Highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connector for a battery pack, which includes a terminal pin that serves as an electrical connection path, a housing in which the terminal pin is attached, and a high heat resistant member added to the housing. By adding the high heat resistant member to prevent the connector from melting, it is possible to prevent thermal runaway that occurs inside the battery pack from diffusing to the outside.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 2022-0030664, filed March 11, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway, specifically to a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway that is used as an energy source for devices such as electric vehicles that require high safety. [Background technology]

[0003] Lithium secondary batteries, which have high energy density and excellent lifespan characteristics, are mainly used as energy sources for electric vehicles. However, lithium secondary batteries with high energy density have the risk of explosion due to overheating, and if a fire occurs, it is difficult to extinguish the fire until the entire battery is burned.

[0004] When thermal runaway occurs due to an abnormality in a battery cell inside a battery pack, the battery pack connector adjacent to the electrode lead can be the most vulnerable to flame exposure. Such battery pack connectors can cause secondary damage due to disconnection. Conventional battery pack connectors are made of materials with low heat resistance and melt easily, which can cause the problem of flames caused by thermal runaway spreading to the outside of the battery pack.

[0005] 1 shows a perspective view of a conventional battery pack connector, in which a battery pack connector 200 according to the prior art is located at one end of a battery pack 100.

[0006] The lower end of the battery pack connector 200 according to the prior art is electrically connected to the electrode terminal of the battery module, so that the temperature rises rapidly in the event of a fire. Conventionally, the battery pack connector is made of plastic, so the battery pack connector housing 210 can easily melt when the temperature of the battery pack rises.

[0007] If the housing 210 of the battery pack connector melts, an opening will be created in the pack case through which flames and sparks can escape, which may cause thermal runaway to other battery packs, which is a serious safety issue.

[0008] Patent Document 1 relates to a battery module, which includes a connector exposed to the outside of the battery module for electrical connection with an external device, and the connector includes a metallic connector housing.

[0009] Patent Document 1 is a technology for solving problems caused by static electricity, which is configured to allow static electricity flowing into a battery pack connector to flow out to the ground pin connection part and ground pin through the metal housing outside the connector, and the static electricity flowing into the ground pin is grounded via an external ground line.

[0010] Patent Document 1 does not provide a method for solving the problem of battery pack connectors being damaged during thermal runaway phenomena.

[0011] Patent Document 2 relates to an electronic control device, in which the sealing space between the connector cover and the housing body is sealed by a potting layer without using a special connector or O-ring, thereby improving the waterproof performance between the connector cover and the housing body.

[0012] Patent Document 2 provides a potting layer formed using silicone, epoxy, or urethane inside the housing of the electronic control device, but does not recognize the problem of preventing thermal runaway from the battery cells from spreading.

[0013] As described above, conventional battery pack connectors can have serious problems when thermal runaway occurs due to overheating, but no technology has been provided that recognizes this or can solve this problem. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0014] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 2018-0090572 [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent No. 1418683 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway, which can prevent the battery pack connector, which is vulnerable to flames, from melting when a flame occurs inside the battery pack and suppress the spread of thermal runaway. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] To achieve this object, the connector for a battery pack according to the present invention can include a terminal pin that serves as an electrical connection path, a housing in which the terminal pin is mounted, and a high heat-resistant member attached to the housing.

[0017] The housing may be made of a different material from the high heat resistant member.

[0018] The high heat-resistant member may be manufactured by solidifying a potting liquid made of an insulating material.

[0019] The insulating material may be high temperature resistant silicon or ceramic.

[0020] The housing may include a lower end to which the terminal pin is coupled, a sidewall extending perpendicular to the lower end, and a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when an external terminal is coupled thereto.

[0021] The high heat resistant member may be attached to the entire outer surface of the side wall portion.

[0022] The lower end portion may extend outward from the outer periphery of the side wall portion by a thickness of the high heat resistance member.

[0023] The side wall portion includes an outer wall portion extending vertically from the outer periphery of the lower end portion, and an inner wall portion extending parallel to the outer wall portion at a position spaced inward from the outer wall portion, and the high heat-resistant member may be added between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion.

