Battery assembly, battery pack including the same, and vehicle

Abstract

A battery assembly, a battery pack including the battery assembly, and a vehicle are disclosed. The battery assembly according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of stacked cell units each including at least one battery cell, and a support structure configured to support the plurality of cell units and maintain the stacked state of the plurality of cell units, the support structure including a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a transport structure used for transporting the plurality of cell units.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Applications Nos. 10-2022-0089871, 10-2022-0089905, 10-2022-0089906, and 10-2022-0089909, filed on July 20, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0055792, filed on April 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in their specifications and drawings.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery assembly, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle, and more particularly to a battery assembly applicable to a battery pack manufactured by a cell-to-pack (CTP) method, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle. [Background technology]

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

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

[0005] However, as disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2379227 and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0052183, existing technologies manufacture battery packs by accommodating battery cells in a box-shaped metal case to form a battery module, and then accommodating this battery module in a battery pack case. This increases the weight and volume of the entire battery pack and reduces the energy density of the battery pack.

[0006] In contrast, when the existing cell-to-pack (CTP) method is used to directly mount multiple battery cells into a battery pack case to increase the energy density of the battery pack, it is difficult to handle multiple battery cells at the same time, and there is a risk of the battery cells being damaged during the mounting process.Furthermore, the existing CTP method has the problem that the battery cell mounting structure is redundantly positioned inside the case, which does not significantly reduce the weight and volume of the battery pack and increases manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery assembly that reduces the overall weight and volume of an electric device including a plurality of battery cells and increases the energy density of the electric device, and a battery pack and a vehicle including such a battery assembly.

[0008] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery assembly that makes it easy to handle and install battery cells while preventing damage to the battery cells that may occur during the process of installing multiple battery cells in a case and using the battery assembly, and a battery pack and vehicle that include such a battery assembly.

[0009] Yet another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery assembly that can reduce manufacturing costs by simplifying and reducing the weight of a structure required for mounting battery cells, and a battery pack and a vehicle including such a battery assembly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A battery assembly according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of stacked cell units, each containing at least one battery cell, and a support structure configured to support the plurality of cell units and maintain the stacked state of the plurality of cell units, the support structure including a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a transport structure used to transport the plurality of cell units.

[0011] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cell units includes a slot into which the at least one battery cell is fitted and an opening through which an electrode lead of the at least one battery cell fitted in the slot is exposed, and may further include a cell cover that covers the at least one battery cell fitted in the slot.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cell cover may further include at least one vent portion configured to exhaust gas from at least one battery cell fitted in the slot.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cell units may further include a bus bar electrically connected to the electrode lead, and a bus bar frame disposed in the opening of the cell cover to support the bus bar.

[0014] In one embodiment, the support structure may include a first sidewall arranged adjacent to a first cell unit located at the outermost edge on one side of the plurality of cell units, a second sidewall arranged adjacent to a second cell unit located at the outermost edge on the other side of the plurality of cell units, and an integrated end cover having one end connected to the first sidewall and the other end connected to the second sidewall, and configured to collectively cover the openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units.

[0015] In one embodiment, the integrated end cover includes a main body portion covering the opening and a support portion extending from the main body portion to the lower end side of the plurality of cell units and supporting the lower end of the plurality of cell units, and the transportation structure connected to the connection portion of the support structure can be configured to be positioned on the upper end side of the plurality of cell units.

[0016] In one embodiment, the integrated end cover may be provided with vent holes for gas discharge in portions of the integrated end cover that correspond to the openings, respectively.

[0017] In one embodiment, the support structure may further include a support band having one end closely attached to the first sidewall and the other end closely attached to the second sidewall, supporting the plurality of cell units.

[0018] In one embodiment, the coupling portions of the support structure may be provided at both ends of the support band and configured to be detachably coupled to the transport structure.

[0019] In one embodiment, the carrying structure may include at least one handle and may be configured to be coupled to the coupling portion of the support structure.

[0020] In one embodiment, the carrying structure may include a coupling frame coupled to and supporting the at least one handle, the coupling frame being detachably coupled to the coupling portion of the support structure.

[0021] In one embodiment, the connecting frame may include a main frame to which the at least one handle is connected, and a sub-frame having one end connected to the main frame and the other end detachably connected to the connecting portion of the support structure.

