Battery pack and automobile including same

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery pack includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies, a support plate configured to support front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assemblies, and a pack housing that houses the battery cell assemblies therein, and a fixing member configured to fix the support plate to the pack housing such that a gap is formed between the support plate and the pack housing supporting the adjacent battery cell assemblies.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0099863, filed on August 10, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack with a simplified structure and a vehicle including the same. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, as the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has grown rapidly and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, satellites, and other products has progressed in earnest, active research has been conducted into high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged.

[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages of being able to be freely charged and discharged since they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, an extremely low self-discharge rate, and a high energy density.

[0005] This type of lithium secondary battery mainly uses a lithium-based oxide and a carbon material as the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively, and includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, an electrode assembly in which the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are arranged with a separator sandwiched therebetween, and an exterior material that encloses and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte solution.

[0006] Meanwhile, lithium secondary batteries are classified according to the shape of the battery case into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is housed in an aluminum laminated sheet pouch. Can-type secondary batteries are further classified according to the shape of the metal can into cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries.

[0007] The pouch of a pouch-type secondary battery can be broadly divided into a lower sheet and an upper sheet covering the lower sheet. The pouch contains an electrode assembly formed by stacking and winding a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. After the electrode assembly is contained, the peripheries of the upper and lower sheets are sealed by heat sealing or the like. Furthermore, electrode tabs extending from each electrode are connected to electrode leads, and an insulating film may be attached to the electrode leads at the portions in contact with the sealing portions.

[0008] As described above, pouch-type secondary batteries have the flexibility of being able to be configured in a wide variety of shapes, and also have the advantage of being able to realize a secondary battery with the same capacity while having a smaller volume and weight.

[0009] Such lithium secondary batteries are used as battery modules or battery packs in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked or laminated on their own or in a cartridge or the like to form a dense structure that can provide high voltage and high current, and then electrically connected together.

[0010] However, such conventional battery packs are disadvantageous in terms of energy density. Typically, in the process of modularizing a plurality of battery cells by accommodating them inside a module case, various components such as the module case or a stacking frame may increase the battery pack's bulk or reduce the space occupied by the battery cells. Furthermore, the space occupied by the components themselves, such as the module case or the stacking frame, as well as the space occupied by the battery cells may be reduced to ensure assembly tolerances for these components. Therefore, the conventional battery pack may have limitations in increasing its energy density.

[0011] In addition, conventional battery packs are disadvantageous in terms of assembly. In particular, manufacturing a battery pack requires first modularizing a plurality of battery cells to form a battery module, and then housing the battery module in a pack case, which complicates the manufacturing process of the battery pack. Furthermore, the process and structure of forming a cell stack using the stacking frame, bolts, plates, etc. may be very complicated.

[0012] Furthermore, in the case of a conventional battery pack, a module case is housed inside a pack case, and battery cells are housed inside the module case, which makes it difficult to ensure excellent cooling performance. In particular, when heat from the battery cells housed inside the module case is dissipated to the outside of the pack case through the module case, cooling efficiency is reduced and the cooling structure may become complicated.

[0013] Furthermore, one of the most important issues in a battery pack is safety. In particular, if a thermal event occurs in one of the battery cells included in the battery pack, it is necessary to prevent the propagation of such an event to other battery cells.

[0014] If the heat transfer between battery cells is not properly suppressed, this may lead to a thermal event in other battery cells included in the battery pack, which may cause a larger problem such as a fire or explosion of the battery pack. Furthermore, an accident such as a fire or explosion in the battery pack may cause serious damage to surrounding lives and property. Therefore, in such a battery pack, a configuration capable of appropriately controlling the above-mentioned thermal event is required. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and more specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack with a simplified structure and a vehicle including the same.

[0016] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention given below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies, a pack housing that houses the plurality of battery cell assemblies therein, a plurality of support plates configured to support both sides of each battery cell assembly housed in the pack housing, and a fixing member configured to fix adjacent ones of the plurality of support plates to the pack housing while forming a gap between adjacent support plates.

