Battery pack and vehicle including the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention comprises a plurality of battery cells arranged to be stacked along one direction and a cooling channel through which a refrigerant flows, and a plurality of cooling plates arranged between the stacked battery cells to cool the battery cells, wherein the cooling channels of the plurality of cooling plates may be configured to be connected in series with each other.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack and an automobile including the same, and more specifically, to a battery pack capable of rapidly and efficiently cooling a battery cell that has ignited and adjacent battery cells whose temperature is rising, and an automobile including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Secondary batteries, which possess electrical characteristics such as high energy density and high applicability across product groups, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric sources. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for enhancing eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only for the primary advantage of drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels but also because they generate no by-products from energy use.

[0003] Currently commercialized rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to freely charge and discharge with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0004] These lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative active materials, respectively. Additionally, the lithium secondary battery comprises a positive plate and a negative plate coated with these positive and negative active materials, respectively; an electrode assembly in which the positive and negative plates are arranged with a separator in between; and an outer casing that seals and encloses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte.

[0005] Meanwhile, lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the shape of the battery case into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch of aluminum laminate sheets. Furthermore, can-type secondary batteries can be further classified into cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries depending on the shape of the metal can.

[0006] Here, the pouch of a pouch-type secondary battery can be broadly divided into a lower sheet and an upper sheet covering it. At this time, an electrode assembly formed by laminating and winding a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator is housed in the pouch. After housing the electrode assembly, the edges of the upper sheet and the lower sheet are sealed by means of heat fusion or the like. Additionally, electrode tabs drawn from each electrode are coupled to electrode leads, and an insulating film may be added to the electrode leads at the portion in contact with the sealing part.

[0007] As such, pouch-type secondary batteries can have the flexibility to be configured in various forms. In addition, pouch-type secondary batteries have the advantage of being able to realize a secondary battery of the same capacity with a smaller volume and mass.

[0008] Meanwhile, when configuring a battery pack by connecting multiple battery cells in series or parallel, it is common practice to first construct a battery module containing at least one battery cell, and then use this at least one battery module to add other components to form a battery pack or battery rack. Alternatively, recently, battery packs in the form of a "Cell-to-Pack," in which multiple battery cells are directly housed in a pack housing without modularization, are also being manufactured.

[0009] In the battery module or battery pack described above, a cooling channel may be provided to cool the battery cell. In the conventional case, the cooling channel is mainly provided at the bottom of the battery module, and accordingly, it is configured to cool the bottom surface of the battery cell, that is, a surface having a narrow area. Therefore, there is a problem of low cooling efficiency of the battery cell.

[0010] Alternatively, there were cases where the cooling channels were configured in a parallel manner; however, in this case, only a portion of the supplied refrigerant is utilized to cool battery cells whose temperatures are rising due to abnormal reasons, and most of the refrigerant is not properly utilized to cool the battery cells with rising temperatures. The problem to be solved

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a battery pack with an improved structure capable of rapidly and efficiently cooling battery cells, and an automobile including the same.

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

[0013] A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose comprises: a plurality of battery cells arranged to be stacked along one direction; and a plurality of cooling plates arranged between the stacked battery cells to cool the battery cells, wherein a cooling channel through which a refrigerant flows is provided, and the cooling channels of the plurality of cooling plates may be configured to be connected in series with each other.

[0014] In addition, the battery pack can cool the battery cell through heat exchange between the cooling plate and the side of the battery cell.

[0015] In addition, the battery cells can be attached to each side of the cooling plate.

[0016] In addition, the battery pack may have a plurality of battery cells connected in series and attached to one side of the cooling plate.

[0017] Additionally, the battery pack further includes a plurality of repeating frames to which the cooling plate is coupled and which are connected to the cooling channel and which are stacked in the direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked, and the connecting channels of the plurality of repeating frames may be connected in series with each other.

[0018] In addition, the repeating frame is formed in a hollow shape and has a socket portion communicating with the connecting channel, and in two repeating frames stacked adjacently, the connecting channels of the two repeating frames can be connected to each other by inserting the socket portion provided in one repeating frame into the socket portion provided in the other repeating frame.

[0019] Additionally, the repeating frame may further include a sealing member disposed between the two socket portions.

[0020] Additionally, the repeating frame includes a pair of side frames covering both ends of the cooling plate and an upper frame coupled to the pair of side frames to cover the upper part of the cooling plate, and the battery pack may further include an upper support beam that is formed long in the direction in which the repeating frames are stacked and is coupled to the upper frame of the stacked repeating frames to support the repeating frames.

[0021] In addition, a plurality of battery cells are attached to one side of the cooling plate, and the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells are connected in series with each other, and the upper support beam and the upper frame can be combined above the point where the electrode leads are connected with each other.

