Battery pack and automobile including same

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery pack structure capable of mounting a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells to a battery pack without using a modular frame. The battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells each having an electrode lead, a pack housing that accommodates the cell assembly therein, and a bus bar assembly that is disposed on both sides of the cell assembly, is coupled to the pack housing, and is connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells.

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 a simpler and more stable structure than conventional battery packs and a vehicle including the same.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0059533, filed on May 16, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof. [Background technology]

[0003] Recently, with the rapid increase in demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones, and the full-scale development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, satellites, etc., active research is being conducted on high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged.

[0004] Currently commercially available secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among these, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention due to their advantages of being free to charge and discharge since they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, an extremely low self-discharge rate, and a high energy density.

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

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

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

[0008] As described above, the pouch-type secondary battery has the flexibility to be configured in various shapes, and also has the advantage that a secondary battery with the same capacity can be realized with a smaller volume and mass.

[0009] On the other hand, since conventional pouch-type secondary batteries enclose an electrode assembly in a very thin pouch, the overall shape of the battery cell may bend even with a slight external force or its own weight. Also, the electrode leads of conventional pouch-type secondary batteries are flexible and may bend easily. Therefore, conventional pouch-type secondary batteries are not easily installed in a battery pack without a module case structure that maintains the outer shape of the battery cell. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack structure that allows a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells to be attached to the battery pack without using a modular frame.

[0011] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention provided below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells each having an electrode lead, a pack housing that houses the cell assembly therein, and bus bar assemblies that are disposed on both sides of the cell assembly, are coupled to the pack housing, and are connected to the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells.

[0013] Preferably, the plurality of battery cells may be stacked in a front-rear direction and may be bonded to each other by adhesive members provided between the battery cells.

[0014] Preferably, the battery pack may further include a pair of cell supports coupled to the pack housing and configured to support both the front and rear sides of the cell assembly.

[0015] Preferably, the pack housing includes a floor frame and a pair of guide rails provided on the floor frame, arranged on both sides of the cell assembly, and to which the bus bar assembly is coupled, and the cell support portion is arranged between the pair of guide rails in the left-right direction of the cell assembly, and both sides can be coupled to the pair of guide rails.

[0016] Preferably, the pair of guide rails may be formed on the floor frame to extend along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly.

[0017] Preferably, the busbar assembly includes a plurality of busbar blocks coupled to the guide rail, and a plurality of busbars provided on at least some of the plurality of busbar blocks and connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly, the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells being arranged between different busbar blocks in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly, and the plurality of busbar blocks may be configured to apply pressure to the plurality of busbars and the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly to connect them to each other.

[0018] Preferably, the plurality of bus bars are arranged along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly, and the plurality of bus bar blocks may be provided on the guide rail along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly.

[0019] Preferably, the busbar block includes a first block, a second block arranged opposite the first block in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly, and a pressure member arranged between the first block and the second block in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly and configured to be driven in the vertical direction to pressurize the first block and the second block in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly, and lower ends of the first block, the second block, and the pressure member may be located inside the guide rail.

[0020] Preferably, the pressure applying member includes a vertical moving portion configured to move in an up-down direction, and a tapered portion coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the vertical moving portion and formed to have a tapered shape in a downward direction, and the tapered portion may be configured to move in an up-down direction together with the vertical moving portion and to apply pressure to the first block and the second block in the front-to-back direction of the cell assembly.

[0021] Preferably, the pressing member may further include a busbar block fixing part located inside the guide rail, connected to the vertical moving part, and disposed between a lower end of the first block and a lower end of the second block in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly, and the busbar block fixing part may be configured to be fastened to the vertical moving part and fix the busbar block to the guide rail.

[0022] Preferably, the bus bar may be configured to surround a portion of the bus bar block, to be pressed in the front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly by movement of the first block and the second block, and to be connected to the electrode lead.

[0023] Preferably, the bus bar includes a seating portion disposed on an upper portion of the bus bar block, and lead connection portions formed to extend downward from both ends of the seating portion in a front-rear direction and disposed adjacent to side surfaces of the first block and the second block in the front-rear direction, and the lead connection portions may be configured to be pressed against both sides of the cell assembly in the front-rear direction as the first block and the second block move due to pressure applied by the tapered portion, and to be connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells.

[0024] Preferably, the battery pack may further include a pair of side plates connecting the pair of cell supports in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly and disposed opposite to each other in the left-right direction of the cell assembly.

[0025] Preferably, the battery pack may further include a heat dissipation member disposed between the cell assembly and the floor frame in a vertical direction.

[0026] Furthermore, a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes at least one battery pack according to the aspect of the present invention as described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the embodiments of the present invention, not only can the cell assemblies be stably supported by the bus bar assemblies and cell supports coupled to the pack housing without using a modular frame to house the cell assemblies, but also the number of components required for manufacturing the battery pack can be simplified.

[0028] In addition, since the connection between the electrode leads and the bus bars and the connection between the plurality of battery cells are achieved by pressing the bus bar block, no separate welding process is required, and the output of the cell assembly can be easily changed later as needed.

