Battery pack with improved safety

Abstract

A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; an electrical connection unit including a connector for electrically connecting the battery pack; a pack case having an open top and housing the cell module assembly and the electrical connection unit therein; and a fire tank covering the top of the pack case, wherein the pack case includes a first connector through-hole portion shaped like an opening on the bottom surface of the pack case to allow the connector to pass through, and the fire tank includes a second connector through-hole portion shaped like a pipe that penetrates the fire tank and protrudes upward from the top surface of the fire tank, and the connector is positioned through the first connector through-hole portion and the second connector through-hole portion to electrically connect the plurality of stacked battery packs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross-reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2022-0179749, filed on December 20, 2022, 10-2022-0179750, filed on December 20, 2022, and 10-2023-0181724, filed on December 14, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the documents of the Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack configured to facilitate stacking between a plurality of battery packs and to strengthen electrical and mechanical coupling between the stacked battery packs.

Background Art

[0003] Currently commercialized 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 because they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, can be freely charged and discharged, have a very low self-discharge rate, and have a high energy density.

[0004] Such lithium secondary batteries mainly use a lithium-based oxide and a carbon material as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material, respectively. A lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with such a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are disposed with a separator interposed therebetween, and an exterior material that hermetically stores the electrode assembly together with an electrolytic solution, that is, a battery case.

[0005] Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified into a can-type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is built in a metal can and a pouch-type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is built in a pouch of an aluminum laminate sheet according to the shape of the exterior material.

[0006] These rechargeable batteries are widely used not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices, but also in medium- and large-scale devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), and their range of applications is rapidly expanding. Recently, there has also been a growing trend to use residential battery packs for energy storage.

[0007] These types of battery packs, including household battery packs, contain multiple battery cells (rechargeable batteries) to increase capacity and / or output. In particular, to increase the energy density of the battery pack, multiple battery cells are often arranged in a very narrow space in a dense manner.

[0008] In such battery pack configurations, one of the most important issues is safety. In particular, if a thermal event occurs in any one of the multiple battery cells contained in the battery pack, the propagation of such an event to other battery cells must be suppressed. If thermal propagation between battery cells is not properly suppressed, this can cause thermal events in many of the battery cells contained in the battery pack, potentially leading to larger problems such as the battery pack catching fire or exploding. Furthermore, a fire or explosion in a battery pack can cause significant damage to surrounding lives and property. In particular, in the case of residential battery packs, a fire or explosion can endanger the safety of people living in the house and can spread to cause a fire in the house, resulting in greater damage. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a battery pack with an improved structure that facilitates stacking of multiple battery packs and strengthens the electrical and mechanical coupling between the stacked battery packs.

[0010] Furthermore, the aim is to provide a battery pack with an improved structure that can ensure the stability of the stacked battery pack even against physical shocks from the outside.

[0011] Furthermore, the aim is to provide a battery pack with an improved structure that can appropriately control thermal events that occur inside the battery pack.

[0012] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a cell module assembly comprising a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of stacked battery cells; an electrical coupling unit comprising connectors for electrical connection between a plurality of stacked battery packs; a pack case having an open top surface that houses the cell module assembly and the electrical coupling unit inside; and a fire extinguishing tank covering the top of the pack case, wherein the pack case includes a first connector through-hole with an opening shape on the lower surface of the pack case so that the connectors can be electrically connected to the battery packs stacked below, and the fire extinguishing tank may include a second connector through-hole having an opening on the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank so that the connectors can be electrically connected to the battery packs stacked above.

[0014] The second connector through-hole has a tubular shape that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank, and in the plurality of stacked battery packs, the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank of the battery pack stacked at the bottom can be inserted into the first connector through-hole of the pack case of the battery pack stacked at the top.

[0015] The second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank further includes a guide member, the guide member protruding outward from the outer surface of the second connector through-hole, extending vertically, and having a chamfered upper end, and in the plurality of stacked battery packs, the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank of the battery pack stacked at the bottom can slide along the guide member and be inserted into the first connector through-hole of the pack case of the battery pack stacked at the top.

[0016] When the battery pack is viewed from above or below, the first connector through-hole of the pack case and the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank may be arranged in a line and corresponding to each other.

[0017] The connector includes an upper connector for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on top and a lower connector for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on the bottom, wherein the upper connector and the lower connector are electrically connected to each other, the upper connector is positioned toward the open upper surface of the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank, and the lower connector may be positioned toward the first connector through-hole of the pack case.

[0018] The electrical coupling unit further includes a connector housing, the upper surface of the connector housing includes a projection, the upper connector is provided on the projection of the connector housing, the upper connector and the projection of the connector housing are arranged within a tubular second connector through-hole that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank, and the lower connector may be provided on the lower surface of the connector housing.

[0019] The protruding portion of the connector housing further includes a vertically extending rib, and the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank further includes a vertically extending rib receiving portion that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second connector through-hole, and the rib can be coupled to the rib receiving portion so that the connector and the connector housing are fixed within the second connector through-hole.

[0020] The pair of ribs and rib receiving portions may be provided in multiple quantities.

[0021] To facilitate stacking between the multiple stacked battery packs, the pack case further includes a pair of male and female guide members, and in the multiple stacked battery packs, one male guide member of two adjacent battery packs can be coupled to the other female guide member of the two adjacent battery packs.

[0022] The male guide member is plate-shaped and protrudes upward from the upper part of the pack case, and the female guide member is provided on the lower part of the pack case and may have a notch, opening, or recess shape to receive the male guide member.

[0023] The upper portion of the male guide member may have a chamfered shape on both sides.

[0024] The battery pack may be provided with the pair of male guide members and female guide members on at least one of its front or rear surfaces.

[0025] The battery pack may be provided with the pair of male guide members and female guide members on each of its opposing sides.

[0026] The pack case further includes a set of male fastening members and female fastening members so as to be fastened between the plurality of stacked battery packs. In the plurality of stacked battery packs, one male fastening member of two adjacent battery packs can be coupled to the other female fastening member of the two adjacent battery packs.

[0027] The male fastening member protrudes upward from the upper part of the pack case, and the female fastening member is provided at the lower part of the pack case, and can have a notch, an opening, or a concave shape so that the male fastening member can be accommodated.

[0028] The male fastening member includes engaging claws, the female fastening member includes an engaging portion in the shape of an opening, and the engaging claws of the male fastening member can be engaged with the engaging portion of the female fastening member.

[0029] The plurality of stacked battery packs can be stacked in the vertical direction.

[0030] The electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs can be connected in series so that the voltages of the plurality of stacked battery packs are variously embodied.

[0031] The electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs can be connected in parallel so that the storage capacities of the plurality of stacked battery packs are variously embodied.

[0032] An energy storage device according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes one or more of the aforementioned battery packs according to the present invention.

Advantages of the Invention

[0033] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery pack with improved thermal safety and mechanical stability. Also, it is possible to provide a battery pack with improved electrical connectivity.

[0034] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, even if a thermal event occurs inside the battery pack, such a thermal event can be quickly controlled.

[0035] Furthermore, if an issue such as thermal runaway or fire occurs in some of the multiple battery cells included in the battery pack, it is possible to effectively prevent such issues from transferring to other modules.

[0036] In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since there is no need to add new parts for dispensing the fire extinguishing agent, a battery pack with excellent manufacturability and cost-effectiveness can be provided.

