Battery pack and automobile including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction, a pack case that accommodates the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space, and a cell cover that at least partially encases at least one of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case, the cell cover having a separation space between the enclosed pouch-type battery cell and the cell cover including a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and separate the separation space.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly to a battery pack having excellent safety against thermal events and a vehicle including the same.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0089813 filed on July 20, 2022, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0110391 filed on August 31, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0036814 filed on March 21, 2023, and the contents disclosed in the specifications and drawings of those applications are incorporated into this application in their entirety. [Background technology]

[0003] The remarkable development of and growing demand for technologies for various mobile devices, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems (ESS) has led to a rapid increase in interest and demand for secondary batteries as an energy source. While nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries were widely used as secondary batteries in the past, lithium secondary batteries have recently come into widespread use due to their ability to be freely charged and discharged, their extremely low self-discharge rate, and their high energy density, as they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries.

[0004] 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 an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, each coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials, are arranged with a separator sandwiched therebetween, and an exterior material, such as a battery case, that encloses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0005] Generally, secondary batteries can be 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.

[0006] Recently, battery packs have been widely used for driving and storing energy in medium- to large-sized devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS). A conventional battery pack includes one or more battery modules and a control unit, such as a battery management system (BMS), that controls the charging and discharging of the battery pack inside a pack case. Here, a battery module is configured to include a plurality of battery cells inside a module case. That is, in the case of a conventional battery pack, a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) are housed inside a module case to form each battery module, and one or more such battery modules are housed inside a pack case to form a battery pack.

[0007] In particular, pouch-type batteries have various advantages, such as being lightweight and leaving little dead space when stacked, but they have problems such as being vulnerable to external impacts and being somewhat difficult to assemble. Therefore, battery packs are typically manufactured by first modularizing multiple battery cells and then housing them inside a pack case.

[0008] However, conventional battery packs may be disadvantageous in terms of energy density, ease of assembly, and cooling performance due to modularization. Specifically, in the process of modularizing a plurality of battery cells into a module case, various components such as the module case or a stacking frame may increase the volume of the battery pack or reduce the space occupied by the battery cells. First, the process of modularizing a plurality of battery cells to form a battery module and then housing the battery module in a pack case is unavoidable, which complicates the battery pack manufacturing process. Because a module case is housed inside a pack case and battery cells are housed inside the module case, cooling efficiency may decrease when heat from the battery cells housed inside the module case is dissipated to the outside of the pack case through the module case, and the cooling structure may also become complicated.

[0009] Furthermore, one of the most important issues in the case of 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.

[0010] If the thermal conduction between the 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 the lives and property of surrounding people. Therefore, in such a battery pack, a configuration capable of properly controlling the above-mentioned thermal event is required. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack having excellent energy density, ease of assembly, and / or cooling performance, and a vehicle including the same.

[0012] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a vehicle including the same that can ensure excellent safety when a thermal event occurs.

[0013] 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]

[0014] A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction, a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cells in an internal space, and a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case, wherein the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell and includes a partition member extending from inside the cell cover to separate the separation space.

[0015] Here, the cell cover may be configured to support the pouch-type battery cell in an upright state.

[0016] The cell cover may cover an upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, and the partition member may protrude from an upper end of an inner side of the cell cover and extend downward.

[0017] In addition, the cell cover may be configured to partially enclose the pouch-type battery cell such that at least one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell is exposed toward the pack case.

[0018] Furthermore, the pouch-type battery cell may include a housing portion in which an electrode assembly is housed and an edge portion provided around the housing portion, and the cell cover may be configured to enclose the housing portion and a portion of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell.

[0019] Furthermore, the cell cover may be provided to cover both side surfaces and an edge portion on the upper side of the receiving portion of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell.

[0020] Here, the cell cover may include an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of an edge portion on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on the other side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell.

[0021] The thickness of the partition member may be thinner than the thickness of the upper cover portion, the thickness of the first side cover portion, and the thickness of the second side cover portion.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the separation space is formed between the upper cover part and the pouch-type battery cell.

[0023] In this case, the partition member may extend downward from the upper cover portion to an upper end of the pouch-type battery cell.

[0024] The pouch-type battery cell may be configured to be closely attached to inner surfaces of the first and second side cover parts.

[0025] The cell cover may enclose a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member may be configured to separate each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells.

[0026] The cell cover may enclose the plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member may be configured to form vent paths corresponding to each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells along a stacking direction of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells.

[0027] The pouch-type battery cell may include a receiving portion that receives an electrode assembly and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover may be configured to enclose the receiving portion and an upper edge portion of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, the upper edge portion being a sealing portion, the cell cover enclosing a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member may block an upper edge portion of any one pouch-type battery cell from directly facing an upper edge portion of another pouch-type battery cell.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the cell cover encases a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, the cell cover exposes electrode leads protruding in the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cells, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells are stacked in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the partition member has partition walls arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction and spaced apart along the width direction.

[0029] Vent gas may travel through the isolated space, and the partition member may be configured to block the travel of the vent gas.

[0030] For example, the cell cover may expose electrode leads protruding in the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell, the vent gas may move along the longitudinal direction, and the partition member may be configured such that partition walls arranged in a row along a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction.

[0031] In this case, the cell cover may include an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of an upper edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion, and the partition wall may be a plate contacting an inner surface of the upper cover portion, an inner surface of an upper end of the first side cover portion, and an inner surface of an upper end of the second side cover portion.

[0032] The partition wall may be arranged so that its plane is perpendicular to the inner surface of the upper cover portion, or may be arranged so that it is inclined at an acute or obtuse angle.

[0033] The partition member may be a portion provided on the inner surface of the cell cover in an uneven shape.

[0034] In this case, the cell cover may expose electrode leads protruding in a longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell, the vent gas may move along the longitudinal direction, and the uneven concave and convex portions may be alternately positioned along the longitudinal direction.

[0035] The cell cover may be formed from a single bent plate.

[0036] The cell cover may include an insulating coating layer on an inner surface.

[0037] The battery pack may include a heat sink, and the pouch-type battery cells may be thermally coupled to the heat sink.

[0038] A thermal resin may be interposed between the pouch-type battery cell and the heat sink.

[0039] The battery pack according to the present invention may further include a control module accommodated in the internal space of the pack case and configured to control charging and discharging of the pouch-type battery cells.

[0040] Furthermore, a motor vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery pack according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0041] The battery pack of the present invention is based on a cell-to-pack (CTP) concept, and a module case, etc., is omitted, thereby improving cooling performance and energy density, etc.

[0042] According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells can be stably accommodated inside a pack case without components such as a frame for stacking, such as a plastic cartridge, or a separate module case.

[0043] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which a plurality of pouch-type battery cells are stacked in a vertically upright state and aligned horizontally.

[0044] According to one aspect of the present invention, the energy density of a battery pack can be improved. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack can be manufactured that does not require a module case for a battery module because battery cells are directly accommodated in a pack case without being modularized. Therefore, the space occupied by such a module case can be reduced, allowing more battery cells to be arranged inside the pack case. This further improves the energy density of the battery pack. By directly assembling pouch-type battery cells in the pack case of the battery pack, the space utilization rate of the battery pack can be maximized and the energy capacity can be significantly improved.

[0045] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a pouch-type battery cell having a flexible case can be easily and robustly formed, which makes it easier to realize components that are directly stacked inside a pack case, thereby improving the ease of assembly and mechanical stability of the battery pack.

[0046] In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, the cooling efficiency of the battery pack can be further improved. In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, a portion of each pouch-type battery cell is directly exposed to the pack case, so that heat from each pouch-type battery cell can be effectively dissipated to the outside through the pack case.

[0047] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, when thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery cell, it is possible to effectively respond to a thermal event. In particular, in the present invention, of the three elements that cause a flame (fuel, oxygen, and ignition source), the accumulation and discharge of heat, which corresponds to the ignition source, can be blocked or appropriately controlled. Furthermore, in the present invention, in order to block heat accumulation and prevent flame discharge, it is possible to control the discharge of vent gas, implement directional venting, and block sparks.

[0048] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, even when a thermal event occurs, it is possible to effectively prevent internal short circuits, structural collapse, and the like.

[0049] According to the present invention, a battery pack having improved thermal safety, i.e., safety against thermal runaway, fire, explosion, etc., is provided. When some battery cells in a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells generate heat, the heat can be stably blocked from spreading to surrounding battery cells.