[0029] Furthermore, various other additional effects can be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. Such various effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or a description of effects that can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0030] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters described in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the overall shape of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 illustrates an exemplary shape and manufacturing process of a cell assembly included in the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of part A in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the configuration of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the configuration of FIG. 4. [Figure 7]2 shows the overall shape of a busbar assembly included in the battery pack of FIG. 1; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the busbar assembly of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of an embodiment in which the bus bar assembly of FIG. 7 and the electrode leads of the cell assembly are connected. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of an embodiment in which the bus bar assembly of FIG. 7 and the electrode leads of the cell assembly are connected. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of another embodiment in which the bus bar assembly of FIG. 7 and the electrode leads of the cell assembly are connected. [Figure 12] 8 is a schematic top view of another embodiment in which the bus bar assembly of FIG. 7 and the electrode leads of the cell assembly are connected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] 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 and dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventors themselves can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe the invention.

[0033] Therefore, it should be understood that the configurations shown in the embodiments described in this specification are merely the most desirable 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 for them at the time of this application.

[0034] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall shape of a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1 from a simplified top view, Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the shape and manufacturing process of a cell assembly 100 included in the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating in detail part A of Fig. 2. In this regard, a pack cover 240, a bus bar assembly 300, and a side plate 500, which will be described later in Fig. 2, are not illustrated.

[0035] In the embodiments of the present invention, the X-axis direction shown in the drawings may refer to the front-to-back direction, the Y-axis direction may refer to the left-to-right direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on a horizontal plane (XY plane), and the Z-axis direction may refer to the up-to-down direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0036] 1 to 4, a battery pack 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cell assembly 100, a pack housing 200, and a busbar assembly 300.

[0037] The cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 120. The cell assembly 100 may not include a separate module case.

[0038] Here, each battery cell 120 may refer to a secondary battery. Each battery cell 120 may be a pouch-type battery cell, a cylindrical battery cell, or a prismatic battery cell. For example, each battery cell 120 may be a pouch-type battery cell.

[0039] Each battery cell 120 may include an electrode lead 140. For example, the electrode lead 140 may be formed on both the left and right sides of each battery cell 120. The electrode lead 140 may be mechanically and electrically connected to the bus bar assembly 300.

[0040] For example, the electrode lead 140 may include a first lead (142, e.g., a positive electrode lead) and a second lead (144, e.g., a negative electrode lead). The first lead 142 may be formed on one side of each battery cell 120 in the left-right direction, and the second lead 144 may be formed on the other side of each battery cell 120 in the left-right direction.

[0041] The pack housing 200 can accommodate the cell assembly 100 therein. To this end, the pack housing 200 can be provided with an accommodation space for accommodating the cell assembly 100 therein. The pack housing 200 will be discussed in more detail in the following related description.

[0042] The bus bar assemblies 300 may be disposed on both sides of the cell assembly 100 and coupled to the pack housing 200. In addition, the bus bar assemblies 300 may be connected to the electrode leads 140 of the plurality of battery cells 120.

[0043] Specifically, the bus bar assemblies 300 may be disposed on both left and right sides of the cell assembly 100. The bus bar assemblies 300 may be connected to the electrode leads 140 of the battery cells 120 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0044] As a result, the bus bar assembly 300 can support one and the other sides of the cell assembly 100 in the left-right direction. In addition, since the bus bar assembly 300 is connected to the electrode leads 140 of the plurality of battery cells 120 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100, the cell assembly 100 can be stably supported by the bus bar assembly 300 in the front-rear direction.

[0045] The bus bar assembly 300 will be discussed in more detail in the following related description.

[0046] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the busbar assembly 300 coupled to the pack housing 200 allows the cell assembly 100 to be stably accommodated inside the pack housing 200, thereby minimizing the number of parts required when manufacturing the battery pack.

[0047] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of battery cells 120 may be stacked in a front-rear direction and electrically connected to each other.

[0048] 3(a), the plurality of battery cells 120 may be bonded to each other by adhesive members T provided between the respective battery cells 120. As an example, the adhesive members T may be, but are not limited to, double-sided tape.

[0049] The electrode leads 140 may be provided in plurality on both left and right sides of the cell assembly 100 along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. That is, in a cell assembly 100 in which a plurality of battery cells 120 are arranged to be stacked in the front-rear direction, when the cell assembly 100 is viewed as a whole, the electrode leads 140 may be provided in plurality on both left and right sides of the cell assembly 100 along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0050] Also, as shown in FIG. 3(b), when viewed from the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100, each battery cell 120 may be stacked in the front-rear direction such that the first leads 142 and the second leads 144 are alternately arranged.

[0051] The structure in which the adhesive member T is used to stack the plurality of battery cells 120 in this manner has the advantage that the cell assembly 100 housed in the pack housing 200 can be constructed with a simpler structure.

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the battery pack 10 may further include a pair of cell supports 400.