[0022] In one embodiment, the at least one battery cell may be comprised of a pouch-type secondary battery.

[0023] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention includes a battery assembly according to at least one of the above-described embodiments.

[0024] A vehicle according to yet another aspect of the present invention includes a battery assembly according to at least one of the above-described embodiments. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the present invention, multiple battery cells are configured into a single battery assembly that can be handled simultaneously using a simplified support structure, thereby making it easier to handle the battery cells while reducing the overall weight and volume of an electrical device that includes multiple battery cells and increasing the energy density of the electrical device.

[0026] Furthermore, since the support structure includes a connecting portion configured to be connectable to a transport structure used to transport the plurality of cell units, handling, transport, and installation of the battery assembly can be facilitated, and manufacturing efficiency can be increased.

[0027] Furthermore, since the transport structure is configured to be detachable from the support structure, the battery pack and electrical device to which the battery assembly is attached can be simplified and made lighter.

[0028] Furthermore, instead of housing multiple battery cells in a separate case and then reattaching them to the case of the electrical device, the multiple battery cells are only partially covered by a cell cover with a simplified structure and are directly attached to the case of the electrical device, thereby further reducing the overall weight and volume of the electrical device and further improving the energy density of the battery pack. This also prevents damage to the battery cells that occurs during the process of directly attaching the multiple battery cells to the case and using them, and makes it easy to control swelling of the battery cells and design a gas vent path.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be clear to those skilled in the art from the following description that the various embodiments of the present invention can solve various technical problems not mentioned above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a battery assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the battery assembly shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a cell unit of a battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the cell unit shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a diagram showing a cell cover of the cell unit shown in FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the A1 region of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a structure for transporting the battery assembly shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a battery assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9 is a diagram showing the battery assembly shown in FIG. 8 with the transport structure removed. [Figure 10] 9 is a view showing a support band of the battery assembly shown in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a battery assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 11 shows the battery assembly shown in FIG. 10 with the transport structure removed. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 illustrates a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] In order to clarify the solution to the technical problem of the present invention, the following embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, when describing the present invention, if it is deemed that a description of known technologies related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the description of such technologies may be omitted. Furthermore, the terms used in describing the present invention are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, and these terms may vary depending on the intentions or practices of designers, manufacturers, etc. Therefore, it is appropriate that the definitions of the terms described below be defined in light of the overall content of this specification.

[0032] For reference, terms and phrases indicating directions in this specification are based on the components shown in the accompanying drawings and have relative meanings that may change depending on the actual attitude and position of the components.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a battery assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the battery assembly 100 shown in FIG.

[0035] 1 and 2, a battery assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cell units 110 and a support structure 120. Depending on the embodiment, the battery assembly 100 may further include a transport structure 130.

[0036] The plurality of cell units 110 each include at least one battery cell and are configured to be stacked in the width direction (Y-axis direction). As will be described again later, each cell unit 110 may include at least one battery cell that serves as a basic unit for charging and discharging, and a cell cover that partially covers and supports the battery cell.

[0037] The support structure 120 is configured to support the plurality of cell units 110 and maintain a stacked state of the plurality of cell units 110. The support structure 120 may also include a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a transport structure used to transport the plurality of cell units.

[0038] In one embodiment, the support structure 120 may include sidewalls 122 and integrated end covers 124. Such sidewalls 122 and integrated end covers 124 may be positioned along the periphery of the stacked cell units 110 in the lateral direction.

[0039] In one embodiment, the support structure 120 may also include a pair of sidewalls 122 and integrated end covers 124 .

[0040] In this case, the sidewalls 122 can be configured to support the multiple cell units 110, with one side positioned at each end of the multiple cell units 110, based on the width direction (Y-axis direction) or stacking direction of the multiple cell units 110.

[0041] That is, the first sidewall of the pair of sidewalls can be arranged adjacent to the first cell unit located at the outermost edge on one side of the plurality of cell units 110, and the second sidewall can be arranged adjacent to the second cell unit located at the outermost edge on the other side of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0042] The sidewalls 122, together with the integrated end cover 124 described below, tightly seal the multiple cell units 110 together to form a single cell unit block that can be handled simultaneously. In this case, the sidewalls 122 can distribute pressure applied to the multiple cell units 110 evenly across the entire cell unit 110.

