Battery pack

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack accommodating a battery module, comprising: a pack case in which the battery module is seated, the pack case including: a main partition; a base plate coupled to the main partition and including a module area in which the battery module is seated; and a side wall coupled along an edge of the base plate coupled to the main partition, wherein the main partition comprises a heat-insulating material having low thermal conductivity.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more specifically, the present invention is characterized by providing a battery pack using a heat insulating material that can block heat propagation to other battery modules even if a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in a battery module housed therein.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0098083, filed on August 5, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] 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, if a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series. Alternatively, a battery pack may be configured by connecting a number of 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 or charge / discharge capacity.

[0004] Meanwhile, when a battery pack is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series / parallel, a common method is to first construct a battery module including at least one battery cell, and then use this at least one battery module to add other components to construct the battery pack.

[0005] Conventional battery packs include battery modules that contain multiple battery cells. If an abnormality occurs in one of the battery modules due to the expansion of a battery cell, and the abnormality is not quickly resolved, it can lead to thermal runaway in the surrounding battery module, which can result in the battery pack exploding.

[0006] 1 shows a pack case 10 in which battery modules B are mounted in a commonly used battery pack, with a plurality of battery modules B mounted on both sides of a main partition wall 30 extending along the center. The commonly used main partition wall 30 is made of a metal material and is joined by welding or the like to a metal base plate 20 that supports the lower part of the battery modules B. However, since the material properties of the main partition wall 30 have high thermal conductivity, a problem may arise in that heat H is easily transmitted through the main partition wall 30 when thermal runaway T occurs in the battery module B.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the battery module B mounted in the pack case 10 of FIG.

[0008] When thermal runaway T occurs in a pair of battery modules B housed in the pack case 10 of Figure 2 above, high-temperature heat H propagates to the opposite battery module B through the main partition wall 30 facing the battery module B.

[0009] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a battery pack having a structure that can effectively block the heat from being transferred to other surrounding battery modules when an abnormal condition develops in a battery module and thermal runaway occurs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. 10-2258827 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack having a structure that can prevent high-temperature heat generated when thermal runaway occurs in a housed battery module from being propagated to other surrounding battery modules.

[0012] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood from the following description and will become more apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof as claimed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to the present invention, there is provided a battery pack accommodating a battery module, the battery pack including a pack case in which the battery module is mounted, the pack case including a main partition wall, a base plate coupled to the main partition wall and including a module area in which the battery module is mounted, and a side wall coupled along an edge of the base plate coupled to the main partition wall, wherein the main partition wall includes a heat insulating material having low thermal conductivity.

[0014] The main partition includes a cover member having a hollow shape with an open interior, and a heat insulating member inserted into the cover member, and the heat insulating member may include a heat insulating material.

[0015] The lower part of the cover member is open, and the heat insulating member can be inserted through the lower part of the cover member.

[0016] The cover member may include a coupling portion coupled to the base plate, a protrusion coupled to the coupling portion and protruding from an upper portion thereof, and an insertion groove may be formed in a lower portion thereof.

[0017] The heat insulating member may include a base portion coupled to the coupling portion, and an insertion portion protruding upward from the base portion so as to be insertable into the insertion groove.

[0018] The cover member may include an open hole that is opened to expose the heat insulating member inserted therein to the outside.

[0019] The opening holes may be formed at a predetermined interval on a side of the cover member.

[0020] The open hole may be formed to extend a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the main partition wall.

[0021] The cover member may include an auxiliary opening hole at an upper portion thereof, the auxiliary opening hole being opened so that the heat insulating member inserted therein can be exposed to the outside.

[0022] The heat insulating member may include a wire groove formed at a lower portion thereof into which a wire or bus bar installed across the center of the base plate can be inserted.

[0023] The heat insulating material may include one of a heat resistant plastic and a heat resistant silicone.

[0024] The heat insulating member may be composed of a plurality of partition pins that partition the internal space of the cover member.

