Battery module, battery pack including same, and automobile

Abstract

The battery module according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells, a cell frame that houses the plurality of battery cells, and a filling material filled between the plurality of battery cells, and at least a portion of the cell frame is recessed to form a leakage prevention groove that houses the filling material, and the cell frame includes a frame wall that forms a periphery of the cell frame and a cell receiving portion that is provided inside the frame wall and houses the plurality of battery cells, and the leakage prevention groove is provided between the frame wall and the cell receiving portion. According to the present invention, leakage of the filling material can be prevented when the filling material is injected. In addition, when cell frames that house upper and lower parts of the battery cells are coupled to each other, leakage of the filling material between the cell frames can be prevented. Furthermore, leakage of the filling material can be prevented while reducing manufacturing costs and increasing energy density.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery module capable of preventing leakage of a filler member, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0181620, filed on December 22, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof.

[0003] This application also claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0073840, filed on June 8, 2023, and the entire contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of that application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0004] Secondary batteries, which have high applicability across a range of products and electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that are powered by electrical sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source that is environmentally friendly and improves energy efficiency because they not only have the major advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels but also produce no by-products associated with energy use.

[0005] Currently widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, i.e., a unit battery cell, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Furthermore, a battery pack may be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel depending on the required charge / discharge capacity of the battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be variously set depending on the required output voltage and / or charge / discharge capacity.

[0006] Meanwhile, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, a method is generally used in which a battery module including at least one battery cell is first constructed, and then other components are added using this at least one battery module to construct a battery pack or a battery rack.

[0007] A conventional battery module includes a plurality of battery cells and a cell frame, and further includes a filler material filled between the battery cells to prevent heat diffusion and ensure cooling performance.

[0008] However, conventional battery modules have had the disadvantage of leakage of the filler material to the outside of the cell frame, particularly in the case of a structure in which the cell frame is divided into upper and lower parts and joined together, there is a risk of leakage of the filler material into gaps formed at the joined parts.

[0009] To solve this problem, conventional battery modules have attempted to prevent the filler material from leaking out of the cell frames by filling the gaps between the upper and lower cell frames using gaskets or glue at the parts where the cell frames are joined. However, in conventional battery modules, the addition of such separate gaskets or glue increases manufacturing costs, and the entire battery module becomes bulky, which is disadvantageous in terms of energy density.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need to find a solution to provide a battery module, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle that can prevent leakage of the filling member, reduce manufacturing costs, and increase energy density. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module capable of preventing leakage of a filling member, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that can reduce manufacturing costs and increase energy density, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

[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 described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, a cell frame that houses the plurality of battery cells, and a filling member filled between the plurality of battery cells, wherein at least a portion of the cell frame is recessed to form a leakage prevention groove that houses the filling member, and the cell frame includes a frame wall that forms a periphery of the cell frame, and a cell receiving portion that is provided inside the frame wall and receives the plurality of battery cells, and the leakage prevention groove is provided between the frame wall and the cell receiving portion.

[0015] The leakage prevention groove may be provided along the frame wall.

[0016] The cell accommodating portion may include a plurality of cell accommodating holes arranged side by side to receive the plurality of battery cells, and a cell accommodating wall formed along an outermost periphery of the cell accommodating holes, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided between the cell accommodating wall and the frame wall. The cell accommodating wall may be obliquely provided toward the leakage prevention groove.

[0017] The plurality of cell accommodating holes may be cylindrical, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided between adjacent ones of the plurality of cell accommodating holes and the frame wall.

[0018] The leakage prevention groove may be provided in a shape surrounded by the cell receiving portion and the frame wall.

[0019] The leakage prevention grooves may be provided in a plurality of grooves spaced apart from each other, or may be provided in a plurality of grooves connected to each other.

[0020] The leakage prevention groove includes a plurality of first grooves formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes among the plurality of cell accommodating holes, and a second groove formed between adjacent first grooves among the plurality of first grooves and communicating with the adjacent first grooves, and the depths of the first grooves and second grooves can be set to be different from each other.