[0022] In addition, the upper frame is provided with a coupling groove formed concavely downward, and the upper support beam can be inserted into the coupling groove.

[0023] In addition, the upper support beam may have a plurality of fixing protrusions inserted between the upper frames and arranged along the length direction of the upper support beam.

[0024] Additionally, the battery pack may further include an elastic pad coupled to the repeating frame so as to accommodate the battery cell between it and the cooling plate.

[0025] Additionally, a plurality of battery cells are connected in series and attached to one surface of the cooling plate, and the battery pack may further include a terrace pad that supports the electrode leads of the battery cells connected in series.

[0026] Additionally, it may further include a cooling member disposed between the electrode leads and the cooling plate and transferring heat between the electrode leads and the cooling plate.

[0027] In addition, an automobile according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention as described above. Effects of the invention

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the cooling channels are connected in series, the flow rate of the refrigerant supplied to each battery cell can be maximized, and thus the cooling efficiency of the battery cell can be improved.

[0029] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of battery cells may be attached to one side of a cooling plate, and battery cells may also be attached to both sides of a cooling plate. That is, a single cooling plate can cool a plurality of battery cells, thereby increasing the number of battery cells relative to the cooling plate. Consequently, the manufacturing cost of the cooling plate can be reduced, the energy density of the battery pack can be improved as the space occupied by the cooling plate is reduced, and furthermore, the possibility of refrigerant leakage through the connection points can be reduced as the number of connection points between cooling plates is reduced.

[0030] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling channels of each cooling plate can be connected in series through a connecting channel provided in a repeating frame, and the cooling channels can be connected in series simply by stacking the repeating frames together. Therefore, the manufacturing / assembly time and cost of the battery pack can be reduced.

[0031] In addition, various other additional effects may be achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. These various effects of the present invention are described in detail in each embodiment, or the description of effects that are easily understood by those skilled in the art is omitted. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0032] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view with only the upper cover of the battery pack of FIG. 1 separated. Figure 3 is an exploded view of the battery pack of Figure 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of some configurations shown in FIG. 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view in the II' direction of Figure 4. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the battery pack shown in FIG. 3. Figure 7 is a view of the cooling plate shown in Figure 6 in the Y-axis direction. Figure 8 is a simplified diagram showing the flow of refrigerant in a battery pack. Figure 9 is a diagram briefly illustrating the parallel refrigerant flow. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of two repeating frames stacked on top of each other separated. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of two repeating frames viewed from the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 10, and more specifically, a perspective view of the repeating frames shown in FIG. 10 viewed from the front upper side at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of part A of Fig. 5. Figure 13 is an enlarged view of part C of Figure 5. Figure 14 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 5. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the upper support beam shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 16 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0033] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0034] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view with only the upper cover of the battery pack of FIG. 1 separated, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the configuration shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in the direction II' of FIG. 4, specifically a cross-sectional view in the XY plane, FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the configuration of the battery pack shown in FIG. 3, more specifically an exploded perspective view of a cell unit. FIG. 7 is a drawing of the cooling plate shown in FIG. 6 viewed in the Y-axis direction, and FIG. 8 is a simplified drawing showing the flow of refrigerant in the battery pack.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, the X-axis direction shown in the drawing may mean the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction may mean the front-back direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane (XY plane), and the Z-axis direction may mean the up-down direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, a battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a battery cell (110) and a cooling plate (120).

[0039] A plurality of battery cells (110) may be provided. Here, each battery cell (110) may represent a secondary battery. Each of the battery cells (110) may be provided as a pouch-type battery cell, a cylindrical battery cell, or a prismatic battery cell. As an example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each battery cell (110) may be a pouch-type battery cell (110). These plurality of battery cells (110) may be arranged to be stacked along one direction, for example, the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction).

[0040] Specifically, the battery cell (110) may form a cell unit (100) together with other components, such as a cooling plate (120) and a repeating frame (130), as described below. The cell units (100) may be provided in multiple numbers, and these multiple cell units (100) may be arranged to be stacked along one direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, multiple cell units (100) may be arranged to be stacked in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction). Then, as shown in FIG. 5, multiple battery cells (110) may also be arranged to be stacked in the front-rear direction.

[0042] The cooling plate (120) may be for cooling the battery cells (110). The cooling plate (120) may be provided with a cooling channel (P1) through which a refrigerant flows.

[0043] Specifically, the cooling plate (120) may be formed in a unidirectional manner, for example, in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). The cooling plate (120) may be formed in a plate shape, and a cooling channel (P1) may be formed inside. As an example, as shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 5, the cooling plate (120) may have a structure in which two thin plates (120a) are stacked and joined, and a cooling channel (P1) may be formed between these thin plates (120a).

