Battery pack and vehicle including same

Abstract

A battery pack and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cell unit including at least one battery cell; and a case having a receiving room having a bottom portion on which the cell unit is seated, and the case having the cell unit in the receiving room, wherein the bottom portion includes a pocket configured to collect a mass body that is discharged and falls from the battery cell included in the cell unit.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery assembly, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile, and more specifically, to a battery pack manufactured using a cell-to-pack method and an automobile including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, a secondary battery refers to a battery capable of repeated charging and discharging, such as a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-polymer battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery, or a nickel-zinc battery. The output voltage of a battery cell, which is the basic unit of charging and discharging for such secondary batteries, is approximately 2.5V to 4.2V.

[0003] Recently, as secondary batteries are applied to devices requiring high output voltage and large charging capacity, such as electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS), battery packs are widely used in which multiple battery cells are connected in series or parallel to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules configured in this way are connected again in series or parallel.

[0004] However, as disclosed in Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2379227 and Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0052183, etc., existing technology manufactures a battery pack by housing battery cells in a box-shaped metal case to form a battery module and then housing these battery modules in a battery pack case. This method has the problem of increasing the weight and volume of the entire battery pack and reducing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0005] In addition, when the conventional Cell-to-Pack method, which involves directly mounting multiple battery cells into the pack case to increase the energy density of the battery pack, is applied to pouch-type secondary batteries with flexible cases, it is difficult to handle or stack multiple battery cells simultaneously, and there is a risk of damage to the battery cells during the mounting process into the pack case.

[0006] In addition, existing technology has a problem in that when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, particles or foreign substances emitted from the battery cell accumulate inside the battery pack, making smooth gas venting difficult and causing the internal pressure of the battery pack to rise, which leads to damage or explosion of the battery pack. The problem to be solved

[0007] The technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a battery pack and a vehicle including the same, which can reduce the overall weight and volume of the battery pack and increase energy density, while also enabling safe and easy handling and mounting of battery cells during battery pack manufacturing.

[0008] In addition, another technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a battery pack that prevents structural damage or explosion of the battery pack when thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell and suppresses sequential thermal runaway between battery cells, and an automobile including the same. means of solving the problem

[0009] A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cell unit comprising at least one battery cell; and a case comprising a receiving room having a bottom portion on which the cell unit is seated, and a case comprising a receiving room that accommodates the cell unit, wherein the bottom portion comprises a pocket configured to capture a mass body that is discharged and falls from the battery cell included in the cell unit.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cell unit may further include a cell cover that covers the at least one battery cell inserted in the slot, the cell cover having a slot into which the at least one battery cell is inserted and an opening through which the electrode lead of the at least one battery cell inserted in the slot is exposed.

[0011] In one embodiment, the cell cover is positioned so that the opening of the slot faces the bottom portion, and the opening of the pocket may be provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the slot.

[0012] In one embodiment, the opening of the pocket may be provided at a position corresponding to the opening portion adjacent to the electrode lead of the at least one battery cell among the openings of the slot.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cell unit may further include a busbar electrically connected to the electrode lead; and a busbar frame disposed in an opening of the cell cover to support the busbar.

[0014] In one embodiment, the bottom portion further includes a gas passage extending along the interior of the bottom portion, and the pocket may be configured to be connected to the gas passage.

[0015] In one embodiment, the bottom portion further includes a barrier that blocks the entrance of the gas passage connected to the pocket, and the barrier may be configured to rupture to open the entrance of the gas passage when the ambient pressure rises above a predetermined pressure.

[0016] In one embodiment, the device further includes a heat sink disposed between the cell unit and the bottom portion to cool a battery cell included in the cell unit, and the heat sink may have a guide hole provided in a portion of the heat sink corresponding to the inlet of the pocket to guide the mass body to the inlet of the pocket.

[0017] In one embodiment, the guide hole may be configured to gradually widen from the pocket side toward the cell unit side.

[0018] In one embodiment, a Thermal Interface Material (TIM) interposed between the cell unit and the heat sink may be further included.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cell units are included in plurality, and the plurality of cell units can be stacked together in one direction.

[0020] In one embodiment, the at least one battery cell may be composed of a pouch-type secondary battery.