[0024] The battery pack connector may be for low voltage.

[0025] A first embodiment of a method for manufacturing a battery pack connector includes the steps of adding a potting liquid of an insulating material to a mold, solidifying the potting liquid to manufacture a high heat resistant member, and bonding the high heat resistant member to a housing of the battery pack connector, wherein the high heat resistant member can be bonded to the outer surface of a side wall portion of the housing.

[0026] The step of coupling the high heat resistant member to the housing of the battery pack connector can be performed by an interference fit method or by adding an adhesive material between the housing and the high heat resistant member.

[0027] A second embodiment of the method for manufacturing a battery pack connector includes the steps of preparing a battery pack connector including an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion, and adding a high heat-resistant member to a space between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion, and the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion can be formed along the entire circumference of a lower end portion of the battery pack connector.

[0028] The high heat resistant member can be added by a dispensing method.

[0029] Furthermore, the present invention can also be provided in the form of various combinations of the above means for solving the problems. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] As described above, the battery pack connector according to the present invention includes a high heat-resistant member at the portion that comes into close contact with the battery pack, which allows the high heat-resistant member to maintain its shape when the temperature of the battery pack increases, and also prevents the battery pack connector from melting due to high temperatures.

[0031] In this way, the present invention can provide a battery pack with improved safety by maintaining the shape of the battery pack connector and preventing thermal runaway from being transmitted to the outside of the battery pack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional battery pack connector. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a battery pack to which a battery pack connector according to the present invention is attached; [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack connector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a battery pack connector according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention that will enable a person skilled in the art to easily carry out the present invention. However, in describing the operation principle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, detailed description of related well-known functions or configurations will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed description may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0034] Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for parts having similar functions and actions. Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be connected to another part, this includes not only a direct connection but also an indirect connection via another element therebetween. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, "including a certain element" does not mean that other elements are excluded, but that other elements may also be included.

[0035] Furthermore, descriptions that limit or add specific elements are applicable to all inventions and are not limited to a particular invention unless otherwise specified.

[0036] Furthermore, throughout the description of the present invention and the claims, the singular includes the plural unless otherwise stated.

[0037] Furthermore, throughout the description of the present invention and the claims, unless otherwise specified, "or" includes "and." Therefore, "including A or B" means three cases: including A, including B, or including both A and B.

[0038] The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings and in conjunction with detailed embodiments.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a battery pack to which a battery pack connector according to the present invention is attached, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery pack connector according to the first embodiment.

[0040] 2 and 3, a battery pack connector 200 according to the present invention is mounted on one end of the battery pack 100 and is electrically connected to the terminals of the battery modules inside the battery pack 100.

[0041] The battery pack connector 200 may be a low-voltage connector, which may be used to drive a battery management system or electrical components, or to sense the voltage and temperature of a battery cell.

[0042] The battery pack connector 200 includes terminal pins 211 that serve as electrical connection paths, a housing 210 to which the terminal pins 211 are attached, and a high heat resistance member 230 attached to the housing 210.

[0043] A partition wall 215 is formed inside the housing 210 to which an external terminal is coupled and to prevent deformation of the terminal pin when the external terminal is coupled.

[0044] Terminal pins 211 are mounted in partition wall 215 of housing 210, and the portion where terminal pins 211 are mounted is complex to mold and requires precision. Therefore, housing 210 is preferably manufactured by an injection process, and the material of housing 210 is made of a different type of material than high heat-resistant member 230. For example, since housing 210 must be made of a material that can be injection-molded, it may be made of a plastic with a lower melting temperature than high heat-resistant member 230.

[0045] The high heat resistance member 230 may be manufactured by solidifying a potting liquid made of an insulating material.

[0046] Specifically, the high heat-resistant member 230 is manufactured by pouring a potting liquid into a mold and solidifying it into a desired shape. The high heat-resistant member 230 manufactured in this manner can be assembled into a housing or directly applied to manufacture a battery pack connector.

[0047] The insulating material is a material that does not melt and maintains its shape even at high temperatures of 1,000° C. or higher, and for example, high heat resistant silicon or ceramic can be used.

