Battery cell, battery pack and vehicle comprising the same

Abstract

The present invention discloses a battery having a structure in which a thermally conductive member is applied to a beading portion. A battery according to one aspect of the invention comprises: an electrode assembly; a battery housing including a beading portion formed by pressing the outer circumference of the opening on one side to accommodate the electrode assembly through the opening; a top cap covering the opening; and a thermally conductive member configured to fill at least a portion of the space formed by the beading portion on the outside of the battery housing.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery having a structure in which a thermally conductive member is applied to a beading portion, a battery pack including the same, and an automobile. Background Technology

[0002] Batteries, which possess electrical characteristics such as high energy density and high applicability across product categories, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by electric power sources.

[0003] These batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, as they not only have the primary advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels but also the advantage of not generating any by-products from the use of energy.

[0004] Currently, widely used battery types include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of these individual battery cells is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, multiple batteries are connected in series to form a battery pack. Additionally, depending on the required charge / discharge capacity of the battery pack, multiple batteries are connected in parallel to form a battery pack. Accordingly, the number of batteries included in the battery pack and the electrical connection configuration can be varied according to the required output voltage and / or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] Recently, development has been moving in the direction of increasing cell size to achieve high energy density in battery packs and reduce costs.

[0006] To improve energy density, the size of the electrode assembly must be maximized to increase capacity. To achieve this, it is necessary to maximize internal space by making the battery housing as thin as possible.

[0007] However, if the battery housing thickness is made too thin, it is disadvantageous in terms of battery housing durability, and the battery housing may break or tear in the thinned area.

[0008] In particular, the beading portion formed by pressing the perimeter of the battery housing to prevent the electrode assembly from detaching, especially at the opening side of the battery housing, may be more vulnerable because it is a place where deformation has occurred once. Additionally, due to the elongation of the battery housing caused by the press-fitting, some parts of the area where the beading portion of the battery housing is formed may become thinner compared to the surrounding area.

[0009] Therefore, to improve this, it is necessary to ensure heat dissipation from the external beading section of the battery to the outside of the battery and / or enhance structural stability. The problem to be solved

[0010] The present invention was devised in consideration of the aforementioned problems, and has the purpose of preventing deformation and damage to the beading part caused by heat by facilitating heat transfer / release to the outside of the battery can in the beading part area, which may be structurally vulnerable.

[0011] In another aspect, the present invention has the purpose of preventing structural collapse by preventing the formation of pinholes in the beading portion when the battery is exposed to a high-temperature environment.

[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 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: an electrode assembly; a battery housing having an opening formed on one side to accommodate the electrode assembly through the opening and a beading portion formed by pressing the outer circumference of the opening side; a top cap covering the opening; and a thermally conductive member configured to fill at least a portion of the space formed by the beading portion on the outside of the battery housing.

[0014] The above thermally conductive member may extend along the outer circumference of the battery housing.

[0015] The above thermally conductive member may be a thermally conductive adhesive.

[0016] The above thermally conductive member may include a ceramic filler.

[0017] The above thermally conductive member may have a hardness of 70Sh A or higher.

[0018] The above top cap may have a venting portion configured to be vulnerable compared to the surrounding area.

[0019] The above cap may be configured to be insulated from the electrode assembly and the battery housing so as not to have polarity.

[0020] It may include a first current collector comprising: a first coupling portion electrically coupled to the electrode assembly on the side of the opening; and a housing coupling portion electrically coupled to the battery housing.

[0021] The first current collector may include a beading portion protection portion provided between the beading portion and the electrode assembly.

[0022] The above beading portion protection portion may extend along the circumferential direction of the battery.

[0023] A battery pack according to the present invention may include a battery according to the present invention.

[0024] An automobile according to the present invention may include a battery pack according to the present invention. Effects of the invention