[0050] According to one aspect of the present invention, when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, the flow of vent gas or flame can be guided through the upper inside portion of the cell cover and then discharged to the outside through the opening in the cell cover, which not only allows the flow of vent gas or flame to be guided in a more uniform direction but also minimizes the spread of vent gas or flame between adjacent battery cells.

[0051] According to one aspect of the present invention, the safety of the battery pack can be improved. In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, gases and the like discharged from each battery cell can be smoothly discharged to the outside. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the discharge direction of gases and flames discharged from the battery cell can be controlled. Therefore, the propagation of thermal runaway between adjacent battery cells can be effectively prevented.

[0052] 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]

[0053] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing some components of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a pouch-type battery cell and a cell cover housed inside a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a pouch-type battery cell and a cell cover accommodated inside a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the configuration of FIG. 2 in an assembled state. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cell cover shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cell cover shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating another cell cover that may be included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration along the Y-axis direction in a state in which the cell cover illustrated in FIG. 9 encloses the pouch-type battery cell. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the cell cover shown in FIG. 9 taken along the X-axis direction. [Figure 12] 11 and shows another embodiment of the cell cover of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 and shows still another embodiment of the cell cover of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best explain the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiment described in this specification and the configuration shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical ideas of the present invention, and therefore various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0055] In the drawings, the size of each component or specific parts of the component may be slightly exaggerated, omitted, or illustrated schematically for ease of explanation and clarity. Therefore, the size of each component does not fully reflect the actual size. If a detailed description of related well-known functions or configurations is deemed to be likely to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0056] Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing some components of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a pouch-type battery cell and a cell cover housed inside the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] 1 and 2, a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a pouch-type battery cell 100, a pack case 300, and a cell cover 200.

[0058] The pouch-type battery cell 100 may include an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a pouch outer casing material. A battery pack 10 may include a plurality of such pouch-type battery cells 100.

[0059] A plurality of such pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in at least one direction. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked and arranged in a horizontal direction, for example, a left-right direction (Y-axis direction in the drawings). For example, if the direction along the major axis of the pouch-type battery cell 100 is defined as the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction), the pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in a width direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be arranged in a front-to-back direction (X-axis direction) as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be arranged in a horizontal direction (Y-axis direction) but may also be arranged in a plurality of rows in the left-right and horizontal directions. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked in a shape in which two rows of cells arranged in the left-right direction are arranged in the front-to-back direction.

[0060] The battery pack according to the present invention may employ various types of pouch-type battery cells 100 known at the time of filing of the present invention, and therefore, detailed description of the configuration of such pouch-type battery cells 100 will be omitted.

[0061] The pack case 300 may have an empty space formed therein to accommodate a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the pack case 300 may include an upper case 310 and a lower case 320. More specifically, the lower case 320 may be formed in a box shape with an open top and may accommodate a plurality of battery cells in the internal space. The upper case 310 may be formed in a shape that covers the upper opening of the lower case 320. In this case, the upper case 310 may also be formed in a box shape with an open bottom. The internal space of the pack case 300 may accommodate a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 as well as cell covers 200. The pack case 300 may be made of plastic or metal. Alternatively, the pack case 300 may be made of a variety of exterior materials for battery packs known at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0062] The cell cover 200 may be configured to encase the pouch-type battery cell 100 in the internal space of the pack case 300. That is, the cell cover 200 may be configured to encase at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 included in the battery pack 10. Furthermore, the cell cover 200 may be provided to at least partially encase the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0063] The cell cover 200 may be configured to support the stacked state of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 inside the pack case 300 through a structure that encases the battery cells in this manner. For example, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 may be stacked horizontally as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this case, the cell cover 200 may be configured to stably maintain the stacked state of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 stacked horizontally in this manner.

[0064] According to this aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 can be directly placed and housed inside the pack case 300 without a module case. In particular, in the case of a pouch-type battery cell 100, the exterior material is made of a soft material, such as an aluminum laminate sheet pouch, which makes it vulnerable to external impacts and has low hardness. Therefore, it is not easy to house the pouch-type battery cell 100 itself inside the pack case 300 without housing it in a module case. However, in the case of the present invention, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 are connected to the cell cover 200 while at least a portion of the pouch-type battery cells 100 is enclosed by the cell cover 200, and are directly housed inside the pack case 300, allowing the stacked state to be stably maintained.

[0065] Furthermore, the present invention can more efficiently realize a CTP-type battery pack using the pouch-type battery cell 100. That is, the present invention does not require that the pouch-type battery cell 100 be accommodated inside a separate module case and then that module case be accommodated inside the pack case 300, but rather that the battery pack 10 be provided in a form in which the pouch-type battery cell 100 is directly accommodated inside the pack case 300. In this case, at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be exposed to the outside of the cell cover 200 and disposed so as to directly face the pack case 300.

[0066] Therefore, according to this aspect of the present invention, there is no need to provide additional fastening members such as a module case, a stacking frame, or bolts for maintaining the stacked state of the cells in the battery pack 10. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the space occupied by other components such as the module case and the stacking frame, and the space required to ensure tolerances therefor. As a result, the battery cells can occupy the additional space corresponding to the eliminated space, thereby further improving the energy density of the battery pack.

[0067] Furthermore, according to this aspect of the present invention, since a module case, stacking frame, bolts, etc. are not provided, the volume and weight of the battery pack can be reduced and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0068] Furthermore, according to this aspect of the present invention, the battery cells 100 can be handled more easily. For example, when a plurality of battery cells 100 are housed inside the pack case 300, the battery cells 100 can be gripped by a jig or the like. At this time, the jig can grip the cell cover 200 that encases the battery cell 100 without directly gripping the battery cell 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the battery cells 100 from being damaged or broken by the jig.

[0069] Furthermore, according to this aspect of the present invention, the cell cover 200 is coupled to the pouch-type battery cell 100, so that the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be effectively protected without a module case.

[0070] 3 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a pouch-type battery cell and a cell cover housed inside a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. The cell cover 200 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0071] The cell cover 200 may be configured to encase one or more pouch-type battery cells 100. As an example, in the embodiment of Fig. 2, one cell cover 200 is shown shaped to encase three pouch-type battery cells 100. In this manner, the cell cover 200 may be configured to encase two or more pouch-type battery cells 100 together.

[0072] 3, one cell cover 200 is shown in a shape that encases one pouch-type battery cell 100. As shown in the figure, one cell cover 200 may be configured to encase only one pouch-type battery cell 100. In this case, it can be said that a cell cover 200 is separately coupled to each pouch-type battery cell 100 among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100.

[0073] The cell cover 200 may be at least partially adhered to the outer surface of the pouch-type battery cell 100. For example, the cell cover 200 may be adhered to the inner surface of the housing of the pouch-type battery cell 100. The adhesive member may be thermally conductive. Using such adhesive, the cell cover 200 is firmly bonded to the pouch-type battery cell 100 and can help to dissipate heat generated from the pouch-type battery cell 100 to the outside of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0074] One or more cell covers 200 may be included in the battery pack 10. The cell covers 200 may be configured to group a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 included in the battery pack into a unit. In this case, one cell cover 200 can be said to constitute one cell unit. One or more pouch-type battery cells 100 may be included in one cell unit.

[0075] For example, one cell unit U1 is shown in FIG. 2 . The battery pack 10 may include multiple cell units U1, and the scale can be easily expanded by increasing the number of cell units U1. Such a cell unit U1 facilitates handling and installation of the battery cells 100 during the manufacturing process of the battery pack 10 including multiple pouch-type battery cells 100, and prevents damage to the battery cells 100, while simplifying and reducing the weight of the structure required to install the battery cells 100.

[0076] In this case, it can be said that a plurality of cell covers 200 are included in the battery pack 10. For example, if the cell cover 200 is formed in a shape that encloses one pouch-type battery cell 100, the battery pack 10 may include the same number of cell covers 200 as the number of pouch-type battery cells 100. For another example, if the cell cover 200 is formed in a shape that encloses two or more pouch-type battery cells 100, the battery pack 10 may include a number of cell covers 200 that is fewer than the number of pouch-type battery cells 100.

[0077] The cell cover 200 can be configured to support multiple pouch-type battery cells 100 in an upright position. As shown in FIG. 2 , each pouch-type battery cell 100 has two wide surfaces, and a sealed or folded portion of the pouch exterior material can be present at the narrow edge connecting the two wide surfaces. Therefore, it is generally difficult to stack pouch-type battery cells 100 in an upright position. However, in a battery pack according to the present invention, the cell cover 200 can be configured to encase one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 and support the enclosed pouch-type battery cells 100 in an upright position, i.e., an upright position.