[0053] The pair of cell supports 400 may be coupled to the pack housing 200 and configured to support both the front and rear sides of the cell assembly 100. As an example, the pair of cell supports 400 may be configured in the shape of a plate.

[0054] Specifically, the pair of cell supports 400 may include a first support 410 and a second support 420 .

[0055] The first support portion 410 may support one side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction, and the second support portion 420 may support the other side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction. In particular, the first support portion 410 may support the entire one side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction, and the second support portion 420 may support the entire other side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction.

[0056] According to this embodiment of the present invention, a pair of plate-shaped cell supports 400 can stably support the cell assembly 100 in the front-to-rear direction, which has the advantage of allowing the cell assembly 100 to be more stably accommodated inside the pack housing 200.

[0057] The above-described pack housing 200 and bus bar assembly 300 will now be considered in more detail.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the pack housing 200 may include a floor frame 210 and a pair of guide rails 220.

[0059] The floor frame 210 may constitute a lower surface of the pack housing 200. For example, the floor frame 210 may be formed in a plate shape having a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction.

[0060] The pair of guide rails 220 may be provided on the floor frame 210 and disposed on both sides of the cell assembly 100. Specifically, the pair of guide rails 220 may be disposed on both sides of the cell assembly 100 in the left-right direction.

[0061] The pair of cell support parts 400 are disposed between the pair of guide rails 220 in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100, and both sides thereof may be coupled to the pair of guide rails 220.

[0062] As described above, both sides of the cell support part 400 are coupled to a pair of guide rails 220 provided on the floor frame 210, so that the support of the cell assembly 100 by the cell support part 400 can be performed more stably.

[0063] In addition, the pair of guide rails 220 can be coupled with the bus bar assembly 300 described above.

[0064] In particular, the pair of guide rails 220 may be formed on the floor frame 210 to extend along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 .

[0065] As described above, the pair of guide rails 220 are formed to extend along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100, so that a plurality of bus bar assemblies 300 can be coupled to the guide rails 220. As a result, a greater number of bus bar assemblies 300 can be connected to the electrode leads 140 of a plurality of battery cells 120, thereby enabling more stable support of the cell assembly 100.

[0066] Figures 5 and 6 are views of the configuration of Figure 4 as seen from the front and rear, respectively. Specifically, Figure 5 is a view of the configuration of Figure 4 as seen from the front, and Figure 6 is a view of the configuration of Figure 4 as seen from the rear.

[0067] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the pair of guide rails 220 described above may include a first rail 222 and a second rail 224.

[0068] The first rail 222 may be disposed on one side of the cell assembly 100 in the left-right direction and may extend along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the bus bar assembly 300 described above may be coupled to the first rail 222.

[0069] The second rail 224 may be disposed on the other left-right side of the cell assembly 100 and extend along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the above-described bus bar assembly 300 may be coupled to the second rail 224.

[0070] In one embodiment, the first rail 222 may be positioned on the left side of the cell assembly 100 and the second rail 224 may be positioned on the right side of the cell assembly 100, but is not limited to this.

[0071] 4 to 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a pair of first fastening members C1 and a pair of first cell support fixing members F1.

[0072] The first support portion 410 may be coupled to the guide rail 220 by the pair of first fastening members C1 and the pair of first cell support portion fixing members F1.

[0073] More specifically, the pair of first fastening members C1 may pass through fasteners 412 formed on both sides of the first support portion 410 and be inserted vertically into the first rail 222 and the second rail 224, respectively.

[0074] The pair of first cell support portion fixing members F1 are provided in the first rail 222 and the second rail 224, respectively, and can be coupled with the first fastening member C1 to fix the first support portion 410 to the first rail 222 and the second rail 224.

[0075] For example, the first fastening member C1 may be a bolt, and the first cell support fixing member F1 may be a square nut corresponding thereto.

[0076] Meanwhile, the first rail 222 may include stepped portions 2222 protruding from both sides of the upper end of the first rail 222 and formed to face each other in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100. The stepped portions 2222 of the first rail 222 may be formed to extend elongatedly along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the first fastening member C1 may be inserted into the first rail 222 through a gap between the stepped portions 2222 of the first rail 222.

[0077] When the first cell support portion fixing member F1 provided in the first rail 222 is coupled with the first fastening member C1, the stepped portion 2222 of the first rail 222 may come into contact with the first cell support portion fixing member F1 in the vertical direction, thereby preventing the first cell support portion fixing member F1 from coming off.

[0078] In addition, the second rail 224 may include stepped portions 2242 that protrude from both sides of an upper end of the second rail 224 and are formed to face each other in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100. The stepped portions 2242 of the second rail 224 may be formed to extend elongatedly along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the first fastening member C1 may be inserted into the second rail 224 through a gap between the stepped portions 2242 of the second rail 224.

[0079] The stepped portion 2242 of the second rail 224 may come into contact with the first cell support portion fixing member F1 in the vertical direction when the first cell support portion fixing member F1 provided in the second rail 224 is coupled with the first fastening member C1. As a result, the stepped portion 2242 of the second rail 224 may prevent the first cell support portion fixing member F1 from coming off.