[0021] A vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes a battery pack according to any one of the embodiments described above. Effects of the invention

[0022] According to the present invention, a pocket configured to capture a mass ejected from a battery cell and falling by its own weight is provided on the bottom surface of a battery pack case, thereby facilitating gas discharge during thermal runaway of the battery cell and preventing damage or explosion of the battery pack caused by an increase in internal pressure of the battery pack.

[0023] In addition, instead of housing multiple battery cells in a separate module case and mounting them in the battery pack case, they are partially covered by a cell cover with a simplified structure and mounted directly in the battery pack case. This reduces the weight and volume of the entire battery pack and increases the energy density of the battery pack, while also facilitating the safe handling and mounting of battery cells during battery pack manufacturing and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0024] In addition, a gas passage connected to the pocket is provided on the bottom surface of the battery pack case, thereby diversifying the gas venting path inside the battery pack and providing an alternative path in the event that another gas venting path becomes blocked.

[0025] In addition, gas moved through a gas passage provided in the bottom surface of the battery pack case or another gas passage provided in the wall of the case is discharged in a preset direction through a gas valve, thereby allowing the gas venting direction of the battery pack mounted on the underside of the vehicle to be set to the rear or side rather than upward where the occupant is located, and as a result, the safety of the occupant can be ensured.

[0026] In addition, the blocking portion of the cell cover supports the battery cell inserted into the slot of the cell cover to prevent the removal of the battery cell, thereby preventing the battery cell from changing position or falling out of the cell cover and ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery pack.

[0027] In addition, an insertion groove is provided in the blocking portion of the cell cover so that a jig that changes the slot width of the cell cover by contacting the inner surface of the cell cover can be easily inserted, thereby facilitating the process of inserting a battery cell into the cell cover and preventing damage to the battery cell.

[0028] Furthermore, a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will readily understand from the following description that various embodiments according to the present invention can solve various technical problems not mentioned above. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0029] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a battery assembly of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing the M1 region of Figure 1. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a cell unit of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the cell unit illustrated in Figure 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line A1-A1' of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1. Figure 7 is a drawing showing the lower part of the cell unit illustrated in Figure 6. Figures 8 and 9 are drawings showing the assembly method of the cell unit illustrated in Figure 4. FIG. 10 is a drawing showing a cell cover according to a modified embodiment. FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a cell cover according to another modified embodiment. FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to clarify solutions corresponding to the technical problems of the present invention. However, in describing the present invention, if a description of related prior art would obscure the essence of the present invention, such description may be omitted. Furthermore, terms used in this specification are defined considering their functions in the present invention, and these may vary depending on the intentions or conventions of designers, manufacturers, etc. Therefore, the definitions of terms described below should be based on the content throughout this specification.

[0031] For reference, in this specification, terms indicating direction are terms based on the components shown in the attached drawings and are relative terms that may change depending on the orientation or position of the actual components.

[0032] Figure 1 shows a battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the battery pack (10) includes a battery assembly (100) and a case (300) that accommodates one or more of the battery assemblies (100).

[0034] Additionally, the battery assembly (100) includes a plurality of cell units (200). Each cell unit (200) includes at least one battery cell and a cell cover that partially covers and encloses the at least one battery cell, and can be stacked with other cell units in the width direction (Y-axis direction).

[0035] The battery cell included in each cell unit (200) may be configured as a pouch-type secondary battery. In this case, the pouch-type secondary battery may be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte material in a pouch-type case and sealing the case. According to the embodiment, the battery cell may be configured in various forms, such as a prismatic secondary battery or a cylindrical secondary battery.

[0036] These multiple cell units (200) can be stacked in one direction and accommodated in the case (300).

[0037] The above case (300) has one or more receiving rooms (R1) having a bottom portion (310) on which a cell unit (200) is seated, and accommodates the cell unit (200) in the receiving room (R1). For example, the above case (300) may be configured to accommodate a plurality of battery assemblies (100) in separate receiving rooms.

[0038] To this end, the case (300) may include a lower case (302) having an opening at the top and an internal space connected to the opening, and an upper case (304) covering the opening of the lower case (302).