[0018] In one embodiment, the fixing member may include a gap forming portion configured to be fitted between adjacent support plates to form the gap.

[0019] In one embodiment, the size of the gap can be configured to correspond to the thickness of the gap forming portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the battery pack may further include a guide member disposed between adjacent support plates and configured to guide insertion of the gap forming portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the fixing members may be provided at one end of the adjacent support plates and at the other end of the adjacent support plates located opposite the one end.

[0022] In one embodiment, at least one of the fixing members provided at the one end and the other end of the adjacent support plates may be configured integrally with the pack housing.

[0023] In one embodiment, at least one of the adjacent support plates may include a recess into which a portion of the fixing member is fitted.

[0024] In one embodiment, the fixing member may further include a side portion that extends from one side of the gap forming portion toward the at least one support plate and is fitted into a recessed portion of the at least one support plate.

[0025] In one embodiment, the side portion may be configured to fit tightly against the inner surface of the recess.

[0026] In one embodiment, the fixing member further includes a pair of side portions, which may be configured to extend from both sides of the gap forming portion toward the adjacent support plate with the gap forming portion sandwiched between the pair of side portions and to be fitted into recesses in the adjacent support plates.

[0027] In one embodiment, the battery pack may further include a compression pad disposed between the respective battery cell assembly and a support plate of the plurality of support plates that supports the respective battery cell assembly.

[0028] Furthermore, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery pack according to any one of the above-described embodiments. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to embodiments of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or a pack cross beam are not required, the space occupied by the module case or the reinforcing members within the pack housing and the space required to ensure tolerances are not required, which allows for more space to be secured within the pack housing for mounting battery cell assemblies, thereby further improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0030] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the support plates that support the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assemblies can be directly fixed to the pack housing via fixing members, so that the arrangement of the battery cell assemblies within the pack housing can be stably maintained without the need for a separate reinforcing member such as a pack cross beam.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to effectively control the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the battery cell assembly due to the gap between the support plates.

[0032] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when an event such as a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in a specific battery cell assembly through the gaps between the support plates, the propagation of thermal runaway and flames between adjacent battery cell assemblies can be prevented or minimized, thereby preventing or minimizing the propagation of thermal runaway and simultaneous multiple fires between multiple battery cell assemblies.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or pack cross beams are not required, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0034] In addition to the above, various other effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in the sections of each embodiment, and explanations of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0035] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention as well as the content of the invention, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters described in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the detailed structure of the battery pack of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram showing a battery cell assembly and a support plate provided in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a view showing a part of a pack housing provided in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 2 is a diagram showing a fixing member provided in the battery pack of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA′ of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a battery cell assembly and a support plate are assembled to the pack housing of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a battery cell assembly and a support plate are assembled to the pack housing of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery pack according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15 is a diagram showing the fixing member shown in FIG. 14. FIG. [Figure 16] 1 illustrates a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventors themselves can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best explain the invention.

[0038] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor at the time of this application.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a detailed structure of the battery pack 10 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a battery cell assembly 100 and a support plate 200 provided in the battery pack 10 of FIG. 1.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, the illustrated X-axis direction may refer to the front-to-rear direction of the battery pack 10 described later, the Y-axis direction may refer to the left-to-right direction of the battery pack 10 that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction on a horizontal plane (XY plane), and the Z-axis direction may refer to the up-down direction that is perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0041] 1 to 3, a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a battery cell assembly 100, a support plate 200, a pack housing 300, and a fixing member 400.

[0042] The battery cell assembly 100 includes at least one battery cell 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the battery cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 110 stacked in one direction (X-axis direction). Here, a battery cell may refer to the most basic secondary battery that can be charged and discharged. Such a battery cell 110 may be composed of a pouch-type battery cell, a cylindrical battery cell, or a prismatic battery cell. For example, the battery cell 110 may be a pouch-type battery cell. Although not shown in detail, an electrode lead may be provided on at least one of both sides of the battery cell 110.

[0043] The battery pack 10 according to the present invention may include a plurality of the above-described battery cell assemblies 100. In this case, the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100 may be arranged side by side along one direction (X-axis direction).

