590 is made of a flexible material having elasticity, such as a silicone foam pad, an acrylic foam pad, or a urethane foam pad.

[0088] 4, a sealing member 590 is positioned in the sealing portion 540, and a fastening portion 560 is formed on the outside of the sealing portion 540 and a coupling groove 554 is formed on the inside thereof, thereby improving the sealing force between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. In addition, as will be described later, if an indentation 570 is formed in the coupling groove 554 by clinching coupling, the sealing force can be further increased. In this way, the sealing member 590, the coupling groove 554, the fastening portion 560, or the indentation 570 improve the watertightness of the cooling member 500 and prevent leakage of cooling water.

[0089] Hereinafter, the clinching coupling among the mechanical fastening methods applied to the cooling member 500 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0090] Figure 5 is a photograph showing clinching applied to the B-B cut surface of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the process of forming the cross-sectional structure of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a top view showing the position of an indentation formed in a cooling member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] 5 and 6, a pair of punches and dies are used to form a clinched bond. The die has a recess formed in it that corresponds to the outer shape of the punch. When a workpiece is positioned between the punches and the die, the punch moves toward the die, causing a portion of the workpiece to deform to fit the recess shapes of the punches and the die. When the workpiece is composed of two or more layers, the two or more layers can be mechanically bonded by the deformation described above.

[0092] Due to the clinching bonding, portions of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 may include indentations 570 indented in one direction. The indentations 570 may be formed by applying pressure to a portion of the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520, forming an integral indentation along the direction of pressure. The formation of the indentations 570 allows the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 to be physically bonded together. Here, the pressure may be applied in a direction from the upper plate 510 to the lower plate 520, or in a direction from the lower plate 520 to the upper plate 510.

[0093] For example, the two surfaces of the upper plate 510 are referred to as the first and second surfaces, and the two surfaces of the lower plate 520 are referred to as the third and fourth surfaces. Based on a first direction from the upper plate 510 to the lower plate 520, the first to fourth surfaces may be located in the order of the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface. The first surface of the upper plate 510 and the fourth surface of the lower plate 520 may form an outer surface of the cooling member 500, and the second surface of the upper plate 510 and the third surface of the lower plate 520 may face each other.

[0094] When a first surface of the upper plate 510 is partially pressurized, the first surface is indented and recessed in a first direction to a predetermined depth. When the upper plate 510 is pressed, the lower plate 520 located below the upper plate 510 is also deformed, and the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are physically deformed by the pressure, so that they can be joined together as a single unit. Here, the indented portion 570 may be described as being formed by protruding from the lower plate 520.

[0095] 5, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can be indented by pressure, where the indentation formed in the upper plate is referred to as upper indentation 571, and the indentation formed in the lower plate 520 is referred to as lower indentation 572. When the upper plate 510 is pressurized, the upper indentation 571 is formed, and the upper indentation 571 is inserted into the lower plate 520, thereby forming the lower indentation 572.

[0096] The indentation 570 has a depth due to its indentation, and the depth direction of the indentation 570 may be perpendicular to the direction in which the coolant flows inside the cooling member 500. Here, the depth direction may be the pressure direction described above. Since the indentation 570 is formed to have a depth, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are firmly connected to each other, and the gap between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can be prevented from widening slightly due to the pressure inside the cooling member 500. Furthermore, even if the gap between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 widens slightly, the indentation 570 hinders the flow of the coolant, thereby preventing the coolant from flowing out of the cooling member 500 beyond the sealing portion 540.

[0097] Here, the lowest point of the first surface where the indentation 570 is formed may be located lower than the highest point of the area where the indentation 570 is not formed, i.e., the highest point of the third surface or the highest point of the fourth surface. In this way, if the clinching process causes a part of the upper surface (first surface) of the upper plate 510 to be deformed so as to be located lower than the upper surface (third surface) or the lower surface (fourth surface) of the lower plate 520, the upper plate 510 is fully inserted into the lower plate 520, and therefore, a more stable bond can be formed between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520.

[0098] The depth of the indentation 570 is greater than the thickness of the upper plate 510, the lower plate 520, or the combined thickness of these. If the depth of the indentation 570 is too small, it is difficult to ensure watertightness between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, while if the depth of the indentation 570 is too large, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 may be excessively deformed or partially cut off. For example, when the sum of the thicknesses of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 at the portion where the indentation 570 is not formed is set to 100, the depth of the indentation 570 may be 50 or more, or may be 50 to 200. However, the above values ​​are merely examples and do not limit the depth of the indentation 570 of the present invention. Here, the depth of the indentation 570 may be based on the upper indentation 571, or more specifically, it may be the depth of the first surface of the upper indentation 571 based on the upper plate 510 on which the indentation 570 is not formed.

[0099] The depth of the upper indentation 571 is greater than the depth of the lower indentation 572. This is because, when pressurized in the first direction, the upper indentation 571 is located more inside the indentation 570 than the lower indentation 572, and therefore the upper indentation 571, which forms the inner diameter, must deform more than the lower indentation 572, which forms the outer diameter. In the process of forming the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 by pressurization, the thicknesses of the pressed upper plate 510 and lower plate 520 decrease as their areas increase, but the upper indentation 571 must deform to accommodate all of the changes in thickness of the upper plate 510 and lower plate 520, so it may be formed with a greater depth. On the other hand, since the first direction is intended to exemplify the pressure direction, when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are pressurized along the second direction opposite to the first direction, the lower indentation 572 is located on the inside, and therefore the depth of the lower indentation 572 can have a value greater than the depth of the upper indentation 571.

[0100] The indentation 570 may have a shape that widens slightly toward the end in the depth direction. The lowermost end (lowest end) of the upper indentation 571 may have a diameter that is slightly larger than the remaining portions of the upper indentation 571. The lowermost end (lowest end) of the lower indentation 572 may have a diameter that is slightly larger than the remaining portions of the lower indentation 572. Here, the maximum outer diameter of the upper indentation 571 is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the lower indentation 572, thereby forming an engagement between the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572. Therefore, even if pressure acts between the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 due to the internal pressure of the cooling member 500, the above-mentioned engagement prevents the gap between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 from widening. As such, the shapes of the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 can further improve the bonding strength of the indentation 570.

[0101] At this time, the punch may re-pressurize the indentation 570 to adjust its shape. The re-pressurization may distort the indentation 570 or reduce its depth. Here, the die has a recess with a larger diameter than the previously used die. However, because re-pressurizing the indentation 570 may damage it, the re-pressurization process must be performed taking into consideration the physical properties and size of the indentation 570.

[0102] The outer diameter of the indentation 570, i.e., the outer diameter of the lower indentation 572, may be 5 mm to 11 mm, 7 mm to 9 mm, or 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm. If the diameter of the indentation 570 is too small, it may be difficult for the indentation 570 to firmly bond the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 together. If the diameter of the indentation 570 is too large, the indentation 570 may cause excessive deformation of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, which may reduce the dimensional stability of the cooling member 500. The diameter of the indentation 570 may also be designed differently depending on the spacing between the indentations 570.

[0103] In this case, since the diameter of the indentation 570 varies depending on the diameter of the die, the outer diameter of the lower indentation 572 described above can correspond to the inner diameter of the recess in the die. In addition to the diameter of the indentation 570, the shape of the indentation 570 can be determined depending on the shapes of the punch and die used in the clinching process. For example, if the cross section of the punch is circular, the indentation 570 is formed in an overall tubular shape, and if the cross section of the punch is square, the indentation 570 is formed in an overall rectangular tubular shape.

[0104] The above description has been given on the basis that the indentation 570 is formed by compressing the first surface in the first direction. However, this is only one example of how the indentation 570 is formed, and the indentation 570 may be formed by compressing the fourth surface in the second direction. Since the indentation 570 formed by compressing in the second direction can be sufficiently understood from the above description, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0105] Meanwhile, the thickness of the sealing member 590, which is made of an elastic material, can be reduced by being compressed through the above-described pressurizing process. Not only can the thickness of the sealing member 590 be reduced through the pressurizing process, but the thicknesses of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can also be partially deformed. The lowest point of the indentation 570 may be the portion that receives the greatest pressure from the punch, and thus the thickness of the lowest point of the indentation 570, i.e., the deepest indentation, is smaller than the thickness of the other portions. Before the indentation 570 is formed, the portion corresponding to the punch must be pressed by the pressure of the punch to form a side portion extending from the highest point to the lowest point of the indentation 570. Therefore, as the area of ​​the indentation 570 increases due to the pressure of the punch, the overall thickness can be reduced.

