Battery pack with power cutoff section

JP7844669B2Active Publication Date: 2026-04-13LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-10-17
Publication Date
2026-04-13

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Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery modules, a pack tray that houses the battery modules and has an open upper end, a pack cover that is disposed on an upper portion of the pack tray so as to seal an accommodation space in which the battery modules are housed, and a current interruption unit that is disposed between the pack tray and the pack cover, supports and energizes module connection bus bars that connect the battery modules to each other, and separates the module connection bus bars from each other when a thermal event occurs, thereby interrupting the electrical connection between the battery modules.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more specifically, to a battery pack that allows gas generated during internal ignition of a battery module to be easily vented to the outside, but prevents flames, high-temperature particles, etc. from flowing out to the outside to prevent or delay the chain ignition of other adjacent battery modules as much as possible.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0134232 filed on October 18, 2022, and all the contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated into this application.

Background Art

[0003] A secondary battery is a semi-permanent battery that can switch electrical energy into the form of chemical energy and be repeatedly charged and discharged, and is distinguished from a primary battery that cannot be reused after being used once.

[0004] Examples of secondary batteries include lithium secondary batteries, nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries, lead-acid batteries, nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, air zinc batteries, alkaline manganese batteries, etc. Among them, it can be said that lead-acid batteries and lithium secondary batteries are the most actively commercialized secondary batteries.

[0005] In particular, lithium secondary batteries have advantages such as high energy storage density, weight reduction and miniaturization, excellent safety, low discharge rate, and long life. Therefore, in recent years, they have been actively used as batteries for electric vehicles. For reference, lithium secondary batteries are generally classified into cylindrical, square, and pouch types according to the manufacturing shape, and their applications also span batteries for energy storage systems (ESS), other electrical devices, etc. in addition to batteries for electric vehicles.

[0006] Currently, the operating voltage of a single lithium secondary battery cell is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, in order to use secondary batteries as an energy source for electric vehicles, a battery module is constructed by connecting multiple lithium-ion battery cells in series and / or parallel, and a battery pack is constructed by again connecting these battery modules in series and / or parallel.

[0007] On the other hand, because secondary batteries involve chemical reactions during charging and discharging, there is a concern that their performance may degrade when used in environments with temperatures higher than the appropriate temperature, and there is a possibility of unexpected ignition or explosion if the temperature cannot be controlled to an appropriate level. Battery modules have a structure in which these secondary batteries are centrally housed inside a module housing, and these battery modules are electrically connected to each other via busbars.

[0008] As a result, if even one of the secondary batteries ignites and becomes a trigger cell, causing a thermal event, an internal short circuit occurs, triggering a chain reaction of fires in the other battery cells.

[0009] For this reason, there is a strong desire to enhance safety by preemptively disconnecting the electrical connections between adjacent battery cells when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module to ignite, thereby preventing internal short circuits in normal battery modules and preventing heat propagation that could lead to a chain reaction of fire throughout the entire battery pack. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] Therefore, the present invention was created to solve the problems described above, and its objective is to provide a battery pack and an automobile including the same that can guarantee safety and reliability when a thermal event occurs in the battery module.

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

[0012] The present invention was created in view of the above circumstances and may include: a plurality of battery modules; a pack tray that houses the battery modules inside and is provided in a shape with an open top; a pack cover disposed on the top of the pack tray so as to seal the storage space in which the battery modules are housed; and a power interruption unit disposed between the pack tray and the pack cover that energizes and supports module connection busbars that connect the battery modules to each other, and which disconnects the connections between the module connection busbars to each other and interrupts the electrical connection between the battery modules when a thermal event occurs.

[0013] The current interruption unit may further include an interruption body to which a pair of module connection busbars are connected; a release member provided on the inner wall of the pack cover that is released when a thermal event occurs; a first elastic member with one end connected to the release member and the other end connected to the upper part of the interruption body; and a second elastic member with one end connected to the pack tray and the other end connected to the lower part of the interruption body.

[0014] The circuit breaker body is positioned within the housing space at an equilibrium height where the elastic forces of the first elastic member and the second elastic member are in equilibrium, and when at this equilibrium height, the module connection busbar can energize the battery modules to each other.