[0039] The lower case (302) may include a wall (312) that divides its internal space into a plurality of receiving rooms. A gas inlet (314) may be provided in the wall (312) of the lower case (302) adjacent to each receiving room (R1), through which gas generated from the battery assembly (100) received in the corresponding receiving room (R1) is introduced. Additionally, a gas valve (316) for discharging gas may be provided on the outer surface of the lower case (302). A gas passage connecting the gas inlet (314) and the gas valve (316) may be provided inside the lower case (302).

[0040] In this case, the gas venting path for discharging gas to the gas valve (316) may be provided individually for each receiving room. That is, the gas generated in the first receiving room may be discharged through a first gas venting path leading to a first gas inlet, a first gas passage, and a first gas valve, and the gas generated in the second receiving room may be configured to be discharged through a second gas venting path leading to a second gas inlet, a second gas channel, and a second gas valve.

[0041] As will be explained again below, the bottom portion (310) of the above-mentioned receiving room (R1) may include a pocket (310a) configured to collect a mass body that is discharged and falls from the battery cell included in the cell unit (200).

[0042] Additionally, the battery pack (10) may further include a heat sink (320) that is positioned between the cell unit (200) of the battery assembly (100) and the bottom portion (310) of the receiving room (R1) to cool the battery cells included in the cell unit (200).

[0043] In this case, the heat sink (320) may be provided with a guide hole (322) in a portion of the heat sink corresponding to the entrance of the pocket (310a) to guide the mass body into the entrance of the pocket (310a). This heat sink (320) may be made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity and heat resistance.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the heat sink (320) may be integrally formed with the bottom portion (310) of the receiving room (R1).

[0045] Meanwhile, the above case (300) may be provided with a receiving space (R2) for accommodating various electrical components required for the operation of the battery pack (10).

[0046] In one embodiment, the battery pack (10) may further include a control module (330). This control module (330) includes a Battery Management System (BMS) that manages the charging and discharging operations, State of Charge (SOC), State of Health (SOH), etc., of the battery cells included in the battery assembly, and may be mounted in the receiving space (R2) of the case (300).

[0047] Additionally, the battery pack (10) may further include a switching unit (340). This switching unit (340) may be configured to control the electrical connection between the battery pack (10) and an external circuit. To this end, the switching unit (340) may optionally include a current sensor, a power relay, a fuse, etc.

[0048] In FIG. 2, the battery assembly (100) of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1 is shown in an exploded view.

[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a battery assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cell units (200) and a support structure (110).

[0050] Each of the above-mentioned plurality of cell units (200) includes at least one battery cell and is configured to be stacked side by side in the width direction (Y-axis direction). As will be explained again below, each cell unit (200) may include at least one battery cell that serves as a basic unit for charging and discharging, and a cell cover that partially covers and supports the battery cell.

[0051] The support structure (110) is configured to support a plurality of cell units (200) to maintain a stacked state of the plurality of cell units (200). To this end, the support structure (110) may include a side wall (112) and an integrated end cover (114). These side wall (112) and the integrated end cover (114) may be arranged along the lateral perimeter of the plurality of cell units (200) stacked together.

[0052] In one embodiment, the support structure (110) may include a pair of side walls (112) and an integrated end cover (114), respectively.

[0053] In this case, the side wall (112) may be configured to support the plurality of cell units (200) by being placed at each end of the plurality of cell units (200) based on the width direction (Y-axis direction) or stacking direction of the plurality of cell units (200).

[0054] That is, among a pair of side walls, the first side wall may be positioned adjacent to the first cell unit located at the outermost edge of one side of the plurality of cell units (200), and the second side wall may be positioned adjacent to the second cell unit located at the outermost edge of the other side of the plurality of cell units (200).

[0055] The above side wall (112), together with the integrated end cover (114) described later, brings the plurality of cell units (200) into close contact with each other to form a single cell unit block that can be handled simultaneously. In this case, the side wall (112) can distribute the pressure applied to the plurality of cell units (200) evenly across the entire cell unit (200).

[0056] These side walls (112) may be made of a metal material including aluminum or stainless steel, or may be made of a material combining metal and a polymer synthetic resin through insert molding.