[0043] Such sidewalls 122 may be made from a metal material including aluminum or stainless steel, or may be made from a material that combines metal and polymeric synthetic resin using insert molding.

[0044] The integrated end cover 124 may be arranged at each end of the plurality of cell units 110 based on the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of cell units 110. Furthermore, the integrated end cover 124 may be configured such that one end thereof is connected to the first sidewall and the other end thereof is connected to the second sidewall, and so as to collectively cover the openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0045] For this purpose, the sidewall 122 may include connecting portions 122a provided at both ends thereof and connected to one end or the other end of the integrated end cover 124. Correspondingly, the integrated end cover 124 may include a main body portion that covers the openings of the plurality of cell units 110 and a corresponding connecting portion 124a that extends from the main body portion and is connected to the connecting portion 122a of the sidewall 122.

[0046] In one embodiment, the integrated end cover 124 may be provided with vent holes 124b for discharging gas generated from the battery cells of each cell unit at portions of the integrated end cover 124 corresponding to the openings of the multiple cell units 110.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the integrated end cover 124 may include a support portion 124c that extends from the main body toward the lower ends of the cell units 110 and supports the lower ends of the cell units 110.

[0048] Such an integrated end cover 124 may be made of a metal material, including aluminum or stainless steel, or a polymeric synthetic resin, or may be made of a material that combines metal and polymeric synthetic resin using insert molding.

[0049] In this way, by applying the integrated end cover 124, which supports the cell unit and integrally covers the opening of the cell unit, to the battery assembly 100, it is possible to omit the individual end covers applied to each cell unit, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the battery assembly.

[0050] The transport structure 130 includes at least one handle and is configured to be removably attached to the support structure 120. The transport structure 130 attached to the support structure 120 can be configured to be positioned on the upper end side of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0051] To this end, each sidewall 122 included in the support structure 120 may include a connecting portion 112b provided at its upper end and releasably connected to a portion of the carrying structure 130. In this case, the carrying structure 130 may be connected to the connecting portion 112b of the corresponding sidewall 122 in a variety of ways that facilitate connection and separation.

[0052] Such a transport structure 130 can be configured to be held by an operator who transports the battery assembly 100, or to be connected to a predetermined transport device that lifts and transports the battery assembly 100. In addition, the transport structure 130 can be made of a metal material, a polymer synthetic resin, or a combination of these materials that have a predetermined strength.

[0053] As will be described later, the transport structure 130 can be detached from the battery assembly 100 after transporting and installing the battery assembly 100.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a cell unit 110 of a battery assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 3, the cell unit 110 may include a cell cover 112 that partially covers and supports at least one battery cell, holding it in an upright position.

[0056] The cell cover 112 may include vents 112c provided at various positions to discharge gas in a desired direction. The vents 112c may be formed on the outer surface of the cell cover 112 and configured to be ruptured by gas in a battery cell located inside the cell unit 110. For example, the vents 112c may be provided by forming notches or grooves of various shapes on the upper end of the cell cover 112.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the cell unit 110 shown in FIG.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 4 , the cell unit 110 may include at least one battery cell 200 and a cell cover 112 .

[0059] The battery cell 200 corresponds to the most basic rechargeable secondary battery, and may be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte inside a case and sealing the case. The electrode assembly may be manufactured by sandwiching a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

[0060] The battery cell 200 may be a pouch-type secondary battery having a predetermined length and height. Electrode leads 202 electrically connected to the electrode assembly may be provided at both ends of the battery cell 200 in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction).

[0061] The cell cover 112 may be configured to partially cover and support at least one battery cell 200 and hold it in an upright position.

[0062] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the cell cover 112 may be configured to partially cover and support three battery cells stacked on top of each other, and to hold the battery cells in an upright state.

[0063] For this purpose, the cell cover 112 may be configured to cover at least one battery cell 200 inserted into the slot 112a, and to have a slot 112a into which at least one battery cell 200 is inserted and an opening 122b through which the electrode lead 202 of the at least one battery cell 200 inserted into the slot 112a is exposed.