[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the cooling channel (P1) may be formed from the left end to the right end of the cooling plate (120). At this time, the left end of the cooling channel (P1) may be the inlet, i.e., the part where the refrigerant flows in, and the right end of the cooling channel (P1) may be the outlet, i.e., the part where the inflowed refrigerant flows out. Alternatively, conversely, the refrigerant may flow in through the right end of the cooling channel (P1), and the inflowed refrigerant may flow out through the left end of the cooling channel (P1). The cooling plate (120) may be made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, for example, a metal material. And, the refrigerant may be, for example, cooling water.

[0045] The above cooling plates (120) may be provided in plurality. The plurality of cooling plates (120) may be placed between stacked battery cells (110). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of cooling plates (120) may be placed between battery cells (110) stacked in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction). Accordingly, the plurality of cooling plates (120) may also be arranged in a stacked form in the direction in which the battery cells (110) are stacked, that is, in the front-rear direction.

[0047] In particular, the cooling channels (P1) of a plurality of cooling plates (120) can be connected in series with each other. Here, being connected in series means that the refrigerant introduced into the cooling channel (P1) of the first cooling plate (120) among the stacked plurality of cooling plates (120) is connected to sequentially pass through the cooling channels (P1) of the cooling plates (120) subsequently arranged. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the first cooling channel (P1a) can be connected to the second cooling channel (P1b) at the right end. The second cooling channel (P1b) and the third cooling channel (P1c) can be connected to each other at the left end. The third cooling channel (P1c) can be connected to the fourth cooling channel (P1d) at the right end. In this way, the entire cooling channel can be connected in series with each other.

[0049] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, the refrigerant supplied to the cooling channel (P1) of the first cooling plate (120) can circulate along the entire flow path where the cooling channels (P1) are connected while maintaining the total flow rate. Therefore, when the temperature of any battery cell (110) rises, the entire refrigerant can be utilized for cooling the battery cell (110). For a more specific explanation, it will be explained in comparison with a structure in which the refrigerant flows in a parallel manner.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a diagram briefly illustrating a parallel refrigerant flow. Referring to FIG. 9, the refrigerant inlet path (T1) and outlet path (T2) are arranged on the left and right sides, and an auxiliary path (T3) connecting the inlet path (T1) and the outlet path (T2) can be formed between the battery cells (110). In the case of such parallel flow, if the temperature of any battery cell, for example, a battery cell labeled HZ, rises, only the refrigerant flowing through the second auxiliary path (T3) is utilized to cool the battery cell (HZ), and the refrigerant flowing through the remaining three auxiliary paths (T3) cannot perform an actual cooling function. That is, only a portion of the total refrigerant is utilized to cool the battery cells (110), and therefore, the cooling efficiency and cooling speed may be low.

[0051] On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in the case of a series configuration, when the temperature of any battery cell (HZ) rises, the entire refrigerant can be utilized to cool the battery cell (HZ). Thus, the cooling efficiency of the battery cell (110) can be improved, and thereby the stability of the entire battery pack can be improved.

[0053] The battery pack (10) can cool the battery cell (110) through heat exchange between the cooling plate (120) and the side of the battery cell (110). Specifically, the side of the battery cell (110) can be attached to one side of the cooling plate (120). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the side of the pouch-type battery cell (110) can be attached to the cooling plate (120). Then, the battery cell (110) can be cooled through heat exchange between the side of the battery cell (110) and the cooling plate (120). Here, the side of the battery cell (110) may refer to the side having the largest area among the various sides of the battery cell (110). In particular, in the case of a pouch-type battery cell (110), the side may have a significantly larger area compared to other parts.

[0054] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, heat exchange between the battery cell (110) and the cooling plate (120) can occur over a wide area, and as a result, the cooling efficiency of the battery cell (110) can be improved.

[0056] The battery cell (110) can be attached to each side of the cooling plate (120). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the battery cell (110) can be attached to each side of the cooling plate (120), and an adhesive may be used. Additionally, an insulating film (150) for insulation may be placed between the battery cell (110) and the cooling plate (120).

[0057] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, battery cells (110) arranged on both sides can be cooled with a single cooling plate (120). Therefore, more battery cells (110) can be arranged relative to the cooling plate (120), and accordingly, the energy density of the battery pack (10) can be improved.

[0059] The above battery cells (110) may be attached in multiple numbers to one side of the cooling plate (120). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling plate (120) may be formed with a longer length than the battery cells (110). And, multiple, for example, three battery cells (110) may be attached to one side of the cooling plate (120).