[0106] 7, a clinching fastening method can be applied to the groove 550 of the cooling member 500 of this embodiment. This may be achieved by applying clinching to an already formed groove 550, or by forming the groove 550 of the cooling member 500 by clinching. Here, the clinching formed in the joining groove 554 is referred to as a first indentation 574, the clinching formed in the flow path forming groove 556 is referred to as a second indentation 576, and the clinching formed in the deformation prevention groove 558 is referred to as a third indentation 578. In FIG. 7, the position of the first indentation 574 is indicated by a circle, the position of the second indentation 576 is indicated by a diamond or square, and the position of the third indentation 578 is indicated by a triangle.

[0107] Forming the flow path forming grooves 556 and the deformation prevention grooves 558 using the clinching fastening method described above has the advantages of simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing manufacturing costs compared to conventional joining methods. Conventional methods of manufacturing the cooling member 500 using a welding fastening method require additional manufacturing processes to form the flow paths or the deformation prevention structure, and require precise design in advance to prevent dimensional tolerances from occurring when forming the flow paths or the deformation prevention structure. However, in the cooling member 500 of this embodiment, the flow path forming grooves 556 and the deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed using the clinching process used in the manufacturing process, which eliminates the need for additional manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined by partially deforming them, which allows for greater flexibility in dimensional tolerances.

[0108] Meanwhile, although not specifically mentioned above, the cooling member 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 .

[0109] Hereinafter, a cooling member according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0110] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a cooling member according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the position of a fastening portion in the cooling member of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the cooling member of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a view showing a lower plate included in the cooling member of Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is a view showing the connection between the lower plate and cover film included in the cooling member of Fig. 8. Fig. 13 is a view showing a CC cross section of the cooling member of Fig. 8.

[0111] The cooling member 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8 additionally includes a cover film 580, as shown in FIG. 12 but not shown in FIG. 8 , on the outer surface of the cooling member 500. Referring to FIG. 8 , the cooling member 500 of this embodiment is provided to reduce the internal temperature of the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000, including the battery cells. The cooling member 500 may be a water-cooled cooling member 500 into which a refrigerant or coolant is injected. By providing the cooling member 500 as a water-cooled type, the cooling efficiency of the cooling member 500 can be uniformly maintained, and the battery cells in the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 can be uniformly cooled. In this case, the coolant used in the cooling member 500 may be one of known types or a mixture thereof, and any known type may be used as long as it can dissipate heat from the battery cells by moving along a flow path inside the cooling member 500.

[0112] The cooling member 500 is disposed on one surface of the battery cell stack to dissipate heat from the battery cells. The cooling member 500 is disposed parallel to the stacking direction of the battery cell stack so as to be located close to the multiple battery cells of the battery cell stack. Specifically, the cooling member 500 can be located at the top of the battery cell stack (in the +z-axis direction in FIG. 14 ). However, this is not necessarily the case, and depending on the design, the cooling member 500 may be located at the bottom (upward in the −z-axis direction) or side (upward in the + / −y-axis direction) of the battery cell stack.

[0113] The size of the cooling member 500 is adjusted to the size of the battery cell stack to which the cooling member 500 is applied. As an example, the cooling member 500 is provided to accommodate one battery cell stack, and in this case, the length of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the length of the battery cell stack or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin, and the width of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the width of the battery cell stack or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin. As another example, the cooling member 500 is provided to accommodate a plurality of battery cell stacks, and in this case, the length and width of the cooling member 500 may be adjusted to the length and width of the plurality of battery cell stacks or may be formed larger or smaller by a certain margin. Here, the cooling member 500 may be located inside the battery module, but may also be located outside the battery module inside the battery pack 1000 (see FIG. 14 ).

[0114] The cooling member 500 may include an upper plate 510 and a lower plate 520 that form the outer shape of the cooling member 500 , and inlet / outlet ports 530 for injecting cooling water into the interior of the cooling member 500 .

[0115] The cooling member 500 is formed by joining the peripheries of an upper plate 510 and a lower plate 520. Cooling water is contained between the joined upper plate 510 and lower plate 520 of the cooling member 500 and can circulate therethrough. A sealing part 540 formed by joining the peripheries of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 of the cooling member 500 may be positioned at the periphery of the cooling member 500. A strip-shaped sealing member 592, which will be described later, may be positioned between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 on which the sealing part 540 is formed.

[0116] The upper plate 510 is provided in a plate shape, and its central portion is recessed or indented to form a step with respect to the peripheral portion. Specifically, the upper plate 510 may have a recessed shape based on a cross section in the width direction. This is because the step forms an internal space in the upper plate 510 to accommodate cooling water. Here, the width direction of the upper plate 510 may be parallel to the short side of the upper plate 510.

[0117] The lower plate 520 may have an overall similar shape to the upper plate 510. The lower plate 520 is also provided in a plate shape, but its central portion is recessed or indented to form a step with respect to the peripheral portion. The lower plate 520 may have a recessed shape based on a cross section in the width direction, thereby forming an internal space for accommodating cooling water. Here, the width direction of the lower plate 520 may be parallel to the short side of the lower plate 520.

[0118] When the cooling member 500 is provided above the battery cells, the lower plate 520 may be the portion of the cooling member 500 that is located closest to the battery cells. Therefore, the lower plate 520 is preferably made of a material with high thermal conductivity to promote heat dissipation from the battery cells. Furthermore, in order to improve the overall heat dissipation performance of the cooling member 500, the upper plate 510 of the cooling member 500 is also made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 that form the outer shape of the cooling member 500 are made of a highly rigid metal, and specific examples of such metals include aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, and alloys containing these metals.

[0119] Coolant is supplied through the inlet ports 532 arranged side by side and discharged through the outlet port 534. The inlet port 532 and the outlet port 534 may be arranged parallel to one end of the cooling member 500. This simplifies the design for the inflow and outflow of coolant supplied from the outside of the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000. This also minimizes the temperature difference between the area around the inlet port 532 and the area around the outlet port 534. Specifically, the coolant flowing into the inlet port 532 may have the lowest temperature, and the coolant discharged through the outlet port 534 may have the highest temperature. Therefore, when the inlet ports and the outlet ports 530 are arranged adjacent to each other, heat exchange occurs between them, minimizing the temperature deviation of the entire coolant flowing through the interior space of the cooling member. Therefore, by arranging the inlet ports and the outlet ports 530 side by side, the cooling member 500 may have uniform heat dissipation performance overall.

[0120] Meanwhile, the cooling member 500 may include a separate cover film 580 made of a different material between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The cover film 580 is made of a material with a lower melting point than the materials of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. Conventionally, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 of the cooling member 500 have been joined mainly by brazing or laser welding. However, when the cooling member 500 is designed to include two or more materials, one of the materials may deform during the welding process, making the welding process difficult or impossible. Furthermore, when laser welding or the like is used, a local temperature gradient may be formed in the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520, which may cause at least a portion of the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520 to bend.

[0121] However, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment can be manufactured by a mechanical fastening method rather than a welding method. Specifically, the mechanical fastening method of this embodiment can minimize damage to the material forming the cooling member 500 by not applying heat or by applying heat at a temperature lower than the melting point of the material provided for the cooling member 500.

[0122] An example of a mechanical fastening method used for the cooling member 500 is rivets, which are connections using fastening members. In this embodiment, the cooling member 500 includes a plurality of fastening portions 560, which refer to portions of the cooling member 500 that are fastened using fastening members such as rivets. The fastening portions 560 are formed with fasteners into which fastening members can be inserted.