[0048] The battery pack connector is coupled to an opening formed in the battery pack 100. At this time, the outer surface of the battery pack connector is inserted into the opening to be attached. The battery pack connector 200 shown in Fig. 2 is attached by inserting a high heat-resistant member 230 into the opening. Therefore, even if the temperature of the pack case of the battery pack or the temperature of the lower part of the battery pack connector 200 increases, the part attached to the battery pack 100 is the high heat-resistant member 230, so deformation due to heat can be prevented.

[0049] The housing 210 includes a lower end 212 to which the terminal pins 211 are coupled, a side wall 213 extending perpendicularly to the lower end 212, and a partition wall 215 for preventing deformation of the terminal pins 211 when an external terminal is coupled thereto.

[0050] 3 has a shape that extends outward from the outer periphery of the side wall 213 by a thickness D1 of the high heat-resistant member 230. That is, a distance D2 from the outer periphery 214 of the bottom end 212 to the side wall 213 can correspond to the thickness D1 of the high heat-resistant member 230, so that the high heat-resistant member 230 coupled to the outer surface of the side wall 213 can be supported by the bottom end 212.

[0051] Alternatively, even if the thickness D1 of the high heat resistance member is formed to be thicker than the distance D2 from the outer periphery 214 of the lower end to the side wall portion 213, the high heat resistance member 230 can be supported by the lower end portion 212.

[0052] In a method for manufacturing the battery pack connector according to the first embodiment, a mold is first prepared that can be fitted to the entire outer surface of the side wall portion 213 of the housing. After adding a potting liquid made of an insulating material to the mold, the potting liquid is solidified to manufacture the high heat resistant member 230. When the high heat resistant member 230 manufactured in this manner is coupled to the housing 210 of the battery pack connector, the high heat resistant member 230 is coupled to the outer surface of the side wall portion 213 of the housing.

[0053] The high heat-resistant member 230 is configured to surround the entire outer surface of the side wall portion 213 and has an inner surface that corresponds to the outer surface of the side wall portion 213. Therefore, the entire inner surface of the high heat-resistant member 230 is attached to the entire outer surface of the side wall portion 213 so that the entire inner surface is in complete contact with the entire outer surface of the side wall portion 213.

[0054] Therefore, even if a fire occurs inside the battery pack, the high heat resistance member 230 will not melt or deform, and therefore it is possible to prevent the fire from erupting outside the battery pack.

[0055] In this manner, the step of joining the high heat resistant member 230 to the housing 210 of the battery pack connector 200 can be performed by an interference fit method, or by adding an adhesive material between the housing and the high heat resistant member, and bonding the housing and the high heat resistant member with the adhesive material.

[0056] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a battery pack connector according to the second embodiment.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 4, the housing 210 includes a lower end 212 to which the terminal pins 211 are coupled, a side wall 213 extending perpendicular to the lower end 212, and a partition 215 to prevent deformation of the terminal pins 211 when an external terminal is coupled.

[0058] The battery pack connector according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from the battery pack connector according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in the shape of the side wall and the position where the high heat-resistant member is added.

[0059] The side wall portion 213 includes an outer wall portion 213a extending vertically from the outer periphery of the lower end portion 212, and an inner wall portion 213b extending parallel to the outer wall portion 213a and vertically to the lower end portion 212 at a position spaced inward from the outer wall portion 213a, and a high heat-resistant member 230 is added between the outer wall portion 213a and the inner wall portion 213b.

[0060] A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector according to the second embodiment of this type includes the steps of preparing a battery pack connector including an outer wall portion 213a and an inner wall portion 213b, and adding a high heat-resistant member 230 to the space between the outer wall portion 213a and the inner wall portion 213b, and the outer wall portion 213a and the inner wall portion 213b can be formed along the entire circumference of the lower end portion 212 of the battery pack connector.

[0061] That is, since the high heat-resistant member 230 is added to fill the entire space between the outer wall portion 213 a and the inner wall portion 213 b and solidifies, the high heat-resistant member will not melt or deform even if a flame occurs inside the battery pack. Therefore, when using a battery pack connector with such a high heat-resistant member added, it is possible to prevent a flame from erupting outside the battery pack.