[0080] 4 to 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a pair of second fastening members C2 and a pair of second cell support fixing members F2.

[0081] The second support portion 420 may be coupled to the guide rail 220 by the pair of second fastening members C2 and the pair of second cell support portion fixing members F2.

[0082] More specifically, the pair of second fastening members C2 may pass through fasteners 422 formed on both sides of the second support portion 420 and be inserted vertically into the first rail 222 and the second rail 224, respectively.

[0083] The pair of second cell support part fixing members F2 are provided in the first rail 222 and the second rail 224, respectively, and can be coupled to the second fastening member C2 to fix the second support part 420 to the first rail 222 and the second rail 224.

[0084] For example, the second fastening member C2 may be a bolt, and the second cell support fixing member F2 may be a square nut corresponding thereto.

[0085] The second fastening member C2 can be inserted into the first rail 222 through a gap between the stepped portions 2222 of the first rail 222.

[0086] Meanwhile, the stepped portion 2222 of the first rail 222 may come into contact with the second cell support portion fixing member F2 in the vertical direction when the second cell support portion fixing member F2 provided in the first rail 222 is coupled with the second fastening member C2, thereby preventing the second cell support portion fixing member F2 from coming off.

[0087] In addition, the second fastening member C2 can be inserted into the second rail 224 through the gap between the stepped portions 2242 of the second rail 224.

[0088] Meanwhile, the step portion 2242 of the second rail 224 may come into contact with the second cell support portion fixing member F2 in the vertical direction when the second cell support portion fixing member F2 provided in the second rail 224 is coupled with the second fastening member C2. As a result, the step portion 2242 of the second rail 224 may prevent the second cell support portion fixing member F2 from coming off.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 4, the battery pack 10 may further include a buffer pad P for preventing swelling of the cell assembly 100.

[0090] The buffer pad P may be disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the cell support portion 400 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 .

[0091] As an example, the buffer pad P may be disposed between one side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-to-rear direction and the first support portion 410, and between the other side of the cell assembly 100 in the front-to-rear direction and the second support portion 420.

[0092] The buffer pad P, together with the pair of cell support parts 400, can suppress swelling of the cell assembly 100. For example, the buffer pad P may be made of an elastic material such as sponge so that it can be contracted.

[0093] The above-described bus bar assembly 300 will now be considered in more detail.

[0094] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the overall shape of the busbar assembly 300 included in the battery pack 10 of Fig. 1, Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the busbar assembly 300 of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a simplified side view of an embodiment in which the busbar assembly 300 of Fig. 7 is connected to an electrode lead 140 of a cell assembly 100, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a simplified top view of an embodiment in which the busbar assembly 300 of Fig. 7 is connected to an electrode lead 140 of a cell assembly 100. In this regard, detailed illustration of a busbar block 310, which will be described later in Fig. 10, is omitted.

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 10, the busbar assembly 300 may include a plurality of busbar blocks 310 and a plurality of busbars 320.

[0096] The plurality of busbar blocks 310 may be coupled to the guide rail 220. At this time, the plurality of busbar blocks 310 may be coupled to the guide rail 220 in a vertical direction.

[0097] The bus bars 320 may be provided on at least a portion of the bus bar blocks 310. The bus bars 320 may be connected to the electrode leads 140 of the battery cells 120 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the bus bars 320 may be coupled to the bus bar block 310 in the up-down direction. For example, the bus bars 320 may be made of an electrically conductive metal material such as copper-silver, tin-plated copper, or the like.

[0098] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the electrode leads 140 of the plurality of battery cells 120 may be disposed between different busbar blocks 310 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0099] In this case, the plurality of bus bar blocks 310 may be configured to press the plurality of bus bars 320 and the electrode leads 140 of the plurality of battery cells 120 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 to connect them to each other.

[0100] According to this embodiment of the present invention, by compressing the plurality of busbar blocks 310, not only can the electrode leads 140 and the busbars 320 be stably interconnected without the need for a separate fixing structure, but the busbar assembly 300 can also more stably support the cell assembly 100.

[0101] Meanwhile, the plurality of bus bars 320 may be arranged along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. Also, the plurality of bus bar blocks 310 may be provided on the guide rail 220 along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. For example, the plurality of bus bar blocks 310 may be inserted into the guide rail 220 in a sliding manner through the front-rear end of the guide rail 220.

[0102] With this configuration, the electrode leads 140 and the bus bars 320 can be interconnected by more bus bar blocks 310, thereby enabling more stable support of the cell assembly 100.

[0103] Referring again to FIGS. 2 to 10 , the bus bar block 310 may include a first block 312 , a second block 314 and a pressure member 316 .

[0104] The first block 312 and the second block 314 may be disposed opposite each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. As an example, the first block 312 and the second block 314 may be non-conductive, but are not limited to this.

[0105] The pressure member 316 may be disposed between the first block 312 and the second block 314 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. The pressure member 316 may be configured to be driven in the vertical direction to press the first block 312 and the second block 314 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In this case, the pressure member 316 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the side surfaces of the first block 312 and the second block 314.