[0123] Another example of a mechanical fastening method used for the cooling member 500 is clinching. Clinching is a deformation joining method in which a punch or the like is used to pressurize one surface of two stacked plate-shaped members to deform their shape, thereby mechanically joining the two members. Taking into account the shape, clinching may also be called penetration joining.

[0124] As described above, when a mechanical fastening method is used instead of a welding method when manufacturing the cooling member 500, excessive heat is not generated during the manufacturing process, thereby minimizing unintended deformation of the cooling member 500 and ensuring dimensional stability by reducing the difference between the pre-designed dimensions and the dimensions of the final product. In particular, aluminum, which is a material commonly used for the cooling member 500, can begin to deform when exposed to temperatures above its melting point of 660°C. However, when the above-described mechanical fastening method is used, heat above the melting point is not applied to the cooling member 500, thereby further improving the dimensional stability of the cooling member 500.

[0125] Furthermore, if a mechanical fastening method is applied when manufacturing the cooling member 500, certain materials that are sensitive to temperature will not be deformed during the manufacturing process, so that various materials and shapes can be applied to the cooling member 500, and the design of the cooling member 500 can be made easier and more diverse.

[0126] A plurality of grooves 550 are formed in the cooling member 500. The grooves 550 may include a coupling groove 554 positioned inside the sealing portion 540 to complement the coupling between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, a flow path forming groove 556 that guides the flow of cooling water, and a deformation prevention groove 558 that prevents deformation of the cooling member 500 due to the inflow of cooling water.

[0127] Here, the grooves 550 may be pre-formed in the upper plate 510, or may be formed by a process such as clinching after the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined together. Therefore, the grooves 550 do not necessarily have to be pre-formed in the upper plate 510 provided during the manufacture of the cooling member 500. Also, even if the grooves 550 are pre-formed in the upper plate 510, a clinching bond can be formed by applying pressure to the grooves 550. Therefore, the fact that the grooves are pre-formed in the upper plate 510 does not exclude the possibility of forming a clinching bond in that portion.

[0128] The cooling member 500 is formed with a plurality of fastening portions 560. The fastening portion 560 may include an outer fastening portion 562 located outside the sealing portion 540. The fastening portion 560 may include a coupling fastening portion 564 located inside the sealing portion 540, a flow path forming fastening portion 566, and a deformation prevention fastening portion 568. There may be a plurality of coupling grooves 554, and the coupling fastening portion 564 is formed in at least a portion of the coupling groove 554. There may be a plurality of flow path forming grooves 556, and the flow path forming fastening portion 566 is formed in at least a portion of the flow path forming groove 556. There may be a plurality of deformation prevention grooves 558, and the deformation prevention fastening portion 568 is formed in at least a portion of the deformation prevention groove 558.

[0129] 9, the positions where fastening portions 560 are provided in the grooves 550 of the cooling member 500 of this embodiment are illustrated. Here, the positions of the outer fastening portion 562 and the coupling fastening portion 564 are illustrated as circular frames, the position of the flow path forming fastening portion 566 is illustrated as a circle, and the position of the deformation prevention fastening portion 568 is illustrated as a square frame.

[0130] 9 shows that a fastening portion 560 is substantially formed in one of the two grooves 550. That is, FIG. 9 schematically shows an example of a cooling member 500 designed so that grooves 550 with fastening portions 560 formed therein and grooves 550 without fastening portions 560 formed therein are alternately arranged. This is an example in which fastening portions 560 are evenly formed in the grooves 550, but the arrangement of the grooves 550 and fastening portions 560 of the present invention is not limited to this and can be designed in a variety of ways.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 10, an outer fastening portion 562 is formed on the outside of the sealing portion 540 of the cooling member 500, and a coupling groove 554 and a coupling fastening portion 564 are formed on the inside.

[0132] The outer fastening portions 562 are located outside the sealing portion 540 and are formed continuously along the periphery of the sealing portion 540 to firmly connect the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. By being located outside the sealing portion 540, even when a strip-shaped sealing member 592 is located in the sealing portion 540, the outer fastening portions 562 can complement the rigidity of the sealing portion 540 without directly damaging the strip-shaped sealing member 592. The number of outer fastening portions 562 may be formed differently depending on the size of the cooling member 500 and the size of the fastening member.

[0133] The coupling grooves 554 are located inside the sealing portion 540 and can prevent the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 from being separated due to excessive pressure being applied to the sealing portion 540 by the cooling water. The coupling grooves 554 are intended to enhance the rigidity of the sealing portion 540 and are formed at positions corresponding to the vertices of the sealing portion 540 to which excessive pressure is likely to be applied. The coupling grooves 554 may also be arranged at intervals along the periphery of the sealing portion 540. The shape of the coupling grooves 554 may be formed in a fan shape with a central angle of 90 degrees or a semicircular shape, taking into account the shape of the sealing portion 540, but is not limited thereto.

[0134] The coupling fastening portions 564 are intended to complement the rigidity of the coupling grooves 554. The coupling fastening portions 564 are formed in the coupling grooves 554 located inside the sealing portion 540. The coupling fastening portions 564 may be formed in all of the coupling grooves 554, or may be formed partially in some of the coupling grooves 554. For example, the coupling fastening portions 564 may be formed alternately in every two of the coupling grooves 554. When the coupling fastening portions 564 are partially provided in the coupling grooves 554, the coupling fastening portions 564 are preferably formed in the coupling grooves 554 corresponding to each vertex of the sealing portion 540.

[0135] As described above, the outer fastening portion 562 is formed on the outside of the sealing portion 540, and the connecting fastening portion 564 is formed on the inside thereof, thereby improving the sealing force between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The outer fastening portion 562 and the connecting fastening portion 564 improve the watertightness of the cooling member 500, thereby preventing leakage of cooling water.

[0136] Flow path forming grooves 556 are formed in the cooling member 500. By providing the flow path forming grooves 556 in the cooling member 500, the flow of coolant provided to the cooling member 500 can be determined. A plurality of flow path forming grooves 556 may be formed, and the plurality of flow path forming grooves 556 may be positioned along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500. The flow path forming grooves 556 are mainly formed in a circular shape, but are not limited to this, and may be formed in a square, triangle, or other geometric shape. At positions in the cooling member 500 where the flow path forming grooves 556 are formed, additional linear grooves connecting the flow path forming grooves 556 may be provided.

[0137] The flow path groove 556 is continuously formed along the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500 at the center of the cooling member 500 except for a predetermined section, thereby forming a U-shaped flow of cooling water. The flow of cooling water injected through the inlet port 532 of the cooling member 500 is restricted by the flow path groove 556. As the cooling water flows along the U-shape, the cooling water injected through the inlet port 532 is discharged to the outlet port 534 located next to the inlet port 532. Specifically, the U-shaped flow path through which the cooling water flows includes a first flow path extending from the inlet port 532 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500, a second flow path extending from an end of the first flow path along a curve rotating clockwise or counterclockwise, and a third flow path extending from an end of the second flow path toward the outlet port 534 along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500.

[0138] The flow path forming fastening portions 566 are formed in the flow path forming grooves 556. The flow path forming fastening portions 566 are intended to supplement the rigidity of the flow path forming grooves 556. The flow path forming fastening portions 566 may be formed in all of the flow path forming grooves 556, or may be formed partially in some of the coupling grooves 554. For example, the coupling fastening portions 564 may be formed in each of two coupling grooves 554, that is, alternately.

[0139] Deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed in the cooling member 500. The provision of the deformation prevention grooves 558 in the cooling member 500 prevents deformation of the cooling member 500 due to the cooling water. For example, when cooling water is injected into the cooling member 500, the injected cooling water is concentrated in one half of the space of the cooling member 500 due to the flow path forming groove 556 crossing the center. Before the cooling water moves through the U-shaped flow path to the remaining half of the space, a large pressure acts on the space, which may cause at least a portion of the cooling member 500 to expand or the cooling member 500 to be damaged. When the deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed in the flow path of the cooling member 500, deformation caused by large pressure acting on a specific section due to temporary concentration of the cooling water can be minimized. The deformation prevention grooves 558 are arranged at intervals partially along the U-shaped flow path through which the cooling water flows in the cooling member 500. The deformation prevention groove 558 may be located between the flow path groove 556 and the sealing portion 540 in the width direction of the cooling member 500. The specific position of the deformation prevention groove 558 can be appropriately set to accommodate the flow rate and flow speed of the cooling water without excessively obstructing the cooling water flowing in through the inlet port 532. The deformation prevention groove 558 is typically formed in a circular shape, but is not limited to this and may be formed in a rectangular, triangular, or other geometric shape. Here, the width direction of the cooling member 500 may be parallel to the short sides of the cooling member 500. Also, here, the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500 may be parallel to the long sides of the cooling member 500.