[0025] One side end of the main partition may be coupled to the side wall, the cover member may include an open hole that is opened to expose the heat insulating member inserted therein to the outside, and the side wall coupled to the main partition may include a discharge hole that is connected to the open hole and is opened to expose an internal hollow of the main partition. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to the present invention, even if high temperature heat is generated in at least one battery module among a plurality of housed battery modules due to a thermal runaway phenomenon, the transfer of the heat to the other battery modules can be delayed or prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pack case included in a conventional battery pack. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a battery module mounted in the pack case of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 illustrates a cover member and a heat insulating member of a main partition included in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 5A and 5B are a perspective view and a partial cross-sectional view of a main partition wall to which the cover member and the heat insulating member of FIG. 4 are joined. [Figure 6] 10 shows a modified example of a heat insulating member included in the main bulkhead. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the battery module mounted in the pack case of FIG. 3. [Figure 8] 10 shows a pack case included in a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the pack case of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 10 illustrates a cover member and a heat insulating member of a main partition included in a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the main partition wall to which the cover member and the heat insulating member of FIG. 10 are joined. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a pack case included in a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a main partition wall included in the pack case of FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 1 shows a portion of the outer surface of a side wall that is joined to the main bulkhead. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before that, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that are consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of the terms to best describe his own invention.

[0029] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0030] Furthermore, in the description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related publicly known structures or functions may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0031] The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and therefore the shapes and sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or illustrated schematically for clearer explanation. Therefore, the sizes and proportions of each component do not completely reflect the actual sizes and proportions.

[0032] The present invention relates to a battery pack that uses a heat insulating material that can block the progression of heat propagation to other battery modules B even if a thermal runaway T phenomenon occurs in a battery module B housed inside.

[0033] Figures 3 to 7 relate to a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Figures 8 to 11 relate to a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 12 and 13 relate to a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Hereinafter, a battery pack according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] (First embodiment) The battery pack of the present invention includes a pack case 1000 in which battery modules B are mounted, and an upper cover coupled to the pack case 1000 to cover the upper portion of each battery module B accommodated in the pack case 1000.

[0036] The pack case 1000 provides a module area, which is a space in which a plurality of battery modules B are mounted, and serves to protect the battery modules B mounted in the module area from the outside.

[0037] The upper cover is a well-known technology, and therefore, a detailed description thereof will be omitted in the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 3, the pack case 1000 of the present invention includes a main bulkhead 100, a base plate 200, and a sidewall 300.

[0040] The main partition 100 serves to divide the internal space of the pack case 1000 and also to protect the battery modules B mounted inside the pack case 1000. If necessary, a conductor or a bus bar installed across the pack case 1000 may be inserted inside the main partition 100 for protection.

[0041] The main partition wall 100 is formed across the center of the pack case 1000 so as to divide the module area into two large spaces.

[0042] The plurality of battery modules B mounted in the pack case 1000 may be located on both sides of the main partition wall 100, respectively.

[0043] The base plate 200 corresponds to the bottom of the pack case 1000 and serves to support the lower part of the battery module B.

[0044] More specifically, the base plate 200 includes a module area where the battery module B is mounted.

[0045] The base plates 200 are a pair and are coupled to both sides of the main bulkhead 100, respectively.

[0046] The side wall 300 serves to support and protect the side surfaces of the battery modules B accommodated in the pack case 1000, and is coupled along the edge of the base plate 200 coupled to the main partition wall 100.

[0047] The main partition wall 100 of the present invention is characterized by including a heat insulating material with low thermal conductivity.

[0048] More specifically, the main partition 100 of the present invention is made of a heat insulating material, is located in the center of the pack case 1000, and serves to block heat exchange between the module regions on one side and the module regions on the other side.

[0049] The insulating material has a property capable of blocking heat or retarding heat transfer, and may include, for example, any one of a heat-resistant plastic and a heat-resistant silicone.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, the main partition wall 100 includes a cover member 110 having a hollow shape with an open interior, and a heat insulating member 120 inserted into the cover member 110 and including a heat insulating material.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a cover member 110 and a heat insulating member 120 of a main partition wall 100 included in a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows a perspective view and a partial cross-sectional view of the main partition wall 100 to which the cover member 110 and the heat insulating member 120 of FIG. 4 are combined.