[0078] In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that multiple pouch-type battery cells 100 can be stacked horizontally while standing upright (in the Z-axis direction in the figure). For example, multiple cell covers 200 may be stacked horizontally, and each cell cover 200 may be formed to enclose one or more pouch-type battery cells 100. In this case, the cell cover 200 makes it possible to stably maintain the stacked configuration in which multiple pouch-type battery cells 100 are aligned horizontally while standing upright.

[0079] In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured to be self-standing in the internal space of the pack case 300. In other words, the cell cover 200 may be configured to maintain an upright state by itself without the assistance of other components arranged in the battery pack 10, such as the pack case 300 or the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0080] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cell cover 200 may be placed directly on the bottom surface of the lower case 320. In this case, a portion of the cell cover 200, for example, the lower end portion of the cell cover 200 indicated by C1 in FIG. 2, may be placed in direct contact with the bottom surface of the lower case 320. The cell cover 200 may be configured to stably maintain its placed state when the lower end portion is placed in this manner. In this case, if the cell cover 200 is made of a metal material with excellent rigidity such as steel, particularly a stainless steel material, the freestanding state may be maintained more stably. Therefore, in this case, the upright state of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be more firmly supported.

[0081] The cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape that partially encloses the pouch-type battery cell 100 so that at least one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed to the outside. That is, the cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape that encloses only a portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100 rather than completely enclosing the entire pouch-type battery cell 100. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be configured so that at least one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the pack case 300. In this regard, the cell cover 200 may be referred to as a cell sleeve or the like.

[0082] For example, referring to the embodiment of Fig. 3, the cell cover 200 is formed in a shape that encases one pouch-type battery cell 100, but the enclosed pouch-type battery cell 100, i.e., the lower part of the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed in the internal space, may not be enclosed by the cell cover 200. Therefore, the lower part of the pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the pack case 300 and can directly face the pack case 300. In particular, referring to the embodiment of Fig. 1, the lower part of the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be exposed toward the bottom surface of the lower case 320.

[0083] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be more effectively ensured. In particular, according to the above embodiment, the pouch-type battery cells 100 and the pack case 300 can be in direct face-to-face contact with each other through the open end of the cell cover 200. That is, one side of the pouch-type battery cells 100 arranged adjacent to the open end of the cell cover 200 can directly face or contact the pack case 300. Therefore, heat released from each pouch-type battery cell 100 is directly transferred to the pack case 300, improving cooling performance. In addition, since a separate cooling structure does not need to be provided between the pouch-type battery cells 100 and the pack case 300, efficient cooling performance can be achieved. In addition, in this case, there may be no space between the pouch-type battery cells 100 through which a refrigerant such as air can flow.

[0084] In this case, opening at least one side of the cell cover 200 may be advantageous for reducing the weight of the battery pack. For example, if the cell cover 200 is made of a material such as steel, and the lower end of the cell cover 200 is formed in an open shape, the weight of the cell cover 200 can be reduced by the amount corresponding to the lower plate. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 , the battery pack 10 may include many cell covers 200, and if all the cell covers 200 are formed in an open shape without a lower plate, the weight of the battery pack 10 can be significantly reduced.

[0085] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each pouch-type battery cell 100 may have a receiving portion indicated by "R" and edge portions indicated by "E1" to "E4." Here, the receiving portion R may be a portion that receives an electrode assembly formed by stacking a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed therebetween. Also, an electrolyte may be received in the receiving portion R. The edge portions E1 to E4 may be arranged in a shape that surrounds the receiving portion R.

[0086] In particular, the edge portions E1 to E4 may be seal portions where the pouch exterior material, which is the case of the pouch-type battery cell 100, is sealed. For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, four edge portions E1 to E4 are provided, and can be said to be located at the upper edge, lower edge, front edge, and rear edge of the housing portion R, respectively. In this case, all four edge portions E1 to E4 may be seal portions. Alternatively, some of the four edge portions E1 to E4 may be formed in a folded shape rather than being sealed. For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper edge portion E1, front edge portion E3, and rear edge portion E4 are all seal portions, but the lower edge portion E2 may be a folded portion of the pouch exterior material. For example, the upper edge portion E1 may be a portion that is folded twice at the sealed portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, a so-called double-side folded (DSF) portion, and the lower edge portion E2 may be an unsealed portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0087] Here, a battery cell in which all four edge portions E1 to E4 are sealed may be called a four-side sealed cell, and a battery cell in which three edge portions E1, E3, and E4 are sealed may be called a three-side sealed cell.

[0088] In this configuration, the cell cover 200 may be configured to enclose the accommodation portion R and part of the edge portions E1 to E4 of the pouch-type battery cell 100, which may be a four-sided sealed cell or a three-sided sealed cell. Furthermore, the cell cover 200 may be shaped to cover both side surfaces and the upper edge portion E1 of the accommodation portion R for one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 housed and enclosed therein.

[0089] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when one cell cover 200 is formed into a shape that encases one pouch-type battery cell 100, the cell cover 200 can be configured to encase from the outside both surfaces of the storage portion R of the same pouch-type battery cell 100, for example, the left and right surfaces of the same storage portion R, and part of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, in particular, the upper edge portion E1 located on the periphery of the upper side.

[0090] As another example, when one cell cover 200 is formed to enclose a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, for example, a plurality of battery cells arranged in the left-right direction, it may be formed to enclose the outer surface of the receiving portion of the outermost battery cell and one edge portion of all of the battery cells. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, when one cell cover 200 is formed to enclose three pouch-type battery cells 100 stacked in the left-right direction, the cell cover 200 may be formed to enclose the left surface of the receiving portion of the left battery cell, one edge portion of the left battery cell, one edge portion of the right battery cell, and the right surface of the receiving portion of the right battery cell.

[0091] In the illustrated example, the cell cover 200 partially encloses the pouch-type battery cell 100 so as to form an opening where at least one side, particularly the lower side, of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell 100 is exposed toward the pack case 300. According to this aspect of the present invention, the cooling efficiency of the battery pack 10 can be further improved. In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, a portion of each pouch-type battery cell 100 can be directly exposed to the pack case 300, so that heat from each pouch-type battery cell 100 can be effectively dissipated to the outside through the pack case 300.

[0092] Also, according to this embodiment, a configuration in which one cell cover 200 supports and protects one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 can be easily realized. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the cell cover 200 enables the process of handling one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 to be performed easily and safely. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, one cell cover 200 can face the surfaces of two housing portions R with respect to the pouch-type battery cells 100 housed therein. Therefore, the cooling performance between the housing portions R and the cell cover 200 can be further improved. In particular, in this case, the wide surface of the housing portion R allows area-wide cooling, improving cooling efficiency.

[0093] In particular, the cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape that encloses edge portions of the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed therein, where no electrode leads are provided. For example, referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pouch-type battery cell 100 may include two electrode leads 110, i.e., a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead. In this case, the two electrode leads may protrude in the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100. For example, the two electrode leads may be located at the front edge portion E3 and the rear edge portion E4, respectively. In this case, the cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape that encloses one of the remaining two edge portions E1 and E2, excluding the front edge portion E3 and the rear edge portion E4.

[0094] The pouch-type battery cell 100 can be said to be formed in a roughly hexahedral shape. Electrode leads 110, i.e., a negative electrode lead and a positive electrode lead, may be formed on two of the six sides. The cell cover 200 is provided to enclose at least a portion of three of the remaining four sides of the six-sided pouch-type battery cell 100, excluding the two sides on which the electrode leads 110 are formed. In this way, the cell cover 200 may be configured to have openings formed on both sides corresponding to the electrode leads 110.

[0095] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the direction of the discharge of a flame or the like can be guided toward the opening of the cell cover 200. For example, according to the above embodiment, the front and rear sides of the cell cover 200 where the electrode lead 110 is located are open, so that the discharge of a flame or the like can be directed in the direction of the opening. In particular, when the cell cover 200 is configured with the front and rear open as described above, side directional venting can be easily achieved. Alternatively, when the bottom or top end of the cell cover 200 is open, directional venting can be performed toward the open side (open end) of the bottom or top end of the cell cover 200.

[0096] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which one or more battery cells are supported and protected by one cell cover 200. In particular, according to the above embodiment, the lower edge portion E2 is located adjacent to the open end of the cell cover 200, and faces the pack case 300 without being enclosed by the cell cover 200, so that it can be in direct face-to-face contact with the pack case 300. Therefore, heat from the pouch-type battery cells 100 enclosed by the cell cover 200 can be quickly and smoothly dissipated to the lower pack case 300 side. Therefore, the cooling performance of the battery pack 10 can be more effectively ensured.