[0037] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the design of a special waterproof and dustproof structure becomes unnecessary.

[0038] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, by stacking multiple battery packs of the same type, products with diverse voltages and / or energy storage capacities can be provided.

[0039] Furthermore, various other additional effects can be achieved through diverse embodiments of the present invention. These diverse effects of the present invention will be described in detail in each embodiment, or their description will be omitted if they are easily understood by those skilled in the art. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0040] The following drawings accompanying this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention later, serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited solely to the matters depicted in these drawings. [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration in which the fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the battery pack. [Figure 3]This is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A4-A4' in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cell module assembly included in the battery pack. [Figure 7] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the circuit breaker included in the battery pack. [Figure 8] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the battery pack and its case. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a top view of the pack case. [Figure 10] Figure 8 is a bottom view of the pack case. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates how the cell module assembly shown in Figure 8 can be housed in a pack case. [Figure 12] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fire extinguishing tank included in the battery pack. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a fire extinguishing tank. [Figure 14] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the battery pack and its external cover. [Figure 15] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the electrical coupling unit included in the battery pack. [Figure 16] Figure 15 is a rear view of the electrical coupling unit. [Figure 17] Figures 5 to 15 show a perspective view of the battery pack with all the aforementioned components connected. [Figure 18] Figure 17 is a perspective view of the battery pack with the outer cover removed. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view of Figure 18 rotated 180 degrees. [Figure 20] Figure 19 is a bottom perspective view. [Figure 21] Figure 19 shows a case where multiple battery packs are used and stacked vertically. [Figure 22] This is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 17. [Figure 23] This is a view of the battery pack shown in Figure 19 from a different angle. [Figure 24] Figure 23 is a magnified view of a section of the guide member of the pack case. [Figure 25] Figure 23 is a magnified view of a section of the guide member of the pack case. [Figure 26] Figure 23 is a magnified view of a portion of the fastening member of the pack case. [Figure 27] Figures 1 through 20 are schematic perspective views showing the battery pack. [Figure 28] Figure 27 is a drawing showing an embodiment in which pack cases are stacked in different numbers. [Figure 29] Figure 27 is a drawing showing an embodiment in which pack cases are stacked in different numbers. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used herein and in the claims should not be interpreted in a manner limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but rather in a manner and concept consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, based on the principle that inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their invention.

[0042] Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the invention. It should be understood that there are various equivalents and modifications that can substitute for them at the time of filing.

[0043] To clearly explain the present invention, unnecessary explanatory parts have been omitted, and the same or similar reference numerals have been used throughout the specification for identical or similar components.

[0044] Furthermore, the dimensions and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily indicated for the sake of explanation, and therefore the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown. In the drawings, the thicknesses are shown enlarged to clearly represent multiple layers and regions. Also, in the drawings, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are shown exaggerated for the sake of explanation.

[0045] Furthermore, when a layer, membrane, region, plate, or other part is said to be "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly above" the other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when one part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Also, being "above" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being located "above" in the opposite direction of gravity.

[0046] Furthermore, when a specification states that a certain part "includes" a certain component, this means that, unless otherwise stated, it does not exclude other components and may include other components.

[0047] Furthermore, throughout the specification, "on a plane" means when the subject is viewed from above, and "on a cross-section" means when the subject is viewed from the side of a cross-section obtained by cutting the subject perpendicularly.

[0048] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to Figure 1, the battery pack according to the present invention includes a cell module assembly 100, a pack case 300, and a fire extinguishing tank 400.

[0050] The cell module assembly 100 may comprise one or more battery cells 110, where each battery cell 110 may represent a secondary battery. A secondary battery may comprise an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case. In particular, the battery cells 110 provided in the cell module assembly 100 may be pouch-type secondary batteries. However, other forms of secondary batteries, such as cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries, may also be used in the cell module assembly 100 of the present invention.

[0051] Multiple secondary batteries can be stacked to form a cell module assembly 100. In other words, a stack of battery cells can form a cell module assembly 100. For example, multiple battery cells 110 can be stacked in a configuration where each cell is standing upright in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing) and arranged horizontally (X-axis direction in the drawing). Each battery cell 110 may be equipped with electrode leads, which can be located at both ends or at one end of each battery cell 110. A secondary battery with electrode leads protruding in both directions is called a bidirectional cell, and a secondary battery with electrode leads protruding in one direction is called a unidirectional cell. Figure 1 illustrates a bidirectional cell. However, the present invention is not limited by such specific types or forms of secondary batteries, and various forms of secondary batteries known at the time of filing of the present invention can be used in the cell module assembly 100 of the present invention.

[0052] The pack case 300 may be configured to have an internal space in which the cell module assembly 100 is housed. For example, the pack case 300 may be configured in a box shape as shown in Figure 1. The box-shaped pack case 300 may be integrally molded, or it may be manufactured by joining at least one side to an adjacent side.

[0053] The fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold a fire extinguishing agent. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 has an internal space in which it can hold a fire extinguishing agent. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may consist of a lower tank 410 and an upper cover 420, as shown in Figure 1. Here, the lower tank 410 is configured in the form of a box with an open top and can provide a space in which a fire extinguishing agent can be held. The upper cover 420 may be configured to cover the open top of the lower tank 410 and to seal the fire extinguishing agent holding space of the lower tank 410.

[0054] The fire extinguishing tank 400 can be housed inside the pack case 300. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be positioned on the upper side of the cell module assembly 100 within the internal space of the pack case 300.

[0055] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the thermal events of the cell module assembly 100 can be more easily controlled by discharging a fire extinguishing agent from a fire extinguishing tank 400 located on the upper side of the cell module assembly 100. In particular, the fire extinguishing agent discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be easily moved downward by gravity. Therefore, the heat and fire suppression of the cell module assembly 100 by the fire extinguishing agent can be more easily carried out.

[0056] In particular, if the cell module assembly 100 comprises a plurality of battery cells 110 arranged horizontally, i.e., in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), as shown in Figure 1, when fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the top, the fire extinguishing agent can be easily supplied to the entire battery cell 110. Therefore, with such an implementation, thermal events can be suppressed more effectively against the entire cell module assembly 100.

[0057] The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to discharge the fire extinguishing agent towards the cell module assembly 100 when heat is applied from the cell module assembly 100. This will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 2.

[0058] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration in which the fire extinguishing agent is discharged from the battery pack shown in Figure 1.

[0059] Referring to Figure 2, the fire extinguishing tank 400 is located on top of the cell module assembly 100. Among the multiple battery modules stacked in the left-right direction (for example, the X-axis direction in the drawing), a thermal event such as overheating, ignition, or thermal runaway may occur in a specific battery cell 110, as shown in part A1. In this case, the heat generated in the battery cell 110 may be applied to the fire extinguishing tank 400, for example, to part A2 in Figure 2. Then, as shown by arrow A3, the fire extinguishing agent may be discharged from the fire extinguishing tank 400.

[0060] In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to melt at least a portion of itself due to the heat applied from the cell module assembly 100. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 2, the portion of the fire extinguishing tank 400 indicated by A2 can melt due to the heat. Then, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged through this melted portion, as indicated by arrow A3.

[0061] For this purpose, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material that is meltable by the heat applied from the cell module assembly 100, at least in part. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made entirely of plastic material. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made in the form of a plastic injection molded part.