[0106] In addition, the lower ends of the first block 312 , the second block 314 and the pressure member 316 may be positioned inside the guide rail 220 .

[0107] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the first block 312 and the second block 314 can be pressed simply by driving the pressure member 316 in the vertical direction, so that the electrode lead 140 and the bus bar 320 can be interconnected with a simple structure.

[0108] Referring again to FIGS. 7-9, the pressure member 316 can include a vertically moving portion 3162 and a tapered portion 3164 .

[0109] The vertical moving part 3162 may be configured to move up and down. As an example, the vertical moving part 3162 may be a bolt.

[0110] The tapered portion 3164 may be coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the vertical moving portion 3162 and may be tapered downward. By way of example, the tapered portion 3164 may be made of, but is not limited to, a non-conductive material.

[0111] More specifically, the tapered portion 3164 may be configured to be moved in the up and down direction together with the vertical moving portion 3162 and to press the first block 312 and the second block 314 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 .

[0112] The tapered portion 3164 may have one side (front side) in the front-rear direction formed in a shape corresponding to the side of the first block 312, and the other side (rear side) in the front-rear direction formed in a shape corresponding to the side of the second block 314.

[0113] Therefore, when the tapered portions 3164 are both driven downward in response to the driving of the vertical moving portion 3162, the tapered portions 3164 can pressurize the first block 312 and the second block 314 in the front-to-back direction so as to widen the gap between the first block 312 and the second block 314 arranged on both sides of the tapered portion 3164 in the front-to-back direction.

[0114] In this way, the tapered portion 3164 of the pressure member 316 has a tapered shape that narrows in width as it goes downward, which has the advantage that pressure can be applied to the first block 312 and the second block 314 with a simpler structure.

[0115] Referring again to FIGS. 7 to 9, the pressure member 316 may further include a bus bar block fixing portion 3166.

[0116] The busbar block fixing portion 3166 may be located inside the guide rail 220, connected to the vertical moving portion 3162, and disposed between the lower end of the first block 312 and the lower end of the second block 314 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. For example, the busbar block fixing portion 3166 may be a square nut corresponding to the vertical moving portion 3162.

[0117] Such a busbar block fixing portion 3166 may be configured to be fastened to the vertical moving portion 3162 and fix the busbar block 310 to the guide rail 220.

[0118] More specifically, the vertical moving part 3162 may have a lower end coupled to the bus bar block fixing part 3166 by being driven in the up and down direction.

[0119] At this time, the vertical moving portion 3162 can be inserted into the guide rail 220 through the gap between the stepped portions 2222 and 2242 of the guide rail 220. In addition, when the busbar block fixing portion 3166 located inside the guide rail 220 is fastened to the vertical moving portion 3162, the stepped portions 2222 and 2242 of the guide rail 220 abut against the busbar block fixing portion 3166 in the up and down direction, thereby preventing the busbar block fixing portion 3166 from coming off.

[0120] More specifically, the vertical moving portion 3162 may be inserted into the first rail 222 through a gap between the stepped portions 2222 of the first rail 222. In addition, when the busbar block fixing portion 3166 located inside the first rail 222 is fastened to the vertical moving portion 3162, the stepped portions 2222 of the first rail 222 abut against the busbar block fixing portion 3166 in the up and down direction, thereby preventing the busbar block fixing portion 3166 from coming off.

[0121] In addition, the vertical moving portion 3162 can be inserted into the second rail 224 through a gap between the stepped portions 2242 of the second rail 224. In addition, when the busbar block fixing portion 3166 located inside the second rail 224 is fastened to the vertical moving portion 3162, the stepped portions 2242 of the second rail 224 abut against the busbar block fixing portion 3166 in the up and down direction, thereby preventing the busbar block fixing portion 3166 from coming off.

[0122] In this manner, the bus bar block 310 can be stably fixed to the guide rail 220 by the fastening structure between the vertical moving portion 3162 and the bus bar block fixing portion 3166.

[0123] The bus bar 320 may be configured to surround a portion of the bus bar block 310. The bus bar 320 may be configured to be pressed in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 by movement of the first block 312 and the second block 314, and to be connected to the electrode lead 140.

[0124] In this way, the bus bar 320 surrounds a portion of the bus bar block 310 and is compressed by the movement of the first block 312 and the second block 314, so that the interconnection between the electrode lead 140 and the bus bar 320 can be performed in a more stable structure.

[0125] More specifically, the bus bar 320 may include a seating portion 322 and a lead connection portion 324 .

[0126] The seat 322 may be disposed on the top of the busbar block 310 .

[0127] The seat 322 may include a hole H in the center, the hole H having a shape corresponding to the upper end of the tapered portion 3164. The hole H of the seat 322 may guide the placement of the seat 322 relative to the tapered portion 3164. That is, the hole H of the seat 322 may be inserted into the upper end of the tapered portion 3164.

[0128] The lead connection portion 324 may be formed to extend downward from both ends of the seat portion 322 in the front-rear direction and disposed adjacent to the side surfaces of the first block 312 and the second block 314 in the front-rear direction.