[0044] The support plates 200 are arranged at both ends in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of each battery cell assembly 100 housed in a pack housing 300 described below, and are configured to support both sides of the battery cell assembly 100. The support plates 200 may be made of a material that is heat-resistant and has high rigidity.

[0045] The pack housing 300 is configured to accommodate the battery cell assemblies 100 therein. To this end, the pack housing 300 may include an internal accommodation space for accommodating the battery cell assemblies 100. In addition, the pack housing 300 may be made of a material that is heat-resistant and has high rigidity.

[0046] The pack housing 300 may be constructed as a single unit or as an assembly of multiple components. In one embodiment, the pack housing 300 may be constructed from multiple frames that are connected to each other. That is, the pack housing 300 may be constructed from multiple frames that are connected to each other to form an internal storage space of a predetermined size.

[0047] Specifically, the pack housing 300 may include a side frame 310 , a floor frame 320 , and a top cover 330 .

[0048] The side frames 310 may form the side surfaces of the pack housing 300. For example, the side frames 310 may form the side surfaces of the pack housing 300 in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) and the side surfaces of the pack housing 300 in the left-to-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0049] The floor frame 320 forms the lower part of the pack housing 300 and may be coupled to the lower part of the side frame 310. In this case, the floor frame 320 may be provided with a built-in heat sink (not shown).

[0050] The upper cover 330 may be coupled to an upper portion of the side frame 310 and cover an upper side of the battery cell assembly 100 housed inside the pack housing 300. In this case, a heat transfer material (not shown) may be provided on a lower portion of the upper cover 330.

[0051] The fixing member 400 fixes adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates 200 that support the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100 to the pack housing 300, and is configured to fix the adjacent support plates such that a gap S (see FIG. 6, described below) is formed between the adjacent support plates. In this case, the gap S formed by the fixing member 400 can serve as a buffer space between the adjacent support plates. The fixing member 400 may also be configured to extend in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300. In one embodiment, the fixing member 400 may include an elastic material.

[0052] Meanwhile, the fixing member 400 may be configured to directly fix the support plate 200, which supports the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assemblies 100, to the pack housing 300. For example, the fixing member 400 may fix the support plate 200 by pressing it against the pack housing 300 from above and below (see FIGS. 7 and 8, which will be described later). For example, the fixing member 400 may fix the support plate 200 by pressing it against the floor frame 320 and / or upper cover 330 of the pack housing 300.

[0053] In this case, the lower part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be positioned adjacent to the floor frame 320. Alternatively, the upper part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be positioned adjacent to the upper cover 330. Alternatively, the lower part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be positioned adjacent to the floor frame 320, and the upper part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be positioned adjacent to the upper cover 330. As another example, the lower part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be closely attached to the floor frame 320. Alternatively, the upper part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be closely attached to the upper cover 330. Alternatively, the lower part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be closely attached to the floor frame 320, and the upper part of the battery cell assembly 100 may be closely attached to the upper cover 330. This allows heat generated from the battery cell assembly 100 to be dissipated to the outside of the pack housing 300 via a heat sink provided in the floor frame 320 and / or a heat transfer material provided in the upper cover 330.

[0054] According to this embodiment of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case and a pack cross beam are not required, it is possible to eliminate the space required for the module case and reinforcing members and the space required for ensuring tolerances within the pack housing 300. This makes it possible to secure additional space within the pack housing 300 for mounting the battery cell assemblies 100, thereby further improving the energy density of the battery pack 10.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the support plate 200 that supports the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assembly 100 can be directly fixed to the pack housing 300 via the fixing member 400, so that the arrangement of the battery cell assembly 100 within the pack housing 300 can be stably maintained without the need for a separate reinforcing member such as a pack cross beam.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the battery cells 110 included in the battery cell assembly 100 can be effectively controlled via the gaps S between the support plates 200.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when an event such as a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in a specific battery cell assembly 100, the propagation of thermal runaway and flames between adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 can be prevented or minimized through the gaps S between the support plates 200. This makes it possible to prevent or minimize the propagation of thermal runaway and simultaneous multiple fires between multiple battery cell assemblies 100.