[0140] The deformation prevention fastening portions 568 are formed in the deformation prevention grooves 558. The deformation prevention fastening portions 568 are intended to supplement the rigidity of the deformation prevention grooves 558. The deformation prevention fastening portions 568 may be formed in all of the deformation prevention grooves 558, or may be formed only in some of the deformation prevention grooves 558. For example, the deformation prevention fastening portions 568 may be formed in every two of the deformation prevention grooves 558, that is, alternately.

[0141] Additionally, a protrusion is formed around the periphery of the cooling member 500, extending from one side of the cooling member 500 and positioned continuously along the longitudinal direction of the cooling member 500. As illustrated in FIG. 14 , which will be described later, the protrusion is in contact with the electrode leads of each battery cell stack or the bus bars connected to the electrode leads, or is positioned in close proximity to the bus bars. Since the electrode leads or bus bars that provide electrical connection in the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 are prone to heat generation, if the protrusion promotes heat dissipation from the electrode leads or bus bars, an increase in temperature of the battery cells can be more effectively prevented.

[0142] Meanwhile, to further improve the watertightness between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, a sealing member 590 may be positioned between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. When a conventional welding method is used, it is difficult to provide the sealing member 590, which is somewhat sensitive to heat, when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined. Therefore, when a welding process is used, in order to enhance the watertightness of the welded surface, a sealant or the like is typically applied as an additional process after the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined. However, because the cooling member 500 according to this embodiment is formed using a mechanical joining method, the sealing member 590, which is sensitive to heat, can be joined during the process of joining the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0143] The sealing member 590 may include a strip-shaped sealing member 592 provided in the sealing portion 540. The strip-shaped sealing member 592 is provided on the contact surface between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 and can improve the watertightness of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The strip-shaped sealing member 592 is compressed by an external force when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined, thereby filling any gaps that exist between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. The strip-shaped sealing member 592 can prevent the cooling water inside the cooling member 500 from leaking out through the gaps. Here, the strip-shaped sealing member 592 may be referred to as a water pad.

[0144] The sealing member 590 may include a ring-shaped sealing member 594. Because the fastening portion 560 has holes formed therein and fastening members are inserted therein to form a bond between the components, the fastening portion 560 may reduce the watertightness of the cooling member 500. However, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment further includes a ring-shaped sealing member 594 provided in the fastening portion 560 to enhance the watertightness. The ring-shaped sealing member 594 is located on the cover film 580 and seals the gap around the fastening portion 560, thereby improving the watertightness of the cooling member 500. Because the cooling water is mainly located inside the sealing portion 540, the outer fastening portion 562 formed outside the sealing portion 540 does not include a ring-shaped sealing member 594. However, it is preferable that the connecting fastening portion 564, the flow path forming fastening portion 566, and the deformation prevention fastening portion 568, which are located inside the sealing portion 540, include a ring-shaped sealing member 594. Here, the ring-shaped sealing member 594 may be referred to as a "water ring."

[0145] The sealing member 590 is made of a flexible material having elasticity, such as a silicone foam pad, an acrylic foam pad, or a urethane foam pad.

[0146] Meanwhile, in order to effectively suppress a fire in a battery cell, it may be effective to inject a liquid such as cooling water into the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000. Since providing a liquid tank inside the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 can increase the volume of the battery module and the battery pack, in the past, a separate water tank was provided outside the battery module and the battery pack, and cooling water or the like was injected into the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 through a nozzle extending from the water tank only when a sensor confirmed that a battery cell had ignited.

[0147] However, water tanks installed outside the battery module and battery pack are not only bulky, but also require separate management by the user. Furthermore, conventional water injection systems require a separate control unit or communication unit to determine whether or not to inject cooling water. Errors must be avoided during these operations, and even if the system operates normally, multiple decision processes must be performed, resulting in significant time consumption. Even after the decision to inject cooling water is made, if the path from the water tank to the battery cells inside the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 is relatively long, the cooling water is not quickly supplied from the water tank to the battery cells, making it difficult for conventional water injection systems to suppress rapid, continuous thermal runaway. Therefore, in this embodiment, an opening can be formed in the lower plate 520 so that cooling water can be quickly supplied to the fire site in the event of an internal fire in the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000.

[0148] 11 , the lower plate 520 may include at least one opening 521. The opening 521 is for injecting internal cooling water into the battery cell by heat or pressure generated by the ignition in the event of an internal fire in the battery cell. A plurality of openings 521 may be provided along the short or long side of the lower plate 520, and the cooling member 500 may include a plurality of openings 521, thereby allowing cooling water to be injected in response to a fire occurring at any position within the battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000.

[0149] The opening 521 of the lower plate 520 must be closed before an internal fire occurs. Therefore, in the past, the opening 521 of the lower plate 520 was sealed by filling or inserting a member that opens when a predetermined temperature or pressure is reached. However, manufacturing the lower plate 520 so that it contains two materials with different physical properties requires complex manufacturing processes, which increases manufacturing time and costs. Furthermore, it is difficult to ensure reliable durability of the bonding surface when bonding different materials. However, the cooling member 500 of this embodiment reduces manufacturing time and costs and improves durability by using the cover film 580 disposed on the upper part of the lower plate 520.

[0150] 12 and 13, the cover film 580 may be configured to close the opening 521 of the lower plate 520 before the battery cell ignites and to open the opening 521 when the battery cell ignites. If the cover film 580 is broken by the temperature and pressure caused by the battery cell ignition, the cooling water inside the cooling member 500 is injected toward the battery cell, thereby extinguishing the fire.

[0151] The cover film 580 is provided to cover one side of the lower plate 520. The cover film 580 may be attached to the lower plate 520. The outer shape of the cover film 580 may be similar to or the same as the outer shape of the lower plate 520 as a whole. The specific shape of the cover film 580 may be similar to or the same as the shape of the lower plate 520 excluding the opening 521.

[0152] The cover film 580 is provided from a material that melts easily under a predetermined pressure or heat. For example, the cover film 580 may be made from a thermoplastic polymer resin having a melting point of 200° C. or less. Examples of the thermoplastic polymer resin include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and other materials having a melting point of approximately 100° C. or more and 200° C. or less.

[0153] The cover film 580 preferably has a thickness greater than or equal to a predetermined value so as to be able to withstand gravity due to the weight of the cooling water and frictional forces due to the flow of the cooling water, but an excessively thick cover film 580 may reduce the heat dissipation performance of the cooling member 500, so the thickness must be adjusted to an appropriate value. The thickness of the cover film 580 may be 2 mm or less, or 1.5 mm or less, but considering the durability of the cover film 580 and the reduction in heat dissipation performance due to the cover film 580, it is preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm. If the thickness of the cover film 580 is less than 0.5 mm, durability may be an issue, and if the thickness of the cover film 580 is more than 1.0 mm, the heat dissipation performance of the cooling member 500 may be reduced.

[0154] Since the cover film 580 is disposed by being coupled with the lower plate 520, cooling water can flow between the upper surface of the cover film 580 and the lower surface of the upper plate 510. Furthermore, even if the cover film 580 is attached to the cooling member 500, the inflow and outflow of cooling water through the inlet port / outlet port 530 is not restricted by the cover film 580. Therefore, the cooling water in the cooling member 500 can be designed to be connected to an external heat exchanger connected to the inlet port / outlet port 530 to continuously circulate in order to maintain its temperature constant.