[0015] The detachable member can be melted and removed from the pack cover when the temperature of the pack cover rises.

[0016] When the detachment member is detached from the pack cover, the second elastic member is compressed, and the electrical connection between the battery modules can be interrupted as the shielding body moves.

[0017] The pack tray is provided with horizontal partition walls and vertical partition walls that divide the inside of the pack tray, and the horizontal partition walls and the vertical partition walls may be provided with an inner recessed groove to which one end of the second elastic member is connected.

[0018] The detachable member may be made from a plastic material.

[0019] The said blocking body may be provided to be relatively thicker than the said module connection busbar.

[0020] Connection grooves may be provided on both sides of the aforementioned shielding body.

[0021] The inner wall of the pack cover may be provided with a housing groove in which the detachable member is housed.

[0022] The aforementioned shielding body may be provided with concave grooves on its top and bottom surfaces, each having a rounded inward curve in the thickness direction.

[0023] The inner wall of the connecting groove may be provided with a tapered section in which the inner diameter increases as it progresses from the center toward both ends of the blocking body.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, an automobile including the battery pack may be provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module to ignite, the electrical connection between adjacent battery cells is preemptively disconnected to prevent internal short circuits in normal battery modules. This prevents thermal runaway (heat propagation) that could lead to a chain reaction of fires in the battery pack as a whole, thereby enhancing safety.

[0026] In addition, the chain ignition between battery modules is prevented, the durability of the battery pack is increased, and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

[0027] Furthermore, with a simpler equipment configuration, when a fire occurs inside the pack, an electrical short circuit between battery modules can be prevented in advance, preventing explosive chain ignition of the battery modules. As a result, the thermal energy that accumulates explosively inside the battery pack can be regulated, preventing the structural collapse of the battery pack.

[0028] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0029] The drawings attached to this specification illustrate desirable embodiments of the present invention and are for the purpose of further understanding the technical idea of the present invention together with the content of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] It is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the battery pack of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] In FIG. 1, it is a top view in a state where the pack cover is removed. [Figure 4] It is a partial longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a schematic perspective view of a cutoff body in a state where module connection busbars are coupled to both sides in an energization cutoff section according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a longitudinal sectional view in the longitudinal direction of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] This figure shows the state in which the detachable member in the power supply interruption section of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention has been detached. [Figure 8] This figure shows the state in which the interruption body of the power interruption section of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention has been removed from the module connection busbar. [Figure 9] This is a schematic perspective view showing a shielding body according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. [Figure 11] This figure shows the shut-off body according to another embodiment of the present invention detached from the module connection busbar. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and in the claims are not to be interpreted in their ordinary or dictionary sense, but rather in accordance with the principle that inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms to best describe their invention, and are to be interpreted in a sense corresponding to the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention; it should be understood that, at the time of filing, there may be a variety of equivalent and modified embodiments that can be substituted therefor.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the battery pack in Figure 1.

[0033] The battery pack 1 according to this embodiment may include a plurality of battery modules 10, a pack tray 100 that houses the battery modules 10 and is provided with an open top, a pack cover 200 positioned on top of the pack tray 100 so as to seal the storage space in which the battery modules 10 are housed, and a power supply interruption unit 300 positioned between the pack tray 100 and the pack cover 200 to energize and support module connection busbars 310 that connect the battery modules 10 to each other, and to disconnect the connections of the module connection busbars 310 to each other and interrupt the electrical connection between the battery modules 10 when a thermal event occurs.

[0034] The battery module 10 includes a cell assembly formed by stacking battery cells and a module case for housing the cell assembly. Here, a plurality of upper electrodes 11 are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the battery module 10, and these upper electrodes 11 may be provided for electrical connection with adjacent battery modules 10. A breakaway body 320 and a pair of module connection busbars 310 are grounded between the upper electrodes 11, allowing the battery modules 10 to conduct electricity to each other.

[0035] The pack case includes a pack tray 100 in which the battery module 10 is housed, and a pack cover 200 positioned on top of the pack tray 100.