[0062] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to melt due to the venting gas or heat ejected from the battery cell 110. For example, if thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110 and venting gas is ejected, such venting gas may be at a temperature above a certain temperature. The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material and / or form that can melt due to such high-temperature venting gas. Alternatively, if thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 110, the battery cell 110 may be at a higher temperature than normal even if no venting gas is ejected. The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be made of a material and / or form that can melt due to the heat applied from the battery cell 110 in such an abnormally high-temperature state.

[0063] In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured such that the base plate 411 melts due to the heat and / or high gas temperature generated during an event in the battery cell 110. In this case, the extinguishing agent can flow into the molten portion at the bottom of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and be discharged downwards. Thus, the extinguishing agent can be rapidly injected into the cell module assembly 100.

[0064] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the fire extinguishing agent is injected in a manner that melts the injectable material, effectively suppressing thermal events inside the battery pack while minimizing the propagation of thermal events between the battery cells 110.

[0065] The fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold a fire extinguishing agent in liquid form. In this case, the fire extinguishing agent may be called a fire extinguishing liquid. For example, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold water or other coolant as a fire extinguishing agent. The fire extinguishing tank 400 can also hold antifreeze as a fire extinguishing agent. In particular, if the battery pack is used in a season with low temperatures such as winter or in a region with low temperatures such as the polar regions, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can hold antifreeze as a fire extinguishing agent, which does not easily freeze even at low temperatures. Furthermore, in the case of a residential battery pack, since it can be located outdoors, antifreeze may be provided as a fire extinguishing agent.

[0066] The fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured such that the thickness of the base plate 411 varies depending on its position. This will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0067] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention. However, in Figure 3, for the sake of clarity, some components are shown transparently. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A4-A4' in Figure 3. For the various embodiments included in this specification, including this embodiment, detailed explanations will be omitted for parts that can be applied identically or similarly to parts described in other embodiments, and the explanation will focus on the differences.

[0068] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may include a base plate 411 and side walls 412. Here, the side walls 412 may be configured to protrude upward from the edge of the base plate 411. The fire extinguishing tank 400 is then limited at the bottom and sides by the base plate 411 and side walls 412, forming a space in which a fire extinguishing agent can be held. At this time, the top of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be sealed by a pack case 300. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the pack case 300 includes a lower case 300a and an upper case 300b, and the top of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is covered by the upper case 300b so that the fire extinguishing agent can be held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 1, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured to include an upper cover 420 to seal the top of the fire extinguishing agent holding space.

[0069] Thus, in the configuration of the fire extinguishing tank 400 equipped with a base plate 411, the base plate 411 may be formed with different thicknesses in different parts. In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured with a thinner thickness in certain parts, such as the part indicated by reference numeral 411a in Figures 3 and 4. For example, the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is made of a plastic injection molded material with a total thickness of 1 mm, but the part indicated by 411a may be configured to have a thickness of 0.5 mm.

[0070] In particular, the thinly formed portion of the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 can function as a weak point 411a. That is, when the temperature rises in the cell module assembly 100, such a weak point 411a may be damaged first. When the weak point 411a is damaged, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be discharged through the weak point 411a to the cell module assembly 100.

[0071] Multiple vulnerable parts 411a may be provided. The vulnerable parts 411a may, for example, be narrow in width and long in length. In other words, the vulnerable parts 411a may be linear in shape, and may be straight lines arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing tank 400, and each vulnerable part 411a may be arranged parallel to one another.

[0072] According to the above-described implementation configuration, if venting gas or fire occurs due to thermal runaway on the cell module assembly 100 side, there is no need to provide a separate structure for introducing a fire extinguishing agent such as cooling water. Therefore, a fire extinguishing agent introduction configuration inside the battery pack can be realized with a simple structure. Furthermore, in such a configuration, when an event occurs, the fire extinguishing agent can be discharged through the thinly formed vulnerable portion 411a, so the part from which the fire extinguishing agent is discharged can be specified in advance.

[0073] In the above-described configuration, as shown in Figure 4, a single fire extinguishing tank 400 may be provided with multiple vulnerable parts 411a. Furthermore, the multiple vulnerable parts 411a may be arranged on the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 at a predetermined distance apart along the stacking direction of the cell module assembly 100. For example, multiple battery cells 110 in the cell module assembly 100 may be stacked in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), and the multiple vulnerable parts on the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 located above such a cell module assembly 100 may also be arranged in the left-right direction at a distance from each other.

[0074] In particular, the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be configured such that a relatively thin vulnerable portion 411a is located in the central part between horizontally stacked cells.

[0075] For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 4, two battery cells 110, B1 and B2, are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-hand direction on the left side of the cell module assembly 100. In this case, of the numerous vulnerable parts 411a, the leftmost vulnerable part 411a may be located between B1 and B2 in the left-hand direction. In other words, the vulnerable part 411a is located above B1 and B2 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), but between B1 and B2 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction). Furthermore, for other battery cells 110 besides B1 and B2, one vulnerable part 411a may be configured to be located in the space between two adjacent battery cells 110 in the horizontal direction.

[0076] According to this embodiment of the present invention, if a thermal event occurs in a particular battery cell 110 and heat is applied to a vulnerable portion 411a located at the top, the vulnerable portion 411a may be damaged. The fire extinguishing agent can then be discharged through the damaged vulnerable portion 411a and flow into the space between adjacent battery cells 110, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 4.

[0077] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the transmission of thermal events between battery cells 110 can be more effectively prevented. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to concentrate the application of fire extinguishing agent around the battery cell 110 where a thermal event such as overheating or ignition has occurred, thereby enabling more effective cooling and fire extinguishing operations. Therefore, according to the above embodiment, if a fire occurs inside the battery, it may be possible to apply fire extinguishing agent in a timely and appropriate place without any other parts other than the fire extinguishing tank 400.

[0078] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] Referring to Figure 5, the battery pack includes a cell module assembly 100, a shut-off member 200, a pack case 300, a fire extinguishing tank 400, an external cover 500, and an electrical coupling unit 600.

[0080] In Figure 5, the cell module assembly 100 can also be constructed by stacking multiple battery cells 110 (see Figure 1) in a configuration where each cell is positioned vertically (for example, along the Z-axis in the drawing) and arranged horizontally (for example, along the X-axis in the drawing). In this case, the length direction of the battery cells 110 is, for example, along the Y-axis in the drawing. For ease of understanding, the battery cells 110 are not shown in Figure 5. If the battery cells 110 are, for example, pouch-type or prismatic battery cells, the battery cells 110 are arranged alongside (parallel to) the blocking member 200.

[0081] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cell module assembly 100 included in the battery pack shown in Figure 5.

[0082] For reference, to more clearly illustrate the components included in the cell module assembly 100, Figure 6 shows the remaining components excluding the multiple battery cells 110. The multiple battery cells 110 may be ordinary pouch-type battery cells or prismatic battery cells.

[0083] Referring to Figure 6, a pair of busbar housings 130 are positioned on the front and rear surfaces of the stack of multiple battery cells 110. Each of the busbar housings 130 is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (for example, in the X-axis direction in the drawing).

[0084] A pair of end plates 120 are provided at each of the two outermost ends of the stack of multiple battery cells 110. The end plates 120 are arranged parallel to the battery cells 110. The pair of end plates 120 connects each other between a pair of busbar housings 130.