[0129] At this time, the lead connection portion 324 may be configured to be pressed against both sides of the front and rear direction of the cell assembly 100 by the movement of the first block 312 and the second block 314 due to the pressure of the tapered portion 3164, and to be connected to the electrode leads 140 of the plurality of battery cells 120.

[0130] In this manner, when the busbar 320 is positioned on top of the busbar block 310, the lead connection portions 324 positioned adjacent to the first block 312 and the second block 314 are pressed by the tapered portions 3164 and come into close contact with the electrode lead 140, thereby enabling a more stable and effective interconnection between the electrode lead 140 and the busbar 320.

[0131] 2 to 10 , in the case of a cell assembly 100 in which a plurality of battery cells 120 are stacked such that adjacent first leads 142 and second leads 144 are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100, the busbar blocks 310 provided with busbars 320 among the plurality of busbar blocks 310 arranged in the front-rear direction can press the lead connection portions 324 of the busbars 320 on both sides in the front-rear direction due to the pressure of the tapered portions 3164. In addition, the busbar blocks 310 not provided with busbars 320 among the busbar blocks 310 can press the electrode leads 140 arranged between the different busbar blocks 310 due to the pressure of the tapered portions 3164. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, in the busbar block 310 without a busbar 320, the gap between the first block 312 and the second block 314 widens due to the pressure generated by the downward movement of the tapered portion 3164, and the electrode leads 140 arranged between the different busbar blocks 310 can be pressed and brought into close contact with the lead connection portion 324 of the opposing busbar 320.

[0132] As a result, the busbars 320 and the electrode leads 140 are pressed in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 by the multiple busbar blocks 310, and the multiple battery cells 120 equipped with the electrode leads 140 can be stably connected.

[0133] Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present invention, the busbars 320 are provided only on a part of the busbar block 310, but this is not limiting, and the busbars 320 may be provided on the entire busbar block 310.

[0134] Fig. 11 is a simplified side view of another embodiment in which the bus bar assembly 300 of Fig. 7 is connected to the electrode lead 140 of the cell assembly 100, and Fig. 12 is a simplified top view of another embodiment in which the bus bar assembly 300 of Fig. 7 is connected to the electrode lead 140 of the cell assembly 100. In this case, detailed illustration of the bus bar block 310 described above in Fig. 11 is omitted.

[0135] In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cell assembly 100 may have a pair of battery cells 120 with electrode leads 140 of the same polarity in the front-to-rear direction.

[0136] Furthermore, in the case of the embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12, a pair of sets of battery cells 120 having electrode leads 140 of the same polarity in the front-to-back direction may be stacked in the front-to-back direction by being alternately arranged so that they have electrode leads 140 of different polarities.

[0137] 11 and 12 , in the cell assembly 100, a set of a pair of battery cells 120 may have a first lead 142, and another set of a pair of battery cells 120 adjacent in the front-to-back direction to the set of a pair of battery cells 120 having the first lead 142 may have a second lead 144. In this case, the set of a pair of battery cells 120 having the first lead 142 and the set of a pair of battery cells 120 having the second lead 144 may be configured to be alternately arranged in the front-to-back direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0138] In this configuration, by applying pressure to the tapered portion 3164, among the multiple busbar blocks 310 arranged in the front-rear direction, the busbar blocks 310 equipped with busbars 320 can apply pressure to the lead connection portions 324 of the busbars 320 on both sides in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, by applying pressure to the tapered portion 3164, the busbar blocks 310 not equipped with busbars 320 can apply pressure to the electrode leads 140 arranged between the different busbar blocks 310.

[0139] As a result, the bus bars 320 and the electrode leads 140 are pressed in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 by the plurality of bus bar blocks 310, and the pair of battery cells 120 can be stably connected to each other.

[0140] Referring again to FIGS. 4 to 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a pair of side plates 500.

[0141] The pair of side plates 500 may connect the pair of cell supports 400 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. The pair of side plates 500 may be disposed opposite each other in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0142] That is, the pair of side plates 500 can connect the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420 in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. In addition, the pair of side plates 500 can support the pair of cell support portions 400 in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0143] This configuration allows the pair of cell support parts 400 to be stably connected in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100. As a result, the cell assembly 100 can be supported by the pair of cell support parts 400 more stably.

[0144] In addition, a pair of side plates 500 can support the pair of cell support parts 400 on both sides, thereby suppressing vibration of the cell assembly 100 in the left-right direction.

[0145] More specifically, the pair of side plates 500 may include a first side plate 510 and a second side plate 520 .

[0146] The first side plate 510 may connect the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420. In addition, the first side plate 510 may support one side of the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420 in the left-right direction.

[0147] The second side plate 520 is disposed opposite to the first side plate 510 in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100 and may connect the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420. In addition, the second side plate 520 may support the other side of the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420 in the left-right direction.

[0148] As an example, the first side plate 510 may be disposed on the left side of the cell assembly 100, and the second side plate 520 may be disposed on the right side of the cell assembly 100, but is not limited thereto.