[0064] As described above, the cell cover 112 may also include at least one vent portion 112c for discharging gas from at least one battery cell 200 fitted in the slot 112a.

[0065] The height L1 of the cell cover 112 (or the depth L1 of the slot 112a) may be configured to be greater than the height L2 of the battery cell 200 in an upright state. As a result, the extra space created inside the slot 112a of the cell cover 112 in which the battery cell 200 is fitted can be used as a gas discharge passage.

[0066] Figure 4 assumes that the number of battery cells covered by one cell cover 112 is three, but the number of battery cells covered by the cell cover 112 can be changed in a variety of ways depending on the scale of the cell cover 112.

[0067] In one embodiment, the cell unit 110 may further include a bus bar 114 electrically connected to the electrode lead 202 of the battery cell 200 inserted into the cell cover 112, and a bus bar frame 116 positioned in the opening 122b of the cell cover 112 and supporting the bus bar 114.

[0068] The cell unit 110 may further include an insulating cover 118 disposed between the bus bar frame 116 and the integrated end cover 124 to prevent short circuits of the bus bars 114. The insulating cover 118 may be made of insulating polymer synthetic resin.

[0069] FIG. 5 shows the cell cover 112 of the cell unit shown in FIG.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the cell cover 112 may be configured in an "n" or "u" shape that surrounds three sides of the at least one battery cell.

[0071] The cell cover 112 may include a first cover portion C1 covering one side of at least one battery cell, a second cover portion C2 covering the other side of the at least one battery cell, and a third cover portion C3 connecting the first cover portion C1 and the second cover portion C2 and covering an upper peripheral portion of the at least one battery cell.

[0072] A slot 112a into which the at least one battery cell is fitted and an opening 122b from which an electrode lead of the at least one battery cell fitted in the slot 112a is exposed may be provided between the first cover portion C1 and the second cover portion C2. The above-mentioned vent portion 112c for discharging gas may be provided in the third cover portion C3 of the cell cover 112.

[0073] In one embodiment, the cell cover 112 may further include a blocking portion 112d provided at the entrance of the slot 112a to prevent removal of the battery cell inserted in the slot 112a. The blocking portion 112d may be configured to protrude from the ends of the first cover portion C1 and the second cover portion C2 toward the entrance of the slot 112a.

[0074] The cell cover 112 may be integrally formed, and in this case, the cell cover 112 may be manufactured using a sheet metal processing process or an injection molding process.

[0075] In this way, the cell cover 112 with a simplified structure is made of a metal material with higher rigidity than the battery cell case, and can protect the battery cell covered by the cell cover from external impacts and vibrations.

[0076] 3 to 5, the cell unit 110 may further include a clamp member configured to clamp the cell cover 112. In this case, the clamp member may be configured to clamp the cell cover 112 in which at least one battery cell is fitted, to prevent the gap between the first cover portion C1 and the second cover portion C2 of the cell cover 112 from widening or the battery cell fitted in the cell cover 112 from coming off the cell cover 112. Such a clamp member may be made of tape or a band-shaped metal material.

[0077] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the A1 region of FIG.

[0078] 6, the sidewalls 122 and the integrated end cover 124 included in the support structure 120 of the battery assembly 100 may be connected to each other to support a plurality of cell units 110. To this end, the connection portions 122a of the sidewalls 122 may have insertion grooves into which the corresponding connection portions 124a of the integrated end cover 124 are inserted.

[0079] The corresponding connection portion 124a of the integrated end cover 124 can be inserted into an insertion groove provided in the connection portion 122a of the sidewall 122, and then fixed to the connection portion 122a of the sidewall 122 by a fastening member S1 such as a screw or bolt.

[0080] Furthermore, the support portion 124c of the integrated end cover 124 may be configured to extend from the main body of the integrated end cover 124 toward the lower ends of the plurality of cell units 110 and support the lower ends of the plurality of cell units 110. In this case, the support portion 124c of the integrated end cover 124 may be configured to support the bus bar frame of the cell unit 110 described above.

[0081] FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a structure 130 for transporting the battery assembly shown in FIG.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 7, the carrying structure 130 may be configured to be removably attached to the support structure 120 described above.