[0155] 12 and 13 , the lower plate 520 may include a plurality of fastening portions corresponding to the above-described fastening portion 560. Specifically, the lower plate 520 may include a lower plate outer casing fastening portion 522 corresponding to the outer casing fastening portion 562, a lower plate connecting fastening portion 524 corresponding to the connecting fastening portion 564, a lower plate channel forming fastening portion 526 corresponding to the channel forming fastening portion 566, and a lower plate deformation preventing fastening portion 528 corresponding to the deformation preventing fastening portion 568.

[0156] The cover film 580 may include a plurality of fastening portions corresponding to the above-described fastening portions 560. The cover film 580 may include a film outer shell fastening portion 582 corresponding to the outer shell fastening portion 562 and the lower plate outer shell fastening portion 522, a film connecting fastening portion 584 corresponding to the connecting fastening portion 564 and the lower plate connecting fastening portion 524, a film channel forming fastening portion 586 corresponding to the channel forming fastening portion 566 and the lower plate channel forming fastening portion 526, and a film deformation prevention fastening portion 588 corresponding to the deformation prevention fastening portion 568 and the lower plate deformation prevention fastening portion 528. Such fastening portions are also formed on the upper plate 510, and the fastening members can be passed through holes formed in the fastening portion (not shown) of the upper plate 510, the lower plate outer casing fastening portion 522, the lower plate joining fastening portion 524, the lower plate flow path forming fastening portion 526, the lower plate deformation prevention fastening portion 528 of the lower plate 520, and the film outer casing fastening portion 582, the film joining fastening portion 584, the film flow path forming fastening portion 586, and the film deformation prevention fastening portion 588 of the cover film 580, to join the upper plate 510, the lower plate 520, and the cover film 580 together.

[0157] Here, the fastening portions formed on the lower plate 520 and the cover film 580 may be formed in advance before assembling the cooling member 500, or may be formed after assembling the lower plate 520 and the cover film 580.

[0158] The cover film 580 is formed with a film outer casing fastening portion 582, a film joining fastening portion 584, a film channel forming fastening portion 586, and a film deformation prevention fastening portion 588. A strip-shaped sealing member 592 is disposed between the film outer casing fastening portion 582 and the film joining fastening portion 584 to correspond to the sealing portion 540. The ring-shaped sealing member 594 is disposed to correspond to the film joining fastening portion 584, the film channel forming fastening portion 586, and the film deformation prevention fastening portion 588. The cover film 580 can overlap the lower plate 520 such that the film outer casing fastening portion 582, the film joining fastening portion 584, the film channel forming fastening portion 586, and the film deformation prevention fastening portion 588 of the cover film 580 correspond to the lower plate outer casing fastening portion 522, the lower plate joining fastening portion 524, the lower plate channel forming fastening portion 526, and the lower plate deformation prevention fastening portion 528 of the lower plate 520. After the cover film 580 and the lower plate 520 are bonded together, the upper plate 510 is bonded to the upper side of the cover film 580, and the components are connected by fastening members, thereby completing the cooling member 500 of this embodiment.

[0159] While the above description has focused on coupling using a fastening member as a mechanical fastening method applied to the cooling member 500 of this embodiment in Fig. 8, the following description will discuss clinching coupling that can be applied to this embodiment. For a diagram related to the clinching coupling of the cooling member 500 of this embodiment in Fig. 8, please refer to Fig. 5.

[0160] In another embodiment, a pair of punches and dies are used to form a clinched bond. The die has a recess formed in it that corresponds to the outer shape of the punch. When a workpiece is positioned between the punches and the die, the punch moves toward the die, causing a portion of the workpiece to deform to fit the recess shapes of the punch and the die. When the workpiece is composed of two or more layers, the two or more layers are mechanically bonded by the deformation described above.

[0161] Due to the clinching bonding, portions of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 may include indentations 570 indented in one direction. The indentations 570 may be formed by applying pressure to a portion of the upper plate 510 or the lower plate 520, forming an integral indentation along the direction of pressure. The formation of the indentations 570 allows the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 to be physically bonded together. Here, the pressure may be applied in a direction from the upper plate 510 to the lower plate 520, or in a direction from the lower plate 520 to the upper plate 510.

[0162] For example, the upper and lower surfaces of the upper plate 510 are referred to as the first and second surfaces, and the upper and lower surfaces of the lower plate 520 are referred to as the third and fourth surfaces. Based on a first direction from the upper plate 510 to the lower plate 520, the first to fourth surfaces may be located in the order of the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface. The first surface of the upper plate 510 and the fourth surface of the lower plate 520 may form an outer surface of the cooling member 500, and the second surface of the upper plate 510 and the third surface of the lower plate 520 may face each other.

[0163] When a first surface of the upper plate 510 is partially pressurized, the first surface is indented and recessed in a first direction to a predetermined depth. When the upper plate 510 is pressed, the lower plate 520 located below the upper plate 510 is also deformed, and the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are physically deformed by the pressure, so that they can be joined together as a single unit. Here, the indented portion 570 may be described as being formed by protruding from the lower plate 520.

[0164] Referring to FIG. 5, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can be indented by applying pressure, where the indentation formed in the upper plate is referred to as upper indentation 571, and the indentation formed in the lower plate 520 is referred to as lower indentation 572.

[0165] The indentation 570 has a depth due to the indentation, and the depth direction of the indentation 570 may be perpendicular to the direction in which the cooling water flows inside the cooling member 500. Here, the depth direction may be the above-mentioned pressure direction. By forming the indentation 570 to have a depth, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are firmly connected to each other, and the gap between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can be prevented from widening due to the pressure inside the cooling member 500.

[0166] Here, the lowest point of the first surface where the indentation 570 is formed may be located lower than the highest point of the area where the indentation 570 is not formed, i.e., the highest point of the third surface or the highest point of the fourth surface. In this way, if the clinching process causes a part of the upper surface (first surface) of the upper plate 510 to be deformed so as to be located lower than the upper surface (third surface) or the lower surface (fourth surface) of the lower plate 520, the upper plate 510 is fully inserted into the lower plate 520, and therefore, a more stable bond can be formed between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520.

[0167] The depth of the indentation 570 is greater than the thickness of the upper plate 510, the lower plate 520, or the combined thickness of these. If the depth of the indentation 570 is too small, it is difficult to ensure watertightness between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520. If the depth of the indentation 570 is too large, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 may be excessively deformed or partially cut off. For example, when the sum of the thicknesses of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 at the portion where the indentation 570 is not formed is set to 100, the depth of the indentation 570 may be 50 or more, or may be 50 to 200. However, the above values ​​are merely examples and do not limit the depth of the indentation 570 of the present invention. Here, the depth of the indentation 570 may be based on the upper indentation 571, or more specifically, it may be the depth of the first surface of the upper indentation 571 based on the upper plate 510 on which the indentation 570 is not formed.

[0168] The depth of the upper indentation 571 is greater than the depth of the lower indentation 572. This is because, when pressurized in the first direction, the upper indentation 571 is located more inside the indentation 570 than the lower indentation 572, and therefore the upper indentation 571, which forms the inner diameter, must deform more than the lower indentation 572, which forms the outer diameter. In the process of forming the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 through the pressurization process, the thickness of the pressed upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 decreases as the area increases, but the upper indentation 571 must deform to accommodate all of the changes in the thickness of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, so it may be formed with a greater depth. On the other hand, since the first direction is intended to exemplify the pressure direction, when the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are pressurized along the second direction opposite to the first direction, the lower indentation 572 is located on the inside, and therefore the depth of the lower indentation 572 can have a value greater than the depth of the upper indentation 571.

[0169] The indentation 570 may have a shape that widens slightly toward the end in the depth direction. The lowermost end (lowest end) of the upper indentation 571 may have a diameter that is slightly larger than the remaining portions of the upper indentation 571. The lowermost end (lowest end) of the lower indentation 572 may have a diameter that is slightly larger than the remaining portions of the lower indentation 572. Here, the maximum outer diameter of the upper indentation 571 is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the lower indentation 572, thereby forming an engagement between the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572. Therefore, even if pressure acts between the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 due to the internal pressure of the cooling member 500, the above-mentioned engagement prevents the gap between the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 from widening. As such, the shapes of the upper indentation 571 and the lower indentation 572 can further improve the bonding strength of the indentation 570. At this time, the punch may also apply pressure to the indentation 570 again to adjust the shape of the indentation 570.