[0060] The above-mentioned attached plurality of battery cells (110) can be connected in series with each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the electrode leads (111) of three battery cells (110) are connected in series with each other, for example, the electrode lead (111) (e.g. positive electrode) of the first battery cell (110) on the left can be connected to the negative electrode lead (111) of the second battery cell (110). And, the positive electrode lead (111) of the second battery cell (110) can be connected to the negative electrode lead (111) of the third battery cell (110).

[0061] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, a single cooling plate (120) can cool a plurality of battery cells (110) attached thereto. Therefore, more battery cells (110) can be arranged relative to the cooling plate (120), and as a result, the energy density of the battery pack can be improved.

[0063] A battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a repeating frame (130).

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the repeating frame (130) may be formed in a unidirectional manner, for example, in the left-right direction. A cooling plate (120) may be attached to the repeating frame (130). The repeating frame (130) may support and protect the cooling plate (120). The repeating frame (130) may be provided in multiple numbers, and these multiple repeating frames (130) may be stacked together in the direction in which the battery cells (110) are stacked, that is, in the front-back direction.

[0065] Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a repeating frame (130), a cooling plate (120), and a battery cell (110) attached to the cooling plate (120) can form a single cell unit (100). In this embodiment, the battery pack (10) may include at least one such cell unit (100). And, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell unit (100) of the battery pack (10) may be provided in a plurality and stacked in the front-rear direction (Y). Accordingly, the repeating frame (130) may also be stacked in the front-rear direction. The stacked plurality of repeating frames (130) can maintain a stable stacked state while mutually supporting adjacent repeating frames (130).

[0066] The repeating frame (130) can be in communication with the cooling channel (P1) of the cooling plate (120) coupled thereto. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a connecting channel (P2) can be formed in the repeating frame (130). And, the connecting channel (P2) can be in communication with the cooling channel (P1) of the cooling plate (120).

[0067] The connecting channels (P2) of the stacked plurality of repeating frames (130) can be connected in series. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting channels (P2) provided in two adjacent repeating frames (130) among the stacked repeating frames (130) can be connected to each other, and accordingly, the connecting channels (P2) can be connected in series. For example, the connecting channel (P2) of the first repeating frame (130) can be connected to the connecting channel (P2) of the second repeating frame (130), another connecting channel (P2) of the second repeating frame (130) can be connected to the connecting channel (P2) of the third repeating frame (130), and another connecting channel (P2) of the third repeating frame (130) can be connected to the connecting channel (P2) of the fourth repeating frame (130).

[0068] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, the battery cell (110) attached to the cooling plate (120) can be stably supported and protected through the repeating frame (130). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the battery cell (110) and the cooling plate (120) can be stacked in a vertically upright position, and the repeating frame (130) can maintain a stable stacked state by supporting the cooling plate (120) and the battery cell (110) attached thereto.

[0069] Additionally, the cooling channels (P1) of the cooling plates (120) can be connected in series by connecting the connecting channels (P2) provided inside the repeating frame (130) to each other. At this time, when the repeating frame (130) is stacked, the connecting channels (P2) can be connected to each other. Therefore, multiple cooling channels (P1) can be easily connected with a simple configuration, and as a result, the manufacturing process of the battery pack can be simplified and the energy density can be improved.

[0071] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing two repeating frames (130) stacked on top of each other separated, FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the two repeating frames viewed from the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 10, more specifically, a perspective view of the repeating frame shown in FIG. 10 viewed from the front side upward at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 5, FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 5, and FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 5.

[0072] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14, a repeating frame (130) according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

[0073] The repeating frame (130) according to the present embodiment may include a socket portion (1311). The socket portion (1311) may be for connecting the connecting passages (P2) provided in the repeating frame (130) to each other. Specifically, the socket portion (1311) may be formed on one side of the repeating frame (130). As shown in FIG. 12, the socket portion (1311) may be formed in a hollow shape and may be formed to protrude from one side of the repeating frame (130). In addition, the interior of the socket portion (1311) may be in communication with the connecting passage (P2). The socket portion (1311) may be connected to each other by being inserted into the socket portion (1311) of the repeating frame (130) stacked adjacently, and accordingly, the connecting passages (P2) of the adjacent repeating frames (130) may be connected to each other.