[0036] The pack tray 100 is a component for protecting the battery module 10 from external impacts, and may be made of a material with excellent mechanical rigidity. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pack tray 100 is provided with a housing space 220 for housing at least one battery module 10, and is provided in a shape with an open top, to which a pack cover 200 may be attached. Here, the housing space may also refer to the space between the pack cover 200 and the upper surface of the battery module 10 after the battery module 10 has been housed in the pack tray 100.

[0037] The pack tray 100 is provided with a horizontal partition wall 110 (Y-axis direction) and a vertical partition wall 120 (X-axis direction) that divide the inside of the pack tray 100. The height of the horizontal partition wall 110 and the vertical partition wall 120 is set to be lower relative to the height of the battery module 10, and at least lower relative to the height of the upper electrode 11 (see Figure 4). This is because the shut-off body 320 and the module connection busbar 310 are arranged horizontally across the horizontal partition wall 110 and the vertical partition wall 120 and are connected to each other.

[0038] In this embodiment, the pack tray 100 is provided with one horizontal partition wall 110 along the Y-axis and one vertical partition wall 120 arranged along the X-axis and intersecting the horizontal partition wall 110, and four battery modules 10 are housed inside the pack tray 100. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited in any way to the number of horizontal partition walls 110 and vertical partition walls 120 or the number of battery modules 10 housed in this embodiment.

[0039] The horizontal partition wall 110 and the vertical partition wall 120 are provided with an inner recessed groove 121. The inner recessed groove 121 is a recessed portion in the thickness direction (-Z direction) of the pack tray 100, and one end of the second elastic member is connected to the inner recessed groove 121. The second elastic member 350 can be partially accommodated in the inner recessed groove 121. This makes it possible to secure a flexible space for expansion and contraction when the second elastic member 350 expands and contracts.

[0040] Referring primarily to Figure 3, two inner recessed grooves 121 may be provided in the horizontal partition wall 110 in the central area of ​​the pack tray 100, and one inner recessed groove 121 may be provided at the lower end of the vertical partition wall 120.

[0041] The pack cover 200 is positioned on top of the pack tray 100 such that the storage space 220 in which the battery modules 10 are housed is sealed. In this embodiment, the pack cover 200 is provided to completely cover the four battery modules 10, and the pack cover 200 may be made from a material that ensures rigidity, such as aluminum or SUS, and also has high conductivity.

[0042] Multiple accommodating grooves 210 are provided on the bottom surface of the pack cover 200. The detachable members 330 can be accommodated in the accommodating grooves 210, and multiple detachable members can be provided on the bottom surface of the pack cover 200 so as to correspond to the placement of the current-cutting section 300 in Figure 3. The detachable members 330 can be connected to the accommodating grooves 210 by methods such as bolt fastening, allowing them to be firmly fixed despite external impacts.

[0043] When such a pack cover 200 is joined to the pack tray 100, various joining methods such as bolting, welding, bonding, and hooking can be applied.

[0044] On the other hand, a power interruption unit 300 is provided to interrupt the electrical connection between adjacent battery cells in advance when a thermal event occurs in the battery module 10 that first ignites, thereby preventing an internal short circuit in the normal battery module 10.

[0045] Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 1 with the pack cover removed, and Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the AA line in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the circuit breaker body in an embodiment of the present invention with module connection busbars connected to both sides, and Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of Figure 5 in the longitudinal direction.

[0046] The current interruption unit 300 may include a breakaway body 320 to which a pair of module connection busbars 310 are connected, a release member 330 provided on the inner wall of the pack cover 200 and released when the temperature of the pack cover 200 rises, a first elastic member 340 with one end connected to the release member 330 and the other end connected to the upper part of the breakaway body 320, and a second elastic member 350 with one end connected to the pack tray 100 and the other end connected to the lower part of the breakaway body 320.

[0047] The module connection busbar 310 can have one end electrically connected to the upper electrode 11 of the battery module 10, the other end floating in the housing space as a free end, and the other end can be coupled to and supported by a circuit breaker body 320, which will be described later. The module connection busbar 310, together with the circuit breaker body 320, is the part that energizes one battery module 10 and adjacent battery modules 10 to each other. Thus, one power interruption section 300 can be provided with two module connection busbars 310, i.e., a pair of module connection busbars 310, each connected at the upper electrode 11 of two battery modules 10. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, three power interruption sections 300 are provided.