[0149] 4 to 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a pair of third fastening members C3, a pair of third cell support portion fixing members F3, a pair of fourth fastening members C4, and a pair of fourth cell support portion fixing members F4.

[0150] The connection between the first support part 410 and the second support part 420 can be made by such a pair of third fastening members C3, a pair of third cell support part fixing members F3, a pair of fourth fastening members C4 and a pair of fourth cell support part fixing members F4.

[0151] More specifically, the pair of third fastening members C3 may be formed on one side of the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420 in the left-right direction and may be disposed opposite each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0152] At this time, the first side plate 510 is formed to extend long in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 and may include a pair of elongated holes 512 formed to face each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 .

[0153] The pair of third fastening members C3 can pass through the pair of elongated holes 512 of the first side plate 510 in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100, respectively.

[0154] The pair of third cell support portion fixing members F3 may be coupled with the pair of third fastening members C3 to fix the first side plate 510 to the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420.

[0155] For example, the third fastening member C3 may be a bolt, and the third cell support fixing member F3 may be a nut having a corresponding shape.

[0156] In addition, the pair of fourth fastening members C4 may be formed on the other side of the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420 in the left-right direction, and may be disposed opposite each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100.

[0157] The second side plate 520 may be formed to extend longitudinally in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 and may include a pair of elongated holes 522 formed to face each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly 100 .

[0158] The pair of fourth fastening members C4 can pass through the pair of elongated holes 522 of the second side plate 520 in the left-right direction of the cell assembly 100, respectively.

[0159] The pair of fourth cell support portion fixing members F4 may be coupled to the pair of fourth fastening members C4 to fix the second side plate 520 to the first support portion 410 and the second support portion 420.

[0160] For example, the fourth fastening member C4 may be a bolt, and the fourth cell support fixing member F4 may be a nut having a corresponding shape.

[0161] Referring again to FIGS. 4 to 6, the battery pack 10 may further include a heat dissipation member 600.

[0162] The heat dissipation member 600 may be disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the floor frame 210 in the vertical direction. For example, the heat dissipation member 600 may be made of a resin having excellent thermal conductivity, and may absorb heat dissipated from the cell assembly 100 and dissipate the heat to the outside of the pack housing 200. That is, the heat dissipated from the cell assembly 100 may be dissipated to the outside of the pack housing 200 via the heat dissipation member 600 and the floor frame 210.

[0163] In addition, the heat dissipation member 600 is disposed between the cell assembly 100 and the floor frame 210 in the vertical direction, thereby supporting the lower portion of the cell assembly 100 .

[0164] Although not shown, the battery pack 10 may further include a cooling module disposed under or inside the floor frame 210 to enable cooling of the cell assemblies 100. As an example, the cooling module may be a heat sink.

[0165] A manufacturing process of the battery pack 10 of the present invention will be briefly described below as an example.

[0166] First, a plurality of battery cells 120 are stacked in the front-rear direction to form a cell assembly 100. At this time, at least one cell assembly 100 may be formed.

[0167] Next, the cell assembly 100 is placed between a pair of guide rails 220 , and the bus bar assembly 300 is coupled to the guide rails 220 .

[0168] Next, the bus bar assembly 300 is used to connect the bus bar 320 and the electrode lead 140 in the front-to-rear direction, thereby connecting the multiple battery cells 120 to each other.

[0169] Next, a pair of cell supports 400 are arranged on both sides of the cell assembly 100 in the front-rear direction, and the pair of cell supports 400 are coupled to the guide rails 220 .

[0170] Finally, the pair of cell supports 400 are connected via a pair of side plates 500 .

[0171] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the bus bar assembly 300 and cell support 400 coupled to the pack housing 200 allow the cell assembly 100 to be stably housed within the pack housing 200 .

[0172] 1 and 2, the pack housing 200 described above may further include a side frame 230 and a pack cover 240.

[0173] The side frames 230 may form the side surfaces of the pack housing 200 .

[0174] The pack cover 240 may be coupled to the upper part of the side frame 230. In this case, the pack cover 240 may cover the upper part of the cell assembly 100 housed inside the pack housing 200.

[0175] In addition, at least one or more cell assemblies 100 can be accommodated inside the pack housing 200 shown in FIG. 2, and components such as the guide rail 220, bus bar assembly 300, a pair of cell supports 400, and side plates 500 can also be formed corresponding to the number of cell assemblies 100 accommodated inside the pack housing 200.

[0176] As discussed above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cell assembly 100 can be stably supported by the bus bar assembly 300 and the cell support 400 coupled to the pack housing 200 without using a modular frame to house the cell assembly 100, and the number of components required for manufacturing the battery pack 10 can be simplified.

[0177] In addition, since the connection between the electrode lead 140 and the bus bar 320 and the connection between the plurality of battery cells 120 are performed by pressing the bus bar block 310, no separate welding process is required, and the output of the cell assembly 100 can be easily changed later as needed.