[0058] In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, since reinforcing members such as a module case or pack cross beams are not required, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0059] 4 is a diagram showing a part of pack housing 300 provided in battery pack 10 of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing fixing member 400 provided in battery pack 10 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' in FIG. 2 (more specifically, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 2 cross-sectioned with respect to the XZ plane with line A-A' as the reference).

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 to 6, the fixing member 400 may include a body 410 and a gap forming portion 420.

[0061] The body 410 corresponds to the main body of the fixing member 400 and may have a length corresponding to the length of the support plate 200 .

[0062] The gap forming portion 420 may be configured to be inserted in the vertical direction between adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates 200 that support the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100, thereby forming the gap S. In this case, the fixing member 400 may have a generally "T-shaped" cross section with the gap forming portion 420 protruding from the center portion of the body 410. In addition, the gap forming portion 420 may have a predetermined thickness and protrude from the center portion of the body 410 by an amount corresponding to a predetermined length.

[0063] That is, when the support plates 200 supporting the battery cell assemblies 100 are fixed in the pack housing 300, the gap forming portions 420 of the fixing members 400 may be fitted vertically between the support plates 200 to form the gaps S. In this case, the size of the gaps S may be configured to correspond to the thickness of the gap forming portions 420.

[0064] In addition, with the gap forming portion 420 inserted vertically between the support plates 200, the body 410 of the fixing member 400 can cover the upper or lower end of the gap S to airtightly seal it.

[0065] According to this embodiment, the buffer space between the support plates 200 supporting the different adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 can be more easily and stably formed.

[0066] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing the state in which the battery cell assembly 100 and the support plate 200 are assembled to the pack housing 300 of Fig. 4. At this time, the side frames 310 and the upper cover 330 of the pack housing 300 are not shown in Fig. 7.

[0067] 6 to 8, the battery pack 10 may include a plurality of fixing members 400. That is, the fixing members 400 may be provided at one end of adjacent support plates and at the other end of the adjacent support plates opposite the one end. In one embodiment, the battery pack 10 may include a plurality of pairs of fixing members 400 facing each other in the vertical direction. In this case, the gap forming portions of the pair of fixing members 400 are fitted between the adjacent support plates, and may be configured to be fitted into the upper and lower ends of the support plates 200, respectively, to form the gap S.

[0068] For example, of a pair of fixing members 400 that fix two support plates 200, each supporting a different adjacent battery cell assembly, to the pack housing 300, the gap forming portion 420 of a first fixing member 400 may be fitted upward from the lower ends of the two support plates 200, and the gap forming portion 420 of a second fixing member 400 may be fitted downward from the upper ends of the two support plates 200. In this case, the bodies 410 of the pair of fixing members 400 may airtightly seal the lower and upper ends of the gap S, respectively.

[0069] According to this embodiment, the buffer space between the support plates 200 supporting the different adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 can be more easily and stably formed.

[0070] 2 and 6 to 8, at least one of a pair of fixing members 400 provided at the upper and lower ends of two adjacent support plates 200 can be configured integrally with the pack housing 300.

[0071] In one embodiment, one of the pair of fixing members 400 may be integrally formed with the floor frame 320 of the pack housing 300. In another embodiment, one of the pair of fixing members 400 may be integrally formed with the upper cover 330 of the pack housing 300. In yet another embodiment, one of the pair of fixing members 400 may be integrally formed with the floor frame 320, and the other may be integrally formed with the upper cover 330.

[0072] According to this embodiment, not only can a buffer space be more easily and stably formed between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent different battery cell assemblies 100, but the support plates 200 can also be more stably fixed to the pack housing 300.

[0073] 6 to 8, at least one support plate 200 of adjacent support plates may include a recess 210 into which a portion of a fixing member 400 fits.

[0074] The recessed portion 210 may be configured to be fitted with one end of the fixing member 400 in the vertical direction. Specifically, one end of the body 410 of the fixing member 400 may be fitted with the recessed portion 210 in the vertical direction. To this end, the recessed portion 210 may have a groove structure recessed to a certain depth from the upper or lower end of the support plate 200 standing upright in the vertical direction toward the center of the support plate 200.