[0074] For example, this will be explained in more detail. Referring to FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11, one socket portion may be formed at each end of the repeating frame (130). In this case, one of the two socket portions may be formed on the front of the repeating frame (130), and the other socket portion may be formed on the opposite side, that is, the rear. That is, in the case of the first repeating frame (130A) in FIG. 10, one socket portion (1311) (T1) may be formed on the rear (-Y axis) of the left (-X axis) end. And, as shown in FIG. 11, one socket portion (1311) (T3) may be formed on the front (+Y axis) of the right (+X axis) end. In the case of the second repeating frame (130B), as shown in FIG. 11, one socket portion (1311) (T4) may be formed on the front (+Y axis) of the left (-X axis) end. And, as shown in FIG. 10, one socket portion (1311) (T2) may be formed on the rear side (-Y axis) of the right (+X axis) end. And, as shown in FIG. 12, the socket portion (1311) may be positioned to face each other with the socket portion (1311) of an adjacent repeating frame (130), and one of the socket portions (1311) may be inserted into the other socket portion (1311).

[0076] Meanwhile, as described above, the two socket parts (1311) are structured to be inserted into each other. The socket parts (1311) can be configured with different sizes, and in particular, they can be configured in two forms with different diameters. For example, in FIGS. 10 and 11, the socket part shown by reference numerals T1 and T2 may be a type A socket part (1311a), and the socket part shown by reference numerals T3 and T4 may be a type B socket part (1311b). Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the type A socket part (1311a) is formed to have a smaller diameter than the type B socket part (1311b), and accordingly, the type A socket part (1311a) can be inserted into the type B socket part (1311b).

[0077] According to the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when the repeating frames (130) are stacked, the socket portions (1311a, 1311b) can be connected in a manner where they are inserted into each other. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, the entire path through which the refrigerant flows can be connected in series in the order of cooling channel (P1a) -> connecting channel (P2) (socket portion) -> cooling channel (P1b) -> connecting channel (P2).

[0078] In particular, when the repeating frames (130) are stacked without a complex process, the connecting channels (P2) are connected to each other, so the assembly process of the battery pack can be made easier.

[0080] A sealing member (134) may be further disposed in the repeating frame (130). The sealing member (134) may be for sealing between socket portions (1311) that are connected to each other. The sealing member may be disposed between the socket portions (1311) that are connected to each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a concave groove may be formed on the outer surface of an A-type socket portion (1311a), and the sealing member (134) may be disposed in this groove. The sealing member (134) may be implemented in the form of an O-ring. The sealing member (134) may be made of a material such as rubber or silicone. When the sealing member is disposed in this manner, the airtightness between the socket portions is improved, and accordingly, the refrigerant can flow stably in the cooling channel (P1) without leakage.

[0082] Meanwhile, the repeating frame (130) may include a side frame (131) and an upper frame (132).

[0083] A pair of side frames (131) may be provided. The side frames (131) may be attached to each end of the cooling plate (120) to cover both ends of the cooling plate (120). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, a groove (131a) is formed in the side frame (131), and the end of the cooling plate (120) shown in FIG. 7 may be inserted into this groove. The side frame (131) may be provided with the aforementioned connecting channel (P2) and socket portion (1311), in which case the groove (131a) may constitute part of the connecting channel (P2). Additionally, as shown in FIG. 7, flow holes (121) corresponding to the inlet and outlet of the cooling channel (P1) may be provided at both ends of the cooling plate (120). As shown in FIG. 12, the flow holes (121) may be connected to the interior of the socket portion (1311).

[0084] The upper frame (132) can be connected to a pair of side frames (131). Specifically, the upper frame (132) can be formed to be elongated in the left-right direction. The upper frame (132) can have both ends connected to the tops of the pair of side frames (131), respectively, and thus can cover the upper part of the cooling plate (120).

[0085] Additionally, the repeating frame (130) may further include a lower frame (133). The lower frame (133) may be formed to be long in the same direction as the upper frame (132), that is, in the left-right direction. Both ends of the lower frame (133) may be connected to the lower ends of a pair of side frames (131), respectively, and thus may cover the lower part of the cooling plate (120).

[0087] In another aspect of the present invention, the battery pack (10) may further include an upper support beam (230). As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper support beam (230) may be formed to be long in the direction in which the repeating frames are stacked, more specifically in the direction in which the cell units (100) are stacked, i.e., in the front-rear direction (Y-axis). When the repeating frames (130) are stacked, the upper support beam (230) may be coupled to the upper frames (132) to support the repeating frames (130). More specifically, the upper support beam (230) may support the stacked repeating frames (130) in the front-rear direction. For example, if an external impact is applied in the front-rear direction (Y-axis), the upper support beam (230) may primarily absorb this impact. Accordingly, deformation or damage to the repeating frame (130), the cooling plate (120) and the battery cell (110) coupled to the repeating frame (130) can be reduced.

[0089] Meanwhile, as described above, a plurality of battery cells (110) may be attached in series to the cooling plate (120), and in this case, the electrode leads (111) of the battery cells (110) may be connected in series with each other. In this case, the upper support beam (230) may be connected to the upper frame (132) above the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when three battery cells (110) are attached to one side of the cooling plate (120), the electrode leads (111) may be connected at two points. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, two upper support beams (230) may be provided and connected to the upper frame above the two connection points.