[0021] The leakage prevention groove may include an inclined surface that is provided between the first groove and the second groove and is inclined toward the first groove to guide the flow of the filler member.

[0022] The height of the cell accommodating wall and the depth of the leakage prevention groove may be set to correspond to the height of the frame wall.

[0023] The cell frame may include a cell top frame that accommodates upper portions of the plurality of battery cells, and a cell bottom frame that is coupled to a lower portion of the cell top frame and accommodates lower portions of the plurality of battery cells, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided in the cell bottom frame.

[0024] The cell bottom frame may include a joint portion to which the cell top frame is joined, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided inside the joint portion.

[0025] The cell bottom frame includes a first wall defined by the outer wall of the cell bottom frame and a second wall located further inward than the first wall, and the joint portion is located between the first wall and the second wall so that a portion of the cell top frame can be inserted inside.

[0026] The leakage prevention groove may be provided inside the second wall.

[0027] The filling member may be provided by a potting resin.

[0028] The present invention also provides a battery module including: a plurality of battery cells; a cell frame that houses the plurality of battery cells and has an open top; and a filler member that is filled into the cell frame through the top of the cell frame, wherein the cell frame has a leakage prevention groove that prevents leakage of the filler member.

[0029] Here, the cell frame may include a cell top frame that accommodates upper portions of the plurality of battery cells, and a cell bottom frame that is coupled to a lower portion of the cell top frame and accommodates lower portions of the plurality of battery cells, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided in the cell bottom frame.

[0030] Furthermore, the present invention provides a battery pack, characterized in that it comprises at least one battery module according to the present invention.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention provides a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one battery pack according to the present invention.

[0032] In addition, the present invention provides a cell frame comprising a frame wall forming a rectangular peripheral portion, a cell accommodating portion provided inside the frame wall and accommodating a plurality of battery cells, and a leakage prevention groove provided between the frame wall and the cell accommodating portion.

[0033] The cell accommodating portion may include a plurality of cylindrical cell accommodating holes arranged side by side so that the plurality of battery cells are respectively fitted therein, and a cell accommodating wall formed along the outermost periphery of the cell accommodating holes, and the leakage prevention groove may be provided between the cell accommodating wall and the frame wall.

[0034] The leakage prevention groove includes a plurality of first grooves formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes among the plurality of cell accommodating holes, and a second groove formed between adjacent first grooves among the plurality of first grooves and communicating with the adjacent first grooves, and the depths of the first grooves and second grooves can be set to be different from each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery module capable of preventing leakage of a filler material when the filler material is injected, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile.

[0036] In addition, when cell frames accommodating upper and lower portions of the battery cells are joined together, leakage of the filler material between the joined cell frames can be prevented.

[0037] Furthermore, since no gaskets or glue are used, manufacturing costs can be reduced and the energy density can be increased while preventing leakage of the filling member.

[0038] In addition to these, the present invention can have various other effects, which will be explained in the sections for each embodiment, and explanations of effects that can be easily inferred by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0039] The 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 depicted in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 1. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cell frame of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a view of the cell frame of FIG. 1 viewed from above. [Figure 5] 4 is a diagram of the battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line II' in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the cell bottom frame of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] 9 is a view of the battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line II-II' in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cell bottom frame of FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a view of the battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line III-III' in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 7 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the cell bottom frame of FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is a diagram of the battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line IV-IV' in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a battery pack including the battery module of FIG. 6. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG. 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms himself / herself in order to best describe the invention.

[0042] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor at the time of this application.

[0043] 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 known functions or configurations is deemed to be likely to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted. For reference, terms indicating directions in this specification are based on the components shown in the accompanying drawings and are relative terms that can be changed depending on the actual posture and position of the components.

[0044] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG.

[0045] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a battery module 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of battery cells 100, a cell frame 200 that houses the plurality of battery cells 100, and a filler member R that is filled between the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0046] The battery cell 100 may be any type of secondary battery, such as a prismatic, cylindrical, or pouch-type battery cell, and in this embodiment, the battery cell 100 is provided as a cylindrical battery cell. The plurality of battery cells 100 may be electrically connected to each other. The plurality of battery cells 100 may be arranged in columns and rows to form one battery module 10.