[0083] To this end, the carrying structure 130 may include at least one handle 132 and a coupling frame 134 that supports such handle 132 and is releasably coupled to the support structure 120 .

[0084] The handle 132 may be configured for grasping by an operator or for connection to a transport device.

[0085] The coupling frame 134 may be configured to support the handle 132 and prevent deformation of the handle 132. In addition, the coupling frame 134 may be coupled to a coupling portion 112b provided on the sidewall 122 of the support structure 120 in a manner that allows easy coupling and separation. For example, the coupling portion 112b may be coupled to the coupling portion 112b of the sidewall 122 by a simple fastening member S2 such as a screw or a bolt.

[0086] As described above, the transport structure 130 can be detached from the support structure 120 after the transport and installation of the battery assembly 100 is completed.

[0087] FIG. 8 shows a battery assembly 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] FIG. 9 shows the battery assembly shown in FIG. 8 with the carrying structure 130' removed.

[0089] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a battery assembly 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cell units 110, a support structure 120', and a transport structure 130'.

[0090] Hereinafter, the battery assembly 100' will be described, focusing on the differences from the battery assembly 100 described with reference to FIGS.

[0091] The support structure 120′ is configured to support the plurality of cell units 110 and maintain a stacked state of the plurality of cell units 110. To this end, the support structure 120′ may include sidewalls 122, an integrated end cover 124, and a support band 126.

[0092] The sidewalls 122 and the integrated end covers 124 may be arranged along the periphery of the stacked cell units 110. To this end, the support structure 120′ may include a pair of sidewalls 122 and a pair of integrated end covers 124.

[0093] In this case, the sidewalls 122 can be configured to support the multiple cell units 110, with one side positioned at each end of the multiple cell units 110, based on the width direction (Y-axis direction) or stacking direction of the multiple cell units 110.

[0094] That is, the first sidewall of the pair of sidewalls 122 can be arranged adjacent to the first cell unit located at the outermost edge on one side of the plurality of cell units 110, and the second sidewall can be arranged adjacent to the second cell unit located at the outermost edge on the other side of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0095] The sidewalls 122, together with the integrated end cover 124 described below, tightly seal the multiple cell units 110 together to form a single cell unit block that can be handled simultaneously. In this case, the sidewalls 122 can distribute pressure applied to the multiple cell units 110 evenly across the entire cell unit 110.

[0096] The integrated end cover 124 may be arranged at each end of the plurality of cell units 110 based on the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of cell units 110. Furthermore, the integrated end cover 124 may be configured such that one end thereof is connected to the first sidewall and the other end thereof is connected to the second sidewall, and so as to collectively cover the openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0097] The support band 126 can be configured to support a plurality of cell units 110 by having one end thereof adhered to a first sidewall of the pair of sidewalls 122 and the other end thereof adhered to a second sidewall.

[0098] The transport structure 130' includes at least one handle 132 and is configured to be removably attached to the support structure 120'. The transport structure 130' attached to the support structure 120' can be configured to be positioned on the upper end side of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0099] To this end, the support band 126 of the support structure 120' may have connecting portions 126a provided at both ends thereof to be detachably connected to the carrying structure 130'. In this case, the connecting portions 126a of the support band 126 and the carrying structure 130' may be connected in a variety of ways that allow for easy connection and separation.

[0100] FIG. 10 shows the support band 126 of the battery assembly shown in FIG.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 10, the support band 126 may include one end P1 that is in close contact with a first sidewall located on one side of the plurality of cell units 110, another end P2 that is in close contact with a second sidewall located on the other side of the plurality of cell units 110, and a center P3 that connects the one end P1 and the other end P2 and supports the lower ends of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0102] In addition, both ends P1 and P2 of the support band 126 may be provided with connecting portions 126a that are detachably connected to a transport structure 130'.

[0103] Returning to Figures 8 and 9, the transport structure 130' can be removably attached to the support structure 120' and held by an operator transporting the battery assembly 100', or can be connected to a designated transport device that lifts and transports the battery assembly 100'.

[0104] To this end, the carrying structure 130 ′ may include at least one handle 132 and a coupling frame 134 ′ that supports such handle 132 and is releasably coupled to the support structure 120 .

[0105] The handle 132 may be configured for easy grasping by an operator or connection to a transport device.

