Connecting wire and battery pack including same

Abstract

A connecting wire according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conductive members and an insulating member surrounding the conductive members, the insulating member being in a wound form and the conductive members being located on an inner surface of the insulating member around which they are wound.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0112603 dated August 25, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a connecting wire and a battery pack including the same, and more particularly to a connecting wire for HV (High Voltage) connection and a battery pack including the same. [Background technology]

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

[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of these, lithium secondary batteries are attracting attention due to their advantages over nickel-based secondary batteries, such as almost no memory effect, freedom in charging and discharging, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively, and include an electrode assembly in which positive and negative electrode plates coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials are arranged with a separator sandwiched between them, and a battery case that hermetically houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0006] Generally, lithium secondary batteries are classified into can-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which an electrode assembly is housed in a pouch made of an aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the exterior material.

[0007] While secondary batteries used in small devices typically have two or three battery cells, secondary batteries used in medium- to large-sized devices such as automobiles typically use battery modules in which multiple battery cells are electrically connected. These battery modules improve capacity and output by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel to form a battery cell stack. One or more battery modules can also be installed with various control and protection systems, such as a battery disconnect unit (BDU), battery management system (BMS), and cooling system, to form a battery pack.

[0008] As devices equipped with battery packs use high currents and generate more heat, the cross-sectional area of ​​HV wires and HV busbars that perform high voltage (HV) connections in battery packs is increasing. The increased cross-sectional area makes it difficult to achieve bends even when flexible HV wires or flexible busbars are used for HV connections, and it is also difficult to arrange the flexible HV wires or flexible busbars in the available space inside the battery pack. Here, HV connections refer to connections that function as a power source for supplying power, and refer to connections between battery cells or battery modules.

[0009] Therefore, there is a current demand for the development of a hybrid vehicle connection structure that can be freely deformed so that it can be applied to the limited space inside the battery pack. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a connecting wire having increased flexibility so that it can be applied to a limited space inside a battery pack, and a battery pack including the same.

[0011] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and can be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A connecting wire according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conductive members and an insulating member surrounding the conductive members, the insulating member being in a wound form and the conductive members being located on the inner surface of the insulating member around which they are wound.

[0013] The conductive member may include a terminal portion that extends in one direction from the insulating member and is exposed.

[0014] The connecting wire may be formed by winding the insulating member with the conductive members sequentially arranged in a direction from one central end of the insulating member to one outer end of the insulating member.

[0015] The distance between the conductive member closest to the outer end of the insulating member and the outer end of the insulating member is wider than the distance between the conductive member closest to the center end of the insulating member and the center end of the insulating member.

[0016] In the outermost region, the insulating material may be wound one or more times to form an outer insulating shell.

[0017] The conductive member may be a flexible flat cable.

[0018] The conductive member may include a conductor portion and an insulating film surrounding the conductor portion.

[0019] The conductive member may be an electrical conductor.

[0020] The connecting wire may further include a shielding circuit portion located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member and located farther from the winding center of the insulating member than the conductive member.

[0021] The connecting wire may be in a form in which the insulating member is wound in a direction from one end of the insulating member on the central side to one end of the insulating member on the outer side, with the shielding circuit portion spaced apart from the conductive member.

[0022] The shielding circuitry may include a metal layer.

[0023] The connecting wire may further include a short-circuit prevention sheet, which may be located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member and may be located farther from the winding center of the wound insulating member than the conductive member.

[0024] The short-circuit prevention sheet may include a ceramic sheet.

[0025] The short-circuit prevention sheet may include a mica sheet.

[0026] A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the connecting wires, battery modules, and a BDU module, and the connecting wires electrically connect the battery modules or the battery modules and the BDU module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting wire is provided in a form in which a plurality of conductive members are wound around an insulating member, thereby increasing the flexibility of the connecting wire.

[0028] Specifically, since the connecting wire is wound around the insulating member, the gaps inside the insulating member are locally compressed before bending. As described above, the gaps inside the insulating member are compressed before bending, so that the connecting wire can have a bent portion with a smaller radius of curvature.