[0057] The integrated end cover (114) may be placed at each end of the plurality of cell units (200) based on the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the plurality of cell units (200). Additionally, the integrated end cover (114) may be configured such that one end is connected to the first side wall and the other end is connected to the second side wall, so as to cover the openings of two or more cell covers among the cell covers of the plurality of cell units (200) together.

[0058] To this end, the side wall (112) may include a connecting portion (112a) provided at each of its ends and connected to one end or the other end of the integrated end cover (114). Correspondingly, the integrated end cover (114) may include a main body portion covering the openings of the plurality of cell units (200) and a corresponding connecting portion (114a) extending from the main body portion and connected to the connecting portion (112a) of the side wall (112).

[0059] In one embodiment, the integrated end cover (114) may be provided with a vent hole (114b) for discharging gas generated from a battery cell of a cell unit in each part of the integrated end cover corresponding to the openings of a plurality of cell units (200).

[0060] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the integrated end cover (114) may include a support member (114c) that extends from the main body to the lower side of a plurality of cell units (200) and supports the lower side of a plurality of cell units (200).

[0061] These integrated end covers (114) may be composed of a metal material including aluminum or stainless steel or a polymer synthetic resin, or may be composed of a material that combines metal and a polymer synthetic resin through insert molding.

[0062] In this way, by applying an integrated end cover (114) that supports the cell units and covers the openings of the cell units as a whole to the battery assembly (100), unit end covers applied to each cell unit can be omitted, and the manufacturing process of the battery assembly can be simplified.

[0063] In Fig. 3, the M1 area of ​​Fig. 1 is shown as an enlarged view.

[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the side wall (112) and the integrated end cover (114) included in the support structure (110) of the battery assembly (100) can be interconnected to support a plurality of cell units (200). To this end, the connecting portion (112a) of the side wall (112) may have an insertion groove into which the corresponding connecting portion (114a) of the integrated end cover (114) is inserted.

[0065] The corresponding connecting portion (114a) of the integrated end cover (114) can be inserted into an insertion groove provided in the connecting portion (112a) of the side wall (112) and then fixed to the connecting portion (112a) of the side wall (112) by a fastening member (S1) such as a screw or bolt.

[0066] Additionally, the support portion (114c) of the integrated end cover (114) may be configured to extend from the main body portion of the integrated end cover (114) toward the lower side of a plurality of cell units (200) to support the lower side of the plurality of cell units (200). In this case, the support portion (114c) of the integrated end cover (114) may be configured to support the busbar frame of each cell unit (200).

[0067] FIG. 4 illustrates a cell unit (200) of a battery assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cell unit (200) may include a cell cover (210) that partially covers and supports at least one battery cell to maintain it in an upright state.

[0069] Additionally, the cell unit (200) may further include a busbar assembly (220). The busbar assembly (220) has a busbar electrically connected to the electrode lead of a battery cell inserted into the cell cover (210) and may be positioned at both ends in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the cell cover (210).

[0070] In FIG. 5, the cell unit (200) illustrated in FIG. 4 is shown in an exploded view.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the cell unit (200) may include at least one battery cell (202) and a cell cover (210).

[0072] The above battery cell (202) corresponds to the most basic rechargeable secondary battery and can be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte material inside a case and sealing the case. The above electrode assembly can be manufactured by interposing a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

[0073] These battery cells (202) may be composed of pouch-type secondary batteries having a predetermined length and height. Additionally, electrode leads (202a) electrically connected to the electrode assembly may be provided at each end in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the battery cells (202).

[0074] The cell cover (210) may be configured to partially cover and support at least one battery cell (202) to maintain it in an upright state. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the cell cover (210) may be configured to partially cover and support three battery cells (202) stacked together to maintain the battery cells in an upright state.

[0075] To this end, the cell cover (210) may be configured to cover the at least one battery cell (202) inserted therein, a slot (214) into which at least one battery cell (202) is inserted, and an opening (216) through which the electrode lead (202a) of the at least one battery cell (202) inserted into the slot (214) is exposed to the outside of the cell cover (210).

[0076] When the cell unit (200) is placed in the receiving room (R1) of the case (300) described above, the cell cover (210) may be positioned so that the entrance of the slot (214) faces the bottom portion (310) of the receiving room (R1). In this case, the entrance of the pocket (310a) provided in the bottom portion (310) may be provided at a position corresponding to the entrance of the slot (214).