[0097] In particular, this configuration can be more effectively adopted when cooling is mainly performed in the lower part of the pack case 300. For example, in the case of a battery pack mounted on an electric vehicle, since it is mounted on the lower part of the vehicle body, cooling can mainly be performed in the lower part of the pack case 300. In this case, when the lower edge portion E2 of each pouch-type battery cell 100 faces and contacts the pack case 300 as in the above embodiment, heat is quickly transferred from each pouch-type battery cell 100 to the pack case 300, and cooling performance can be further improved.

[0098] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, when high-temperature gas or flame is emitted from the pouch-type battery cell 100 in a situation such as thermal runaway, the emitted gas or flame can be effectively prevented from heading upward. In particular, when a passenger is positioned on the upper side of the battery pack 10, such as in an electric vehicle, according to the above embodiment, it is possible to prevent or delay the gas or flame from heading toward the passenger.

[0099] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled state of the configuration of FIG.

[0100] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cell unit U1 may further include a bus bar frame 170 and an insulating cover 180.

[0101] The bus bar frame 170 may be configured to support the electrode lead 110 of at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 covered by the cell cover 200, and to electrically connect such electrode lead 110 to the electrode leads 110 of other pouch-type battery cells 100. In this case, the bus bar frame 170 may include terminals to be electrically connected to the electrode leads 110.

[0102] The insulating cover 180 may be configured to prevent short-circuiting of the electrode leads 110 or the bus bars, and for this purpose, the insulating cover 180 may be made of a polymeric synthetic resin having insulating properties.

[0103] Furthermore, when the electrode leads 110 are arranged on both sides of the pouch-type battery cell 100, the bus bar frame 170 and the insulating cover 180 may also be included on both sides on which the electrode leads 110 are arranged. For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, when the electrode leads 110 protrude from both the front side (X-axis direction in the figures) and the rear side (-X-axis direction in the figures), the bus bar frame 170 and the insulating cover 180 may also be located on both the front side and the rear side.

[0104] Meanwhile, in the battery pack according to the present invention, a thermal interface material (TIM) may be interposed to improve heat transfer performance between different components. For example, a TIM may be filled between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200, between the cell cover 200 and the pack case 300, and / or between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the pack case 300. In this case, the cooling performance of the battery pack may be further improved. The TIM is used to reduce contact thermal resistance between components. In a battery pack where cooling is important, it is necessary to improve the thermal performance of the entire system by using a material that can minimize contact thermal resistance. Various TIMs may be used, such as thermally conductive grease, a heat dissipation sheet, a heat dissipation pad, a thermally conductive adhesive, and a PCM (phase change material). For example, the TIM may be any one of a thermally conductive silicone-based bond, a thermally conductive silicone pad, and a thermally conductive acrylic bond. Thermally conductive silicone-based adhesives and thermally conductive acrylic adhesives are commercially available as one-component or two-component adhesives and can be applied between different components by coating or injection. A thermally conductive silicone pad includes a base film, such as double-sided tape, and release papers on the top and bottom of the base film. Therefore, the thermally conductive silicone pad can be applied between different components by peeling off the release papers and then bonding. The thermally conductive silicone adhesive, the thermally conductive silicone pad, and the thermally conductive acrylic adhesive have higher thermal conductivity than conventional adhesives, thereby further increasing the amount and speed of heat transfer between different components. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation performance of the pouch-type battery cell 100 can be further improved, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery pack 10.

[0105] 2 to 4, the cell cover 200 can be said to be formed in a shape that is roughly the same as the letter n. Using this shape, the cell cover 200 can be said to be configured to cover the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed therein, except for the front and rear sides from which the electrode leads 110 protrude, and the lower side. In other words, the cell cover 200 can be provided to cover the outer side and upper side of the housing portion R of the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed therein.

[0106] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cell cover shown in Fig. 2. A preferred embodiment of the cell cover 200 will be described with joint reference to Figs.

[0107] More specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 6, the cell cover 200 may include an upper cover part 220, a first side cover part 230, and a second side cover part 240. The cell cover 200 may have a separation space S between it and the pouch-type battery cell 100, and may include a partition member 210 configured to extend from the inside of the cell cover 200 and separate the separation space S. Vent gas may be discharged into the separation space S. There may be one or more partition members 210.

[0108] While the pouch-type battery cell 100 has advantages such as being lightweight, having a low risk of electrolyte leakage, and being flexible in shape, allowing for the realization of a rechargeable battery with the same capacity in a smaller volume and mass, ensuring safety is an important issue due to the risk of explosion if it overheats. Overheating of the pouch-type battery cell 100 can occur for various reasons, one of which is when an overcurrent exceeding the limit flows through the pouch-type battery cell 100. When an overcurrent flows, the pouch-type battery cell 100 generates heat due to Joule heat, causing a rapid rise in the internal temperature of the pouch-type battery cell 100. This rapid rise in temperature can cause a decomposition reaction of the electrolyte, which can produce gas. This can lead to an increase in pressure inside the pouch exterior, causing swelling, a type of bulging phenomenon, and potentially resulting in serious problems such as a secondary battery explosion. When gas is generated inside the pouch-type battery cell 100 due to not only such an overcurrent but also exposure to high temperatures, external impact, etc., it is necessary to effectively discharge the gas to ensure the safety of the secondary battery. Discharging gas generated inside a secondary battery to the outside is called venting. The cell cover 200 included in the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to be able to discharge vent gas into the separation space S between the pouch-type battery cell 100, thereby ensuring the safety of the secondary battery.

[0109] Here, the upper cover part 220 may be configured to enclose an upper part of the upper edge part E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed therein. In particular, a portion (cover part) of the cell cover 200 located between the two side cover parts and the side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 facing it may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance. A separation space S is formed between the upper cover part 220 and the pouch-type battery cell 100. This separation space S may be formed to have a hollow shape.

[0110] For example, the upper cover part 220 may be formed in a shape that is spaced apart from the edge part E1 on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell 100. More specifically, referring to the embodiment diagram of Fig. 5, the lower surface (inner surface) of the upper cover part 220 and the side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 arranged adjacent to the upper cover part 220 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance D. At least a portion of this space S may be configured as empty space.

[0111] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the empty space formed between the side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 can provide a path for the movement of vent gas and the like. For example, when vent gas is generated due to thermal runaway or the like in the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed inside the cell cover 200, the generated vent gas can move in the front-to-rear direction (in other words, the longitudinal direction) through the empty space between the upper edge portion E1 adjacent to the upper cover portion 220 and the upper cover portion 220. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an increase in the internal pressure of the cell cover 200 and to perform efficient vent control, such as guiding the discharge direction of the vent gas.

[0112] For this configuration, in particular, the cell cover 200 may be formed so that the height of both sides is higher than the height of the pouch-type battery cell 100 by an amount corresponding to m1, as shown in Fig. 6. Here, m1 may be set to be equal to or greater than D.

[0113] For example, at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 may be disposed between the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 of the cell cover 200, but may be disposed apart from the upper cover portion 220 by an amount corresponding to m1 so as to form a predetermined space between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the upper cover portion 220. In this case, the distance D between the upper cover portion 220 and the side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be separated from the upper cover portion 220 by the same amount as m1 to form a separation space S, and the lower side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the lower side of the cell cover 200 may be placed on the same plane. In another example, at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 may be disposed between the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 of the cell cover 200, but may be disposed apart from the upper cover portion 220 by an amount corresponding to D so as to form a predetermined space between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the upper cover portion 220. In this case, the lower side of the cell cover 200 may be protruded further than the lower side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 by an amount corresponding to m1-D.

[0114] The pouch-type battery cell 100 may be configured to be in close contact with the inner surfaces of the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240. In this case, at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 may be fixed by adhesion to the inner surfaces of the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240. The adhesive may be thermally conductive. Through such adhesion, the cell cover 200 is firmly bonded to the pouch-type battery cell 100 and is in thermal contact with the pouch-type battery cell 100, which can help to dissipate heat generated from the pouch-type battery cell 100 to the outside of the pouch-type battery cell 100. In addition, a gap between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the upper cover part 220 can be maintained, thereby maintaining the separation space S.

[0115] The upper cover portion 220 may be formed in a flat shape. In this case, the cross section of the upper cover portion 220 may be formed in a horizontally linear shape to wrap around the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 from the outside in a linear shape.

[0116] The first side cover part 230 may be formed in a shape that extends downward from one end of the upper cover part 220. For example, the first side cover part 230 may be formed in a shape that extends elongatedly downward (in the -Z-axis direction in the figure) from the left end part of the upper cover part 220. Furthermore, the first side cover part 230 may be formed in a flat shape. In this case, the first side cover part 230 may be formed in a curved shape at the upper cover part 220.