[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a partial perspective view showing the battery module of FIG. 2 with a module frame and end plates removed. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic view illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 6 is a plan view of the connecting wire of FIG. 5 viewed along direction A. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a conductive member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing a conductive member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view showing a flexible bus bar according to a comparative example of the present invention. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are schematic views illustrating a process of forming a bent portion in a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are schematic views illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13 is a plan view of the connecting wires of FIG. 12 viewed along direction B. FIG. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are schematic views illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 16 is a plan view of the connecting wire of FIG. 15 viewed along the C direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0032] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not necessary for the explanation will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0033] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, thicknesses are exaggerated to clearly show various layers and regions. In the drawings, thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation.

[0034] Furthermore, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is said to be "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly on" that other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly on" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Note that being "on" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being located "on" in the opposite direction of gravity.

[0035] Also, throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain element, this means that it can further include other elements, not excluding other elements, unless otherwise specified.

[0036] Furthermore, throughout the specification, "in a plane" means a view of the subject matter as viewed from above, and "in cross section" means a view of the subject matter as viewed from the side across a vertical cross section.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1 , a battery pack 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a connecting wire 100, a battery module 1200, and a battery disconnect unit (BDU) module 1300. The connecting wire 100 according to this embodiment electrically connects the battery modules 1200 together or between the battery modules 1200 and the BDU module 1300. Specifically, a plurality of battery modules 1200 are housed in a pack frame 1100, and the connecting wire 100 electrically connects the battery modules 1200 together or between the battery modules 1200 and the BDU module 1300. That is, the connecting wire 100 according to this embodiment can serve as an HV (High Voltage) connection. Here, the HV connection is a connection that functions as a power source for supplying power, and refers to a connection between battery cells or between battery modules.

[0039] Meanwhile, the BDU module 1300 is a component for controlling the electrical connection of the battery module 1200, and can cut off the power supply between the power conversion device and the battery module 1200. The BDU module 1300 can ensure the safety of the battery pack 1000 by cutting off the power supply to the battery pack 1000 when a condition occurs in which the current exceeds a set range.

[0040] Meanwhile, the battery pack 1000 according to this embodiment may include a BMS (Battery Management System) module 1400 that monitors and controls the operation of the battery module 1200, and a connecting member 100' that connects the battery module 1200 and the BMS module 1400. The connecting member 100' may serve as a low voltage (LV) connection. Here, the LV connection refers to a sensing connection for detecting and controlling the voltage and temperature of the battery module 1200. Specifically, sensors and the like are disposed inside the battery module 1200, and real-time temperature information and voltage information of the battery module 1200 are transmitted to the BMS module 1400 via the connecting member 100'. The real-time operating status of the battery module 1200 can be monitored and controlled via the BMS module 1400.

[0041] A battery module 1200 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3. However, the battery module 1200 described below is one exemplary structure of a battery module including a plurality of battery cells 11, and various types of battery modules including a plurality of battery cells are applicable.

[0042] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a battery module included in the battery pack of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view showing the battery module of Fig. 2 with a module frame and end plates removed.

[0043] 2 and 3, a battery module 1200 according to this embodiment may include a battery cell stack 11A in which a plurality of battery cells 11 are stacked. The battery cell stack 11A is shown in Fig. 3. The battery cell stack 11A is housed in a module frame 30 and end plates 40.

[0044] The battery cells 11 may be pouch-type battery cells. Such pouch-type battery cells are formed by placing an electrode assembly in a pouch case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and then fusing the outer periphery of the pouch case. Such battery cells 11 have a rectangular sheet structure. Electrode leads 11L connected to the electrode assembly protrude outside the pouch case, and the electrode leads 11L of each battery cell 11 can be electrically connected to each other via a bus bar 21. Meanwhile, at least one electrode lead 11L is connected to a terminal bus bar 22. A portion of the terminal bus bar 22 can be exposed to the outside of the battery module 1200, as shown in FIG. 2 . The connecting wire 100 according to this embodiment is electrically connected to the terminal bus bar 22, thereby achieving the above-described HV connection. That is, the battery module 1200 can be electrically connected to other battery modules 1200 or BDU modules 1300 via the connecting wires 100 connected to the terminal bus bars 22 .

[0045] Hereinafter, a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0046] Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the connecting wire of Fig. 5 viewed along direction A.

[0047] 4 to 6, a connecting wire 100a according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conductive members 200 and an insulating member 300 surrounding the conductive members 200. At this time, the insulating member 300 is in a wound form, and the conductive members 200 are located on an inner surface 300N of the wound insulating member 300.