[0048] The circuit breaker body 320 is positioned in the center of a pair of module connection busbars 310 to connect the pair of module connection busbars 310 to each other so that they are energized to each other, and it also serves to support the other end of the pair of module connection busbars 310. Referring mainly to Figures 5 and 6, the circuit breaker body 320 may be made to be relatively thicker than the module connection busbars 310, and connecting rings 324 are provided on the top and bottom surfaces, respectively. Connecting grooves 321 are provided on both sides of the circuit breaker body 320, and the module connection busbars 310 can be fitted into the connecting grooves 321. Since a circuit breaker body 320 with such a configuration has good electrical conductivity, it may be made from a material with high current-conducting efficiency, and may be made from the same material as the module connection busbars 310 (for example, copper).

[0049] A release member 330 is provided on the upper side of the shielding body 320. The release member 330 is provided on the inner wall of the pack cover 200, more precisely in the housing groove 210, and is a part that detaches when the temperature of the pack cover 200 rises. That is, if any one cell in the battery pack 1 ignites and becomes a trigger cell, or if a thermal event occurs in the battery module 10, thermal energy from the vent gas and flame will accumulate and the temperature of the pack cover 200 will rise. When the temperature exceeds a preset design temperature, the release member 330 is provided so that the joint portion with the pack cover 200 is locally melted and it can be removed or detached from the pack cover 200. Therefore, the release member 330 can be made from a plastic material, but other materials with a relatively lower melting point than the pack cover 200 may also be used.

[0050] A first elastic member 340 and a second elastic member 350 are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the shielding body 320, respectively. One end of the first elastic member 340 is connected to the release member 330, and the other end is connected to the upper part of the shielding body 320. One end of the second elastic member 350 is connected to the pack tray 100, and the other end is connected to the lower part of the shielding body 320.

[0051] The circuit breaker body 320 is positioned at an equilibrium height within the housing space where the elastic forces of the first elastic member and the second elastic member 350 are in equilibrium with each other, and the module connection busbar 310 can energize the battery modules 10 when it is at the equilibrium height. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the elastic forces of the first elastic member and the second elastic member are adjusted and positioned so that they are at the equilibrium height when the pair of module connection busbars 310 are grounded to the upper electrodes 11 of the battery module 10.

[0052] As a result, when the detachment member 330 is detached from the pack cover 200, the elastic force of the second elastic member causes the shielding body 320 to move, separating and insulating the pair of module connecting busbars 310 from each other, thereby interrupting the electrical connection between the battery modules 10.

[0053] With this configuration, when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module 10 to ignite, the electrical connection between adjacent battery cells is preemptively disconnected to prevent internal short circuits in the normal battery modules 10. This prevents thermal runaway (heat propagation) that could lead to chain ignition of the battery pack 1 as a whole, thereby suppressing thermal propagation (TP).

[0054] Furthermore, chain reactions between the battery modules 10 are prevented, increasing the durability of the battery pack 1 and reducing maintenance costs. In addition, a simpler equipment configuration allows for preventing electrical short circuits between the battery modules 10 in the event of a fire inside the pack, thus preventing explosive chain reactions of ignition in the battery modules 10. As a result, the thermal energy that explosively accumulates inside the battery pack 1 is regulated, preventing structural collapse of the battery pack 1.

[0055] Figure 7 shows a state in which the detachable member in the power cut-off section of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention has been detached, and Figure 8 shows a state in which the cut-off body in the power cut-off section of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention has been removed from the module connection busbar.

[0056] The discharge process by which the vent gas according to this embodiment is easily discharged to the outside will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

[0057] First, under normal conditions where there are no thermal problems, the power cut-off section 300 inside the battery pack 1 does not operate. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the cut-off body 320 is positioned at an equilibrium height within the housing space where the elastic forces of the first elastic member and the second elastic member 350 are in equilibrium, and the module connection busbar 310 allows the battery modules 10 to be energized at this equilibrium height.