[0090] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, the repeating frame (130) can be supported by the upper support beam (230), and in particular, the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected can be supported and protected. At this time, since the electrode leads (111) are connected to each other by welding, they may be vulnerable to external impact compared to other parts. In this embodiment, since the upper support beam can particularly protect the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected, the stability of the entire battery pack can be improved.

[0092] In particular, a coupling groove (132a) may be formed in the upper portion of the connection point of the electrode leads (111) in the upper frame (132). At this time, the coupling groove (132a) may be formed concavely downward. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the electrode lead (111) portion of the pouch-type battery cell (110) may be formed with a thinner width (length in the Z-axis direction) compared to other portions. Accordingly, at the point where the two electrode leads (111) are connected, a certain empty space may be formed between the upper frame (132) and the electrode lead (111). The coupling groove utilizes this empty space, so that a part of the upper frame protrudes toward the empty space, and accordingly, the coupling groove (132a) may be provided in a shape that is concave downward.

[0093] And, an upper support beam (230) can be coupled to the coupling groove (132a). Specifically, the upper support beam (230) can be coupled to the upper frames (132) while being inserted into the coupling groove (132a) (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0094] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, when the upper support beam (230) is inserted into the coupling groove, the height (Z-axis direction) of the upper support beam (230) may be nearly the same as the height of other parts of the upper frame (132). This may be because the empty space created at the connection point of the electrode lead (111) is utilized as the installation space for the upper support beam (230). Therefore, the space utilization of the battery pack can be improved, which can lead to an improvement in the energy density of the battery pack.

[0095] Additionally, the upper support beam (230) can be positioned closer to the connection point of the electrode lead (111), thereby protecting the connection point of the electrode lead (111) more efficiently.

[0096] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 7, a concave groove (120a) may also be provided in the cooling plate (120) to correspond to the coupling groove (132a).

[0098] A fixing projection (231) may be provided on the upper support beam (230). FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the upper support beam. As shown in FIG. 15, a plurality of fixing projections (231) may be provided on the lower surface of the upper support beam (230). The plurality of fixing projections (231) may be spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the upper support beam (230). At this time, the spacing between the fixing projections (231) may correspond to the thickness of the upper frame (132). When the upper support beam (230) is coupled to the coupling groove (132a), the fixing projections (231) may be inserted into a predetermined empty space formed between the upper frames (132). Thus, the repeating frame (130) can be supported more stably by the upper support beam (230).

[0100] The above battery pack may further be provided with an elastic pad (140). In describing the above elastic pad (140), it will be described together with the cell unit (100).

[0101] As previously mentioned, a repeating frame (130), a cooling plate (120) coupled to the repeating frame (130), and a battery cell (110) attached to the cooling plate (120) can constitute a cell unit (100). And, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of these cell units (100) can be provided and stacked in the front-rear direction.

[0102] The cell unit (100) may further include an elastic pad (140). The elastic pad (140) may be coupled to the repeating frame (130). A battery cell (110) may be accommodated between the elastic pad (140) and the cooling plate (120). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the elastic pad (140) may be formed in a plate shape having a thin thickness and being elongated in the left-right direction. Additionally, a groove (140a) may be formed in the elastic pad (140) at a position corresponding to the coupling groove (132a) of the repeating frame (130). As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the elastic pad (140) may be coupled to one side (the side in the Y-axis direction) of the repeating frame (130) to support the battery cell (110). Additionally, a battery cell (110) may be accommodated between the elastic pad (140) and the cooling plate (120). In particular, when battery cells (110) are attached to both sides of the cooling plate (120), elastic pads (140) can also be attached to both sides of the repeating frame (130). When stacking cell units (100), elastic pads (140) can be in close contact with elastic pads (140) of other cell units (100).

[0103] The elastic pad (140) may be composed of a material having elasticity and thermal insulation properties. The elastic pad (140) can compensate for assembly tolerances between cell units (100) or swelling phenomena of battery cells (110) by contracting (compressing) or expanding. Specifically, assembly or manufacturing tolerances may occur during the stacking of cell units (100), and at this time, the elastic pads (140) in close contact with each other can compensate for the tolerance by appropriately compressing or expanding by the amount of the tolerance. In addition, when swelling phenomena occur in battery cells (110), a specific point of the battery cell (110) may bulge, and at this time, the elastic pad (140) in contact with the bulging part can compensate for the swelling space, that is, the amount of the bulging space, by compressing. In addition, the elastic pad (140) can block heat transfer between battery cells (110).