[0048] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the conductive member 200 is placed on one side of the insulating member 300, and then the insulating member 300 can be wound into a round shape (W). This allows the connecting wire 100a shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to be manufactured. In this case, the inner surface 300N of the insulating member 300 referred to in this specification may correspond to the side of the insulating member 300 on which the conductive member 200 is placed, i.e., the side in the direction in which the insulating member 300 is wound (W).

[0049] More specifically, the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment may be in a form in which the insulating member 300 is wound around the conductive member 200, with the conductive member 200 being sequentially arranged in a direction d1 from a center end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 to an outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300. The center end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 is the first part of the insulating member 300 to be wound and is located at the winding center (WC, see FIG. 6 ) of the wound insulating member 300. The outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 is the last part of the insulating member 300 to be wound and is located at the outermost part of the wound insulating member 300.

[0050] 4 and 5, the conductive member 200 may include exposed terminal portions 200T extending in one direction from the insulating member 300. That is, the conductive member 200 is formed longer than the insulating member 300 in the direction in which the connecting wire 100a extends, and both ends of the conductive member 200 are exposed outside the insulating member 300 to form the terminal portions 200T. There are no particular limitations on the method for forming the terminal portions 200T. For example, the conductive member 200 may be formed longer than the insulating member 300 to naturally form the terminal portions 200T. Alternatively, the conductive member 200 may be surrounded by the insulating member 300, and then portions of both ends of the insulating member 300 may be removed to expose the terminal portions 200T.

[0051] The terminal portions 200T of the conductive members are joined to each other by welding or riveting, and the terminal portions 200T are connected to the terminal bus bars 22 of the battery modules 1200 described above to perform HV connection, which will be described again with reference to the embodiments of Figures 7 and 8.

[0052] For ease of explanation, only both end portions of the connecting wire 100a are shown enlarged in FIGS. 4 and 5, but the connecting wire 100a is in the form of a long continuous wire.

[0053] The insulating member 300 may include an electrically insulating material. For example, the insulating member 300 may include one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The insulating member 300 may also include a predetermined insulating adhesive layer. Here, the insulating adhesive layer may include one or more resins selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin, acrylic resin, melamine resin, polyamide resin, and polyimide resin.

[0054] Meanwhile, to prevent the wound insulating member 300 from unraveling, the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 may be attached and fixed using a method such as adhesive or taping. Alternatively, the insulating member 300 may be fixed by applying a band tie to the outside. Alternatively, the insulating member 300 may be prevented from unraveling by forming an additional insulating coating. However, these are merely exemplary methods, and there are no particular limitations on the method as long as the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 can be fixed.

[0055] 4, the distance Gb between the conductive member 200b closest to the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 and the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 is wider than the distance Ga between the conductive member 200a closest to the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 and the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300. That is, in the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment, the distance Gb between the conductive member 200b and the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 can be intentionally increased. The outermost region of the connecting wire 100a can be configured so that only the insulating member 300 is additionally wound without the conductive member 200. As a result, the insulating member 300 can be wound one or more times in the outermost region of the connecting wire 100a to form an outer insulating portion 300U. In this manner, in this embodiment, by forming an area on the outside where the insulating member 300 is additionally wound, the insulating coating can be easily provided on the connecting wire 100a.

[0056] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the conductive member will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0057] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing a conductive member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 7 , a conductive member 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a flexible flat cable (FFC). That is, the conductive member 200 according to this embodiment may be a cable in which one or more conductor circuit lines are enclosed and sealed in an insulator on the same plane. Specifically, the conductive member 200 may include a conductor portion 210 and an insulating film 220 surrounding the conductor portion 210. The conductor portion 210 may include an electrically conductive material. For example, the conductor portion 210 may include one or more metal materials selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, lead, and aluminum. A plurality of such conductor portions 210 may be provided. The plurality of conductor portions 210 may be arranged at a predetermined distance apart in a width direction d2 of the conductive member 200. The width direction d2 of the conductive member 200 may be perpendicular to the direction in which the conductive members 200 are connected.

[0059] The insulating film 220 may contain, as an electrically insulating material, one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0060] As an example, the conductive member 200 according to this embodiment is a flexible flat cable, and can be manufactured by arranging conductor portions 210 in parallel at a predetermined interval, positioning insulating films 220 above and below the conductor portions 210, and then laminating the insulating films 220.