[0085] The upper and lower sides of each pair of end plates 120 may include at least one strap 140 connecting the pair of end plates 120. The strap 140 reinforces the binding of the cell module assembly 100. More specifically, it reinforces the binding of the pair of end plates 120 and the stack of battery cells 110 arranged between them. This prevents misalignment of the stack of battery cells 110.

[0086] Further explanation regarding the cell module assembly 100 overlaps with that described in Figure 1, so please refer to the information mentioned above in relation to Figure 1.

[0087] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, multiple battery cells 110 can be grouped and housed in predetermined numbers. Also, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, a blocking member 200 is provided between groups of multiple (predetermined number) battery cells 110 and adjacent groups of multiple (predetermined number) battery cells 110.

[0088] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the shielding member 200 included in the battery pack of Figure 5. The shielding member 200 may be configured to interpose between adjacent battery cells 110 to block heat. For example, if a thermal event occurs in some of the battery cells 110, generating heat and high-temperature venting gas, the shielding member 200 can suppress or block the transfer of the generated heat and gas to adjacent battery cells 110. The shielding member 200 can also serve to block flames, sparks, etc., emitted from a specific battery cell 110.

[0089] The blocking member 200 has a substantially plate-like shape. The blocking member 200 may be configured as a plate that is vertically oriented. Furthermore, the blocking member 200 may have the same or similar height as the battery cell 110, which is also vertically oriented. The height of the blocking member 200 may be less than or greater than the height of the battery cell 110.

[0090] The number of blocking members 200 may correspond to the number of battery cells. As mentioned above, the blocking members 200 can be stacked together with the battery cells 110 to constitute the cell module assembly 100.

[0091] According to this embodiment of the present invention, in a battery pack containing a plurality of battery cells 110, the blocking member 200 can effectively prevent thermal runaway propagation between cells.

[0092] Furthermore, the blocking member 200 can consist of a triple-layer structure. For example, a pair of swelling pads 220 are provided on each side of the support plate 210. The support plate 210 maintains the shape and rigidity of the blocking member 200 and blocks flames, sparks, etc., ejected from the battery cells 110 between the battery cells 110. The support plate 210 can be made of, for example, a metal material. The swelling pads 220 reduce the pressure applied to the battery cells 110 by the support plate 210 when the battery cells 110 expand. The swelling pads 220 can be made of, for example, a silicone material or a flexible plastic material.

[0093] On the other hand, the support plate 210 includes a plurality of through holes 230 formed to penetrate the support plate 210 in the vertical direction, and the plurality of through holes 230 are arranged along the length direction of the support plate 210.

[0094] When fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) is injected into the cell module assembly 100 from the fire extinguishing tank 400 located at the top of the cell module assembly 100, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) also enters into the multiple through-holes 230. In other words, the accumulation of fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) in the multiple through-holes 230 allows for more effective cooling and fire extinguishing of the battery cell 110 where a thermal event has occurred.

[0095] The multiple through-holes 230 may be configured such that they are all open on both the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate 210. Alternatively, the multiple through-holes 230 may be configured such that only the upper surface is open, and the lower surface is closed so that the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can remain in the through-holes 230 for a longer period of time. In the former case, if the support plate 210 of the blocking member 200 is positioned to be in close contact with the inner lower surface of the pack case 300, the fire extinguishing agent (fire extinguishing liquid) can remain in the through-holes 230 for a longer period of time, as in the latter case.

[0096] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pack case 300 included in the battery pack shown in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a top view of the pack case 300 shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a bottom view of the pack case 300 shown in Figure 8.

[0097] Referring to Figure 8, the pack case 300 can be constructed in a box shape. The box-shaped pack case 300 may be integrally molded, or it may be manufactured by joining at least one side to an adjacent side.

[0098] The pack case 300 includes at least one venting port 320. A filter is fitted to the venting port 320. If a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 110 housed inside the pack case 300, the venting gas generated in the battery cell 110 can be discharged through the venting port 320. The venting gas discharged from the venting port 320 travels through a venting channel formed in the space between the pack case 300 and the outer cover 500 (see Figure 5), and can then be discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500.

[0099] In this case, the outer surface of the pack case 300 may be provided with a partition wall 330 that protrudes outward from the outer surface. The partition wall 330 increases the distance the venting gas travels in the venting passage, and the flame contained in the venting gas strikes the partition wall 330 and extinguishes naturally. As a result, the flame contained in the venting gas is not discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500. Furthermore, the partition wall 330 can also reinforce the rigidity of the pack case 300.

[0100] The partition wall 330 is formed on the outer surface of the pack case 300 in at least one direction. The embodiment in Figure 8 shows a case where the partition wall 330 is formed in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction and intersects with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the partition wall 330 is formed to intersect with the venting gas movement path.

[0101] As shown in Figure 9, the pack case 300 has two main storage spaces within it, separated by a partition wall 380. One is space S1 where the cell module assembly 100 is stored, and the other is space S2 where the electrical coupling unit 600, which is an electrical component of the battery pack, is stored. The storage of the cell module assembly 100 will be described later with reference to Figure 11.

[0102] First, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the space S2 at the bottom of the pack case 300 includes a connector through-hole 370 into which the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked below (see Figures 15 to 21) can be inserted for electrical connection between the stacked battery packs, as will be described later. As a result, when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically, the connector 610 of the battery pack and the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked below are connected to each other, as will be described in detail in Figure 21. Similarly, in the same manner, the connector 610 of the battery pack is connected to the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked above. Electrical connections can be made between the stacked battery packs and between the battery packs and between the battery pack and the battery management system (BMS) using the connector 610.

[0103] Referring to Figure 11, the storage of the cell module assembly 100 inside the pack case 300 will be described. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the case in which the cell module assembly 100 of Figure 8 is stored in the storage space S1 of the pack case 300. As shown in Figure 11, the cell module assembly 100 shown in Figure 6 can also be stored in the internal space of the auxiliary case 310 and then mounted in the pack case 300. By temporarily storing the cell module assembly 100 in the internal space of the auxiliary case 310 and then finally storing it in the pack case 300, the rigidity of the cell module assembly 100 can be enhanced, and misalignment of the multiple battery cell stacks 110 in the cell module assembly 100 can be prevented. The auxiliary case 310 can be made of, for example, metal or stainless steel.

[0104] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the fire extinguishing tank 400 included in the battery pack of Figure 5. Figure 13 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the fire extinguishing tank 400 of Figure 12, showing the cross-section along line A5-A5' in Figure 5. The fire extinguishing tank 400 includes a lower tank 410 and an upper cover 420, as described above in Figure 1. The lower tank 410 and the upper cover 420 may be manufactured separately and sealed together, or they may be manufactured as a single unit. The upper cover 420 may further include an inlet 430 into which fire extinguishing agent can be injected. The fire extinguishing tank 400 can be sealed by closing the inlet 430 with a cap.

[0105] A portion of the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 that is formed with a thinner thickness can function as a weak point 411a. In other words, if a thermal event occurs in the battery cell 110 of the cell module assembly 100, such a relatively thin weak point 411a may be damaged first. When the weak point 411a is damaged and an opening is formed in the base plate 411, the fire extinguishing agent held inside the fire extinguishing tank 400 can be discharged to the cell module assembly 100 side through the weak point 411a.

[0106] Multiple vulnerable parts 411a may be provided. The vulnerable parts 411a may, for example, be narrow in width and long in length. That is, they may be linear in shape, and may be straight lines arranged parallel to one edge of the fire extinguishing tank 400, and each vulnerable part 411a may be arranged parallel to one another.