[0052] 4 and 5, the lower portion of the cover member 110 included in the main partition wall 100 is open, and the heat insulating member 120 is formed to be insertable through the lower portion of the cover member 110.

[0053] The cover member 110 includes a connecting portion 111 connected to the base plate 200, and a protruding portion 112 connected to the connecting portion 111 and protruding upward.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the cover member 110 includes an insertion groove 113 formed in a lower portion thereof in correspondence with the position of the protrusion 112 .

[0055] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the heat insulating member 120 includes a base portion 122 that is connected to the connecting portion 111 of the cover member 110, and an insertion portion 121 that is protruded upward from the base portion 122 so as to be insertable into the insertion groove 113.

[0056] Therefore, the main partition wall 100 is formed by inserting and coupling the insertion portion 121 of the heat insulating member 120 into the insertion groove 113 of the cover member 110. At this time, the heat insulating member 120 not only improves the heat insulating property of the main partition wall 100 by being coupled to the cover member 110, but also plays a role in reinforcing the strength of the main partition wall 100 by supporting the cover member 110, which has an empty interior.

[0057] 6 shows a modified example of the heat insulating member 120 included in the main partition wall 100, and a conductor or bus bar may be positioned across the center of the pack case 1000 of the present invention. Therefore, the main partition wall 100 may protect the conductor or bus bar from the outside by inserting the conductor or bus bar into a conductor groove 123 formed in the lower part, as shown in FIG.

[0058] When thermal runaway T occurs in at least one of a plurality of battery modules B mounted on one side of the main partition wall 100, the battery pack of the present invention can effectively prevent the heat in the module region where the thermal runaway T occurs from being conducted and propagated to the other side of the main partition wall 100.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the battery module B mounted in the pack case 1000 of FIG.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 7, even if thermal runaway T occurs in a pair of adjacent battery modules B on one side of the main bulkhead 100, heat H is prevented from propagating to the other side of the main bulkhead 100 due to the main bulkhead 100 containing the heat insulating material.

[0061] As described above, in the battery pack 1000 of the present invention, the main partition 100 installed in the center includes the insulating member 120 containing an insulating material, thereby slowing or preventing the propagation of heat H from the main partition 100.

[0062] (Second embodiment) The main bulkhead 100 of the present invention can be manufactured in various forms.

[0063] FIG. 8 shows a pack case 1000 included in a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a plan view of the pack case 1000 of FIG. 8, FIG. 10 shows a cover member 110 and a heat insulating member 120 of a main partition wall 100 included in a battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the main partition wall 100 to which the cover member 110 and the heat insulating member 120 of FIG. 10 are combined.

[0064] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the main partition wall 100 includes a cover member 110 and a heat insulating member 120 coupled to the cover member 110. As shown in FIGS.

[0065] The cover member 110 included in the battery pack according to the second embodiment includes an open hole 114 that is opened to expose the heat insulating member 120 inserted therein to the outside. More specifically, the open hole 114 is formed to extend a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the main partition wall 100.

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a plurality of the open holes 114 may be formed at predetermined intervals on the side of the protrusion 112 of the cover member 110.

[0067] The cover member 110 may further include an auxiliary opening hole 115 at an upper portion thereof, which is opened so that the heat insulating member 120 inserted therein can be exposed to the outside.

[0068] The auxiliary opening hole 115 may be formed to extend a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the main partition wall 100, similar to the opening hole 114, or may be formed in plurality at predetermined intervals on the upper portion of the protrusion 112 of the cover member 110, as shown in Figures 10 and 11.

[0069] In the battery pack according to the second embodiment, the surface area of ​​the cover member 110 having high thermal conductivity is relatively smaller than that of the first embodiment, and the heat insulating member 120 is open to the outside through the open hole 114 or the auxiliary open hole 115, so that the heat propagation due to thermal runaway T of the battery module B can be more effectively delayed or blocked.

[0070] (Third embodiment) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a pack case 1000 included in a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a main partition wall 100 included in the pack case 1000 of FIG.

[0071] The heat insulating member 120 included in the main partition wall 100 is characterized by having a plurality of partition pins 124 that partition the inner space of the cover member 110 .