[0061] That is, the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment may be in a form in which the conductive member 200, which is a flexible flat cable, is disposed on one surface of the insulating member 300, and then the insulating member 300 is wound up.

[0062] 5 and 7, a portion of insulating film 220 is removed in a region of conductive member 200 corresponding to terminal portion 200T, exposing a portion of conductor portion 210. The exposed portion of conductor portion 210 is connected to the terminal bus bar described above.

[0063] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing a conductive member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] 8, the conductive member 200' according to another embodiment of the present invention may be an electrical conductor. That is, the conductive member 200' according to this embodiment may include a metal material having electrical conductivity. For example, the conductive member 200' may be an electrical conductor including one or more metal materials selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, lead, and aluminum. The connecting wire 100a according to another embodiment of the present invention may be formed by placing the conductive member 200', which is an electrical conductor, on one side of the insulating member 300 and then winding the insulating member 300.

[0065] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the advantages of the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment will be described in comparison with a flexible bus bar according to a comparative example of the present invention.

[0066] FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing a flexible bus bar according to a comparative example of the present invention.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 9, a conventional flexible busbar 10 used for HV connections may include a conductor portion 10C and an insulating tube portion 10T surrounding the conductor portion 10C. Unlike the connecting wire 100a according to the present embodiment, a plurality of conductor portions 10C are simply stacked and surrounded by an insulating tube portion 10T. Even if a flexible material is used, there are limitations to achieving a curved portion. In recent battery packs where the utilization of internal space is important, conventional flexible busbars 10 have limitations in adapting to the available space inside the battery pack.

[0068] Meanwhile, FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a process of forming a bent portion in a connecting wire according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Referring to Figures 6 and 10(a) and (b) together, the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment is formed by winding the insulating member 300 with the conductive member 200 placed on the inner surface 300N, so that gaps are generated between the conductive members 200 and inside the insulating member 300.

[0070] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 10(a), a portion of the connecting wire 100a can be locally compressed by utilizing the voids within the connecting wire 100a. Next, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the compressed portion of the connecting wire 100a can be bent to form a bent portion BP in the connecting wire 100a. In other words, the connecting wire 100a according to this embodiment can locally change its cross-sectional shape by utilizing the internal voids, thereby reducing the radius of curvature of the bent portion BP. Compared to conventional flexible busbars 10, the connecting wire 100a can be bent tightly with a small radius of curvature, making it more suitable for application in narrow spaces inside battery packs.

[0071] 6, the insulating member 300 can be wound so that the conductive members 200 do not overlap each other. In other words, each conductive member 200 can be positioned so that it only contacts the wound insulating member 300 and does not contact other conductive members 200. This means that spaces can be secured between the conductive members 200, which can be advantageous in terms of heat dissipation. Because the spaces between the conductive members 200 are advantageous for heat dissipation, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting wire 100a can be made slightly smaller to still pass electricity, which is considered to be an advantageous factor in reducing weight and cost.

[0072] Hereinafter, a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0073] Fig. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 13 is a plan view of the connecting wire of Fig. 12 viewed along direction B.

[0074] 11 to 13, a connecting wire 100b according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conductive members 200 and an insulating member 300 surrounding the conductive members 200. The insulating member 300 is wound, and the conductive members 200 are located on an inner surface 300N of the insulating member 300 around which the insulating member 300 is wound. This is the same as the connecting wire 100a described above.

[0075] The connecting wire 100b according to this embodiment may further include a shielding circuit portion 400, and the shielding circuit portion 400 may be located on an inner surface 300N of the wound insulating member 300.

[0076] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 11, after the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit unit 400 are arranged on one side of the insulating member 300, the insulating member 300 can be wound into a round shape (W), thereby producing the connecting wire 100b shown in Figs.

[0077] More specifically, the conductive member 200 may be disposed closer to the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 than the shielding circuit 400, and the shielding circuit 400 may be disposed closer to the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 than the conductive member 200. That is, the conductive member 200 may be disposed first, followed by the shielding circuit 400, in a direction d1 from the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 to the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300. If the insulating member 300 is wound (W) in this state, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the shielding circuit 400 may be located farther from the winding center WC than the conductive member 200, based on the wound shape of the insulating member 300. That is, the shielding circuit 400 may be located on the outer periphery of the conductive member 200 on the cross section of the connecting wire 100b.