[0107] On the other hand, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 (for example, the X-axis direction in the drawing) and the longitudinal direction of the vulnerable portion 411a (for example, the X-axis direction in the drawing) can be orthogonal to each other. In other words, multiple vulnerable portions 411a are arranged to intersect the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110. This allows the fire extinguishing agent to be supplied simultaneously to the entire battery cell 110 through multiple open vulnerable portions 411a along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 110 where a thermal event has occurred, enabling more efficient and rapid extinguishing of the battery cell 110 where the thermal event has occurred.

[0108] Furthermore, referring to Figure 13, the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 has a step. More specifically, the base plate 411 is broadly divided as follows: part A7 where the vulnerable part 411a is located, part A8 which is in contact with the strap 140 of the pack case 100, and part A9 which is located on the side of the electrical connection unit 600. Of these, the height of the base plate 411 in part A7 where the vulnerable part 411a is located is the lowest.

[0109] By positioning the vulnerable portion 411a of the lower tank 410 as close to the battery cells 110 as possible, if overheating or ignition occurs in some of the battery cells 110, rapid initial suppression can more effectively prevent the occurrence of dangerous situations such as secondary explosions caused by the transfer of heat or flames to adjacent battery cells 100.

[0110] To elaborate, as shown in Figure 6 regarding the cell module assembly 100, the height of the cell module assembly 100 is not constant due to the location of the strap 140 and the location of the busbar housing 130 (connectors 610, fuses, etc. are located outside the busbar housing 130). Regardless of this, if the height of the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is constant overall, a gap will be created between the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the upper surface of the cell module assembly 100. In such a case, the gap will hinder heat transfer from the temperature-increased battery cell 110 to the vulnerable part 411a, causing a delay in fire extinguishing.

[0111] When the battery cell 110 overheats, the vulnerable portion 411a is positioned immediately adjacent to the battery cell 110 whose temperature has risen. This allows the vulnerable portion 411a to be immediately damaged, rapidly cooling the battery cell 110 and extinguishing the fire.

[0112] To summarize, the lower surface of the base plate 411 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the upper surface of the cell module assembly 100 have shapes that are almost identical to each other. As a result, the fire extinguishing tank 400 is positioned more closely to the cell module assembly 100, so that the battery cells 110 that have experienced a temperature rise can be cooled more effectively, and the fire extinguishing agent can be injected more quickly into the battery cells 110 that have overheated or ignited. In addition, the fire extinguishing tank 400 can efficiently store more fire extinguishing agent. In other words, if the height of the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is constant overall, the fire extinguishing tank 400 will be able to store less fire extinguishing agent due to the empty space.

[0113] The fire extinguishing agent provided in the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be in the form of a fire extinguishing liquid, for example. Repetitive explanations are omitted, and please refer to the previously mentioned information.

[0114] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing tank 400 includes a connector through-hole 440. This will be described in more detail later with reference to Figures 15 to 21.

[0115] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the external cover 500 included in the battery pack shown in Figure 5.

[0116] The external cover 500 is attached to the pack case 300 and covers at least one side of the pack case 300. Figures 5 and 14 show the case where the front and both sides of the pack case 300 are covered. The front cover 500a of the external cover 500 covers the front of the pack case 300, and the pair of side covers 500b of the external cover 500 cover both sides of the pack case 300.

[0117] In the pack case 300 shown in Figure 8, vents 320 are provided on the front and both sides of the pack case 300. As a result, the external cover 500 is also provided to cover the front and both sides of the pack case 300.

[0118] On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to what has been described above, and it is sufficient if the external cover 500 can cover the vent opening 320. For example, it is possible to cover all four sides of the pack case 300, including the front, rear, and both sides, or to cover only a portion of the four sides excluding the top and bottom of the pack case 300, allowing for a variety of modifications and changes.

[0119] The front cover 500a and the pair of side covers 500b of the external cover 500 may be formed as a single unit, or they may be manufactured separately and joined together.

[0120] The external cover 500 covers the venting opening 320 of the pack case 300 at a predetermined distance from the venting opening 320. This prevents the battery cells 110 inside the pack case 300 from being directly exposed to the outside through the venting opening 320.

[0121] Referring to Figure 14, the upper and lower sides of the outer cover 500 each include flanges 520 that project outwards from the main body of the outer cover 500 toward the pack case 300. Including the flanges 520 further enhances the function of covering the venting opening 320. The flanges 520 may have a width equal to the separation space between the outer cover 500 and the pack case 300, or a width smaller than that.

[0122] Furthermore, since the outer cover 500 is attached to the outer surface of the pack case 300 at a predetermined distance, as described above, the venting gas discharged from the venting port 320 of the pack case 300 can travel through the venting channel formed in the space between the pack case 300 and the outer cover 500 and then be discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500.

[0123] Multiple venting holes 521 are provided in a row along the flange 520. Venting gas that has moved through the venting channel formed in the space between the pack case 300 and the outer cover 500 can be discharged through the venting holes 521 of the outer cover 500.

[0124] On the other hand, the outer cover 500 may also be provided with a partition wall 510 formed in at least one direction on the surface facing the pack case 300. The partition wall 510 increases the distance the venting gas travels in the venting passage, and the flame contained in the venting gas strikes the partition wall 510 and extinguishes naturally. As a result, the flame contained in the venting gas is not discharged to the outside of the outer cover 500.

[0125] The partition wall 510 is formed on the outer surface of the outer cover 500 in at least one direction. The embodiment in Figure 9 shows a case where the partition wall 510 is formed in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction and intersects with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the partition wall 510 is formed to intersect with the venting gas movement path.

[0126] On the other hand, the bulkhead 510 can also reinforce the rigidity of the outer cover 500.

[0127] Furthermore, by covering the outer surface of the pack case 300 with the outer cover 500, an aesthetic function can be added to the external shape of the battery pack.

[0128] Figure 15 is a perspective view of an electrical coupling unit 600, which is a component for the electrical connection of the battery pack. Figure 16 is a rear view of the electrical coupling unit in Figure 15.

[0129] The electrical coupling unit 600 includes a connector 610, a connector housing 620, various cables 630, and other components such as a fuse, which perform electrical coupling functions between the stacked battery packs and between the battery packs and the battery management system (BMS). The electrical coupling unit 600 is housed in a storage space S2 (see Figure 9) inside the pack case 300 and is positioned in front of the cell module assembly 100. Partition plates are provided inside the pack case 300, and the internal space is partitioned based on these partitions, allowing the electrical coupling unit 600 and the cell module assembly 100 to be housed therein.

[0130] Connector 610 connects the battery pack and battery management system (battery In addition to providing an electrical connection function with the management system (BMS), it also provides an electrical connection function between the stacked battery packs in the manner described later. Connector 610 is connected to power cable 630a to transmit power. Connector 610 is also connected to signal cable 630b to transmit signals for monitoring and managing the battery packs.

[0131] The connector 610 includes an upper connector 610a for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on top and a lower connector 610b for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on the bottom. For example, the upper connector 610a may be a male (protruding) connector and the lower connector 610b may be a corresponding female (recessed) connector. For each battery pack, the upper connector 610a located at the top and the lower connector 610b located at the bottom are connected by a cable 630 or other electrically conductive structure, which is housed in the connector housing 620.

[0132] The connector housing 620 is equipped with a connector 610, various cables 630, and other components such as fuses. A more specific structure and shape of the connector housing 620 will be described later with reference to Figure 22.