[0047] Meanwhile, the cell frame 200 may be provided to accommodate all of the plurality of battery cells 100. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cell frame 200 may be provided in a box shape having an open top and four walls. Some of the walls extend along the X-axis direction in the drawings, and other parts of the walls extend along the Y-axis direction. The plurality of battery cells 100 are accommodated in the cell frame 200 upright in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, referring to FIG. 2, the cell frame 200 may include a frame wall 210 that forms the periphery of the cell frame 200, and a cell receiving portion 220 that is provided inside the frame wall 210 and accommodates the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0048] The cell frame 200 may be formed into a single unit by filling the spaces between the battery cells 100 with the filler member R. That is, the filler member R is filled in spaces formed between the battery cells 100.

[0049] 2, the filling member R fills the spaces between the plurality of battery cells 100 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery module 10. Meanwhile, in FIG. 2, the filling member R is shown by a two-dot chain line in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped simply for the purpose of enhancing understanding, and the filling member R fills all of the spaces between the plurality of battery cells 100 in the cell frame 200.

[0050] The filling member R may cover the upper and lower sides of the battery cells 100 and form the structure of the battery module 10 together with the cell frame 200 .

[0051] In addition, the filling member R can fix the plurality of battery cells 100 more stably and increase the heat dissipation efficiency of the plurality of battery cells 100, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the battery cells 100.

[0052] In addition, the filling material R prevents the penetration of moisture or foreign matter into the battery cell 100, prevents chain fires when a thermal event occurs due to an abnormality in the battery cell 100, and increases the structural rigidity of the battery pack 20.

[0053] Here, the filler R may be a potting resin that is mixed with beads such as glass bubbles. The potting resin may be formed by injecting a thin resin material into the battery cells 100 and hardening it. Here, the resin material may be injected at room temperature, approximately 15°C to 25°C, to prevent thermal damage to the battery cells 100.

[0054] Specifically, the filler R may be made of a silicone resin. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the filler R may be made of other resin materials other than the silicone resin that improve the fixing ability of the battery cell 100 and the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0055] The filler R may have a predetermined viscosity and may contain at least two substances. Specifically, the filler R may be prepared by mixing a predetermined resin and beads in a predetermined ratio. By mixing the beads, the cost of the potting resin can be reduced, and physical properties such as the viscosity of the filler R can be adjusted according to the mixing ratio.

[0056] The filler member R can guide the thermal balance of the battery cell 100, prevent uneven cooling of the battery cell 100, and prevent local deterioration of the battery cell 100. In addition, by preventing local deterioration of the battery cell 100, the safety of the battery cell 100 can also be significantly improved.

[0057] In addition, the filling member R can act as an insulator to prevent current from flowing to the adjacent battery cell 100 when at least one specific battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100 is damaged due to an abnormal condition.

[0058] Furthermore, the filler member R may further include a material having high specific heat performance. As a result, the filler member R increases thermal mass, thereby delaying a temperature rise of the battery cell 100 even under circumstances such as rapid charging and discharging of the battery cell 100, thereby preventing a rapid temperature rise of the battery cell 100.

[0059] Furthermore, the filling member R may further include a material with high heat resistance, which allows the filling member R to effectively prevent thermal runaway from spreading to adjacent battery cells when a thermal event such as overheating occurs in at least one specific battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0060] Furthermore, the filling member R may further include a material having high flame retardancy, which allows the filling member R to minimize the risk of fire occurring when a thermal event such as overheating occurs in at least one specific battery cell 100 among the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0061] Meanwhile, in the conventional battery module, when the filler material is injected into the cell frame, the filler material may overflow and leak out of the cell frame.

[0062] The present invention provides a battery module 10 including a leakage prevention groove 230 in which at least a portion of the cell frame 200 is recessed to accommodate the filler R in order to prevent leakage of the filler R. As a result, the filler R is accommodated in the leakage prevention groove 230 before leaking out of the cell frame 200, thereby preventing the filler R from leaking out of the cell frame 200.