[0078] For example, the shielding circuit unit 400 may include a metal layer. The shielding circuit unit 400 may be a layer-shaped member including one or more metal materials selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, lead, and aluminum. The shielding circuit unit 400 is located on the outer periphery of the conductive member 200 and serves to prevent noise interference between the conductive member 200, which functions as a current-carrying circuit, and the outside.

[0079] 11, the insulating member 300 may be wound with a predetermined gap between the shielding circuit unit 400 and the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300. The portion of the insulating member 300 at the gap is the outermost portion of the connecting wire 100b and is configured as an outer insulating shell 300U.

[0080] In the case of the connecting wire 100b according to this embodiment, the shielding circuit unit 400 can be provided on the connecting wire 100b by placing the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit unit 400 on one side of the insulating member 300 and then winding them together. In other words, there is an advantage in that the shielding member can be easily provided by simply adding the shielding circuit unit 400 when winding the insulating member 300 without any additional process.

[0081] 11 and 12, the connecting wire 100b according to this embodiment may be formed by winding the insulating member 300 in a state in which the shielding circuit unit 400 is spaced apart from the conductive member 200 in a direction d1 from a central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 to an outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300. That is, when the insulating member 300 is wound, the shielding circuit unit 400 may be positioned so as to be spaced apart from the conductive member 200 by a predetermined distance.

[0082] The portion of the insulating member 300 corresponding to the gap between the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit section 400 is configured as a middle insulating section 300M that electrically insulates the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit section 400 from each other.

[0083] When forming the shielding circuit part 400 for shielding function, an insulating layer is required between the conductive member 200, which functions as a current-carrying circuit, and the shielding circuit part 400. For this reason, the connecting wire 100b according to this embodiment adjusts the distance between the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit part 400 on the insulating member 300 before winding, which has the advantage that the insulating layer between the conductive member 200 and the shielding circuit part 400 can be easily provided.

[0084] 11 to 13 show a configuration in which multiple shielding circuit units 400 are arranged at regular intervals, but a configuration in which a single plate-shaped shielding circuit unit 400 is wound together with the insulating member 300 is also possible.

[0085] Hereinafter, a connecting wire according to still another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0086] Fig. 14 is a schematic view illustrating a process for manufacturing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a connecting wire according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 16 is a plan view of the connecting wire of Fig. 15 viewed along direction C.

[0087] 14 to 16, a connecting wire 100c according to yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conductive members 200 and an insulating member 300 surrounding the conductive members 200. The insulating member 300 is wound, and the conductive members 200 are located on an inner surface 300N of the insulating member 300 around which the insulating member 300 is wound. This is the same as the connecting wires 100a and 100b described above.

[0088] The connecting wire 100c according to this embodiment may further include a short-circuit prevention sheet 500, which may be positioned on the inner surface 300N of the wound insulating member 300.

[0089] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 14, after placing the conductive member 200 and the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 on one side of the insulating member 300, the insulating member 300 can be rolled up (W), thereby producing the connecting wire 100c shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

[0090] More specifically, the conductive member 200 may be disposed closer to the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 than the short-circuit prevention sheet 500, and the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may be disposed closer to the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300 than the conductive member 200. That is, the conductive members 200 may be disposed sequentially in a direction d1 from the central end 300Ea of the insulating member 300 to the outer end 300Eb of the insulating member 300, and then the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may be disposed. If the insulating member 300 is wound (W) in this state, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may be located farther from the winding center WC than the conductive member 200, based on the wound shape of the insulating member 300. That is, the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may be located on the outer periphery of the conductive member 200 on the cross section of the connecting wire 100c.

[0091] The short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may include a ceramic sheet. More specifically, the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 may include a mica sheet. That is, the short-circuit prevention sheet may include a silicate-containing inorganic sheet.

[0092] When a battery pack according to this embodiment is applied to a vehicle, it may be exposed to direct sunlight and high-temperature conditions, such as in summer or in desert regions. Furthermore, because multiple battery modules are densely packed together to increase the vehicle's mileage, thermal runaway in one battery module can easily spread to adjacent battery modules, ultimately leading to fire or explosion of the battery pack itself. One example of thermal runaway is as follows: Physical, thermal, and electrical damage, including overcharging, can occur in the battery cell 11, resulting in an increase in internal pressure of the battery cell 11. If the fusion strength of the pouch-type cell case of the battery cell 11 exceeds its limit, high-temperature heat and venting gas generated in the battery cell 11 can be released to the outside of the battery cell 11.