[0117] The first side cover part 230 may be configured to enclose the outside of the accommodation portion R on one side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. For example, when one pouch-type battery cell 100 is accommodated in the cell cover 200, the first side cover part 230 may be configured to enclose the left surface of the accommodation portion R of the accommodated pouch-type battery cell 100 from the left side. Here, the first side cover part 230 may be in direct contact with the outer surface of the accommodation portion R.

[0118] The second side cover part 240 may be positioned so as to be separated from the first side cover part 230 in the horizontal direction. The second side cover part 240 may be formed in a shape that extends downward from the other end of the upper cover part 220. For example, the second side cover part 240 may be formed in a shape that extends elongatedly downward from the right end part of the upper cover part 220. Furthermore, the second side cover part 240 may also be formed in a flat shape, similar to the first side cover part 230. In this case, the second side cover part 240 and the first side cover part 230 can be said to be arranged so as to be parallel to each other while being separated from each other in the horizontal direction.

[0119] The second side cover part 240 may be configured to enclose the outside of the accommodation portion R on the other side of the pouch-type battery cell 100 accommodated therein. For example, when one pouch-type battery cell 100 is accommodated in the cell cover 200, the second side cover part 240 may be configured to enclose the right surface of the accommodation portion R of the accommodated pouch-type battery cell 100 from the right side. Here, the second side cover part 240 may be in direct contact with the outer surface of the accommodation portion R.

[0120] In the above embodiment, an internal space may be defined by the upper cover part 220, the first side cover part 230, and the second side cover part 240. The cell cover 200 may then accommodate one or more battery cells 100 in the internal space defined in this manner.

[0121] In the above embodiment, the cell cover 200 may be formed with one side closed and the other side open with respect to the internal space between the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240, which are shaped to stand upright in the vertical direction parallel to each other. For example, the space between the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240 may have an upper side closed by the upper cover part 220 and open ends on the front, rear, and lower sides. In this case, the front edge part E3 and the rear edge part E4, where the electrode lead 110 is located, may be positioned adjacent to the front open end and the rear open end, respectively, and the lower edge part E2 may be positioned adjacent to the lower open end.

[0122] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, as shown by C1 in Figures 2 and 6, the end C1 of the first side cover part 230 that is not connected to the upper cover part 220 and the end C1 of the second side cover part 240 that is not connected to the upper cover part 220 form an opening that exposes the underside of the pouch-type battery cell 100 toward the pack case 300.

[0123] The lower ends C1 of the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240 may come into contact with the bottom surface of the pack case 300. In particular, the contact configuration between the lower ends C1 of the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240 and the pack case 300 may be formed in a shape that extends elongated in the front-rear direction. According to this embodiment, it is possible to more stably achieve a self-standing configuration of the cell cover 200 that can hold the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed therein in an upright state.

[0124] Furthermore, the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 may have the same height. That is, the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 may have the same length extending downward from the upper cover portion 220. In this case, the freestanding configuration of the cell cover 200 can be more easily achieved.

[0125] Meanwhile, again describing the cell cover 200 and pouch-type battery cell 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper cover part 220 may face the upper edge part E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 and may enclose the upper edge part E1 together with the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240.

[0126] In addition, the cross-sectional areas of the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240 are arranged to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the pouch-type battery cell 100 where the first side cover part 230 and the second side cover part 240 face each other, thereby preventing the receiving part R from being exposed to the outside and ensuring maximum safety.

[0127] In particular, the pouch-type battery cell 100 may include sealed portions and unsealed portions as the edge portions E1 to E4. The cell cover 200 may be configured to enclose the pouch-type battery cell 100, but may be configured to enclose at least a portion of the sealed portions among the edge portions E1 to E4 while leaving at least a portion of the unsealed portions exposed to the outside. For example, referring to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape that covers the upper edge portion E1, which is a portion of the sealed portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100. In this case, the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed inside the cell cover 200 may be configured such that the upper edge portion E1, which is the sealed portion, faces the upper cover portion 220. In addition, the cell cover 200 may enclose the pouch-type battery cell 100 such that the lower edge portion E2, which is the unsealed portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, is exposed to the outside. In this case, the lower edge portion E2, which is the unsealed portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, can be said to be located on the open surface of the cell cover 200.

[0128] In the battery cell 100, the upper edge portion E1 serving as a sealed portion may be more vulnerable to the discharge of high-temperature gas or flame than the lower edge portion E2 serving as an unsealed portion. However, according to the above embodiment, the upper edge portion E1 serving as a sealed portion is disposed to face the upper cover portion 220, which may be more advantageous for directional venting.

[0129] In addition, in the pouch-type battery cell 100, the lower edge portion E2, which is the unsealed portion, has a relatively larger cross-sectional area than the upper edge portion E1, which is the sealed portion, and is arranged in a flat shape so that it can be placed on the open surface of the cell cover 200, and can be in direct contact with the thermal resin described below, thereby increasing cooling efficiency.

[0130] Furthermore, when the lower case 320 is placed on one side of the vehicle body, the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240 may extend from the upper cover portion 220 toward one side of the vehicle body, and the upper edge portion E1 may be positioned farther from the one side of the vehicle body than the lower edge portion E2. In other words, when the lower case 320 is placed on one side of the vehicle body, the cell cover 200 may be formed in a shape in which the side positioned relatively close to the one side of the vehicle body is open.

[0131] The cell cover 200 may be formed as a single unit. In this case, the cell cover 200 may be formed by bending a metal plate having a plate-like structure. That is, the cell cover 200 may be formed from a single bent plate.

[0132] The cell cover 200 may be formed into a shape that encloses one or more pouch-type battery cells 100 by bending both ends of a single plate material in the same direction. In particular, when the upper cover part 220, the first side cover part 230, and the second side cover part 240 are provided on one cell cover 200, the upper cover part 220, the first side cover part 230, and the second side cover part 240 may be made of a single plate. In this case, the cell cover 200 can be said to be made of multiple components that are integrally formed.

[0133] Here, each component may be separated via a folding portion. In particular, two folding portions may be formed in one plate. The upper cover portion 220, the first side cover portion 230, and the second side cover portion 240 may be separated based on these two folding portions. In particular, the central portion of one plate may form the upper cover portion 220, and both sides of the upper cover portion 220 may be bent or folded downwardly around the upper cover portion 220 to form the first side cover portion 230 and the second side cover portion 240. In this way, forming folding portions in one plate to form the cell cover 200 may be achieved by various methods, such as pressing or roll forming.

[0134] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to further simplify the manufacture of the cell cover 200. In addition, the cell cover 200 having a simplified structure is made of a metal material having higher rigidity than the case of the pouch-type battery cell 100, such as a pouch exterior material, and can protect at least one pouch-type battery cell 100 covered by the cell cover 200 from external impact and vibration. In addition, in this case, the heat conduction performance via the cell cover 200 is further improved, thereby further improving the cooling performance.

[0135] Meanwhile, the cell cover 200 may be made of a variety of materials to ensure rigidity. In particular, the cell cover 200 may be made of a metal material. Such a metal material can more stably maintain the stacked state of the battery cells 100 and more safely protect the battery cells 100 from external impact. In particular, the cell cover 200 may include a steel material or even a stainless steel (SUS) material. For example, the cell cover 200 may be entirely made of SUS material. A cell cover 200 made of SUS material may have a thickness of approximately 2 mm. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , when the cell cover 200 includes an upper cover portion 220, a first side cover portion 230, and a second side cover portion 240, the thickness d2 of the upper cover portion 220, the thickness d3 of the first side cover portion 230, and the thickness d4 of the second side cover portion 240 may be the same and approximately 2 mm.

[0136] When the cell cover 200 is made of a steel material, it has excellent mechanical strength and rigidity, and can therefore more stably support the stacked state of the pouch-type battery cells 100. In this case, it is possible to more effectively prevent damage or breakage of the pouch-type battery cells 100 from external impacts, such as needle-shaped objects. Furthermore, in this case, the pouch-type battery cells 100 become easier to handle.

[0137] Furthermore, when the cell cover 200 is made of steel as in the above embodiment, its high melting point allows the overall structure to be stably maintained when a flame breaks out from the pouch-type battery cell 100. In particular, because steel has a higher melting point than aluminum, it does not melt even when a flame breaks out from the pouch-type battery cell 100, and its shape can be stably maintained. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent or delay the spread of flame between the pouch-type battery cells 100, and to effectively control venting, and it is possible to prevent internal short circuits and structural collapse even when a thermal event occurs, thereby increasing structural safety.