[0062] The high heat-resistant member can be added by various known methods for adding a potting liquid. For example, a dispensing method, which has a very low defect rate and does not require a separate mold, can be used. In addition, the use of the dispensing method can improve productivity by increasing the manufacturing speed of the battery pack connector.

[0063] In this way, by adding a highly heat-resistant member to the battery pack connector attached to the battery pack, the present invention can prevent flames from escaping outside the battery pack in the event of a battery pack fire, thereby preventing thermal runaway from spreading to other battery packs and ensuring user safety.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will be able to make various applications and modifications within the scope of the present invention based on the above content. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 100 battery packs 200 Battery pack connector 210 Housing 211 terminal pin 212 Lower end 213 Side wall 213a Outer wall 213b Inside wall 214 Outer perimeter of lower end 215 Bulkhead 230 High heat-resistant materials D1 Thickness of high heat resistant member D2 Distance from the outer periphery of the bottom edge to the side wall

Claims

1. a terminal pin serving as an electrical connection path; a housing in which the terminal pin is mounted; a high heat resistant member attached to the housing and having a melting temperature higher than that of the housing; Including, The housing includes: a lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled; a sidewall portion extending perpendicular to the lower end portion; a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when an external terminal is connected; Including, The high heat resistant member is attached to the outer surface of the housing on the side where an external terminal is connected.

2. a terminal pin serving as an electrical connection path; a housing in which the terminal pin is mounted; a high heat resistant member attached to the housing and having higher heat resistance than the housing; Including, The housing includes: a lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled; a sidewall portion extending perpendicular to the lower end portion; a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when an external terminal is connected; Including, The lower end portion extends outward from the outer periphery of the side wall portion by a thickness of the high heat resistance member.

3. a terminal pin serving as an electrical connection path; a housing in which the terminal pin is mounted; a high heat resistant member attached to the housing and having higher heat resistance than the housing; Including, The housing includes: a lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled; a sidewall portion extending perpendicular to the lower end portion; a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when an external terminal is connected; Including, The side wall portion includes an outer wall portion extending perpendicularly from an outer periphery of the lower end portion, and an inner wall portion extending parallel to the outer wall portion at a position spaced inward from the outer wall portion, The battery pack connector, wherein the high heat-resistant member is added between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion.

4. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein said housing is made of a material different from that of said high heat resistant member.

5. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the high heat resistant member is manufactured by solidifying a potting liquid made of an insulating material.

6. 6. The battery pack connector according to claim 5, wherein said insulating material is high heat resistant silicon or ceramic.

7. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the high heat resistant member is attached to the entire outer surface of the side wall portion.

8. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the lower end portion extends outward from the outer periphery of the side wall portion by a thickness of the high heat resistance member.

9. The side wall portion includes an outer wall portion extending perpendicularly from an outer periphery of the lower end portion, and an inner wall portion extending parallel to the outer wall portion at a position spaced inward from the outer wall portion, 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the high heat resistant member is added between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion.

10. A method for manufacturing the battery pack connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: adding a potting liquid of insulating material to the mold; solidifying the potting liquid to produce the high heat resistant member; coupling the high heat resistant member to the housing of the battery pack connector; Including, The high heat resistant member is bonded to the outer surface of the side wall portion of the housing.

11. 11. The method for manufacturing a battery pack connector according to claim 10, wherein the step of joining the high heat resistant member to the housing of the battery pack connector is performed by an interference fit method or by adding an adhesive material between the housing and the high heat resistant member.

12. A method for manufacturing the battery pack connector according to claim 3 or 9, providing the battery pack connector including the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion; adding the high temperature resistant member to a space between the outer wall and the inner wall; Including, The method for manufacturing a battery pack connector, wherein the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion are formed along the entire periphery of the lower end portion of the battery pack connector.

13. The method for manufacturing a battery pack connector according to claim 12, wherein the high heat resistant member is added by a dispensing method.

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