[0077] These cell covers (210) may be configured in an 'n' shape or a 'u' shape that surrounds three sides of at least one battery cell.

[0078] For example, the cell cover (210) may include a first cover portion (210a) forming one side wall of a slot (214) into which at least one battery cell is inserted, a second cover portion (210b) forming the other side wall of the slot (214), and a third cover portion (210c) connecting the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) and forming the end portion of the slot (214).

[0079] That is, the first cover portion (210a) can cover one side of the battery cells inserted into the slot (214). Additionally, the second cover portion (210b) can cover the other side of the inserted battery cells. Additionally, the third cover portion (210c) can cover the top of the inserted battery cells.

[0080] In this case, between the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b), an opening (216) may be provided to expose the entrance of the slot (214) and the electrode lead (202a) of at least one battery cell (202) inserted into the slot (214).

[0081] The height (or depth of the slot (214)) (L1) of the cell cover (210) can be configured to be higher than the height (L2) of the battery cell (202) in an upright state. As a result, the free space created inside the slot (112a) into which the battery cell (200) is inserted can be used as a gas exhaust passage.

[0082] Although FIG. 5 shows that the number of battery cells (202) covered by one cell cover (210) is three, the number of battery cells covered by the cell cover (210) can be varied depending on the scale of the cell cover (210).

[0083] In one embodiment, the cell unit (200) may further include a busbar assembly (220). The busbar assembly (220) may include a busbar (222) electrically connected to an electrode lead (202a) of a battery cell (202) inserted into the cell cover (210), and a busbar frame (224) disposed in an opening (216) of the cell cover (210) to support the busbar (222).

[0084] Additionally, the busbar assembly (220) may further include an insulating cover (226) disposed between the busbar frame (224) and the integrated end cover (114) of the support structure (110) described above to prevent short circuit of the busbar (222). This insulating cover (226) may be composed of a polymer synthetic resin having insulating properties.

[0085] In one embodiment, the cell cover (210) may further be provided with a blocking part (218) provided at the entrance of the slot (214) to block the removal of the battery cell inserted into the slot (214). The blocking part (218) may be configured to protrude toward the entrance of the slot (214) from the ends of the first cover part (210a) and the second cover part (210b), respectively, to support the lower ends of the battery cells inserted into the slot (214).

[0086] In addition, in one embodiment, the blocking portion (218) may be provided with an insertion groove (218a) into which a finger of a jig is inserted to change the width of the slot (214), that is, the gap between the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b), by contacting the inner surface of the cell cover (210).

[0087] These cell covers (210) can be formed as a single unit. For example, the cell covers (210) can be manufactured as a single unit through a sheet metal processing process or an injection molding process.

[0088] In this way, the cell cover (210) of the simplified structure is made of a metal material having higher rigidity than the case of the battery cell, and can protect the battery cell covered by the cell cover from external shocks or vibrations. For example, the cell cover (210) may be made of a material including stainless steel (SUS), which is easy to process and has high corrosion resistance.

[0089] Although not illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cell unit (200) may further include a clamping member configured to clamp a cell cover (210). In this case, the clamping member may be configured to clamp a cell cover (210) into which at least one battery cell is inserted, thereby preventing the slot (214) of the cell cover (210) from opening or the battery cell (202) inserted into the slot (214) from coming out of the cell cover (210). Such a clamping member may be composed of tape or a band-shaped metal material.

[0090] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view along the A1-A1' line of the battery pack illustrated in Figure 1.

[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the cell unit (200) is placed in the receiving room (R1) of the case (300) described above, the cell cover (210) of the cell unit (200) may be positioned so that the entrance of the slot (214) faces the bottom portion (310) of the receiving room (R1).

[0092] Additionally, the entrance of the pocket (310a) provided in the bottom portion (310) may be provided at a position corresponding to the entrance of the slot (214). In this case, the entrance of the pocket (310a) may be provided at a position corresponding to the entrance portion of the slot (214) of the cell cover (210) that is adjacent to the electrode lead (202a) of the battery cell (202) inserted into the slot (214). This is because, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell (202), gas venting frequently occurs at the edge portion where the electrode lead (202a) of the battery cell (202) is located.