[0106] The coupling frame 134' may be configured to be coupled to at least one handle 132 to support the handle 132, and to be coupled to the support structure 120' in a manner that allows easy coupling and separation.

[0107] For this purpose, the coupling frame 134' may include a main frame 134a to which at least one handle 132 is coupled, and a sub-frame 134b having one end coupled to the main frame 134a and the other end detachably coupled to the support structure 120'. In this case, the other end of the sub-frame 134b may be provided with a corresponding coupling portion 134c detachably coupled to the coupling portion 126a of the support band 126.

[0108] For example, the coupling portion 126a of the support band 126 may include a coupling hole, and the corresponding coupling portion 134c of the sub-frame 134b may include a hook that is fitted into the coupling hole of the coupling portion 126a.

[0109] In one embodiment, the carrying structure 130' may include a link unit 136 that is linked to a carrier device that carries the battery assembly 100'. In this case, the link unit 136 may include a ring structure that can be linked to a ring or hook of the carrier device.

[0110] As described above, the transport structure 130' can be removed from the battery assembly 100' after transporting and installing the battery assembly 100'.

[0111] FIG. 11 shows a battery assembly 100'' according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] FIG. 12 shows the battery assembly shown in FIG. 11 with the carrying structure 130'' removed.

[0113] 11 and 12, a battery assembly 100'' according to yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cell units 110, a support structure 120, and a transport structure 130''.

[0114] Hereinafter, the battery assembly 100'' will be described, focusing on the differences from the battery assembly 100 described with reference to FIGS.

[0115] The support structure 120 is configured to support the plurality of cell units 110 and maintain a stacked state of the plurality of cell units 110. To this end, the support structure 120 may include sidewalls 122 and an integrated end cover 124.

[0116] The sidewalls 122 and the integrated end covers 124 may be arranged along the periphery of the stacked cell units 110. To this end, the support structure 120′ may include a pair of sidewalls 122 and a pair of integrated end covers 124.

[0117] In this case, the sidewalls 122 can be configured to support the multiple cell units 110, with one side positioned at each end of the multiple cell units 110, based on the width direction (Y-axis direction) or stacking direction of the multiple cell units 110.

[0118] That is, the first sidewall of the pair of sidewalls 122 can be arranged adjacent to the first cell unit located at the outermost edge on one side of the plurality of cell units 110, and the second sidewall can be arranged adjacent to the second cell unit located at the outermost edge on the other side of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0119] The integrated end cover 124 may be arranged at each end of the plurality of cell units 110 based on the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of cell units 110. Furthermore, the integrated end cover 124 may be configured such that one end thereof is connected to the first sidewall and the other end thereof is connected to the second sidewall, and so as to collectively cover the openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units 110.

[0120] The transport structure 130'' has at least one handle 132 and is configured to be removably attached to the support structure 120'. The transport structure 130'' attached to the support structure 120' can be configured to be positioned on the upper end side of the multiple cell units 110.

[0121] Such a transport structure 130'' can be detachably attached to the support structure 120 and held by an operator transporting the battery assembly 100'', or can be connected to a designated transport device that lifts and transports the battery assembly 100''.

[0122] To this end, the carrying structure 130 ″ may include at least one handle 132 and a coupling frame 134 ″ that supports such handle 132 and is releasably coupled to the support structure 120 .

[0123] The handle 132 may be configured for easy grasping by an operator or connection to a transport device.

[0124] The coupling frame 134'' may be configured to be coupled to at least one handle 132 to support the handle 132, and to be coupled to the support structure 120 in a manner that allows easy coupling and decoupling.

[0125] For this purpose, the coupling frame 134'' may include a main frame 134a to which at least one handle 132 is coupled, and a sub-frame 134d having one end coupled to the main frame 134a and the other end detachably coupled to the support structure 120. In this case, the sub-frame 134d may also be referred to as a bracket.

[0126] Such a sub-frame 134b can be connected to the sidewall 122 and the integrated end cover 124 of the support structure 120 by fastening members such as hooks, screws, or bolts.

[0127] In one embodiment, the carrying structure 130'' may include a link unit 136 that is linked to a carrier device that carries the battery assembly 100''. In this case, the link unit 136 may include a ring structure that can be linked to a ring or hook of the carrier device.