[0058] Next, if any one cell in the battery pack 1 ignites or becomes a trigger cell, or if a thermal event occurs in the battery module 10, the vent gas and internal pressure will increase, and thermal energy from the flame will accumulate, causing the temperature of the pack cover 200 to rise. The pack cover 200 has high thermal conductivity, so the temperature rise propagates easily. When the propagated temperature exceeds a preset design temperature, the release member 330 is detached from the pack cover 200 by locally melting the connection point with the pack cover 200, as shown in Figure 7.

[0059] Figure 7 shows a state in which the elastic force of the first elastic member is lost, while the elastic force of the second elastic member 350 is maintained.

[0060] Next, when the detachment member 330 is detached from the pack cover 200, the breakaway body 320 moves downward due to the elastic force of the second elastic member. That is, when the detachment member 330 is detached from the pack cover 200, the breakaway body 320 moves due to the elastic force of the second elastic member, and the electrical connection between the battery modules is interrupted.

[0061] At this time, the elastic restoring force of the second elastic member 350 is set to be relatively greater than the coupling strength of the module connection busbar 310 coupled to the connection groove 321 of the shut-off body 320, thereby disengaging the shut-off body 320 from the module connection busbar 310 and allowing it to slide downward. Figure 8 shows that the shape of the connection groove 321 is maintained, but there is a possibility that partial damage or deformation of the connection groove 321 may occur during the process of the shut-off body 320 detaching from the module connection busbar 310.

[0062] Furthermore, an inner recessed groove 121 is provided within the vertical partition wall 120, so that even when the second elastic member 350 contracts, it is completely housed within the inner recessed groove 121, and the shut-off body 320 also rests almost entirely on the upper surface of the vertical partition wall 120 when it moves downward, making it possible to completely cut off or insulate the pair of module connecting busbars 310.

[0063] This prevents internal short circuits in normal battery modules 10 when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module 10 to ignite, thereby preventing thermal runaway (heat propagation) that could lead to a chain reaction of fires in the battery pack 1. Furthermore, preventing chain reactions between battery modules 10 increases the durability of the battery pack and reduces maintenance costs. Moreover, with an even simpler equipment configuration, it is possible to prevent electrical short circuits between battery modules 10 when a fire occurs inside the pack, preventing explosive chain reactions of fires in the battery modules 10. As a result, the thermal energy that explosively accumulates inside the battery pack 1 can be regulated, preventing structural collapse of the battery pack 1 and suppressing thermal propagation (TP).

[0064] Next, other embodiments of the battery module 10 of the present invention will be briefly described with reference to Figures 9 to 11.

[0065] Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a shielding body according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of Figure 9, and Figure 11 shows the shielding body according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state where it has been removed from the module connection busbar.

[0066] Component numbers identical to those in previous drawings refer to the same components. Duplicate explanations regarding identical components are omitted, and the focus is on the differences from the previously described embodiments.

[0067] In other embodiments of the present invention, the battery module 10 is provided with additional components attached to the shut-off body 320A, compared to the embodiments described above.

[0068] The circuit breaker body 320A may be provided with recessed grooves 322 on its top and bottom surfaces, each having a rounded inward curve in the thickness direction. This is to reduce the effective thickness of the circuit breaker body 320A, thereby inducing more flexible deformation during the operation of the current-cutting section 300A, and allowing the circuit breaker body 320A to be easily removed from the module connection busbar 310A.

[0069] Furthermore, the inner wall of the connection groove 321 may be provided with a tapered section 323 such that the inner diameter increases as it progresses from the center toward both ends of the interruption body 320A. The module connection bus bar 310A may also be provided with a tapered surface corresponding to the tapered section 323. By using such a tapered section 323, when the interruption body 320A is separated from the module connection bus bar 310A and moves downward, a relatively smaller force is applied compared to the first embodiment, making it possible to perform the current interruption function more easily. As shown in Figure 11, the recessed groove 322 causes the interruption body 320 to flex, and the tapered section 323 allows it to be easily separated from the module connection bus bar 310A.