[0138] The cell cover 200 may include an insulating coating layer (not shown) on its inner surface. The insulating coating layer may be formed by coating, applying, or attaching any one of insulating materials such as silicone resin, polyamide, and rubber. The insulating coating layer configuration of the cell cover 200 according to this embodiment maximizes the insulating coating effect with a minimal amount of coating. In addition, since the insulating coating layer (not shown) is applied to the inner surface of the cell cover 200, the insulation between the pouch-type battery cell 100 and the cell cover 200 can be strengthened.

[0139] The cell cover 200 may further include an insulating member. The insulating member may be made of an electrically insulating material and disposed on the inner surface of the cell cover 200 in which the pouch-type battery cell 100 is housed. In particular, the insulating member may have an adhesive layer on at least one side thereof so as to be adhered to the inner surface of the cell cover 200. Alternatively, the insulating member may have adhesive layers on both sides thereof so as to be adhered not only to the inner surface of the cell cover 200 but also to the pouch-type battery cell 100. Furthermore, the insulating member may be made of a heat-resistant material. For example, the insulating member may be formed in the shape of a heat-resistant tape in which an adhesive is applied to the surface of a heat-resistant ceramic sheet. The insulating member may be a film made of a polyimide (PI) material. The thickness of the insulating member may be approximately 0.5 mm. Alternatively, the insulating member may be disposed on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cell cover 200, i.e., on both sides.

[0140] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 , the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a control module 400 accommodated in the internal space of the pack case 300. The control module 400 may include a battery management system (BMS). The control module 400 may be mounted in the internal space of the pack case 300 and configured to generally control the charging and discharging operations and data transmission and reception operations of the pouch-type battery cells 100. The control module 400 may be arranged in units of packs rather than in units of modules. More specifically, the control module 400 may be configured to control the charging and discharging state, power state, and performance state of the pouch-type battery cells 100 using the pack voltage and pack current. The control module 400 estimates the state of the pouch-type battery cells 100 in the battery pack 10 and manages the battery pack 10 using the estimated state information. For example, the control module 400 estimates and manages state information of the battery pack 10, such as the state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), maximum input / output power allowance, and output voltage of the battery pack 10. Such status information can be used to control the charging or discharging of the battery pack 10, and can also be used to estimate when the battery pack 10 should be replaced.

[0141] Furthermore, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include a battery disconnection unit (BDU), as shown in Fig. 1. The battery disconnection unit 500 (BDU) may be configured to control the electrical connection of the battery cells in order to manage the power capacity and functions of the battery pack 10. To this end, the battery disconnection unit 500 may include a power relay, a current sensor, a fuse, etc. The battery disconnection unit 500 is also a component that is arranged on a pack-by-pack basis, rather than on a module-by-module basis, and various disconnection units known at the time of filing of the present invention may be used.

[0142] In addition to this, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include various battery pack components known at the time of filing of the present invention. For example, in the case of the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it may further include a manual service disconnector (MSD) that allows an operator to manually remove a service plug to cut off the power supply. It may also further include a flexible bus bar or cable for connecting at least one cell unit block to each other.

[0143] To describe the partition member 210 in more detail, returning to FIG. 5, the cell cover 200 covers the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell 100, and the partition member 210 protrudes from the upper end inside the cell cover 200 and extends downward.

[0144] The thickness d1 of the partition member 210 may be thinner than the thickness d2 of the upper cover portion 220, the thickness d3 of the first side cover portion 230, and the thickness d4 of the second side cover portion 240 (d1 < d2, d3, d4). By making the thickness d1 of the partition member 210 thin, it is possible to exhibit a directional vent effect while minimizing the overall weight of the cell cover 200 including the partition member 210. Therefore, according to the present invention, the overall weight and volume of the battery pack 10 can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be saved.

[0145] In this embodiment in which the cell cover 200 encases a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100, the partition member 210 may be configured to separate each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. For example, as shown in the figure, when the cell cover 200 encases three pouch-type battery cells 100, two partition members 210 may be included to separate each of the pouch-type battery cells 100. In other words, the number of partition members 210 may be adjusted according to the number of pouch-type battery cells 100 enclosed by the cell cover 200. Preferably, one or more partition members 210 may be arranged along the stacking direction of the pouch-type battery cells 100 (the Y-axis direction in the figure).

[0146] Preferably, the partition member 210 blocks the upper edge portion E1 of one of the pouch-type battery cells 100 without directly facing the upper edge portion E1 of another pouch-type battery cell 100. For this reason, the partition member 210 extends downward from the upper cover portion 220 to the upper end of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0147] This has the effect of firmly dividing the separated spaces S and accommodating the pouch-type battery cells 100 separately in each separated space S. Using this configuration makes it possible to suppress the transfer of heat to adjacent pouch-type battery cells 100 and the movement of vent gas. Furthermore, when the partition member 210 is firmly sandwiched between two pouch-type battery cells 100, not only is the separation between the separated spaces S improved, but also the sealing performance of the separated spaces S in the width direction is improved, making it possible to increase the effectiveness of discharging vent gas in the longitudinal direction. In other words, this has the effect of ensuring a directional vent path for each pouch-type battery cell 100 even inside the cell cover 200, which provides directional venting on a cell unit basis.

[0148] As described above, the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100 may be a double-sided folded (DSF) portion, and according to this embodiment, the partition member 210 has the effect of isolating the double-sided folded (DSF) portions of adjacent pouch-type battery cells 100. Vent gas or flames may be discharged from the double-sided folded (DSF) portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, and such a configuration of the partition member 210 can more effectively prevent simultaneous multiple fires between adjacent pouch-type battery cells.

[0149] 7 is a bottom perspective view of the cell cover shown in FIG. 2. FIG.

[0150] 7, the partition member 210 is configured to form vent paths corresponding to each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 along the stacking direction of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. Such vent paths can provide a space within the cell cover 200 through which vent gas or flames discharged from the pouch-type battery cells 100 can flow.

[0151] Preferably, the partition member 210 is a partition wall. In this embodiment, such partition walls may be components that are continuously arranged along the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100, but are also spaced apart along the width direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100. The partition walls may be formed to be aligned with the direction in which vent gas is discharged (front-rear direction), thereby suppressing gas movement and heat transfer in a direction across the partition walls (left-right direction). Therefore, when a thermal event occurs, the spread of gas to adjacent pouch-type battery cells 100 can be reduced, and the battery pack 10 including the same can ensure excellent safety against thermal events.

[0152] The cell cover 200 may be configured to have openings formed on both sides corresponding to the electrode leads 110, allowing the vent gas in the separated space S to escape to both sides of the cell cover 200. As a result, the flow of vent gas in the separated space S is in the front-to-rear direction, which is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100. By forming the partition walls aligned with the longitudinal direction in this manner, in the event of thermal runaway of the pouch-type battery cell 100, the flow of vent gas or flame can be guided through the upper inside part of the cell cover 200 and discharged to the outside through the openings in the cell cover 200. This allows the flow of vent gas or flame to be guided in a more uniform direction.

[0153] FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0154] 8, the battery pack 10 may be configured to include a heat sink 330. Here, the heat sink 330 refers to an object that absorbs and dissipates heat from another object through direct or indirect thermal contact. Such a heat sink 330 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the pack case 300. In particular, in the battery pack 10, in order to reduce weight and simplify the components, the bottom plate of the lower case 320 may be formed in the shape of a heat sink having a flow path through which coolant flows.

[0155] The pouch-type battery cell 100 is thermally coupled to the heat sink 330. The pouch-type battery cell 100 and the heat sink 330 may be in direct thermal contact. The pouch-type battery cell 100 may also be thermally coupled in a manner where the cell cover 200, which is thermally coupled to the pouch-type battery cell 100, is in direct thermal contact with the heat sink 330, without being in direct thermal contact. In this case, the cell cover 200 serves as a cooling fin that transfers heat from the pouch-type battery cell 100 to the heat sink 330, thereby simplifying and streamlining the manufacturing process of the battery pack and improving the cooling performance of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0156] According to the configuration of the cell cover 200 of this embodiment, the pouch-type battery cells 100 may be disposed such that their lower edge portions are exposed below the cell cover 200 through the opening at the bottom of the cell cover 200 and face the bottom plate of the lower case 320. A thermal resin 340 may be disposed between the lower edge portions of the pouch-type battery cells 100 and the bottom plate of the lower case 320. Therefore, in the battery pack 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention, heat from each pouch-type battery cell 100 can be dissipated to the lower edge portions of the pouch-type battery cells 100 and / or the cell cover 200, the thermal resin 340, and then the lower case 320, which functions as a heat sink 330.