[0105] The cell unit (100) may further include a terrace pad (160). The terrace pad (160) may be for supporting the electrode lead (111) of the battery cell (110). Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the terrace pad (160) may be formed to have a predetermined thickness. The terrace pad (160) may be made of a material having insulating and elastic properties. The terrace pad (160) may be provided in multiple numbers and may be placed between the electrode lead (111) and the cooling plate (120) and between the electrode lead (111) and the elastic pad (140). Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 14, the electrode lead (111) may be supported between the terrace pads (160).

[0107] Additionally, the cell unit (100) may further include a cooling member (170). The cooling member (170) may be for cooling the electrode leads (111), particularly the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected. The cooling member (170) may have a predetermined thickness and may be made of a material with excellent heat transfer properties. Additionally, the cooling member (170) may be made of an insulating material or at least its surface may be insulated. As shown in FIG. 14, the cooling member (170) may be placed between the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected and the cooling plate (120). Heat transfer occurs between the electrode leads (111) and the cooling plate (120) through the cooling member, thereby cooling the electrode leads (111).

[0108] According to the embodiment of the above configuration, the electrode lead (111), which is difficult to contact directly with the cooling plate (120) due to the structural characteristics of the pouch-type battery cell, can be cooled through the cooling member (170). In particular, considering that the point where the electrode leads (111) are connected to each other is a point where a lot of heat may be generated due to reasons such as increased resistance during the welding process, cooling this part can further improve the stability of the battery pack.

[0110] Meanwhile, the cell unit (100) may further include an insulating film (150) and a voltage sensing member (180).

[0111] The insulating film (150) may be made of an insulating material. As shown in FIG. 6, the insulating film (150) may be provided in multiple quantities. As shown in FIG. 14, the insulating film (150) may be placed between the cooling plate (120) and the battery cell (110). Specifically, the insulating film (150) may be attached to the cooling plate (120), and the battery cell (110) may be attached to the insulating film (150). At this time, an adhesive material may be applied to the battery cell (110) or the insulating film (150) to bond the battery cell (110).

[0112] The voltage sensing member (180) may be for measuring the voltage of the battery cell (110) or for transmitting the voltage measured from the bus bar (or sensing plate). The voltage sensing member (180) may be formed to be long in the longitudinal direction of the repeating frame (130), i.e., in the left-right direction. The voltage sensing member (180) may be coupled to the upper frame (132). The voltage sensing member (180) may be electrically connected to the electrode lead (111) and / or the bus bar (or sensing plate).

[0114] Meanwhile, the battery pack may further include a pack case (200). The pack case (200) may include a lower case (210) and an upper cover (220). A predetermined receiving space is provided in the lower case (210), and the cell unit (100) described above, i.e., the battery cell (110), the repeating frame (130), and the cooling plate (120), etc., may be received in this receiving space. The lower case (210) may be provided with a port (211) for the inflow and outflow of refrigerant. Among the stacked repeating frames (130), the repeating frames (130) positioned at the outermost edges on both sides may each be connected to the port (211), and through this, the refrigerant may be supplied and out through the cooling channel (P1). The upper cover (220) is formed in a plate shape and may be coupled to cover the upper side of the lower case (210).

[0116] Additionally, the battery pack (10) may further include a side support beam (240) and a lower support beam (250).

[0117] The side support beam (240) can be formed to be long in the longitudinal direction of the repeating frame (130). A pair of side support beams (240) may be provided. Each side support beam (240) may be positioned between the outermost cell unit (100) and the lower case (210). The side support beam (240) may be in close contact with the elastic pad (140) of the outermost cell unit (100). The side support beam (240) can support the stacked cell units (100) in the front-rear direction. Additionally, when an external impact is transmitted in the Y-axis direction, the side support beam (240) can protect the cell units (100) from impact by primarily absorbing this impact together with the lower case (210) and the upper support beam (230).

[0118] The lower support beam (250) can be formed to be long in the front-rear direction, that is, in the direction in which the cell unit (100) is stacked. A pair of lower support beams (250) are provided and can be coupled to the left and right ends of the repeating frame (130) constituting the cell unit (100). More specifically, they can be coupled to both ends of the lower frame (133). At this time, a plurality of fixing protrusions (251) may also be provided on the lower support beam (250), and this structure may be similar to that of the upper support beam (230). The plurality of fixing protrusions (251) may be spaced apart along the length direction of the lower support beam. At this time, the spacing between the fixing protrusions may correspond to the thickness of the lower frame (133). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, protrusions (1331) are provided on both ends of the lower frame (133), and the spacing between the fixing protrusions may correspond to the thickness of these protrusions (1331). When the lower support beam (250) is coupled to the lower frame (133), the fixing projection (251) can be inserted between the stacked protrusions (1331). Thus, the lower frames (133) can be supported more stably by the lower support beam (250).