[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, a thermally conductive member can prevent deformation and damage to the beading portion caused by heat. The thermally conductive member facilitates the transfer and release of heat from the beading portion to the outside of the battery. Therefore, it prevents the formation of pinholes in the beading portion caused by high-temperature heat that accumulates without being properly released to the outside of the battery, thereby preventing structural collapse. The thermally conductive member can be interposed within the beading portion, which may be structurally vulnerable, to reinforce its rigidity. Furthermore, this structure can guide the path of gas and / or flame. Since pinholes do not form in the beading portion where rigidity is secured, gas and / or flame cannot escape and can instead head toward the top cap. Consequently, gas and / or flame can be effectively discharged through the vent portion of the top cap, which will be described later. Ultimately, the stability of the battery can be significantly improved.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, when gas is generated inside the battery or a strong impact is applied to the battery from the outside, it is possible to prevent the beading portion, which is vulnerable to deformation, from stretching in the vertical direction. A thermally conductive adhesive is interposed between the upper part and the lower part of the beading portion to prevent the upper part and the lower part of the beading portion from moving away from each other.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, a beading portion protection member is provided between the electrode assembly and the beading portion, thereby more effectively protecting the beading portion from gases and / or flames generated inside the battery. Additionally, if the first current collector and the beading portion protection member are formed integrally, the production and assembly processes can be facilitated. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0028] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an electrode included in a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a stack of electrode assemblies included in a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of gas and flame inside a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a first current collector included in a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a battery pack according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a drawing showing an automobile according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The drawings attached to this specification are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention in conjunction 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. Identical reference numerals denote identical components. Furthermore, in the drawings, the thickness, proportion, and dimensions of the components may be exaggerated for the effective explanation of the technical content.

[0030] Terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0031] Although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back have been used in this specification, 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 location of the object or the position of the observer.

[0032] 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.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing electrodes (110, 120) included in a battery (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a laminate (100') of an electrode assembly (100) included in a battery (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a cross-section of a battery (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a battery (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the battery (10) may include an electrode assembly (100), a battery housing (200), a top cap (300), and a thermally conductive member (400).

[0035] The electrode assembly (100) can be formed by winding a laminate (100') including a first electrode (110), a second electrode (120), and a separator (130) around a winding axis.

[0036] A laminate (100') comprising a first electrode (110) having a first uncoated portion (111) in which an active material layer is not coated along the winding direction, a second electrode (120) having a second uncoated portion (121) in which an active material layer is not coated along the winding direction, and a separator (130) interposed between them can be wound around a common winding axis to form a core and an outer surface.

[0037] The first electrode (110) may include a first electrode plate and a first electrode active material layer (112) formed by applying a first electrode active material on at least one surface of the first electrode plate. The second electrode (120) may include a second electrode plate and a second active material layer (122) formed by applying a second electrode active material on at least one surface of the second electrode plate. The first electrode (110) may include a first uncoated portion (111) on the electrode plate where a positive active material or a negative active material is not applied. The second electrode (120) may include a second uncoated portion (121) on the electrode plate where a positive active material or a negative active material is not applied. For example, the first uncoated portion (111) may be provided at the top of the electrode assembly (100), and the second uncoated portion (121) may be provided at the bottom of the electrode assembly (100). At least a portion of the first non-electrode portion (111) can function as a first electrode tab, and at least a portion of the second non-electrode portion (121) can function as a second electrode tab. Meanwhile, in the present invention, the electrode tab is not limited to being at least a portion of the non-electrode portion. That is, an electrode tab may be separately provided and coupled to the non-electrode portion.

[0038] The battery housing (200) may have an opening formed on one side. The battery housing (200) may accommodate an electrode assembly (100) through the opening. The battery housing (200) may have the polarity of a first electrode. The battery housing (200) may be made of a conductive metal material. The battery housing (200) may also accommodate an electrolyte through the opening.

[0039] The battery housing (200) may include a beading portion (210). The beading portion (210) is formed at an end adjacent to an opening and may be pressed inward. The beading portion (210) may have a shape in which the outer circumference of the battery housing (200) is pressed in to a predetermined depth. The beading portion (210) may be formed on the upper part of the electrode assembly (100). The beading portion (210) may serve to prevent the electrode assembly (100) from moving in the height direction.

[0040] The top cap (300) may be configured to cover the opening. The top cap (300) may be configured not to have polarity. The top cap (300) may be made of a conductive metal material.

[0041] A thermally conductive member (400) may be provided on the outer side of the battery housing (200). The thermally conductive member (400) may be configured to fill at least a portion of the space formed by the beading portion (210). The thermally conductive member (400) may fill at least half of the pressed depth of the beading portion (210). The thermally conductive member (400) may be filled so as to extend from the space formed by the beading portion (210) to the outer surface of the battery housing (200). The thermally conductive member (400) may extend along the perimeter of the outer surface of the battery housing (200).

[0042] The beading portion (210) is susceptible to deformation because it is a place where deformation occurs due to the press-fit, and since the battery housing (200) is stretched at the area where the beading portion (210) is formed due to the press-fit, the thickness of the battery housing (200) may be thinner than the surrounding area. This beading portion (210) had a problem of being damaged by flame and / or gas or having pinholes when a thermal event occurred inside the battery (10).