[0133] Cable 630 includes a power cable 630a for transmitting power between the battery pack and the battery management system (BMS) and a signal cable 630b for transmitting signals for monitoring and managing the battery pack.

[0134] Figure 17 is a perspective view of a battery pack with all the components of the aforementioned battery pack combined, referring to Figures 5 to 15. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the battery pack of Figure 17 with the outer cover removed. Figure 19 is a perspective view of Figure 18 rotated 180 degrees. Figure 20 is a bottom perspective view of Figure 19. Figure 21 shows a case where multiple battery packs of Figure 19 are provided and stacked vertically.

[0135] Referring to Figure 17, the upper connector 610a of the electrical connection unit 600 passes through the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and is positioned within the connector through-hole 440. The upper connector 610a is positioned toward the upper opening surface of the connector through-hole 440 so that it can be electrically connected to the battery pack stacked on top. The upper connector 610a is exposed when viewed from the upper opening surface of the connector through-hole 440 (top view). At this time, the upper connector 610a protrudes above the uppermost surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400. To further explain, the connector through-hole 440 has a shape that protrudes upward from the uppermost surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400, thereby surrounding the side surface of the upper connector 610a that protrudes from the uppermost surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400.

[0136] The connector through-hole 440 penetrates the fire extinguishing tank 400 in the vertical direction. More specifically, the connector through-hole 440 penetrates the upper cover 420 (see Figure 12) of the fire extinguishing tank 400. The upper cover 420 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 covers the entire upper surface of the storage space S1 of the cell module assembly 100 and the upper surface of the storage space S2 of the electrical connection unit 600, as described in Figure 9, but the lower tank 410 (see Figure 12) of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is located on the upper surface of the storage space S1 of the cell module assembly 100. As a variation, although not shown in Figure 12, it is also possible to penetrate from the base plate 411 of the lower tank 410 to the uppermost surface of the upper cover 420. In any case, the connector through-hole 440 also forms the outer surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 so that the extinguishing agent does not leak out through the connector through-hole 440.

[0137] For example, the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may have a roughly rectangular cross-section and be a tubular shape protruding upward from the top surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400. The connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300 may be, for example, a rectangular opening. The dimensions (width and height) of the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 are the same as or smaller than the dimensions (width and height) of the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300. However, the present invention is not limited to what is shown, and the structure and cross-sectional shape of the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300 can be modified in various ways to suit the specifications of the battery pack to which the present invention is applied.

[0138] Referring to Figure 20, the lower connector 610b is positioned toward the open connector hole 370 of the pack case 300 so that it can be electrically connected to the battery pack stacked below. The lower connector 610b is located near the connector hole 370 of the pack case 300, and when viewed from the open connector hole 370 of the pack case 300 (bottom view), the lower connector 610b is exposed.

[0139] As shown in Figure 21, when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically, the upper connector 610a exposed on the top through the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is electrically connected to the lower connector 610b of the battery pack stacked on top. In other words, even if the fire extinguishing tank 400 covers the top of the pack case 300, interconnection between the connectors 610 of the stacked battery packs is possible through the connector through-hole 440. The upper connector 610a of the battery pack stacked below can be inserted and coupled into the lower connector 610b of the battery pack stacked above.

[0140] When viewing the battery pack from above (or below), the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is positioned to be aligned in a straight line with the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300. In other words, the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300 are positioned to be aligned with each other in the vertical direction of the battery pack. As a result, when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically, as shown in Figure 21, the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300 of the battery pack stacked on top corresponds to each other (i.e., the open portions are connected to each other).

[0141] As a result, as shown in Figure 21, the protruding connector through-hole 440 is inserted into the connector through-hole 370 of the battery pack case 300 located on the upper layer. This prevents the stacked battery packs from shifting relative to each other, ensuring that the electrical connection between the connectors 610 of the stacked battery packs remains unbroken and that they are firmly connected to each other.

[0142] Referring again to Figure 15, the upper surface of the connector housing 620 includes a projection 620a in the portion where the upper connector 610a is located. The projection 620a of the connector housing 620 may be integrally formed with the connector housing 620. The upper connector 610a is located on the projection 620a of the connector housing 620. The projection 620a of the connector housing 620 and the upper connector 610a are both located within the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400. The lower connector 610b is located on the lower surface of the connector housing 620.

[0143] On the other hand, the protruding portion 620a of the connector housing 620 further includes a rib 621. The rib 621 has a shape that extends in the vertical direction. This will be explained with reference to Figure 22.

[0144] Figure 22 is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 17. Referring to Figure 22, the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 further includes a rib receiving portion 441 that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the connector through-hole 440. The rib receiving portion 441 of the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 is positioned to correspond to the rib 621 of the projection 620a of the connector housing 620. Similar to the rib 621, the rib receiving portion 441 has a shape that extends in the vertical direction.

[0145] When the protrusion 620a of the connector housing 620 and the upper connector 610a enter the connector through-hole 440, the rib 621 of the connector housing 620 is inserted and coupled into the rib receiving portion 441 of the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400. This ensures that the connector 610 and the connector housing 620 are fixed in place without shaking within the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank. Multiple pairs of such ribs 621 and rib receiving portions 441 may be provided.

[0146] The connector through-hole 440 may further include a guide member 442 that protrudes outward from the outer surface. The guide member 442 also has a vertically extending shape and a chamfered upper end. When the connector through-hole 440 of the battery pack stacked at the bottom enters the connector through-hole 370 of the battery pack stacked at the top, it slides along the chamfered upper end of the guide member 442, thereby facilitating the stacking of the battery packs. Multiple such guide members 442 may be provided.

[0147] As shown in Figure 21, when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically, the connector through-hole 370 of the pack case 300 of the battery pack stacked on top is passed through the connector through-hole 440 of the fire extinguishing tank 400 of the battery pack stacked on the bottom. This connects the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on top to the connector 610 of the battery pack stacked on the bottom.

[0148] Figure 23 is a view of the battery pack shown in Figure 19 from a different angle. When multiple battery packs are provided and stacked vertically, the guide structure and fastening structure between the pack cases are shown. Figures 24 and 25 are enlarged views of the guide members of the pack case in Figure 23, respectively. Figure 26 is an enlarged view of the fastening members of the pack case in Figure 23.

[0149] First, referring to Figures 23 to 25, the pack case 300 includes at least one guide member 340. The guide member 340 facilitates the stacking of adjacent battery packs when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically, while also ensuring that the adjacent battery packs (stacked vertically) are aligned and not misaligned.

[0150] The guide member 340 includes a first guide member 340a and a second guide member 340b. The first guide member 340a may be positioned in the upper part of the pack case 300, and the second guide member 340b may be positioned in the lower part of the pack case 300. This facilitates stacking multiple battery packs vertically and strengthens the connection between the stacked battery packs.

[0151] The first guide member 340a is a male-type guide member and may be a plate-shaped member that protrudes upward from the upper part of the pack case 300. Furthermore, the male-type first guide member 340a may be, for example, rectangular overall, with chamfered corners on both sides of the upper part, making it easier to stack battery packs. In other words, since each battery pack houses multiple battery cells, the battery packs have a considerable weight, but because the male-type first guide member 340a has a chamfered shape, it makes it even easier to stack the battery packs vertically.