[0070] This prevents internal short circuits in normal battery modules 10 by preemptively disconnecting electrical connections between adjacent battery cells when a thermal event occurs in the first battery module 10 to ignite, thereby preventing thermal runaway (heat propagation) that could lead to a chain reaction of fires in the battery pack 1 as a whole. Furthermore, preventing chain reactions between battery modules 10 increases the durability of the battery pack, reduces maintenance costs, and suppresses thermal propagation (TP).

[0071] Furthermore, the simpler equipment configuration prevents electrical short circuits between the battery modules 10 in the event of a fire inside the pack, thereby preventing explosive chain reactions of ignition in the battery modules 10. As a result, it is possible to regulate the thermal energy that explosively accumulates inside the battery pack 1 and prevent structural collapse of the battery pack 1.

[0072] On the other hand, although the battery pack 1 according to the present invention is not shown, it may further include various devices for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery module 10, such as a battery management system (BMS), current sensors, fuses, and the like.

[0073] The battery pack 1 according to the present invention is applicable to automobiles such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. That is, an automobile according to the present invention may include the battery pack 1 according to the present invention. The battery pack 1 can be installed in the vehicle body frame under the seats or in the trunk space of the vehicle, and when installed in the vehicle, the battery pack may be arranged in a reversed order as needed.

[0074] In this specification, directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and back have been used. However, these terms are used merely for ease of explanation, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the position of the object being described and the observer's position.

[0075] As described above, the present invention has been explained with limited embodiments and drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations are possible within the equivalent scope of the technical concept and claims of the present invention by persons with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 Battery Pack 10 Battery Modules 11 Upper electrode 100 pack trays 110 Horizontal partition wall 120 Vertical partition wall 121 Inner recessed groove 200 Pack Cover 210 Storage groove 220 storage space 300 Power interruption section 300A power interruption section 310 Module Connection Busbar 310A Module Connection Busbar 320 Shut-off body 320A circuit breaker body 321 Connection groove 322 Groove 323 Tapered section 324 Connecting ring 330 Detachable member 340 First elastic member 350 Second elastic member

Claims

1. Multiple battery modules, A pack tray is provided which houses the aforementioned battery module and has an open top end, A pack cover is positioned on top of the pack tray so as to seal the storage space in which the battery module is housed, A power supply interruption unit is positioned between the pack tray and the pack cover, energizes and supports the module connection busbars that connect the battery modules to each other, is coupled to the pack cover, and disconnects from the pack cover when a thermal event occurs, thereby separating the connections between the module connection busbars and interrupting the electrical connection between the battery modules. A battery pack, including the battery pack.

2. The aforementioned power interruption unit is A circuit breaker body to which a pair of the module connection busbars are connected, A detachable member provided on the inner wall of the pack cover, which detaches when a thermal event occurs, A first elastic member, with one end connected to the detachable member and the other end connected to the upper part of the shielding body, A second elastic member, one end of which is connected to the pack tray and the other end of which is connected to the lower part of the shielding body, The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. The shielding body is positioned within the containment space at an equilibrium height where the elastic forces of the first elastic member and the second elastic member are in equilibrium with each other. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein when the equilibrium height is maintained, the module connection busbar energizes the battery modules to each other.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the detachable member is melted and removed from the pack cover when the temperature of the pack cover rises.

5. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein when the detachment member is detached from the pack cover, the second elastic member is compressed, and the electrical connection between the battery modules is interrupted as the shielding body moves.

6. The pack tray is provided with horizontal partition walls and vertical partition walls that divide the inside of the pack tray. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the horizontal partition wall and the vertical partition wall are provided with an inner recessed groove to which one end of the second elastic member is connected.

7. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the detachable member is made of a plastic material.

8. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the shielding body is provided to be relatively thicker than the module connection busbar.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein connection grooves are provided on both sides of the shut-off body.

10. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the inner wall of the pack cover is provided with a housing groove in which the detachable member is housed.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the shielding body is provided with a recessed groove on its top and bottom surfaces, each with a rounded inward curve in the thickness direction.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein the inner wall of the connection groove is provided with a tapered section in which the inner diameter increases as it progresses from the center toward both ends of the shielding body.

13. An automobile comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

Citation Information

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