[0075] That is, when the support plate 200 that supports the battery cell assemblies 100 is fixed in the pack housing 300, the recessed portions 210 can provide an additional buffer space in addition to the above-described gap S. Specifically, an empty space (vacant space) is formed in the portion of the support plate 200 that corresponds to the recessed portions 210, and the side portion of the body 410 of the fixing member 400 can be coupled to this recessed portion 210, so that the recessed portions 210 can provide an additional buffer space to accommodate the swelling phenomenon of the battery cell assemblies 100.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the battery cell assembly 100 can be controlled more effectively.

[0077] 5 to 8, the fixing member 400 may include a side portion 430 that extends from one side of the gap forming portion 420 toward the at least one support plate 200 and is fitted into the recessed portion 210 of the at least one support plate 200. In this case, the side portion 430 may be configured to be in close contact with the inner surface of the recessed portion 210.

[0078] In one embodiment, the fixing member 400 may include a pair of side portions 430. In this case, the pair of side portions 430 may be configured to extend from both sides of the gap forming portion 420 toward the adjacent support plate 200 and to be fitted into the recessed portions 210 of the adjacent support plate 200, with the gap forming portion 420 sandwiched between the pair of side portions 430.

[0079] The pair of side portions 430 may correspond to the end portions on both sides of the body 410 described above. Specifically, the pair of side portions 430 may be provided on both sides of the gap forming portion 420, with the gap forming portion 420 being sandwiched between the pair of side portions 430. In this case, the pair of side portions 430 may be configured to protrude from the end portions on both sides of the body 410.

[0080] Additionally, each side portion 430 may be configured to fit into a recess 210 in a support plate 200 that supports an adjacent battery cell assembly 100 .

[0081] As a result, when the support plate 200 supporting the battery cell assemblies 100 is fixed in the pack housing 300, the fixing member 400 and the support plate 200 are stably coupled to each other. That is, since the pair of side portions 430 protruding from both sides of the body 410 are coupled to the support plate 200, the gap forming portion 420 protruding from approximately the center of the body 410 can stably form the gap S between the support plates 200.

[0082] According to this embodiment, the buffer space between the support plates supporting the different adjacent battery cell assemblies can be more easily and stably formed.

[0083] 6 to 8, the side portion 430 may be configured to be closely fitted to the inner surface of the recessed portion 210 that is recessed in the vertical direction. That is, the side portion 430 may be configured to be fitted into the recessed portion 210 and be closely fitted to the inner surface of the recessed portion 210.

[0084] In this way, when a gap S is formed between the support plates 200 by the gap forming portion 420, the pair of side portions 430 are fitted into the recesses of the support plates located on both sides of the gap forming portion 420 and are tightly attached to the inner surfaces of the recesses 210, thereby making it possible to further hermetically seal the upper and / or lower sides of the gap S.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the buffer space between the support plates 200 supporting the different adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 can be more easily and stably formed.

[0086] 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a compression pad P. The compression pad P may be configured to be disposed between the battery cell assembly 100 and a support plate 200 that supports the battery cell assembly 100. In one embodiment, the compression pad P may include an elastic material such as sponge, urethane, or silicone. The compression pad P may also include a heat insulating material.

[0087] When viewed from the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of battery cells 110, the compression pad P may be disposed between at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assembly 100 and the support plate 200. For example, the compression pad P may be configured to suppress swelling that may occur in the battery cell assembly 100.

[0088] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively control the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the battery cell assembly 100 through the gap S between the support plates 200 formed by the fixing member 400.

[0089] In addition, by arranging compression pads P between at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell assembly 100 and the support plate 200 to prevent swelling of the battery cell assembly 100, the number of compression pads P can be minimized, thereby simplifying the components of the battery pack 10. As a result, more space can be secured to accommodate the battery cell assembly 100 in the limited internal space of the pack housing 300, and the energy density of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

[0090] Meanwhile, the compression pad P is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiment, and may also be disposed between adjacent battery cells.