[0152] Furthermore, the male first guide member 340a has a protruding plate shape, and after the inner surface of the plate-shaped first guide member 340a is coupled to the female guide member second guide member 340b of the battery pack laminated on top, the outer surface of the battery pack laminated on top can come into contact with it. This allows the first guide member 340a to support the outer surface of the battery pack laminated on top, preventing the alignment of the laminated battery packs from becoming disordered.

[0153] The female second guide member 340b may have an opening shape through which the male first guide member 340a passes, as shown in Figure 24. Alternatively, it may have a notched shape, as shown in Figure 25. In this case, the male first guide member 340a is fitted into the notched female second guide member 340b. Alternatively, it may have a recessed shape (not shown) that completely surrounds the male first guide member 340a. The male first guide member 340a of the pack case 300 stacked at the bottom is connected to the female second guide member 340b of the pack case 300 stacked at the top.

[0154] The dimensions (width) of the male first guide member 340a and the female second guide member 340b may be smaller than the dimensions (width) of one side of the pack case 300 on which the male first guide member 340a and the female second guide member 340b are provided.

[0155] A pair of male first guide members 340a and female second guide members 340b may be provided on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the pack case 300. Alternatively, a pair of male first guide members 340a and female second guide members 340b may be provided on both sides of the pack case 300.

[0156] Furthermore, referring to Figures 23 and 26, the pack case 300 includes at least one fastening member 350. The fastening member 350 secures the fastening between stacked battery packs when multiple battery packs are stacked vertically.

[0157] The fastening member 350 includes a first fastening member 350a and a second fastening member 350b. The first fastening member 350a may be positioned on the upper side of the pack case 300, and the second fastening member 350b may be positioned on the lower side of the pack case 300. This fastens the first fastening member 350a of the battery pack stacked at the bottom and the second fastening member 350b of the battery pack stacked at the top to each other, making the fastening between the stacked battery packs firm.

[0158] Figure 26 shows an enlarged example of a fastening member 350. The first fastening member 350a is a male fastening member and includes a protruding portion that extends from the outer surface of the pack case 300, and the second fastening member 350b is a female fastening member and has a notched shape. In other words, the first fastening member 350a, a male fastening member with a protruding portion, is inserted into the second fastening member 350b, a female fastening member with a notched shape, and the two fastening members are joined in a fitted manner. However, the present invention is not limited to what is shown, and various modifications and changes are possible, such as the female second fastening member 350b being manufactured with an opening shape through which the male first fastening member 350a passes, or a recessed shape that surrounds the protruding portion of the male first fastening member 350a.

[0159] In addition, the male first fastening member 350a further includes an engaging claw 350a-1 at its end, and the female second fastening member 350b further includes an engaging portion 350b-1. This allows for a structure in which the engaging claw 350a-1 of the male first fastening member 350a engages with the engaging portion 350b-1 of the female second fastening member 350b. The right-hand diagram of Figure 26 is a diagram of the male first fastening member 350a rotated 180 degrees from the left-hand diagram, showing the engaging claw 350a-1.

[0160] The present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes are possible, such as the first fastening member 350a and the second fastening member 350b each having a hook shape, and the hook-shaped first fastening member 350a and the hook-shaped second fastening member 350b interlocking with each other for fastening.

[0161] On the other hand, the embodiment shown in Figure 23 illustrates a case where four fastening members 350 are provided, two on each of the opposing sides of the pack case 300, and the first fastening member 350a is connected to the second fastening member 350b. The present invention is not limited to the method of connection of the fastening members 350 as shown, and can be implemented by modifying and changing various methods.

[0162] Furthermore, for any parts of the explanation regarding the battery packs in Figures 5 to 26 that overlap with the explanation regarding the battery packs in Figures 1 to 4, please refer to the information previously provided in Figures 1 to 4.

[0163] Multiple pack cases 300 can be provided as described above and configured to be stackable in the vertical direction. The functions of the stacked battery pack will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 27 to 29.

[0164] Figure 27 is a schematic perspective view showing at least a portion of the configuration of the battery pack shown in Figures 1 to 17 of the present invention. Figures 28 and 29 are drawings showing an embodiment in which multiple pack cases 300 shown in Figure 27 are stacked. In Figures 27 to 29, the battery pack is shown schematicly for ease of understanding, and detailed configurations of the battery pack refer to those described above in Figures 1 to 26.

[0165] First, referring to Figure 27, the pack case 300 can have a bottom and side walls. The cell module assembly 100 can be housed in the internal space of such a pack case 300, and the battery pack is formed by covering the top surface of the cell module assembly 100 with the fire extinguishing tank 400. For reference, in Figure 27, the height of the upper side of the pack case 300 is shown to be higher than the height of the top surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400. However, Figure 27 is a schematic diagram and only one embodiment, and the present invention is not limited to what is shown in Figure 27. In other words, the height of the top surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 may be higher than the height of the upper side of the pack case 300, or the height of the top surface of the fire extinguishing tank 400 and the height of the upper side of the pack case 300 may be the same, and various modifications are possible.

[0166] Multiple pack cases 300, as shown in Figure 27, are provided, and a stacked structure of battery packs can be formed as shown in Figure 28 or Figure 29. In this case, the battery pack in Figure 27 may be a single unit pack. By providing multiple such unit packs, a modular stacked overall battery pack can be constructed as shown in Figures 28 and 29.

[0167] More specifically, for example, the configuration in Figure 28 shows three unit packs D stacked vertically. And the configuration in Figure 29 shows five unit packs D stacked vertically. The present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures, and the number of unit packs D can be varied to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

[0168] For example, when the present invention is embodied in an energy storage system (ESS) where the battery pack is an energy storage device, the voltage and / or storage capacity of the energy storage device can be adjusted to suit the environment by adjusting the number of unit battery packs. According to such an embodiment of the present invention, a single unit pack having a common structure can be stacked in various ways, and by adjusting the number of stacked units, it becomes possible to accommodate products with various voltages. For example, by adjusting the number of stacked identical unit packs, it becomes possible to realize products in the low-voltage range as shown in Figure 28 and products in the high-voltage range as shown in Figure 29. Therefore, compared to products limited to only a specific voltage standard, economic efficiency and compatibility can be improved. Furthermore, with such an embodiment, it is also possible to realize products with various storage capacities by adjusting the number of stacked units.

[0169] In other words, when connected in series between stacked unit packs, products with various voltages can be realized depending on the number of stacked units. Also, when connected in parallel between stacked unit packs, products with various capacities (energy storage capacities) can be realized depending on the number of stacked units.

[0170] In particular, each unit pack D may contain a cell module assembly 100 internally. Furthermore, each unit pack D includes connectors 610 so that the respective cell module assemblies 100 can be electrically connected to each other when stacked, as described above. In particular, such connectors 610 may be configured to connect to each other when the unit packs D are stacked vertically.

[0171] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, each unit pack D may house a fire extinguishing tank 400 together with the cell module assembly 100. That is, each unit pack D includes the fire extinguishing tank 400 on top of the cell module assembly 100, as described above. Multiple stacked battery packs have a stacked structure from top to bottom: fire extinguishing tank 400-cell module assembly 100-fire extinguishing tank 400-cell module assembly 100. The stacked battery pack of the present invention having such a structure allows for increasing the number of cell module assemblies 100 to increase the storage capacity, while also providing safe protection against thermal events such as fires involving the cell module assemblies 100. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the safety of the battery pack can be further improved.