[0063] The structure and shape of the leakage prevention groove 230 provided in the cell frame 200 to prevent leakage of the filling member R will be described in more detail below.

[0064] 3 is a perspective view of the cell frame of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a view of the cell frame of FIG. 1 looking down from above, and FIG. 5 is a view of a battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line II' of FIG.

[0065] 3 to 5, the cell frame 200 of the present invention accommodates the plurality of battery cells 100 and has an open top, which allows the filler R to be filled into the cell frame 200 through the top of the cell frame 200. In this case, it is preferable that the leakage prevention groove 230 is provided on the top side of the cell frame 200 to prevent leakage of the filler R.

[0066] The present invention provides a cell frame 200 including a frame wall 210 forming a rectangular peripheral portion, a cell receiving portion 220 provided inside the frame wall 210 to receive a plurality of battery cells 100, and a leakage prevention groove 230 provided between the frame wall 210 and the cell receiving portion 220. The cell frame 200 can be integrally manufactured by injection molding using plastic.

[0067] The cell accommodating portion 220 may include a plurality of cell accommodating holes 221 arranged side by side to receive the plurality of battery cells 100, and a cell accommodating wall 222 formed along the outermost periphery of the cell accommodating holes 221. The cell accommodating portion 220 may also include a cell support portion 223 that forms the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221 and supports the outer side of the battery cell 100. In particular, referring to FIG. 5 , the cell support portion 223 may support a lower portion of a peripheral surface of the battery cell 100.

[0068] The leakage prevention groove 230 may be provided between the frame wall 210 and the cell receiving portion 220. For example, the leakage prevention groove 230 may be provided between the cell receiving wall 222 and the frame wall 210. The leakage prevention groove 230 may also be provided along the frame wall 210. Thus, when the filler R filled inside the cell receiving portion 220 leaks out of the cell receiving wall 222, the filler R is primarily received in the leakage prevention groove 230, thereby preventing the filler R from overflowing onto the frame wall 210.

[0069] 3 and 5, the cell accommodating wall 222 may be obliquely disposed so that its height gradually decreases toward the leakage prevention groove 230. As a result, the cell accommodating wall 222 can guide the filler R leaking inside the cell accommodating portion 220 to be accommodated in the leakage prevention groove 230, thereby more effectively preventing leakage of the filler R.

[0070] Meanwhile, since the battery cells 100 are provided as cylindrical cells, the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221 may be provided in a cylindrical shape. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4 , when the cell frame 200 is viewed from above, the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221 may be provided in a circular shape. In this case, the leakage prevention groove 230 may be provided along the frame wall 210, and may be provided between the frame wall 210 and two adjacent cell accommodating holes 221. That is, the leakage prevention groove 230 may be provided between two adjacent cell accommodating holes 221 of the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221 and the frame wall 210. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4 , the leakage prevention groove 230 may be provided in a shape surrounded by the cell accommodating portion 220 and the frame wall 210.

[0071] The leakage prevention grooves 230 may be provided in a plurality of grooves spaced apart from each other, or as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a plurality of the leakage prevention grooves 230 may be provided in a manner connected to each other.

[0072] Specifically, the leakage prevention groove 230 may include a plurality of first grooves 231 formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes 221 among the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221, and a second groove 232 formed between adjacent first grooves 231 among the plurality of first grooves 231 and communicating with the adjacent first grooves 231. That is, the first grooves 231 and the second grooves 232 may be provided in a plurality of grooves spaced apart from each other, or the first grooves 231 and the second grooves 232 may be provided to be connected to each other. For example, when the battery cell 100 is provided as a cylindrical cell, if a shape in which the first grooves 231 are recessed (removed) is formed in the empty space between the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221, the first grooves 231 and the second grooves 232 can be easily formed during plastic injection molding of the cell frame 200.