[0091] 9 and 10 are diagrams showing a battery pack 12 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] The battery pack 12 according to this embodiment is substantially similar to the battery pack 10 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, a redundant description of the configuration that is substantially the same as or similar to the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0093] 9 and 10, in the battery pack 12, the gap S between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 may be configured to be adjusted in size in accordance with the number of battery cells 110 included in the battery cell assembly 100.

[0094] That is, in the battery pack 12, the gap S can be adjusted according to the capacity of the battery cell assembly 100.

[0095] Specifically, the gap S between the support plates 200 can be adjusted by changing the width (length in the X-axis direction) of the gap forming portion 420 of the fixing member 400.

[0096] 9, when one battery cell assembly 100 is composed of three battery cells 110, a fixing member 400 including a gap forming portion 420 having a width capable of forming a corresponding gap S may be sandwiched between support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100. On the other hand, when one battery cell assembly 100 is composed of five battery cells 110 as shown in FIG. 10, a fixing member 400 including a gap forming portion 420 having a width capable of forming a corresponding gap S may be sandwiched between support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100.

[0097] That is, in the battery pack 12 according to this embodiment, the gap S can be configured to be large when the number of battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100 is large, and the gap S can be configured to be small when the number of battery cells 110 is small.

[0098] As described above, according to the battery pack 12 of this embodiment, the gap S between the support plates 200 can be adjusted according to the capacity of the battery cell assembly 100, which has the advantage of being able to more flexibly deal with swelling that may occur in the battery cell assembly 100.

[0099] 11 and 12 are diagrams showing a battery pack 14 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] The battery pack 14 according to this embodiment is substantially similar to the battery pack 12 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, a redundant description of the configuration that is substantially the same as or similar to the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0101] 11 and 12, the battery pack 14 may further include a guide member 500.

[0102] The guide member 500 may be disposed between adjacent support plates and configured to guide the insertion of the gap forming portion 420 of the fixing member 400 so that the gap forming portion 420 is accurately inserted between the adjacent support plates. In one embodiment, the guide member 500 may include a material having high rigidity and elasticity.

[0103] A hole H into which the gap forming portion 420 can be fitted may be formed in the vertical direction at approximately the center of the guide member 500. At this time, the gap forming portion 420 may pass through the hole H and be fitted between the support plates 200 to form a gap S. In addition, the guide member 500 may be configured to support a side portion of the fixing member 400 (a side portion of the body 410) in the vertical direction.

[0104] In addition, both side surfaces of the guide member 500 may be configured to be in close contact with the side surfaces of the support plate 200 when viewed from the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of battery cells 110.

[0105] Meanwhile, in the battery pack 14, the gap S between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 may be configured to be adjusted in size according to the number of battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100.

[0106] That is, in the battery pack 14, the gap S can be adjusted according to the capacity of the battery cell assembly 100.

[0107] Specifically, the gap S between the support plates 200 can be adjusted by changing the width of the gap forming portion 420 of the fixing member 400.

[0108] For example, when a swelling phenomenon occurs in the battery cell assembly 100, the battery cell assembly 100 may expand in the stacking direction (X-axis direction) of the battery cells 110. In this case, the support plate 200 may bend in the expansion direction of the battery cell assembly 100.

[0109] As described above, the guide member 500 may be disposed between support plates supporting two adjacent battery cell assemblies 100 and may be in close contact with the side surfaces of the support plates. Therefore, the guide member 500 can absorb stress (expansion force) transmitted through the support plates 200. That is, the guide member 500 can reduce stress generated by the swelling phenomenon of the battery cell assemblies 100 and transmitted to the fixing member 400. In particular, the guide member 500 may include a material with high rigidity and elasticity as described above, and therefore can more effectively absorb stress generated by the swelling phenomenon of the battery cell assemblies 100.

[0110] For example, as in FIG. 11 , when one battery cell assembly 100 is composed of three battery cells 110, the gap forming portion 420 of the fixing member 400, which has a width capable of forming a corresponding gap S, can be passed through the hole H of the guide member 500 and inserted between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100.