[0170] The outer diameter of the indentation 570, i.e., the outer diameter of the lower indentation 572, may be 5 mm to 11 mm, 7 mm to 9 mm, or 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm. If the diameter of the indentation 570 is too small, it may be difficult for the indentation 570 to firmly bond the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 together. If the diameter of the indentation 570 is too large, the indentation 570 may cause excessive deformation of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520, which may reduce the dimensional stability of the cooling member 500. The diameter of the indentation 570 may also be designed differently depending on the spacing between the indentations 570.

[0171] In this case, since the diameter of the indentation 570 varies depending on the diameter of the die, the outer diameter of the lower indentation 572 described above can correspond to the inner diameter of the recess in the die. In addition to the diameter of the indentation 570, the shape of the indentation 570 can be determined depending on the shapes of the punch and die used in the clinching process. For example, if the cross section of the punch is circular, the indentation 570 is formed in an overall tubular shape, and if the cross section of the punch is square, the indentation 570 is formed in an overall rectangular tubular shape.

[0172] The above description has been given on the basis that the indentation 570 is formed by compressing the first surface in the first direction. However, this is only one example of how the indentation 570 is formed, and the indentation 570 may be formed by compressing the fourth surface in the second direction. Since the indentation 570 formed by compressing in the second direction can be sufficiently understood from the above description, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0173] Through the above-described pressurizing process, the sealing member 590, which is made of an elastic material, can be compressed and its thickness can be reduced. Through the pressurizing process, not only can the thickness of the sealing member 590 be reduced, but the thicknesses of the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 can also be partially deformed. The lowest point of the indentation 570 may be the portion that receives the greatest pressure from the punch, and thus the thickness of the lowest point of the indentation 570, i.e., the deepest indentation, is smaller than the thickness of the other portions. Before the indentation 570 is formed, the portion corresponding to the punch must be pressed by the pressure of the punch to form a side portion extending from the highest point to the lowest point of the indentation 570. Therefore, as the area of ​​the indentation 570 increases due to the pressure of the punch, the overall thickness can be reduced.

[0174] The clinching joint described above is applicable to the cooling member 500 of this embodiment.

[0175] For example, the clinching bond can be applied to the entire groove 550 of the cooling member 500. This may be a case where the clinching bond is applied to an already formed groove 550, or a case where the groove 550 of the cooling member 500 is formed by the clinching bond.

[0176] When grooves 550 are formed in cooling member 500 by clinching, each groove 550 may be referred to as an indentation 570. Here, the clinching formed in coupling groove 554 is referred to as a first indentation, the clinching formed in flow path groove 556 is referred to as a second indentation, and the clinching formed in deformation prevention groove 558 is referred to as a third indentation.

[0177] Forming the flow path forming grooves 556 and the deformation prevention grooves 558 using the clinching fastening method described above has the advantages of simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing manufacturing costs compared to conventional joining methods. Conventional methods of manufacturing the cooling member 500 using a welding fastening method require additional manufacturing processes to form the flow paths or deformation prevention structures, and require precise design in advance to prevent dimensional tolerances from occurring when forming the flow paths or deformation prevention structures. However, in the cooling member 500 of this embodiment, the flow path forming grooves 556 and the deformation prevention grooves 558 are formed using the clinching process used in the manufacturing process, which eliminates the need for additional manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the upper plate 510 and the lower plate 520 are joined by partially deforming them, which allows for greater flexibility in dimensional tolerances.

[0178] Meanwhile, as described above, the fastening portion 560 is additionally formed in the groove 550, thereby improving the overall durability of the cooling member 500. Although Fig. 9 shows the fastening portion 560 being formed in one of the two grooves 550, as described above, the fastening portion 560 may be formed in one of the three or four grooves 550 when clinching bonding is applied throughout.

[0179] As another example, clinching may be applied to only a portion of the groove 550 of the cooling member 500. For example, clinching may be applied to only one or two of the coupling groove 554, the flow path forming groove 556, and the deformation prevention groove 558. This may be the case where clinching is applied to an already formed groove 550, or the groove 550 of the cooling member 500 may be formed by clinching. As another example, clinching may be applied to a portion of the coupling groove 554, a portion of the flow path forming groove 556, or a portion of the deformation prevention groove 558. As a specific example, in the cooling member 500 of FIG. 9, clinching may be applied to the groove 550 where the fastening portion 560 is not formed, thereby improving the durability of the cooling member 500 as a whole. In this way, applying clinching bonding to the cooling member 500 can enhance the durability of the cooling member 500, and when clinching bonding replaces the fastening portion 560, the use of the ring-shaped sealing member 594 provided in the fastening portion 560 is reduced, and the process of forming the fastening portion is simplified, thereby providing additional benefits such as simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing manufacturing costs, and improving the watertightness of the cooling member 500.

[0180] The battery module 100 or the battery pack 1000 including the above-described cooling member will be described below.

[0181] It should be made clear in advance that the battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 described below is merely one example of a battery module 100 or battery pack 1000 to which the above-mentioned cooling member is provided, and that the following description does not limit the configurations and shapes of all battery modules 100 or battery packs 1000 to which the cooling member can be provided.

[0182] Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a battery module included in the battery pack according to Fig. 14.

[0183] 14, a battery pack 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery module 100, a pack frame 200 that houses the battery module 100, a resin layer 300 formed on the inner surface of the pack frame 200, an end plate 400 that closes the open surface of the pack frame 200, and a cooling member 500 disposed between the pack frame 200 and the battery cell stack 120. However, the components included in the battery pack 1000 are not limited thereto, and depending on the design, the battery pack 1000 may be provided with some of the above-mentioned components omitted or with other components not mentioned added.

[0184] 14 and 15, the battery module 100 provided in this embodiment may have a module-less structure in which a module frame is omitted.

[0185] Typically, conventional battery packs have a double-assembly structure in which a battery module is formed by assembling a battery cell stack and various components connected thereto, and multiple battery modules are then housed in the battery pack. Since the battery module includes a module frame that forms its outer surface, conventional battery cells are doubly protected by the module frame of the battery module and the pack frame of the battery pack. However, such a double-assembly structure not only increases the manufacturing cost and manufacturing process of the battery pack, but also reduces reassembly if some battery cells are defective. Furthermore, if a cooling element is present outside the battery module, the heat transfer path between the battery cells and the cooling element becomes somewhat complicated.

[0186] Therefore, the battery module 100 of this embodiment is provided in the form of a "cell block" that omits the module frame, and the battery cell stack 120 included in the cell block can be directly coupled to the pack frame 200 of the battery pack 1000. This simplifies the structure of the battery pack 1000, provides advantages in terms of manufacturing cost and manufacturing process, and achieves the effect of reducing the weight of the battery pack.

[0187] Hereinafter, a battery module 100 without a module frame will be referred to as a "cell block," "open structure," or "module-less structure" to distinguish it from a battery module with a module frame. However, the battery module 100 is a general term for a battery module having a battery cell stack 120 segmented into predetermined units for modularization, regardless of whether or not a module frame is present, and the battery module 100 should be interpreted as including all conventional battery modules and cell blocks that have a module frame.

[0188] Referring to FIG. 15 , the battery module 100 of this embodiment may include a battery cell stack 120 in which a plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked in one direction, side plates 130 located at both ends of the battery cell stack 120 in the stacking direction, holding straps 140 that surround the side plates 130 and the battery cell stack 120 to fix their shape, and bus bar frames 150 that cover the front and rear of the battery cell stack 120.

[0189] Meanwhile, although FIG. 15 shows a battery module 100 provided in the form of a cell block, the contents of this drawing do not exclude the case where a sealed structure battery module 100 having a module frame is applied to the battery pack 1000 of this embodiment.