[0157] In this embodiment, the heat sink 330 has a thermal resin 340 interposed between it and the plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100. The thermal resin 340 may be applied to the upper surface of the heat sink 330. Then, a plurality of cell units U1, i.e., a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 and a plurality of cell covers 200, may be placed on the upper surface of the heat sink 330 to which the thermal resin 340 has been applied.

[0158] Here, the thermal resin 340 may be made of a material that is thermally conductive and adhesive. The thermal resin 340 may transfer heat to the heat sink 330 so that the heat generated from the pouch-type battery cell 100 is dissipated through the heat sink 330. In addition, since the thermal resin 340 has adhesive properties, the cell cover 200 may be structurally bonded to the heat sink 330.

[0159] In this embodiment, a plurality of pouch-type battery cells 100 coupled with the cell covers 200 may be directly placed on the upper surface of the heat sink 330 coated with the thermal resin 340. In this case, the plurality of cell units U1 may be stably coupled and fixed to the upper surface of the heat sink 330 by the thermal resin 340. In particular, the pouch-type battery cells 100 and the cell covers 200 included in each cell unit U1 may be formed so that their vertical length is longer than their horizontal width. Therefore, the pouch-type battery cells 100 and the cell covers 200 are placed in an upright position on the upper surface of the heat sink 330. In this case, the thermal resin 340 may more stably maintain the upright position of the cell covers 200.

[0160] As another example, a means such as a fixing groove into which the lower end of the cell cover 200 is fitted and fixed may be provided at the upper end of the heat sink 330, and the cell cover 200 may be fitted and fixed therein. This example further improves the connection between the cell cover 200 and the heat sink 330. Therefore, even when vibrations or impacts are applied to the battery pack 10, or when swelling occurs in the pouch-type battery cells 100, the stacked state of the cell cover 200 and the pouch-type battery cells 100 accommodated therein can be stably maintained. Furthermore, this example effectively prevents the cell cover 200 from moving in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the fitting configuration between the cell cover 200 and the heat sink 330 can be used to guide the assembly position of the cell cover 200. Therefore, in this case, the assembly efficiency of the battery pack 10 can be further improved.

[0161] A plurality of cell covers 200 may be included in the battery pack 10. When multiple cell covers 200 are included, the cell covers 200 may be spaced apart from one another as shown in FIG. 8 . For example, the cell covers 200 may be spaced apart in the Y-axis direction. The space between the cell covers 200 can prevent direct heat transfer between the cell covers 200. The space between the cell covers 200 can also accommodate additional components required to configure the battery pack 10. Alternatively, a heat insulating pad or a fire suppression pad may be interposed at least partially between the cell covers 200. Such a heat insulating pad or a fire suppression pad can prevent heat or flames that may occur in one cell cover 200 from being transferred to the other cell covers 200 and affecting other pouch-type battery cells 100. The flame suppression pad may be made of a heat-resistant resin such as polyvinyl chloride resin, a material such as silicon or ceramic, a complex of a heat-resistant resin with a ceramic or glass filler, or a metal plate with an insulating coating, but these are merely examples and any flame-retardant material will do. It is preferable that the flame suppression pad be made of a material that will not decompose, melt, or ignite at least up to a temperature (e.g., 150°C to 200°C) at which the pouch-type battery cell 100 experiences thermal runaway.

[0162] Furthermore, when the battery pack 10 includes a plurality of stacked cell covers 200, an adhesive member may be interposed between the cell covers 200. For example, an adhesive member may be interposed between the two cell covers 200 at the portions where the two cell covers 200 face each other to adhesively fix them. Using such an adhesive configuration, the connection configuration between the plurality of cell covers 200 can be further strengthened.

[0163] Fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating another cell cover that may be included in a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a view schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration along the Y-axis direction in a state in which the cell cover illustrated in Fig. 9 encloses a pouch-type battery cell. Fig. 11 is a view schematically illustrating a cross-sectional configuration along the X-axis direction of the cell cover illustrated in Fig. 9.

[0164] 9 to 11, vent gas moves through the isolated space S within the cell cover 200. Here, the partition member 210 is configured to prevent the movement of the vent gas. In particular, the partition member 210 may be configured to prevent the movement of the vent gas in the horizontal direction. In this case, one or more partition members 210 may be arranged along the flow direction of the vent gas.

[0165] The vent gas moves along the longitudinal direction or the front-rear direction of the pouch-type battery cell, as indicated by the thick dotted arrow in FIG. 9 . At this time, the partition member 210 may be located in the movement path of the vent gas. Therefore, the partition member 210 can suppress the movement of the vent gas. A suitable partition member 210 is a partition wall. The partition wall may be a component that is continuously arranged along the width direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100 but is spaced apart along the longitudinal direction. Thus, the cell cover 200 including the partition wall-type partition member 210 is referred to as a cell cover including a partition wall on the inner surface of the upper portion. Particularly in this embodiment, the partition wall is arranged across the movement direction of the vent gas to reduce the linearity of the vent gas.

[0166] Preferably, the partition wall may be disposed at a portion where the cell cover 200 encloses the upper edge portion E1 of the pouch-type battery cell 100. In an embodiment in which the cell cover 200 includes an upper cover portion 220, a first side cover portion 230, and a second side cover portion 240, the partition wall may be a plate that contacts the inner surface of the upper cover portion 220, the inner surface of the upper end of the first side cover portion 230, and the inner surface of the upper end of the second side cover portion 240. A plate is a structure that is roughly rectangular parallelepiped in shape and has a height that is smaller than the width and length of its widest side. Such a plate may be disposed in an upright position on the inner surface of the upper cover portion 220 of the cell cover 200. In particular, the widest side of the partition wall may be disposed to face the vent gas.

[0167] When vent gas is generated in the pouch-type battery cell 100 housed in the cell cover 200, the vent gas tends to move toward the upper cover part 220 in the front-rear direction due to its high temperature characteristics. In this case, if a partition wall is located on the inner surface of the upper cover part 220, a flame or spark blocking effect can be effectively achieved.

[0168] 11, the partition wall may be disposed so that its planar direction is perpendicular to the inner surface of the upper cover part 220. In this case, the partition wall may further improve the effect of preventing sparks and the like during the process of vent gas moving back and forth.

[0169] FIG. 12 is a view corresponding to FIG. 11 and shows another embodiment of the cell cover of FIG.

[0170] 12, the partition wall may be disposed in a shape inclined with respect to the inner surface of the upper cover part 220. In the illustrated example, the partition wall is inclined at an acute angle α with its planar direction toward the direction of travel of the vent gas with respect to the inner surface of the upper cover part 220. Conversely, the partition wall may be formed in a shape inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the inner surface of the upper cover part 220.

[0171] The partition wall-type partition member 210 has the effect of blocking flames, sparks, particles, and the like when vent gas is discharged from the top of the pouch-type battery cell 100 in the longitudinal direction. If a fire or explosion occurs in a portion of the pouch-type battery cell 100, high-temperature electrode assembly fragments and flames may be discharged along with the high-temperature vent gas. In this case, if the vent gas moves in a straight line, the high-temperature fragments and flames may be discharged with force, and may directly strike, for example, the pack case 300. The partition wall-type partition member 210 acts as an obstacle in the direction of vent gas movement, reducing the straightness of the vent gas and suppressing the rapid discharge of flames, sparks, and the like. Therefore, the safety of the battery pack 10 can be significantly improved. This embodiment not only suppresses or delays the discharge of flames, sparks, and the like, which tend to move in a straight line, but also contributes to lowering the temperature of the vent gas as it is discharged along a longer path.

[0172] FIG. 13 is a view corresponding to FIG. 11, showing still another embodiment of the cell cover of FIG.

[0173] The partition member 210 may be a portion provided on the inner surface of the cell cover 200 in an uneven shape.

[0174] Referring to FIG. 13, the uneven recesses 210a and protrusions 210b may be alternately positioned along the longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell 100.

[0175] In the illustrated example, the cross sections of the recessed portion 210a and the protruding portion 210b are angular, but the cross sections of the recessed portion and the protruding portion may also be curved, for example, with a wavy cross section. The angular cross section provides a reliable physical barrier against flames, sparks, and blockage, and has excellent blocking effects. The curved cross section may be advantageous from the perspective of vent gas discharge because it reduces the generation of vortices that can occur when the partition member 210 strikes the curved cross section.

[0176] In addition, the unevenness formed on the inner surface of the cell cover 200 may be formed according to the shape of the cell cover 200 itself, or may be formed by adhering or bonding small mesh-structured plates to the inner surface of the cell cover 200.