[0073] As a result, the leakage prevention grooves 230 are provided in all spaces formed between the frame wall 210 and the cell accommodating portion 220, so that the leakage prevention grooves 230 can accommodate the filler R regardless of the direction of leakage of the filler R. Meanwhile, to reduce material costs, the filler R is poured from above as far as possible inside the cell accommodating wall 222. However, there is a risk that the filler R may overflow onto the cell accommodating wall 222 due to a delay in the end of the pouring or due to vibrations. In this case, the filler R flows into the first groove 231 and the second groove 232 and does not flow out of the cell frame 200. While FIG. 5 shows an example in which the filler R overflows into the first groove 231 and is completely filled, the first groove 231 may not be completely filled with the filler R.

[0074] 5, the depth h1 of the first groove 231 and the depth h2 of the second groove 232 may be different from each other. The first groove 231 may be formed to be deeper than the second groove 232 and may serve to store the filler R that may leak. That is, the depth h1 of the first groove 231 may be formed to be deeper than the depth h2 of the second groove 232. Referring to FIG. 3, the leakage prevention groove 230 may include an inclined surface 233 between the first groove 231 and the second groove 232, the inclined surface 233 being gradually reduced in height toward the first groove 231, and guiding the flow of the filler R. As a result, the filling material R first flows into the shallow second groove 232, then flows further down along the inclined surface 233 and is guided to the deeper first groove 231 where it is stored, thereby more effectively preventing the filling material R from leaking out of the cell frame 200.

[0075] FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module of FIG.

[0076] Unlike the above-described embodiment, in the battery module 10 shown in Figures 6 and 7, the cell frame 200 may include a cell top frame 202 that accommodates the upper portions of the plurality of battery cells 100, and a cell bottom frame 201 that is coupled to the lower portion of the cell top frame 202 and accommodates the lower portions of the plurality of battery cells 100.

[0077] As described above, when the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201 are coupled together, a certain tolerance inevitably occurs at the coupled portion of the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201 due to the height tolerance between the plurality of battery cells 100 and the cell frame 200. Therefore, if there is no structure such as the leakage prevention groove 230, the phenomenon of the filler R leaking out of the cell frame 200 through the coupled portion occurs.

[0078] In the case of a conventional battery module having a structure in which a cell frame is divided into upper and lower halves and joined together, attempts have been made to prevent the filler material from leaking out of the cell frame by using a gasket or glue at the joining portion of the cell frame to fill the gap between the upper and lower joined portions of the cell frame. However, in the conventional battery module, adding such a separate gasket or glue increases manufacturing costs and increases the size of the entire battery module, which is disadvantageous in terms of energy density.

[0079] In the present invention, since no gasket or glue is used, manufacturing costs can be reduced and energy density can be increased. To this end, the leakage prevention groove 230 is provided to prevent the filler R from leaking from the portion where the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201 are joined when the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201 are joined. The leakage prevention groove 230 can be provided in the cell bottom frame 201. Since the leakage prevention groove 230 is integrally formed in the cell frame 200, the filler R is accommodated in the leakage prevention groove 230 before leaking outside the cell frame 200 without the need for any additional components. Therefore, when the cell frame 200 is separately formed into the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201, the filler R can be prevented from leaking outside the cell frame 200 from the joined portion. Furthermore, manufacturing costs can be reduced and energy density can be increased.

[0080] Next, the structure of one embodiment of the cell bottom frame 201 and the cell top frame 202 that can be included in the battery module 10 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the cell bottom frame of Figure 6, and Figure 9 is a view of the battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the II-II' arrows in Figure 8.

[0081] 8 and 9, the cell bottom frame 201 and the cell top frame 202 may include frame walls 210a, 210b and cell receiving portions 220a, 220b, respectively. In this case, the frame wall 210a of the cell bottom frame 201 forms the periphery of the cell bottom frame 201, and the cell receiving portion 220a has the same structure as the cell receiving portion 220 of the cell frame 200 described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0082] 9, the frame wall 210b of the cell top frame 202 may further include a leakage prevention wall 214b that forms the periphery of the cell top frame 202 and partially protrudes upward to prevent leakage of the filler R when the filler R is filled inside the cell frame 200. Similarly, the cell receiving portion 220b of the cell top frame 202 has a shape that is obtained by inverting the cell receiving portion 220 of the cell frame 200 described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, and has the same structure as the cell receiving portion 220. In this case, the cell support portion 223b of the cell top frame 202 may support the upper portion of the periphery of the battery cell 100.