[0128] As described above, the transport structure 130'' can be detached from the battery assembly 100'' after transporting and installing the battery assembly 100''.

[0129] Each of the battery assemblies 100, 100', and 100'' according to the various embodiments described above can be scaled up by increasing the number of cell units 110.

[0130] FIG. 13 shows a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0131] 13, the battery pack 10 may include at least one battery assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention and pack cases 12, 14 that house such battery assembly 100. Although the battery pack 10 is shown in FIG. 13 as including the battery assembly 100 associated with FIGS. 1 to 7, it will be appreciated that the battery pack 10 may include battery assemblies 100′, 100″ according to other embodiments of the present invention in place of or in addition to the battery assembly 100.

[0132] The pack cases 12 , 14 may include a pack tray 12 that houses a plurality of battery assemblies 100 and a pack lid 14 that covers an opening at the top end of the pack tray 12 .

[0133] The pack tray 12 may have a receiving chamber 12a in which the battery assembly 100 is directly placed without a separate case. To this end, the pack tray 12 may include cross beams 12b that divide the internal space thereof into a plurality of receiving chambers.

[0134] Meanwhile, when the battery assembly 100′ shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 is accommodated in the pack tray 12, the wall and bottom surfaces of the accommodation room 12a in which the battery assembly 100′ is accommodated may be provided with mounting grooves into which the support bands 126 of the battery assembly 100 are fitted and placed.

[0135] Meanwhile, when the battery assembly 100 is placed in the corresponding receiving room of the pack tray 12, the transport structure 130 attached to the battery assembly 100 can be removed.

[0136] In one embodiment, the battery pack 10 may further include a control module 16. The control module 16 may include a battery management system (BMS) that manages the charge / discharge operations, state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), etc. of the battery cells included in the battery assembly, and may be installed in the internal space of the pack cases 12, 14.

[0137] The battery pack 10 may further include a switching unit 18. The switching unit 18 may be configured to control an electrical connection between the battery pack 10 and an external circuit. To this end, the switching unit 18 may selectively include a current sensor, a power relay, a fuse, etc.

[0138] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0139] A method for manufacturing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a cell unit manufacturing step, a cell unit block manufacturing step, a transportation structure mounting step, a battery assembly mounting step, and a transportation structure removal step.

[0140] First, in the cell unit manufacturing step, as described above, at least one battery cell 200 is fitted into the slot of the cell cover 112 to provide the cell unit 110 .

[0141] Then, in the cell unit block manufacturing step, a support structure 120 including a pair of sidewalls 122 and a pair of integrated end covers 124 is coupled to a plurality of cell units 110 to support the plurality of cell units 110, thereby providing a cell unit block.

[0142] Thereafter, in the transport structure mounting step, the transport structure 130 is detachably mounted on the support structure 120 to provide the battery assembly 100 .

[0143] Thereafter, in the battery assembly placing step, the battery assembly 100 is carried by an operator or a predetermined conveying device and placed in the corresponding accommodation room of the pack tray 12.

[0144] Then, in the transport structure removal step, the transport structure 130 attached to the support structure 120 of the battery assembly 100 is removed, and the pack leads 14 are connected to the pack tray 12 to close the opening of the pack tray 12.

[0145] In this way, the detachable transport structure is coupled to the cell unit block, which makes it easier to handle and install the battery cells to be installed in the battery pack. Furthermore, after the cell unit block is placed in the pack case 12, the handle unit coupled to the cell unit block is detached, which simplifies and lightens the structure required for installing the battery cells, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0146] FIG. 14 shows a vehicle 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0147] As shown in FIG. 14, a vehicle 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include one or more battery assemblies 100, 100, 100'' according to the various embodiments described above or a battery pack 10 including such battery assemblies 100, 100, 100''.

[0148] In this manner, the battery assemblies 100, 100, 100'' or the battery pack 10 provided in the vehicle 2 can provide the electrical energy required for various operations of the vehicle 2.

[0149] For reference, the battery assembly according to the present invention is applicable to battery packs used in a wide variety of electrical devices and systems in addition to vehicles, and is also applicable to battery modules housed in a separate case in a rack of such battery packs or energy storage systems (ESS).