[0093] Meanwhile, the heat sink (320) disposed between the cell unit (200) and the bottom portion (310) may be provided with a guide hole (322) in the portion of the heat sink corresponding to the inlet of the pocket (310a) of the bottom portion (310) to guide a mass discharged from the battery cell (202) to the inlet of the pocket (310a). To this end, the guide hole (322) may be configured to gradually widen from the pocket (310a) side toward the cell unit (200) side.

[0094] In one embodiment, the battery pack (10) may further include a Thermal Interface Material (TIM) (350) interposed between the cell unit (200) and the heat sink (320). By increasing the heat transfer rate between the cell unit (200) and the heat sink (320) through this TIM (350), the cooling performance of the heat sink (320) can be further improved.

[0095] In one embodiment, the bottom portion (310) of the case (300) may include a gas passage (310b) extending along the interior of the bottom portion (310). One end of the gas passage (310b) may be connected to the pocket (310a), and the other end may be connected to the gas valve (316) of the case (300) described above.

[0096] In one embodiment, the bottom portion (310) may further include a barrier (310c) that blocks the entrance of a gas passage (310b) connected to the pocket (310a). In this case, the barrier (310c) may be configured to rupture and open the entrance of the gas passage (310b) when the ambient pressure rises above a predetermined pressure. To this end, various shapes of notches or grooves may be formed in the barrier (310c).

[0097] Figure 7 shows the lower part of the cell unit (200) illustrated in Figure 6.

[0098] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the body of the battery cell (202) inserted into the cell cover (210) of the cell unit (200) and the busbar frame (224) coupled to the end of the cell cover (210) are positioned at a certain distance apart, so that a venting area (VA) for discharging gas from the battery cell (202) can be provided at the bottom of the cell unit (200). An inlet of the pocket (310a) described above can be provided at a position corresponding to this venting area (VA).

[0099] FIGS. 8 and FIGS. 9 illustrate the assembly method of the cell unit (200) shown in FIGS. 4.

[0100] First, as shown in FIG. 8, when the fingers of the jig are inserted into the interior of the cell cover (210) and the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) of the cell cover (210) are extended, the battery cell (202) can be safely inserted between the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b).

[0101] The blocking portion (218) of the cell cover (210) may have an appropriate length and shape so as not to damage the battery cells inserted as described above.

[0102] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9, after at least one battery cell (202) is inserted into the cell cover (210), when the finger of the jig is removed, the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) of the cell cover (210) return to their original positions by their elastic force.

[0103] Then, the blocking portion (218) of the cell cover (210) can support the bottom of the battery cell (202) inserted between the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) to prevent the removal of the battery cell (202). To this end, the blocking portion (218) can be bent inward toward the cell cover (210) at the respective ends of the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) to form a locking structure.

[0104] FIG. 10 illustrates a battery cell cover (210') according to a modified embodiment.

[0105] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the blocking portion (218') of the battery cell cover (210') can be folded inward toward the battery cell cover (210') at the respective ends of the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) of the battery cell cover (210'), and can be folded toward the third cover portion (210c) to form a locking structure.

[0106] FIG. 11 shows a battery cell cover (210) according to another modified embodiment.

[0107] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the blocking portion (218) of the battery cell cover (210) can be bent toward the third cover portion (210c) at the respective ends of the first cover portion (210a) and the second cover portion (210b) of the battery cell cover (210), and then bent in a rounded shape toward the opposite side of the third cover portion (210c). In this way, by configuring the blocking portion (218) to support the battery cells with a rounded surface, damage to soft battery cells, such as pouch-type battery cells, can be prevented.

[0108] Figure 12 shows a vehicle (2) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] As illustrated in FIG. 12, a vehicle (2) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery pack (10) according to any one of the various embodiments described above.

[0110] In this way, the battery pack (10) equipped in the vehicle (2) can provide electrical energy required for various operations of the vehicle (2).

[0111] For reference, the battery pack according to the present invention can be applied to various electric devices or electric systems other than vehicles, as well as to Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

[0112] As described above, according to the present invention, a pocket configured to capture a mass ejected from a battery cell and falling by its own weight is provided on the bottom surface of a battery pack case, thereby facilitating gas discharge during thermal runaway of the battery cell and preventing damage or explosion of the battery pack caused by an increase in internal pressure of the battery pack.