[0083] Meanwhile, regarding the structure for coupling the cell top frame 202 and the cell bottom frame 201 in detail, the cell top frame 202 may be coupled to accommodate the entire cell bottom frame 201. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 9, the cell bottom frame 201 may include a coupling portion 213a to which the cell top frame 202 is coupled. The coupling portion 213a may be formed by recessing a portion of the frame wall 210a. That is, a portion of the cell top frame 202 may be fitted into the coupling portion 213a of the cell bottom frame 201. As a result, the cell bottom frame 201 and the cell top frame 202 may be firmly coupled to each other without the need for a separate member such as a gasket or glue, thereby further enhancing the rigidity of the battery module 10.

[0084] Meanwhile, when the cell bottom frame 201 and the cell top frame 202 are coupled together, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided between the frame wall 210a and the cell accommodating portion 220a to prevent leakage of the filler R from the coupling portion 213. For example, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided between the cell accommodating wall 222a and the frame wall 210a. The leakage prevention groove 230a may also be provided along the frame wall 210a. As a result, when the filler R filled inside the cell accommodating portion 220a leaks out of the cell accommodating wall 222a, it is primarily contained in the leakage prevention groove 230a, thereby preventing it from spilling out onto the frame wall 210a.

[0085] 8 and 9, the cell accommodating wall 222a may be obliquely disposed so that its height gradually decreases toward the leakage prevention groove 230a. As a result, the cell accommodating wall 222a can guide the filler R leaking inside the cell accommodating portion 220a to be accommodated in the leakage prevention groove 230a, thereby more effectively preventing leakage of the filler R.

[0086] Specifically, the cell bottom frame 201 may include a first wall 211a defined by the outer wall of the cell bottom frame 201 and a second wall 212a spaced apart and inward from the first wall 211a. The coupling portion 213a may be provided between the first wall 211a and the second wall 212a, and a portion of the frame wall 210b of the cell top frame 202 may be fitted therein. In this case, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided inward from the coupling portion 213a and the second wall 212a. As a result, when the cell bottom frame 201 and the cell top frame 202 are coupled together, the filler R is primarily accommodated within the coupling portion 213a to prevent leakage, and the coupling portion 213a can also perform the same function as the leakage prevention groove 230a, thereby secondarily preventing leakage of the filler R.

[0087] Meanwhile, since the battery cells 100 are provided as cylindrical cells, the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221a may be provided in a cylindrical shape. In this case, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided along the frame wall 210a and between the frame wall 210a and two adjacent cell accommodating holes 221a. That is, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided between two adjacent cell accommodating holes 221a of the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221a and the frame wall 210a. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8 , the leakage prevention groove 230a may be provided in a shape surrounded by the cell accommodating portion 220a and the frame wall 210a.

[0088] The leakage prevention grooves 230a may be provided in a plurality of grooves spaced apart from each other. According to one embodiment, the leakage prevention grooves 230a of the cell bottom frame 201 may be provided only by a plurality of first grooves 231a formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes 221a among the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221a. In this case, the first grooves 231a may not only accommodate the filler R that may leak, but also serve to store the filler R.

[0089] The structure of another embodiment of the cell bottom frame 201 of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10 to Fig. 12. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cell bottom frame of Fig. 6, Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of part A of Fig. 10, and Fig. 12 is a view of a battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the III-III' arrows of Fig. 11.

[0090] 8 and 9, if only the first grooves 231a are provided, there is a possibility that the filler R may leak into the empty spaces between the first grooves 231a. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the plurality of leakage prevention grooves 230a may be provided so as to be connected to each other. As a result, the leakage prevention grooves 230a are provided in all spaces formed between the frame wall 210a and the cell accommodating portion 220a, and it becomes possible to accommodate the filler R regardless of the direction in which leakage of the filler R occurs.