[0093] In the case of the connecting wire 100c according to this embodiment, the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 is placed on one side of the insulating member 300 together with the conductive member 200 and then wound together to provide a layer for preventing short circuits in the connecting wire 100c. Even if the inside of the battery pack becomes a high-temperature environment due to thermal runaway or the like, the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 including the ceramic sheet does not melt and can maintain its shape. This prevents conductors such as the conductive member 200 inside it from coming into contact with external mechanisms and causing a short circuit. In other words, it is possible to prevent additional dangerous situations from occurring in high-temperature environments.

[0094] The connecting wire 100c according to this embodiment has the advantage that a layer for preventing heat diffusion can be easily provided without any additional process by simply adding the short-circuit prevention sheet 500 when winding the insulating member 300. While it was difficult to apply the short-circuit prevention sheet 500, such as a mica sheet, to conventional HV wires, the connecting wire 100c according to this embodiment can easily add the short-circuit prevention sheet 500, preventing shorts during thermal runaway and ensuring excellent stability.

[0095] In this embodiment, terms indicating directions such as front, back, left, right, up, and down are used, but these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation and may differ depending on the position of the object of interest, the position of the observer, etc.

[0096] The battery pack according to the present embodiment described above can be applied to various devices, specifically, transportation means such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrids, and ESS (Energy Storage Systems), but is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various devices that can use secondary batteries.

[0097] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1000: Battery pack 100, 100a, 100b, 100c: connecting wires 200: Conductive material 300: Insulating material 400: Shielding circuit section 500: Short circuit prevention sheet

Claims

1. A connecting wire used inside a battery pack, A plurality of conductive members; an insulating member surrounding the conductive member; the insulating member is a flexible flat cable in a wound form, and the conductive member is located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member; The connecting wire has an air gap between the conductive members and inside the insulating members.

2. The connecting wire according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive member includes a terminal portion that extends in one direction from the insulating member and is exposed.

3. 3. The connecting wire according to claim 1, wherein the insulating member is wound with the conductive members sequentially arranged in a direction from a central end of the insulating member to an outer end of the insulating member.

4. The distance between the conductive member closest to the outer end of the insulating member and the outer end of the insulating member is 4. The connecting wire according to claim 3, wherein the distance is greater than the distance between the conductive member closest to the center end of the insulating member and the center end of the insulating member.

5. 3. The coupling wire of claim 1 or 2, wherein in the outermost region, the insulating member is wound one or more times to form an outer insulation.

6. The coupling wire of claim 1 , wherein the conductive member includes a conductor portion and an insulating film surrounding the conductor portion.

7. A connecting wire used inside a battery pack, A plurality of conductive members; an insulating member surrounding the conductive member; the insulating member is wound, and the conductive member is located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member; further comprising a shielding circuit portion; the shielding circuit portion is located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member, With respect to the wound shape of the insulating member, the shielding circuit unit is located farther from the winding center than the conductive member, The connecting wire has an air gap between the conductive members and inside the insulating members.

8. 8. The connecting wire according to claim 7, wherein the insulating member is wound with the shielding circuit portion spaced apart from the conductive member in a direction from one end of the insulating member toward the other end of the insulating member.

9. The coupling wire of claim 7 , wherein the shielding circuitry comprises a metal layer.

10. A connecting wire used inside a battery pack, A plurality of conductive members; an insulating member surrounding the conductive member; the insulating member is wound, and the conductive member is located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member; Further comprising a short circuit prevention sheet, the short-circuit prevention sheet is located on an inner surface of the wound insulating member, Based on the wound shape of the insulating member, the short-circuit prevention sheet is located farther from the winding center than the conductive member, The connecting wire has an air gap between the conductive members and inside the insulating members.

11. The connecting wire of claim 10 , wherein the short-circuit prevention sheet comprises a ceramic sheet.

12. The coupling wire of claim 10 , wherein the anti-shorting sheet comprises a mica sheet.

13. A connecting wire according to any one of claims 1, 7 or 10; A battery module; a BDU module; The connecting wire electrically connects the battery modules together or between the battery module and the BDU module.

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