[0111] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12 , when one battery cell assembly 100 is composed of five battery cells 110, the gap forming portion 420 of the fixing member 400, which has a width capable of forming a corresponding gap S, can be passed through the hole H of the guide member 500 and inserted between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100.

[0112] That is, in the battery pack 14 according to this embodiment, the gap S can be configured to be large when the number of battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100 is large, and the gap S can be configured to be small when the number of battery cells 110 is small.

[0113] Furthermore, in the battery pack 14 according to this embodiment, the guide member 500 can be disposed between the support plates 200 supporting adjacent battery cell assemblies 100. Therefore, even if the number of battery cells 110 constituting the battery cell assembly 100 increases and the stress generated by the swelling phenomenon of the battery cell assembly 100 becomes even greater, the transfer of such stress to the fixing member 400 can be minimized.

[0114] Meanwhile, the hole H of the guide member 500 can be formed to an appropriate size so that the gap forming portion 420 having various widths can pass through.

[0115] As described above, the battery pack 14 according to this embodiment can more flexibly cope with the swelling phenomenon that may occur in the battery cell assembly 100, and can also prevent the fixing member 400 from being damaged by the swelling phenomenon.

[0116] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a battery pack 16 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] The battery pack 16 according to this embodiment is substantially similar to the battery pack 10 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, a redundant description of the configuration that is substantially the same as or similar to the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 13, in the battery pack 16, the pack housing 300 may further include a reinforcing frame 340.

[0119] The reinforcing frame 340 may be a component for reinforcing the rigidity of the pack housing 300. In this case, a floor frame 320 may be disposed below the reinforcing frame 340. Furthermore, both ends of the reinforcing frame 340 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) may be coupled to side frames of the plurality of side frames 310 that are disposed along the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300. When viewed from the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300, the reinforcing frame 340 may be disposed approximately in the center of the pack housing 300.

[0120] The battery cell assemblies 100 and the support plates 200 supporting the battery cell assemblies 100 may be disposed on both sides of the pack housing 300 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) based on the reinforcing frame 340. In this case, in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300, one end of the battery cell assemblies 100 and the support plates 200 may be configured to be adjacent to the side frame 310, and the other end may be configured to be adjacent to the reinforcing frame 340.

[0121] That is, in the battery pack 16 according to the present embodiment, when the length of the battery cells 110 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) is approximately half the length of the pack housing 300 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), by disposing the reinforcing frame 340 inside the pack housing 300, the battery cell assemblies 100 and the support plate 200 can be stably accommodated inside the pack housing 300. In this case, the length of the fixing members 400 extending in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300 can be configured to correspond to the length of the battery cells 110 extending in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0122] Meanwhile, a fire extinguishing material (not shown) may be incorporated into the fixing member 400 according to the present invention. For example, the fire extinguishing material may be a microcapsule in which a high-performance fire extinguishing agent, a fluorinated ketone, is encapsulated in a polymer shell. The fire extinguishing material may be configured to react in a temperature range of approximately 120 to 220°C and discharge the fire extinguishing agent into the gap S.

[0123] In other words, if a fire extinguishing material is built into the fixing member 400, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged into the gap S when the temperature in the gap S rises to a certain temperature range, thereby more effectively suppressing the propagation of thermal runaway and simultaneous multiple fires between adjacent battery cell assemblies.

[0124] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a battery pack 18 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] The battery pack 18 according to this embodiment is substantially similar to the battery packs 10 and 12 described above, and therefore, a redundant description of configurations that are substantially the same as or similar to those of the above-described embodiments will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiments.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 14, the battery pack 18 may include a fixing member 400' of a modified structure that replaces the fixing member 400 described above.

[0127] The fixing member 400′ fixes adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates 200 that support the plurality of battery cell assemblies 100 to the pack housing 300, and may fix the adjacent support plates such that a gap S is formed between them.

[0128] The gap S formed by the fixing member 400' can serve as a buffer space between the adjacent support plates. The fixing member 400' can be configured to extend in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack housing 300.

[0129] FIG. 15 is a view showing the fixing member 400' shown in FIG.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 15, the fixing member 400 ′ may include a body 410 , a gap forming portion 420 and a side portion 430 .