[0091] Specifically, the leakage prevention groove 230a may include a plurality of first grooves 231a formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes 221a among the plurality of cell accommodating holes 221a, and second grooves 232a formed between adjacent first grooves 231a among the plurality of first grooves 231a and communicating with the adjacent first grooves 231a. That is, the first grooves 231a and the second grooves 232a may be provided in plurality so as to be spaced apart from each other, or the first grooves 231a and the second grooves 232a may be provided so as to be connected to each other.

[0092] 12, the depth h3 of the first groove 231a and the depth h4 of the second groove 232a may be different from each other. The first groove 231a may be deeper than the second groove 232a to store the filler R that may leak. That is, the depth h3 of the first groove 231a may be deeper than the depth h4 of the second groove 232a. Referring to FIG. 10, the leakage prevention groove 230a may include an inclined surface 233a between the first groove 231a and the second groove 232a, the inclined surface 233a being gradually reduced in height toward the first groove 231a to guide the flow of the filler R.

[0093] This allows the filling material R to flow into the shallow second groove 232a, then flow further down the inclined surface 233a and be guided to the deeper first groove 231a where it is stored, thereby more effectively preventing the filling material R from leaking out of the cell bottom frame 201 without weakening the rigidity of the cell bottom frame 201.

[0094] The structure of a cell bottom frame 201 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 13 and Fig. 14. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the cell bottom frame according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 14 is a view of a battery module corresponding to the cross section taken along the line IV-IV' in Fig. 13.

[0095] 13 and 14, the first groove 231a and the second groove 232a may be connected to each other, and the depth h5 of the first groove 231a and the depth h6 of the second groove 232a may be formed to be the same. In addition, the height of the cell accommodating wall 222a and the depth of the leakage prevention groove 230a may be formed to correspond to the height of the frame wall 210a. In this case, the cell accommodating wall 222a and the frame wall 210a may be formed to be completely separated from each other.

[0096] In other words, the leakage prevention groove 230a may be defined as the entire space between the cell accommodating wall 222a and the frame wall 210a. As a result, if the filler R leaks out of the cell accommodating wall 222a, a large amount of the filler R can be stored in the leakage prevention groove 230a, so that the filler R can be more effectively prevented from leaking out of the cell frame 200.

[0097] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a battery pack including the battery module of FIG.

[0098] 15, the present invention provides a battery pack 20 including at least one battery module 10 according to the above-described embodiment. The battery pack 20 may include a pack case 21 that accommodates the battery module 10. To this end, the pack case 21 may be provided with an accommodation space capable of accommodating the battery module 10. The accommodation space may be a space at the bottom of the pack case 21 that is stepped from the periphery of the pack case 21 to a predetermined depth.

[0099] 15, it goes without saying that the pack case 21 may further include a pack cover that covers the battery module 10. Here, the pack case 21 may be coupled to the pack cover by being bolted together with bolt fastening members.

[0100] In addition, the battery pack 20 may include a battery management system (BMS) as a control module for controlling the battery module 10. The control module may manage the battery module 10 by sensing the charge / discharge, voltage, and temperature of the battery module 10.

[0101] In addition, although not shown, the battery pack 20 may further include components of a cooling unit, such as a heat sink, for cooling the battery module 10. The heat sink may be air-cooled or water-cooled, and may be provided above or below the bottom of the pack case 21.

[0102] In addition to these, the battery pack 20 may further include various other components, such as relays, current sensors, and other components that are known at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0103] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a vehicle including the battery pack of FIG.

[0104] 16, the present invention may provide a vehicle 30 including at least one of the above-described battery packs 20. That is, the battery pack 20 according to the present invention may be applied to vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. For example, the battery pack 20 may be installed in the body frame below the seats of the vehicle or in the trunk space.

[0105] According to the various embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a battery module 10 that can prevent leakage of the filling member, reduce costs, and increase energy density, as well as a battery pack 20 and an automobile 30 that include the battery module 10.

[0106] For reference, it goes without saying that the battery pack 20 according to the present invention can be applied to an energy storage system (ESS) and various electric devices in addition to automobiles. As such, devices, appliances, and facilities equipped with the battery pack 20, such as the automobile 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention, include the battery module 10 described above, and therefore can achieve all of the advantages of the battery module 10 described above.