[0177] The mesh structure may be a metal net or a metal plate with many holes. The holes may be formed by cutting or cutting out portions of the metal plate by punching or etching. The metal net is formed by weaving many metal wires together to form a so-called iron net. A suitable example is a mesh structure formed by forming one or more layers, preferably multiple layers, of metal nets with two or more meshes. Mesh is a method of classifying meshes by mesh size, and is expressed as the number of meshes (squares) per inch of length. In other words, mesh is a unit of measurement for the openings of a sieve or the particle size of particles, and can be said to be the number of meshes that fit within a 1-inch square. For example, 200 mesh means that iron wires with diameters of 2 / 1000 inch each are strung at intervals of 3 / 1000 inch, and there are 200 meshes per inch of length. Therefore, N mesh is N / 25.4mm. For example, if a metal mesh with 2 or more meshes is used, the diameter of one hole is 12.7 x 12.7 mm. 2 If only flame quenching is taken into consideration, the smaller the mesh spacing, the better, but if the spacing is too narrow, it is likely to be clogged with foreign matter such as dust, so the number should be set to an appropriate value.

[0178] The mesh structure may be made of a non-combustible material. Any material may be used as long as it is fire-resistant. Specifically, any one of copper, aluminum, cast iron, Monel (Ni+Cu), SUS, and steel may be used, but the material is not limited to these. It is preferable to select a material for the mesh structure that not only has the flame-extinguishing ability to block flames, but also has mechanical properties that can withstand explosion pressure.

[0179] The mesh structure may be used purely by itself or may be laminated with a polymer resin layer, but is not limited thereto. The polymer resin layer may be any one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride-trichloroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene oxide, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cyanoethyl pullulan, cyanoethyl polyvinyl alcohol, cyanoethyl cellulose, cyanoethyl sucrose, pullulan, carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyimide, and mixtures thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0180] Such a mesh structure not only allows flames to pass through, but also breaks them into smaller pieces, absorbing the flame's energy and causing an endothermic reaction, resulting in a temperature drop and flame quenching. More specifically, the mesh structure has small holes, allowing gases and vapors to pass through but preventing flames from passing through. Furthermore, when a mixture of flammable gas and air inside a secondary battery is ignited, the mesh structure absorbs and dissipates the heat generated by the combusting gas mixture, thereby lowering the combustion temperature of the gas on the opposite side so that it does not rise to its spontaneous ignition temperature. This is because the heated gas passes through the mesh structure and absorbs heat from the material that makes up the mesh structure. Because the mesh structure is made of a metal material with numerous holes, it acts as a heat absorption plate with a very large cross-sectional area.

[0181] Therefore, as the flame passes through the mesh structure, it can lose heat to the extent that the flame can no longer sustain it, and the explosion can be extinguished.

[0182] The mesh structure can be made from thin, small plates, allowing it to be appropriately positioned in the separation space S within the cell cover 200 and minimizing an increase in the size of the cell unit. Furthermore, the mesh structure has numerous holes, minimizing an increase in weight. Thus, according to the present invention, even in the event of a fire erupting from a secondary battery, the flame is prevented from escaping to the outside while minimizing an increase in size and weight of the battery pack 10, thereby improving safety. According to this embodiment of the present invention, the external emission of sparks, flames, high-temperature active material particles, and the like contained in the vent gas can be suppressed. Therefore, fire suppression performance can be further improved. Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve spark blocking. If the pack case 300 is made of aluminum to reduce weight, if a spark were to fly and directly impact the pack case 300, it could melt the pack case 300 and cause structural collapse. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the spark is prevented from flying and directly impacting the pack case 300, thereby preventing such structural collapse.

[0183] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0184] 14, an automobile V according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention described above. Here, the automobile V may include a predetermined automobile that uses electricity as a driving source, such as an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile. Furthermore, the automobile V may further include various other components included in an automobile, such as a body and a motor, in addition to the battery pack 10 according to the present invention.

[0185] The battery pack 10 can be disposed at a predetermined position within the vehicle V. The battery pack 10 can be used as an electric energy source that provides driving force to a motor of the electric vehicle to drive the vehicle V. In this case, the battery pack 10 has a high nominal voltage of 100 V or more.

[0186] The battery pack 10 may be charged or discharged by an inverter in response to the driving of the motor and / or the internal combustion engine. The battery pack 10 may be charged by a regenerative charging device coupled to a brake. The battery pack 10 may be electrically connected to the motor of the vehicle V via the inverter.

[0187] 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.

[0188] 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. [Explanation of symbols]

[0189] 10 Battery Pack 100 pouch type battery cells 110 Electrode Lead 170 Busbar Frame 180 Insulation cover 200 cell covers 210 Partition member 220 Upper cover part 230 first side cover part 240 Second side cover part 300 pack case 330 Heatsink 340 Thermal Resin S isolated space U1 cell unit V Automobile

Claims

1. a plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; The pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is received and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover is configured to enclose the accommodating portion and a portion of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell, the cell cover includes an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of the edge portion on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on the other side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, The cell cover forms an opening so that a lower portion of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell is exposed toward the pack case.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the cell cover is configured to support the pouch-type battery cell in an upright position.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein the cell cover covers an upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, and the partition member protrudes from an upper end of an inner side of the cell cover and extends downward.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the cell cover is provided to cover the edge portions on both side surfaces and the top side of the housing portion of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the partition member is thinner than the thickness of the upper cover portion, the thickness of the first side cover portion, and the thickness of the second side cover portion.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the separation space is formed between the upper cover portion and the pouch-type battery cell.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein the partition member extends downward from the upper cover portion to an upper end of the pouch-type battery cell.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the pouch-type battery cell is configured to be closely attached to inner surfaces of the first side cover portion and the second side cover portion.

9. A plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; The pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is received and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover is configured to enclose the accommodating portion and a portion of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell, the cell cover includes an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of the edge portion on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on the other side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, The cell cover encloses a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member is configured to separate each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells.

10. A plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; The pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is received and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover is configured to enclose the accommodating portion and a portion of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell, the cell cover includes an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of the edge portion on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on the other side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, the cell cover encases a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member is configured to form a vent path corresponding to each of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells along a stacking direction of the plurality of pouch-type battery cells.

11. A plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; The pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is received and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover is configured to enclose the housing portion and the edge portion on the upper side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, the upper edge portion is a seal portion, the cell cover encases a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, and the partition member blocks the edge portion on the upper side of any one of the pouch-type battery cells from directly facing the edge portion on the upper side of another pouch-type battery cell.

12. A plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; The pouch-type battery cell includes a receiving portion in which an electrode assembly is received and an edge portion provided around the receiving portion, the cell cover is configured to enclose the accommodating portion and a portion of the edge portion of the pouch-type battery cell, the cell cover includes an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of the edge portion on the upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on one side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion and enclosing the outside of the accommodating portion on the other side of the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, a battery pack in which the cell cover encases a plurality of pouch-type battery cells, the cell cover exposes electrode leads protruding in a longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cells, the plurality of pouch-type battery cells are stacked in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the partition member is configured such that partition walls continuously arranged along the longitudinal direction are arranged at intervals along the width direction.

13. 2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein vent gas travels through the separated space, and the partition member is configured to block the travel of the vent gas.

14. A plurality of pouch-type battery cells stacked in at least one direction; a pack case that houses the pouch-type battery cell in its internal space; a cell cover that at least partially encloses at least one pouch-type battery cell among the plurality of pouch-type battery cells in the internal space of the pack case; Including, the cell cover has a separation space between it and the enclosed pouch-type battery cell, and includes a partition member configured to extend from an inner side of the cell cover and partition the separation space; a vent gas moves through the isolated space, and the partition member is configured to block the movement of the vent gas; the cell cover exposes electrode leads protruding in a longitudinal direction of the pouch-type battery cell, the vent gas moves along the longitudinal direction, and the partition member is configured such that partition walls continuously arranged along a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction.

15. the cell cover includes an upper cover portion configured to enclose an upper portion of an edge portion on an upper side of the pouch-type battery cell, a first side cover portion extending downward from one end of the upper cover portion, and a second side cover portion extending downward from the other end of the upper cover portion, 15. The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein the partition is a plate that contacts the inner surface of the upper cover portion, the inner surface of the upper end of the first side cover portion, and the inner surface of the upper end of the second side cover portion.

16. The battery pack according to claim 13 , wherein the partition member is an uneven portion provided on the inner surface of the cell cover.

17. A motor vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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