[0131] The body 410 may constitute the main body of the fixing member 400'.

[0132] As described above, the gap forming portion 420 can be configured to be inserted between adjacent support plates in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) to form the gap S described above.

[0133] In this case, the fixing member 400′ may have a generally “L-shaped” cross section with the gap forming portion 420 protruding from one end of the body 410. In this case, the gap forming portion 420 may have a predetermined thickness and may protrude from one end of the body 410 by an amount corresponding to a predetermined length.

[0134] The side portion 430 may be configured to extend from one side of the gap forming portion 420 toward the support plate 200 adjacent to the fixing member 400′ and be fitted into the recessed portion 210 of the adjacent support plate 200. In this case, the side portion 430 may be configured to be in close contact with the inner surface of the recessed portion 210.

[0135] According to this embodiment, the support plate 200 can be easily fixed inside the pack housing 300, and the arrangement of the battery cell assemblies arranged inside the pack housing 300 can be diversified.

[0136] FIG. 16 shows a vehicle 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 16, a vehicle 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes at least one battery pack 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 according to the various embodiments described above.

[0138] In this manner, the battery packs 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 provided in the vehicle 2 can provide the electrical energy required for various operations of the vehicle 2.

[0139] For reference, the battery packs 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 according to the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of electrical devices and systems in addition to automobiles, and can also be applied to energy storage systems (ESS).

[0140] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to these, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of equivalents of the claims.

[0141] Meanwhile, although directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear are used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art of the present invention that these terms are used merely for ease of explanation and may differ depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 2. Automobiles 10 Battery Pack 12 Battery Pack 14 Battery Pack 16 Battery Pack 18 Battery Pack 100 Battery Cell Assembly 110 battery cells 200 Support Plate 210 Depression 300 pack housing 310 Side Frame 320 floor frame 330 Upper cover 340 Reinforcement Frame 400 Fixing member (first fixing member; second fixing member) 400' Fixing member 410 Body 420 Gap forming part 430 Side part 500 Guide member H hole P Compression Pad S Gap

Claims

1. A plurality of battery cell assemblies, each including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a front-to-rear direction and arranged in a line along the front-to-rear direction; a pack housing that accommodates a plurality of the battery cell assemblies therein; a plurality of support plates disposed at both ends of each of the battery cell assemblies housed in the pack housing in the front-rear direction and configured to support both side surfaces of each of the battery cell assemblies; a fixing member configured to fix adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates to the pack housing to form a gap between the adjacent support plates; In a battery pack including: The fixing member includes a body and a gap forming portion protruding from the body, the gap forming portion is configured to be fitted between the adjacent support plates in the vertical direction to form the gap, the body has a length corresponding to a length of the adjacent support plates, and is configured to cover and seal an upper end or a lower end of the gap when the gap forming portion is fitted between the adjacent support plates, At least one of the adjacent support plates has a recess into which a portion of the fixing member is fitted, The fixing member further includes a side portion protruding from the body, the side portion is configured to extend from one side of the gap forming portion toward the at least one support plate and is fitted into a recessed portion of the at least one support plate.

2. The size of the gap is The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is configured to accommodate a thickness of the gap forming portion.

3. The battery pack The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide member disposed between adjacent support plates and configured to guide insertion of the gap forming portion.

4. The fixing member is The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the support plate is provided at one end of the adjacent support plate and at the other end of the adjacent support plate located opposite the one end.

5. At least one of the fixing members provided at the one end and the other end of the adjacent support plates is The battery pack according to claim 4 , which is integrally formed with the pack housing.

6. The side portion is The battery pack according to claim 1 , configured to be in close contact with an inner surface of the recess.

7. the fixing member includes a pair of the side portions, 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the pair of side portions are configured to extend from both sides of the gap forming portion toward the adjacent support plate with the gap forming portion sandwiched between the pair of side portions and to be fitted into recessed portions of the adjacent support plate.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a compression pad disposed between each of the battery cell assemblies and one of the plurality of support plates supporting each of the battery cell assemblies.

9. A motor vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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