[0113] In addition, instead of housing multiple battery cells in a separate module case and mounting them in the battery pack case, they are partially covered by a cell cover with a simplified structure and mounted directly in the battery pack case. This reduces the weight and volume of the entire battery pack and increases the energy density of the battery pack, while also facilitating the safe handling and mounting of battery cells during battery pack manufacturing and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0114] In addition, a gas passage connected to the pocket is provided on the bottom surface of the battery pack case, thereby diversifying the gas venting path inside the battery pack and providing an alternative path in the event that another gas venting path becomes blocked.

[0115] In addition, gas moved through a gas passage provided in the bottom surface of the battery pack case or another gas passage provided in the wall of the case is discharged in a preset direction through a gas valve, thereby allowing the gas venting direction of the battery pack mounted on the underside of the vehicle to be set to the rear or side rather than upward where the occupant is located, and as a result, the safety of the occupant can be ensured.

[0116] In addition, the blocking portion of the cell cover supports the battery cell inserted into the slot of the cell cover to prevent the removal of the battery cell, thereby preventing the battery cell from changing position or falling out of the cell cover and ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery pack.

[0117] In addition, an insertion groove is provided in the blocking portion of the cell cover so that a jig that changes the slot width of the cell cover by contacting the inner surface of the cell cover can be easily inserted, thereby facilitating the process of inserting a battery cell into the cell cover and preventing damage to the battery cell.

[0118] Furthermore, it is obvious that the embodiments according to the present invention can solve various other technical problems in the relevant technical field as well as related technical fields other than those mentioned in this specification.

[0119] The present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various modified embodiments may be implemented within the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. That is, the true technical scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, and all variations within the scope of equivalents should be interpreted as being included in the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0120] 2: Vehicle 10: Battery pack 100: Battery assembly 110: Support structure 200: Cell Unit 202: Battery cell 210, 210', 210": Cell cover 220: Busbar Assembly 300: Case 302: Lower case 304: Upper case 310: Bottom section 310a: Pocket 310b: Gas passage 310c: Barrier 320: Heat Sink 322: Guide Hole 330: Control Module 340: Switching unit

Claims

Claim 1 A battery pack comprising: a cell unit including at least one battery cell; and a case for housing the cell unit in the receiving room having a bottom portion on which the cell unit is seated, wherein the bottom portion includes a pocket configured to collect a mass body that is discharged and falls from the battery cell included in the cell unit; wherein the cell unit further includes a cell cover covering the at least one battery cell inserted in the slot, the cell cover having an opening in which the electrode lead of the at least one battery cell inserted in the slot is exposed, and wherein the cell cover is positioned such that the opening of the slot faces the bottom portion, the opening of the pocket is provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the slot, and the opening of the pocket is provided at a position corresponding to the opening portion of the slot adjacent to the electrode lead of the at least one battery cell. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cell unit further comprises: a busbar electrically connected to the electrode lead; and a busbar frame disposed in an opening of the cell cover to support the busbar. Claim 6 A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion further includes a gas passage extending along the interior of the bottom portion, and the pocket is configured to be connected to the gas passage. Claim 7 A battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the bottom portion further comprises a barrier that blocks the inlet of the gas passage connected to the pocket, and the barrier is configured to rupture and open the inlet of the gas passage when the surrounding pressure rises above a predetermined pressure. Claim 8 A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the battery pack further comprises a heat sink disposed between the cell unit and the bottom portion to cool a battery cell included in the cell unit, and the heat sink is provided with a guide hole in a portion of the heat sink corresponding to the inlet of the pocket to guide the mass body to the inlet of the pocket. Claim 9 A battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide hole is configured to gradually widen from the pocket side toward the cell unit side. Claim 10 A battery pack characterized by further including a Thermal Interface Material (TIM) interposed between the cell unit and the heat sink in claim 8. Claim 11 A battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of cell units, and the plurality of cell units are stacked one-way. Claim 12 A battery pack according to claim 1, wherein at least one battery cell is composed of a pouch-type secondary battery. Claim 13 A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of paragraphs 1, 5 through 12.

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