[0107] 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.

[0108] As described above, the present invention has been described using limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these in any way, 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 belongs within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims.

Claims

1. a plurality of battery cells; a cell frame that houses the plurality of battery cells; a filling member filled between the plurality of battery cells; Including, The cell frame is a frame wall that forms a periphery of the cell frame; a cell accommodating portion provided inside the frame wall and accommodating the plurality of battery cells; a leakage prevention groove provided between the frame wall and the cell accommodating portion and capable of accommodating the filler member, The cell storage section is a plurality of cell accommodating holes arranged side by side so that the plurality of battery cells can be fitted into the cell accommodating holes, respectively; a cell housing wall formed along the periphery of the outermost periphery of the cell housing hole, the leakage prevention groove is provided between the cell accommodating wall and the frame wall, The plurality of cell accommodating holes are cylindrical, the leakage prevention groove is provided between adjacent cell accommodating holes of the plurality of cell accommodating holes and the frame wall, The leakage prevention groove is provided in a shape surrounded by the cell accommodating portion and the frame wall.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the leakage prevention groove is provided along the frame wall.

3. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the cell housing wall is obliquely disposed toward the leakage prevention groove.

4. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the leakage prevention groove is provided in a plurality of grooves that are spaced apart from each other or connected to each other.

5. The leakage prevention groove is a plurality of first grooves located between adjacent cell accommodating holes among the plurality of cell accommodating holes; and a second groove formed between adjacent first grooves among the plurality of first grooves and communicating with the adjacent first grooves; The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the depth of the first groove and the depth of the second groove are different from each other.

6. The battery module according to claim 5 , wherein the leakage prevention groove includes an inclined surface disposed between the first groove and the second groove and inclined toward the first groove to guide the flow of the filler member.

7. The battery module according to claim 4 , wherein a height of the cell containing wall and a depth of the leakage prevention groove correspond to a height of the frame wall.

8. The cell frame is a cell top frame that accommodates upper portions of the plurality of battery cells; a cell bottom frame coupled to a lower portion of the cell top frame and accommodating lower portions of the plurality of battery cells; The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the leakage prevention groove is provided in the cell bottom frame.

9. the cell bottom frame includes a coupling portion to which the cell top frame is coupled, The battery module according to claim 8 , wherein the leakage prevention groove is provided inside the connecting portion.

10. The cell bottom frame is a first wall defined by an outer wall of the cell bottom frame; a second wall provided inwardly and spaced apart from the first wall, The battery module according to claim 9 , wherein the coupling portion is provided between the first wall and the second wall, and a portion of the cell top frame is fitted into the coupling portion.

11. The battery module according to claim 10 , wherein the leakage prevention groove is provided inside the second wall.

12. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the filling member is a potting resin.

13. A battery pack comprising at least one battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A motor vehicle including at least one battery pack according to claim 13.

15. a frame wall forming a rectangular perimeter; a cell accommodating portion provided inside the frame wall and accommodating a plurality of battery cells; a leakage prevention groove provided between the frame wall and the cell accommodating portion, The cell storage section is a plurality of cell accommodating holes arranged side by side so that the plurality of battery cells can be fitted into the cell accommodating holes, respectively; a cell housing wall formed along the periphery of the outermost periphery of the cell housing hole, the leakage prevention groove is provided between the cell accommodating wall and the frame wall, The plurality of cell accommodating holes are cylindrical, the leakage prevention groove is provided between adjacent cell accommodating holes of the plurality of cell accommodating holes and the frame wall, The leakage prevention groove is provided in a shape surrounded by the cell accommodating portion and the frame wall.

16. The leakage prevention groove is a plurality of first grooves formed between adjacent cell accommodating holes among the plurality of cell accommodating holes; and a second groove formed between adjacent first grooves among the plurality of first grooves and communicating with the adjacent first grooves; The cell frame of claim 15 , wherein the depth of the first groove and the depth of the second groove are different from each other.

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