[0072] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the partition pin 124 partitions the internal space of the cover member 110 horizontally and vertically, and extends along the longitudinal direction of the main partition wall 100.

[0073] The pack case 1000 may include a plurality of conductors and bus bars connected across the center, and the conductors and bus bars may be installed in a space partitioned by the partition pins 124 of the cover member 110 and the insulation member 120.

[0074] Alternatively, the space defined by the partition pins 124 inside the main partition wall 100 may serve as a gas transfer passage through which gas generated in the battery module B can move.

[0075] One end of the main partition wall 100 is coupled to a side wall 300 , and the side wall 300 coupled to the main partition wall 100 includes an exhaust hole 310 communicating with the hollow of the main partition wall 100 .

[0076] FIG. 14 shows a portion of the outer surface of the side wall 300 that is coupled to the main partition wall 100. As shown in FIG. 14, the exhaust hole 310 exposes the partition pin 124 inside the main partition wall 100 and the space partitioned by the partition pin 124.

[0077] Therefore, even if a thermal runaway T phenomenon occurs in any one of the plurality of battery modules B housed therein, the pack case 1000 of the present invention can prevent the heat from being transferred to the opposite side of the main partition wall 100. Furthermore, even if high-temperature gas is released from the battery module B in which the thermal runaway T phenomenon occurs, the gas can be quickly released to the outside through the open hole 114 of the main partition wall 100 and the exhaust hole 310 connected thereto.

[0078] The present invention has been described in more detail above with reference to the drawings and embodiments, etc. However, the configurations described in the drawings or embodiments, etc. in this specification are merely one embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace them at the time of filing this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 10: (Conventional technology) Pack case 20: (Conventional technology) Base plate 30: (Conventional) Main bulkhead 1000: Pack case 100: Main bulkhead 110: Cover member 111:Joining part 112:Protrusion 113: Insertion groove 114: Open Hall 115: Auxiliary Open Hall 120: Heat insulating material 121: Insertion section 122: Base section 123: Conductor groove 124: Partition pin 200: Base plate 300: Side wall 310: Discharge hole B: Battery module T: Thermal runaway H: Heat (movement)

Claims

1. A battery pack that houses a battery module, a pack case in which the battery module is mounted, The pack case includes a main partition wall and a base plate coupled to the main bulkhead and including a module area on which the battery module is mounted; a side wall coupled along an edge of the base plate coupled to the main bulkhead; The main partition wall includes a heat insulating material having low thermal conductivity, The main partition wall includes a cover member having a hollow shape with an open interior; a heat insulating member inserted inside the cover member, The heat insulating member includes the heat insulating material.

2. The lower portion of the cover member is open, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating member is inserted through a lower portion of the cover member.

3. The cover member has a coupling portion coupled to the base plate; a protrusion connected to the connecting portion and protruding from an upper portion thereof, The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein an insertion groove is formed in the lower portion.

4. The heat insulating member includes a base portion coupled to the coupling portion; The battery pack according to claim 3 , further comprising: an insertion portion protruding upward on the base portion so as to be insertable into the insertion groove.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the cover member includes an open hole through which the heat insulating member inserted therein is exposed to the outside.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the opening holes are formed at a predetermined interval on a side of the cover member.

7. The battery pack according to claim 5 , wherein the open hole is formed to extend a predetermined length along a longitudinal direction of the main partition.

8. The battery pack of claim 5 , wherein the cover member includes an auxiliary opening hole at an upper portion thereof, the auxiliary opening hole being opened to expose the heat insulating member inserted therein to the outside.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating member includes a wire groove formed in a lower portion thereof into which a wire or a bus bar installed across the center of the base plate can be inserted.

10. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating material includes one of a heat resistant plastic and a heat resistant silicone.

11. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating member includes a plurality of partition pins that partition an internal space of the cover member.

12. One side end of the main partition is connected to the side wall, the cover member includes an open hole that is opened so that the heat insulating member inserted therein can be exposed to the outside, The battery pack of claim 11 , wherein the side wall coupled to the main partition includes a discharge hole communicating with the open hole and opening to expose an inner hollow of the main partition.

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