[0178] Meanwhile, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention may further include various devices for controlling the charging and discharging of the cell assemblies 100, such as a BMS (Battery Management System), a current sensor, and a fuse, in addition to the cell assemblies 100, the pack housing 200, and the bus bar assemblies 300.

[0179] Furthermore, the battery pack 10 according to the present invention can be applied to automobiles such as electric vehicles, that is, an automobile according to the present invention can include at least one battery pack 10 according to the present invention.

[0180] As described above, the present invention has been described using limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, 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 equivalent scope of the claims described below.

[0181] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc. are used in the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are used for convenience of explanation and may change depending on the position of the target object, the position of the observer, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0182] 10 Battery Pack 100 Cell Assembly 120 battery cells 140 Electrode Lead 142 First Lead 144 Second Lead 200 pack housing 210 Floor Frame 220 guide rail 222 First Rail 224 Second Rail 230 Side Frame 240 Pack Cover 300 Busbar Assembly 310 Busbar Block 312 Block 1 314 Block 2 316 Pressure Member 320 Busbar 322 Seating area 324 Lead Connection 400 Cell support 410 1st support part 412 Fasteners 420 Second support part 422 Fasteners 500 side plate 510 1st side plate 512 Long hole 520 Second Side Plate 522 Long hole 600 Heat dissipation material 2222 Step 2242 Step 3162 Vertical moving part 3164 Tapered section 3166 Busbar block fixing part C1 First fastening member C2 Second fastening member C3 Third fastening member C4 Fourth fastening member F1 First cell support fixing member F2 Second cell support fixing member F3 Third cell support fixing member F4 Fourth cell support fixing member H hole P Buffer pad T adhesive material

Claims

1. a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells each having an electrode lead; a pack housing that accommodates the cell assembly therein; bus bar assemblies disposed on both sides of the cell assembly, coupled to the pack housing, and connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells; the pack housing includes a pair of guide rails disposed on both sides of the cell assembly and to which the bus bar assembly is coupled; the bus bar assembly includes a plurality of bus bars that are connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells in the front-rear direction by applying pressure to the cell assembly in the front-rear direction.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a front-to-rear direction of the cell assembly and are bonded to each other by adhesive members provided between the battery cells.

3. 10. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of cell supports coupled to the pack housing and configured to support both front and rear sides of the cell assembly.

4. the pack housing includes a floor frame; The pair of guide rails are provided on the floor frame, The cell support portion is The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the cell assembly is disposed between the pair of guide rails in the left-right direction of the cell assembly, and both sides of the cell assembly are coupled to the pair of guide rails.

5. The pair of guide rails are The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein the cell assembly is formed on the floor frame and extends in a front-rear direction of the cell assembly.

6. the busbar assembly includes a plurality of busbar blocks coupled to the guide rail; the plurality of bus bars are provided in at least some of the plurality of bus bar blocks, 5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells are disposed between different bus bar blocks in a front-rear direction of the cell assembly, and the plurality of bus bar blocks are configured to connect the plurality of bus bars and the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells to each other by applying pressure to each other in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly.

7. The plurality of bus bars include arranged along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly, The plurality of busbar blocks include The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein the guide rail is provided along the front-rear direction of the cell assembly.

8. The busbar block is The first block, a second block disposed opposite the first block in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly; a pressure member disposed between the first block and the second block in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly, driven in a vertical direction, and configured to apply pressure to the first block and the second block in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly, The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein lower ends of the first block, the second block, and the pressing member are positioned inside the guide rail.

9. The pressure member is a vertical moving unit configured to move in an up and down direction; a tapered portion coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the vertical moving portion and tapered downward; The tapered portion is The battery pack according to claim 8 , wherein the vertical moving unit is configured to move in the up and down direction together with the vertical moving unit and press the first block and the second block in the front and rear direction of the cell assembly.

10. The pressure member is a bus bar block fixing part located inside the guide rail, connected to the vertical moving part, and disposed between a lower end of the first block and a lower end of the second block in a front-rear direction of the cell assembly, The bus bar block fixing portion is The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the vertical moving part is fastened to the vertical moving part to fix the bus bar block to the guide rail.

11. The bus bar is 10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the first block and the second block surround a portion of the bus bar block, are pressed in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly by movement of the first block and the second block, and are connected to the electrode lead.

12. The bus bar is a seat portion disposed on an upper portion of the busbar block; lead connection portions extending downward from both ends of the seating portion in the front-rear direction and disposed adjacent to side surfaces of the first block and the second block in the front-rear direction; Including, The lead connection portion is 12. The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein the tapered portion is pressed against both sides of the cell assembly in a front-rear direction by the movement of the first block and the second block due to the pressure applied to the tapered portion, and the cell assembly is connected to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells.

13. 4. The battery pack according to claim 3, further comprising a pair of side plates that connect the pair of cell supports in the front-rear direction of the cell assembly and are arranged opposite each other in the left-right direction of the cell assembly.

14. The battery pack according to claim 4 , further comprising a heat dissipation member disposed between the cell assembly and the floor frame in a vertical direction.

15. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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