[0150] As described above, according to the present invention, multiple battery cells are configured as a single battery assembly that can be handled simultaneously using a simplified support structure, thereby making it easier to handle the battery cells while reducing the overall weight and volume of an electrical device that includes multiple battery cells and increasing the energy density of the electrical device.

[0151] Furthermore, since the support structure includes a carrying structure with a handle that can be attached and detached after the battery assembly is installed, the battery assembly can be easily handled, transported, and installed, while the electrical device to which the battery assembly is installed can be simplified and made lighter, thereby increasing manufacturing efficiency.

[0152] Furthermore, instead of housing multiple battery cells in a separate case and then reattaching them to the case of the electrical device, the multiple battery cells are only partially covered by a cell cover with a simplified structure and directly attached to the case of the electrical device, thereby further reducing the overall weight and volume of the electrical device and further improving the energy density of the battery pack. This also prevents damage to the battery cells that occurs during the process of directly attaching the multiple battery cells to the case and using them, and makes it easy to control swelling of the battery cells and design a gas vent path.

[0153] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the embodiments of the present invention can solve various other technical problems in the technical field, as well as in the technical field related to the present invention, other than those mentioned in this specification.

[0154] The present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modified embodiments can be realized within the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered from an illustrative perspective, not a restrictive one. That is, the true technical scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope of equivalents thereto should be construed as being included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 10 Battery Pack 12 Pack Tray 14 Pack lid 16 Control Module 18 Switching Unit 100 Battery Assembly 100' Battery Assembly 100'' Battery Assembly 110 cell units 112 Cell Cover 114 Busbar 116 Busbar frame 118 Insulating cover 120 Support structure 120' support structure 122 Sidewall 124 Integrated End Cover 126 Support Band 130 Structure 130' structure 130'' structure 132 Handle 134 Combined Frame 134' Combined Frame 134'' Combined Frame 136 Link unit 200 battery cells 202 Electrode Lead

Claims

1. a plurality of stacked cell units each including at least one battery cell; a support structure configured to support the plurality of cell units and maintain the stacked state of the plurality of cell units; Including, the support structure includes a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a transport structure used to transport the plurality of cell units, Each of the plurality of cell units includes: a cell cover including a slot into which the at least one battery cell is fitted and an opening through which an electrode lead of the at least one battery cell fitted in the slot is exposed, the cell cover covering the at least one battery cell fitted in the slot; Each of the plurality of cell units includes: a bus bar electrically connected to the electrode lead; a bus bar frame disposed in the opening of the cell cover and supporting the bus bar; further comprising The support structure includes: a first sidewall disposed adjacent to a first cell unit located at the outermost edge of one side of the plurality of cell units; a second sidewall disposed adjacent to a second cell unit located at the outermost edge on the other side of the plurality of cell units; an integrated end cover having one end connected to the first sidewall and the other end connected to the second sidewall, and configured to collectively cover openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units; Including, The integrated end cover includes: a main body portion covering the opening; a support portion extending from the main body portion to lower end sides of the plurality of cell units and supporting the bus bar frames of the plurality of cell units; Including the battery assembly.

2. The cell cover is The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one vent configured to exhaust gas from at least one battery cell fitted in the slot.

3. The transport structure connected to the connection portion of the support structure is The battery assembly according to claim 1 , configured to be located on an upper end side of the plurality of cell units.

4. The integrated end cover includes: The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a vent hole for discharging gas is provided in each of the portions of the integrated end cover corresponding to the openings.

5. The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrying structure includes at least one handle and is configured to be coupled to the coupling portion of the support structure.

6. The carrying structure comprises: The battery assembly according to claim 5 , further comprising a coupling frame coupled to the at least one handle to support the at least one handle, the coupling frame being detachably coupled to the coupling portion of the support structure.

7. The coupling frame is a main frame to which the at least one handle is coupled; a sub-frame having one end connected to the main frame and the other end detachably connected to the connecting portion of the support structure; The battery assembly of claim 6 , comprising:

8. The at least one battery cell 10. The battery assembly according to claim 1, which is composed of a pouch-type secondary battery.

9. A battery pack comprising the battery assembly of any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle comprising a battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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