[0172] Another example of a coupling method between stacked battery packs (pack cases) 300 is shown again in Figure 27. A step formed inwardly indented, such as a coupling step C1, may exist at the upper end of the side wall of the pack case 300. For example, this may be a thin part of the side wall of the pack case 300. Although not shown in Figure 27, a coupling recess may be formed at the bottom of the pack case 300 so that such a coupling step C1 of the side wall is inserted. In other words, when different pack cases 300 are stacked vertically, the coupling step C1 formed at the upper end of the side wall of the lower pack case 300 may be inserted into the coupling recess formed at the bottom of the upper pack case 300. As a result, when multiple pack cases 300 are stacked and coupled vertically, the outer surface of the pack case 300 can have an overall flat shape.

[0173] On the other hand, the fastening structure between stacked battery packs is not limited to those shown in Figure 27 and / or Figure 8, and various other fastening methods can be modified and applied to the present invention.

[0174] Furthermore, the battery pack of the present invention can be connected to a battery management system (BMS, not shown). The battery management system monitors and manages the battery pack(s). The battery management system can be located on the uppermost layer of a stack of battery packs. However, the location of the battery management system is not limited to those described above and can be varied and changed to suit the manner and environment in which the present invention is implemented.

[0175] The battery pack according to the present invention may further include a variety of other components in addition to those described above. For example, the battery pack according to the present invention may include many electrical components for controlling or managing the charging and discharging of the battery pack, such as a battery management system (BMS), relays, fuses, and current sensors.

[0176] Furthermore, according to the present invention described above, stacking of multiple battery packs is facilitated, and the electrical and mechanical coupling between the stacked battery packs is strengthened. In addition, since each of the stacked battery packs is equipped with a fire extinguishing tank, thermal events occurring inside the battery packs can be controlled more quickly and effectively.

[0177] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It can also be partially modified or combined to embody the embodiments described above, and can be modified and changed to suit a variety of environments in which the present invention is implemented.

[0178] The Energy Storage System (ESS) according to the present invention includes one or more of the aforementioned battery packs according to the present invention. In addition, the Energy Storage System according to the present invention may further include general components included in an Energy Storage System, other than such battery packs.

[0179] On the other hand, while terms indicating direction such as up, down, left, and right may be used in this specification, such terms are merely for convenience of explanation and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that they can change depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc.

[0180] As described above, the present invention has been explained with limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and of course, a wide range of modifications and variations are possible by persons with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, within the equivalent scope of the technical concept of the present invention and the claims described below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0181] 100: Cell Module Assembly 110: Battery cell 120: End plate 130: Busbar Housing 140: Strap 200: Barrier 210: Support plate 220: Sweeping Pad 230: Through hole 300: Pack Case 300a: Lower case 300b: Upper case 310: Auxiliary case 320: Venting opening 330: Bulkhead 340: Guide member 350: Fastening member 370: Connector through-hole 380: Partition Wall 400: Fire extinguishing tank 410: Lower tank 411: Base plate 411a: Weak area 412: Side wall 420: Top cover 430: Inlet 440: Connector through-hole 441: Rib receiving area 500: External cover 500a: Front cover 510: Bulkhead 520: Tsuba (sword guard) 521: Venting Hall 600: Electrical coupling unit 610: Connector 610a: Upper connector 610b: Lower connector 620: Connector Housing 621: Rib 630: Cable

Claims

1. It is a battery pack, A cell module assembly including a battery cell stack in which multiple battery cells are stacked; An electrical coupling unit including connectors for electrical connection between multiple stacked battery packs; A pack case having an open top that houses the cell module assembly and the electrical coupling unit inside; and Includes a fire extinguishing tank that covers the top of the aforementioned pack case, The pack case includes a first connector through-hole with an opening shape on the lower surface of the pack case so that the connector is electrically connected to the battery pack stacked below it. The fire extinguishing tank includes a second connector through-hole on the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank, having an opening such that the connector is electrically connected to a battery pack stacked on top of it.

2. The second connector through-hole has a tubular shape that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein in a plurality of stacked battery packs, the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank of the battery pack stacked at the bottom is inserted into the first connector through-hole of the pack case of the battery pack stacked at the top.

3. The second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank further includes a guide member, the guide member protruding outward from the outer surface of the second connector through-hole, extending in the vertical direction, and having a chamfered shape at its uppermost end. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein in the plurality of stacked battery packs, the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank of the battery pack stacked at the bottom slides along the guide member and is inserted into the first connector through-hole of the pack case of the battery pack stacked at the top.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein when the battery pack is viewed from above or below, the first connector through-hole of the pack case and the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank are arranged in a line and corresponding to each other.

5. The connector includes an upper connector for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on top and a lower connector for electrical connection to a battery pack stacked on the bottom, and the upper connector and the lower connector are electrically connected to each other. The upper connector is positioned toward the open upper surface of the second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the lower connector is positioned toward the first connector through-hole of the pack case.

6. The aforementioned electrical coupling unit further includes a connector housing, The upper surface of the connector housing includes a protrusion, and the upper connector is provided on the protrusion of the connector housing. The upper connector and the protruding portion of the connector housing are arranged within the tubular second connector through-hole portion that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the fire extinguishing tank. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the lower connector is provided on the lower surface of the connector housing.

7. The protruding portion of the connector housing further includes a rib extending in the vertical direction. The second connector through-hole of the fire extinguishing tank further includes a rib receiving portion that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the second connector through-hole and extends in the vertical direction, The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the rib is coupled to the rib receiving portion so that the connector and the connector housing are fixed within the second connector through-hole portion.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of pairs of the ribs and rib receiving portions are provided.

9. To facilitate stacking between the multiple stacked battery packs, the pack case further includes a pair of male and female guide members. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein in the aforementioned stacked battery packs, one male guide member of two adjacent battery packs is coupled to the other female guide member of the two adjacent battery packs.

10. The male guide member is plate-shaped and protrudes upward from the upper part of the pack case. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the female guide member is provided in the lower part of the pack case and has a notch, an opening, or a recess shape so as to receive the male guide member.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein both sides of the upper portion of the male guide member have a chamfered shape.

12. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the battery pack is provided with the pair of male guide members and female guide members on at least one of its front or rear surfaces.

13. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the battery pack is provided with the pair of male guide members and female guide members on each of the two opposing sides of the battery pack.

14. The pack case further includes a pair of male and female fastening members so as to be fastened between the multiple stacked battery packs, The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein in the aforementioned stacked battery packs, a male fastening member of one of two adjacent battery packs is connected to a female fastening member of the other of the two adjacent battery packs.

15. The male fastening member protrudes upward from the upper part of the pack case, The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein the female fastening member is provided in the lower part of the pack case and has a notch, opening, or recess shape so as to accommodate the male fastening member.

16. The aforementioned male fastening member includes engaging claws, The female fastening member includes an engaging portion with an opening shape, The battery pack according to claim 14, wherein the engaging claw of the male fastening member engages with the engaging portion of the female fastening member.

17. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of stacked battery packs are stacked in the vertical direction.

18. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connections between the multiple stacked battery packs are in series so that the voltages of the multiple stacked battery packs can be realized in various ways.

19. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connections between the multiple stacked battery packs are connected in parallel so that the energy storage capacities of the multiple stacked battery packs can be realized in diverse ways.

20. An energy storage device comprising the battery pack described in claim 1.

Images