[0190] Each battery cell 110 may include an electrode assembly, a cell case, and electrode leads protruding from the electrode assembly. The battery cells 110 may be provided in a pouch or prismatic shape to maximize the number of cells stacked per unit area. For example, a pouch-type battery cell 110 may be manufactured by placing an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator in a cell case made of a laminate sheet and then heat-sealing the sealing portion of the cell case. While FIGS. 14 and 15 show the positive and negative electrode leads of the battery cell 110 protruding in opposite directions, this is not necessarily the case; the electrode leads of the battery cell 110 may also protrude in the same direction.

[0191] The battery cell stack 120 may be formed by stacking a plurality of electrically connected battery cells 110 in one direction. The direction in which the plurality of battery cells 110 are stacked (hereinafter referred to as the "stacking direction") may be the y-axis direction (or the -y-axis direction, and hereinafter the expression "axial direction" may be interpreted as including both + / - directions) as shown in Figures 14 and 15.

[0192] Meanwhile, by arranging the battery cells 110 in one direction, the electrode leads of the battery cells 110 can be located on one side of the battery cell stack 120, or on one side and the other side opposite the one side. In this way, the side of the battery cell stack 120 on which the electrode leads are located is referred to as the front side or rear side of the battery cell stack 120, and in Figures 14 and 15, the front side and rear side of the battery cell stack 120 are shown as two sides facing each other on the x-axis.

[0193] In addition, the surface of the battery cell stack 120 on which the outermost battery cell 110 is located is referred to as the side surface of the battery cell stack 120, and in Figures 14 and 15, the side surfaces of the battery cell stack 120 are shown as two surfaces facing each other on the y-axis.

[0194] The side plates 130 are provided to maintain the overall shape of the battery cell stack 120. The side plates 130 are plate-shaped members that can supplement the rigidity of the cell blocks in place of the module frame. The side plates 130 are arranged at both ends of the battery cell stack 120 in the stacking direction, and can come into contact with the outermost battery cells 110 on both sides of the battery cell stack 120.

[0195] The side plate 130 can be made of various materials and provided by various manufacturing methods. For example, the side plate 130 may be made of a plastic material manufactured by injection molding. For another example, the side plate 130 may be made of a leaf spring material. For yet another example, the side plate 130 may be made of an elastic material so that its shape can be partially deformed in response to a volume change of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling.

[0196] The holding straps 140 are used to fix the position and shape of the side plates 130 on both ends of the battery cell stack 120. The holding straps 140 may be members having a length and width. Specifically, the battery cell stack 120 is positioned between the two side plates 130 that contact the outermost battery cells 110, and the holding straps 140 may connect the two side plates 130 across the battery cell stack 120. In this way, the holding straps 140 prevent the distance between the two side plates 130 from increasing beyond a certain range, thereby maintaining the overall shape of the cell block within a certain range.

[0197] The holding strap 140 may have hooks at both ends in the longitudinal direction for stable connection with the side plate 130. The hooks are formed by bending both ends in the longitudinal direction of the holding strap 140. Meanwhile, locking grooves are formed in the side plate 130 at positions corresponding to the hooks, and the connection between the hooks and the locking grooves allows the holding strap 140 and the side plate 130 to be stably connected.

[0198] The holding straps 140 may be made of various materials or manufactured by various methods. For example, the holding straps 140 may be made of an elastic material, which allows the volumetric change of the battery cell stack 120 due to swelling to be within a certain range.

[0199] Meanwhile, the holding straps 140, which are used to secure the relative positions between the side plates 130 and the battery cell stack 120, may be provided in a form different from that shown in the drawing, as long as their purpose as a "securing member" is achieved. For example, the securing member may be provided in the form of a long bolt that can traverse between the two side plates 130. The side plates 130 may have grooves into which the long bolts can be inserted, and the long bolts can secure the relative positions of the two side plates 130 by simultaneously connecting them through the grooves. The long bolts are provided on the periphery of the side plates 130, preferably near the apexes of the side plates 130. Depending on the design, the holding straps 140 may be replaced with the long bolts described above, or both the holding straps 140 and the long bolts may be provided on the cell block.

[0200] The bus bar frame 150 is positioned on one side of the battery cell stack 120 to cover that side and also to guide the connection of the battery cell stack 120 to an external device. The bus bar frame 150 may be positioned on the front or rear side of the battery cell stack 120. Two bus bar frames 150 are provided, one on the front side and one on the rear side of the battery cell stack 120. Bus bars are attached to the bus bar frames 150, and electrode leads of the battery cell stack 120 are connected to the bus bars, thereby enabling the battery cell stack 120 to be electrically connected to an external device.

[0201] The bus bar frame 150 may include an electrically insulating material. The bus bar frame 150 may limit contact between the bus bar and other parts of the battery cell 110 other than the part connected to the electrode lead, thereby preventing an electrical short circuit from occurring.

[0202] The pack frame 200 is intended to protect the battery modules 100 and the electrical components connected thereto from external physical impacts. The pack frame 200 can accommodate the battery modules 100 and the electrical components connected thereto in the internal space of the pack frame 200. Here, the pack frame 200 includes an internal surface and an external surface, and the internal space of the pack frame 200 is defined by the internal surface.

[0203] A plurality of battery modules 100 may be accommodated within the pack frame 200. A plurality of battery modules 100 is referred to as a "module assembly." The module assembly is arranged in rows and columns within the pack frame 200. Here, a "row" may refer to a set of battery modules 100 arranged in one direction, and a "column" may refer to a set of battery modules 100 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the battery modules 100 may be arranged along the stacking direction of the battery cell stack to form a module assembly in one row or column.

[0204] The pack frame 200 is provided in a hollow shape that is open in one direction. For example, as shown in Fig. 14, a plurality of battery modules 100 may be arranged in succession along the stacking direction of the battery cells 110, and the pack frame 200 may have a hollow shape that is open in the stacking direction.

[0205] The structure of the pack frame 200 may vary. For example, as shown in Fig. 14, the pack frame 200 may include a lower frame 210 and an upper frame 220. Here, the lower frame 210 is provided in a plate shape, and the upper frame 220 is provided in a U-shape. At least one battery module 100 is disposed on the plate-shaped lower frame 210, and the U-shaped upper frame 220 is provided to surround the top surface of the module assembly and two sides on the x-axis.

[0206] The pack frame 200 may include a portion with high thermal conductivity to quickly release heat generated from the internal space to the outside. For example, at least a portion of the pack frame 200 may be made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, gold, silver, copper, platinum, or an alloy containing these. In addition, the pack frame 200 may be partially electrically insulating, and an insulating film may be provided or an insulating paint may be applied to a location where insulation is required. The portion of the pack frame 200 to which the insulating film or insulating paint is applied may be referred to as an insulating portion.

[0207] A resin layer 300 is provided between the battery module 100 and the inner surface of the pack frame 200. The resin layer 300 is provided between the bottom surface of the battery module 100 and the lower frame 210. The resin layer 300 is provided between the top surface of the battery module 100 and the upper frame 220. Specifically, the resin layer 300 is provided between a cooling member 500 (described later) and the upper frame 220.

[0208] The resin layer 300 may be formed by injecting a resin between the battery cell stack 120 and one side of the inner surface of the pack frame 200. However, this is not necessarily the case, and the resin layer 300 may also be a member provided in a plate shape.

[0209] The resin layer 300 may be made of various materials, and its functions vary depending on the material. For example, the resin layer 300 may be made of an insulating material, which may prevent electron transfer between the battery module 100 and the pack frame 200. As another example, the resin layer 300 may be made of a thermally conductive material. The resin layer 300 made of a thermally conductive material may transfer heat generated from the battery cells 110 to the pack frame 200, thereby dissipating / transferring the heat to the outside. As yet another example, the resin layer 300 may include an adhesive material, which may fix the battery module 100 and the pack frame 200 to each other. As a specific example, the resin layer 300 may include at least one of a silicone-based material, a urethane-based material, and an acrylic-based material.

[0210] The end plates 400 serve to protect the battery modules 100 and the electrical components connected thereto from external physical impacts by sealing the open sides of the pack frame 200. Each corner of the end plate 400 can be connected to a corresponding corner of the pack frame 200 by welding or other methods. Two end plates 400 are provided to seal the two open sides of the pack frame 200, and are made of a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0211] The end plate 400 has openings 410 for exposing the inlet / outlet ports 530 of the cooling member 500 described later, and is fitted with connectors 420 for LV (Low voltage) connection or HV (High voltage) connection with external devices.