[0120] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the cooling channels (P1) are connected in series, the flow rate of the refrigerant supplied to each battery cell (110) can be maximized, and thus the cooling efficiency of the battery cell (110) can be improved.

[0121] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of battery cells (110) may be attached to one side of the cooling plate (120), and battery cells (110) may also be attached to both sides of the cooling plate (120). That is, a plurality of battery cells (110) can be cooled with a single cooling plate (120), and accordingly, the number of battery cells (110) relative to the cooling plate (120) can be increased. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the cooling plate (120) can be reduced, and the energy density of the battery pack can be improved as the space occupied by the cooling plate (120) is reduced.

[0122] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling channels (P1) of each cooling plate (120) can be connected in series through a connecting channel (P2) provided in a repeating frame (130). In this case, the cooling channels (P1) can be connected in series simply by stacking the repeating frames (130) together. Therefore, the manufacturing / assembly time and cost of the battery pack can be reduced.

[0124] Meanwhile, the battery pack (10) according to the present invention may further be equipped with various devices for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery cell (110), such as a BMS (Battery Management System), a current sensor, and a fuse.

[0125] In addition, the battery pack (10) according to the present invention can be applied to a vehicle such as an electric vehicle (V). That is, as shown in FIG. 16, the vehicle (V) according to the present invention may include the battery pack (10) according to the present invention.

[0126] As described above, although the present invention has been explained by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0127] Meanwhile, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back have been used in this invention, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the position of the object or the position of the observer. Explanation of the symbols

[0128] 10: Battery pack 100: Cell unit 110: Battery cell 111: Electrode lead 120: Cooling plate 130: Repeating Frame 131: Side frame 132: Upper frame 133: Lower frame 1311: Socket part 1311a: Type A socket part 1311b: Type B socket part 140: Elastic pad 150: Insulating film 160: Terrace Pad 170: Cooling element 180: Voltage sensing element 200: Pack case 210: Lower case 220: Upper cover 230: Upper support beam 240: Side support beam 250: Lower support beam P1: Cooling channel P2: Connecting Euro

Claims

Claim 1 A battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged to be stacked along one direction; and a plurality of cooling plates arranged between the stacked battery cells to cool the battery cells, wherein a cooling channel through which a refrigerant flows is provided, and the cooling channels of the plurality of cooling plates are configured to be connected in series with each other. Claim 2 A battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by cooling the battery cell through heat exchange between the cooling plate and the side of the battery cell. Claim 3 A battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery cells are attached to each of the two sides of the cooling plate. Claim 4 A battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of battery cells are connected in series and attached to one surface of the cooling plate. Claim 5 A battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of repeating frames that are stacked in a direction in which the plurality of battery cells are stacked, wherein the cooling plate is coupled thereto and a connecting channel communicating with the cooling channel is provided thereto; and wherein the connecting channels of the plurality of repeating frames are connected in series with each other. Claim 6 A battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the repeating frame is formed in a hollow shape and has a socket portion communicating with the connecting channel, and in two repeating frames stacked adjacently, the socket portion provided in one repeating frame is inserted into the socket portion provided in the other repeating frame, thereby connecting the connecting channels of the two repeating frames to each other. Claim 7 A battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the repeating frame further comprises a sealing member disposed between the two socket portions. Claim 8 In claim 5, the repeating frame comprises a pair of side frames covering both ends of the cooling plate and an upper frame coupled to the pair of side frames to cover the upper part of the cooling plate, and the battery pack further comprises an upper support beam formed long in the direction in which the repeating frames are stacked and coupled to the upper frame of the stacked repeating frames to support the repeating frames. Claim 9 A battery pack according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of battery cells are attached to one side of the cooling plate, the electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells are connected in series with each other, and the upper support beam and the upper frame are combined above the point where the electrode leads are connected with each other. Claim 10 A battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the upper frame is provided with a coupling groove formed concavely downward, and the upper support beam is inserted into the coupling groove. Claim 11 A battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the upper support beam is inserted between the upper frames and has a plurality of fixing protrusions arranged along the length direction of the upper support beam. Claim 12 A battery pack according to claim 5, further comprising an elastic pad coupled to the repeating frame so as to accommodate the battery cell between the battery pack and the cooling plate. Claim 13 A battery pack according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of battery cells are connected in series and attached to one side of the cooling plate, and the battery pack further comprises a terrace pad that supports the electrode leads of the battery cells connected in series. Claim 14 A battery pack according to claim 13, further comprising a cooling member disposed between the electrode leads and the cooling plate and transferring heat between the electrode leads and the cooling plate. Claim 15 An automobile characterized by including a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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