[0212] The cooling member 500 is for cooling the inside of the battery pack 1000 by dissipating heat generated from the battery cells 110. For an explanation of the cooling member 500, please refer to the above contents.

[0213] Meanwhile, although the battery pack 1000 of this embodiment has been described as including a cell block type battery module 100, this is not necessarily limited thereto, and the battery pack 1000 may also include a battery module provided in a structure sealed by a module frame.

[0214] When the battery pack 1000 includes a battery module having a closed structure in this manner, the cooling member 500 may be located within the module frame of the battery module, specifically, between the battery cell stack 120 and the module frame. Alternatively, the cooling member 500 may be located outside the module frame of the battery module, specifically, between the battery module having a closed structure and the pack frame 200.

[0215] Meanwhile, although not specifically mentioned above, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention may additionally include a battery management system (BMS) that manages the temperature, voltage, etc. of the battery and / or a cooling device.

[0216] Furthermore, the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to various devices. For example, the device to which the battery pack is applied may be a means of transportation such as an electric bicycle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, etc. However, the above-mentioned devices are not limited thereto, and the battery pack according to the present embodiment may be used in various devices other than the above-mentioned examples, and this also falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0217] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0218] 100: Battery module 110: Battery cell 120: Battery cell stack 130: Side plate 140: Holding strap 150: Busbar frame 200: Pack Frame 300: Resin layer 400: End plate 500: Cooling material 510: Upper plate 520: Lower plate 521: Opening 522: Lower plate outer shell fastening part 524: Lower plate joint fastening part 526: Lower plate flow path forming fastening part 528: Lower plate deformation prevention fastening part 530: Inlet port / outlet port 532: Inlet port 534: Exit port 540: Sealed part 550: Groove 554: Binding groove 556: Flow path forming groove 558: Deformation prevention groove 560: Fastening part 562: Outer shell fastening part 564: Joint fastening part 566: Flow path forming fastening part 568: Deformation prevention fastening part 570: Bay 571: Upper bay 572: Lower bay 574: First Bay 576: Second Bay 578: Third Bay 580: Cover film 582: Film outer casing fastening part 584: Film joint fastening part 586: Film flow path forming fastening part 588: Film deformation prevention fastening part 590: Sealing material 592: Strip-shaped sealing member 594: Ring-shaped sealing member 1000: Battery pack

Claims

1. A cooling member including an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, A sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, A coupling groove is formed on the inner side of the sealing portion, A fastening portion is formed on the outside of the sealing portion, the fastening portion being connected by a fastening member. The internal space is located inside the coupling groove. Cooling material.

2. a sealing member is disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate on which the sealing portion is formed; The cooling element according to claim 1 .

3. a first recess formed in the coupling groove, the first recess being formed by the upper plate being inserted into the lower plate or the lower plate being inserted into the upper plate; The cooling element according to claim 1 .

4. The cooling member is formed with a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water. The cooling element according to claim 1 .

5. A cooling member including an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, A sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, A coupling groove is formed on the inner side of the sealing portion, A fastening portion is formed on the outside of the sealing portion, the fastening portion being connected by a fastening member. The cooling member is formed with a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water, a second recess formed in the flow path forming groove by inserting the upper plate into the lower plate or by inserting the lower plate into the upper plate; Cooling material.

6. The cooling member has a deformation prevention groove formed therein to prevent deformation of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water. The cooling element according to claim 1 .

7. a third recess formed in the deformation prevention groove when the upper plate is inserted into the lower plate or when the lower plate is inserted into the upper plate; The cooling element according to claim 6 .

8. the cooling member has an indentation formed by inserting the upper plate into the lower plate or by inserting the lower plate into the upper plate; the indentation has a depth, and the direction in which the depth extends is perpendicular to the direction in which the cooling water flows inside the cooling member. The cooling element according to claim 1 .

9. the indentation includes an upper indentation formed by deformation of the upper plate and a lower indentation formed by deformation of the lower plate, the lowest point of the upper surface of the upper indentation is located below the upper surface of the lower plate where the indentation is not formed; The cooling element according to claim 8 .

10. the lowest point of the upper surface of the upper indentation is located below the lower surface of the lower plate where the indentation is not formed; The cooling element according to claim 9.

11. A cooling member including an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, A sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate, A coupling groove is formed on the inner side of the sealing portion, A fastening portion is formed on the outside of the sealing portion, the fastening portion being connected by a fastening member. the cooling member has an indentation formed by inserting the upper plate into the lower plate or by inserting the lower plate into the upper plate; the indentation has a depth, and the direction in which the depth extends is perpendicular to the direction in which the cooling water flows inside the cooling member; the indentation includes an upper indentation formed by deformation of the upper plate and a lower indentation formed by deformation of the lower plate, the maximum outer diameter of the upper indentation portion is greater than the minimum inner diameter of the lower indentation portion; Cooling material.

12. The lower plate includes at least two materials having different physical properties. The cooling element according to claim 1 .

13. the cooling member further includes an inlet port for injecting cooling water into an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, and an outlet port for discharging cooling water from the internal space; the inlet and outlet ports are connected to an external heat exchanger; Cooling water for the cooling member circulates through the inlet port and the outlet port. The cooling element according to claim 1 .

14. A cooling member located on top of a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, The cooling member includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and cooling water contained in an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, the lower plate includes an opening; The upper surface of the lower plate is covered by a cover film of the lower plate; The outer shape of the cover film is substantially the same as the outer shape of the lower plate, The cover film is made of a material having a lower melting point than the lower plate, The cover film melts at a predetermined temperature or higher to open the opening of the lower plate. Cooling material.

15. The cover film is attached to the lower plate. The cooling element according to claim 14.

16. The thickness of the cover film is 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. The cooling element according to claim 14.

17. The cover film is made of one or more materials selected from high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyphenylene oxide (PPO); The cooling element according to claim 14.

18. a sealing portion is formed on the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate; An outer fastening part is formed on the outside of the sealing part. The cooling element according to claim 14.

19. a strip-shaped sealing member is positioned between the upper plate and the lower plate on which the sealing portion is formed; The cooling element according to claim 18.

20. A coupling groove is formed on the inner side of the sealing portion to complement the coupling between the upper plate and the lower plate. The cooling element according to claim 18.

21. A coupling fastening portion is formed in at least a portion of the coupling groove. The cooling element according to claim 20.

22. a ring-shaped sealing member is disposed between the cover film having the fastening portion and the upper plate; The cooling element according to claim 21.

23. The cooling member is formed with a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water. The cooling element according to claim 14.

24. a flow path forming fastening portion is formed in a part of the flow path forming groove, a ring-shaped sealing member is positioned between the cover film having the flow path forming fastening portion and the upper plate; The cooling element according to claim 23.

25. The cooling member has a deformation prevention groove formed therein to prevent deformation of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water. The cooling element according to claim 14.

26. A deformation prevention fastening portion is formed in a part of the deformation prevention groove, a ring-shaped sealing member is positioned between the cover film having the deformation prevention fastening portion and the upper plate; The cooling element of claim 25.

27. The cooling member has a groove formed therein. The grooves include a coupling groove for complementing the coupling between the upper plate and the lower plate, a flow path forming groove for guiding the flow of cooling water, or a deformation prevention groove for preventing deformation of the shape of the cooling member due to the inflow of cooling water, and a clinching coupling is formed in at least a part of the grooves. The cooling element according to claim 14.

28. the cooling member further includes an inlet port for injecting cooling water into an internal space formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, and an outlet port for discharging cooling water from the internal space; the inlet port and the outlet port are connected to an external heat exchanger; Cooling water for the cooling member circulates through the inlet port and the outlet port. The cooling element according to claim 14.

29. A battery module comprising the cooling member according to any one of claims 1 to 28.

30. A battery pack comprising the cooling member according to any one of claims 1 to 28.

31. The battery pack includes a battery module having a moduleless structure.

31. The battery pack of claim 30.

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