[0043] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of gas and flame inside a battery (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 6, the structure of the present invention can be seen that the thermally conductive member (400) can prevent deformation and damage to the beading portion (210) due to heat. The thermally conductive member (400) can facilitate heat transfer and release from the beading portion (210) to the outside of the battery (10). Therefore, it can prevent structural collapse by preventing the formation of pinholes in the beading portion (210) due to high-temperature heat that accumulates and is not properly released to the outside of the battery (10). The thermally conductive member (400) can be interposed inside the beading portion (210), which may be structurally weak, to reinforce rigidity. In addition, this structure can guide the path of gas and / or flame. Since pinholes do not form in the beading portion (210) where rigidity is secured, gas and / or flame cannot escape and can head toward the top cap (300). Therefore, gas and / or flame can be effectively discharged through the vent (310) of the top cap (300) described later. Ultimately, the stability of the battery (10) can be greatly improved.

[0045] The thermally conductive member (400) may include a ceramic filler. The thermally conductive member (400) may include alumina and / or boron nitride and / or silicon nitride and / or aluminum nitride and / or aluminum hydroxide. The thermally conductive member may have a hardness of 70Sh A or higher. Through such materials of the thermally conductive member (400), the rigidity of the structurally weak beading portion (210) can be reinforced.

[0046] The thermally conductive member (400) may be a thermally conductive adhesive. The thermally conductive member (400) may be a short-time curing adhesive. The thermally conductive adhesive may be configured to bond the upper part of the beading portion (210) and the lower part of the beading portion (210).

[0047] According to this configuration of the present invention, when gas is generated inside the battery (10) or when a strong impact is applied to the battery (10) from the outside, the beading portion (210), which is vulnerable to deformation, can be prevented from stretching in the vertical direction. A thermally conductive adhesive (400) is interposed between the upper part of the beading portion (210) and the lower part of the beading portion (210) to prevent the upper part of the beading portion (210) and the lower part of the beading portion (210) from moving away from each other.

[0048] Referring again to FIG. 3, the battery (10) may include a crimping portion (220) of the battery housing (200) and / or a vent portion (310) of the top cap (300) and / or a terminal (700) and / or a first current collector (500) and / or a second current collector (600) and / or an insulator (800) and / or a first gasket (G1) and / or a second gasket (G2).

[0049] The battery housing (200) may have a crimping portion (220). The crimping portion (220) may be formed on the upper part of the beading portion (210). The crimping portion (220) may have an extended and bending shape to wrap around the edge area of ​​the top cap (300). By the shape of this crimping portion (220), the top cap (300) may be fixed on the beading portion (210).

[0050] The top cap (300) may have a vent portion (310) that is configured to be weak compared to the surrounding area. The vent portion (310) may have a thinner thickness compared to the surrounding area. The vent portion (310) may be formed by partially reducing the thickness of the top cap (300) by notching on one side or both sides of the top cap (300).

[0051] The terminal (700) may be located on the opposite side of the opening. The terminal (700) may be exposed to the outside of the battery housing (200) through a closure located on the opposite side of the opening. The terminal (700) may have the polarity of a second electrode. The terminal (700) may penetrate approximately the center of the lower surface of the battery housing (200).

[0052] The first current collector (500) may be located between the electrode assembly (100) and the top cap (300). The first current collector (500) may have a first coupling portion (510) that is electrically coupled to the electrode assembly (100). The first current collector (500) may have a housing coupling portion (520) that is electrically coupled to the battery housing (200) on the inner surface of the battery housing (200). The first current collector (500) may have the polarity of the first electrode.

[0053] The second current collector (600) may be located between the electrode assembly (100) and the terminal (700). The second current collector (600) may have a second coupling portion that is electrically coupled to the electrode assembly (100). The second current collector (600) may have a terminal (700) coupling portion that is electrically coupled to a portion having a roughly flat surface into which the terminal (700) is inserted into the battery housing (200). The second current collector (600) may have the polarity of the second electrode.

[0054] An insulator (800) may be positioned on the electrode assembly (100) to provide insulation between the battery housing (200) and the electrode assembly (100) on the closed side. The insulator (800) may be interposed between the closed side of the battery housing (200) and the electrode assembly (100), or between the closed side of the battery housing (200) and the second current collector (600). The insulator (800) may include, for example, a resin material having insulating properties. The insulator (800) may have a hole approximately in the center so that the terminal (700) can be electrically connected to the second current collector (600).

[0055] A first gasket (G1) may be provided between the top cap (300) and the battery housing (200). The first gasket (G1) prevents the top cap (300) and the battery housing (200) from coming into contact with each other.

[0056] A second gasket (G2) may be provided between the terminal (700) and the battery housing (200). The second gasket (G2) prevents the terminal (700) and the battery housing (200) from coming into contact with each other.

[0057] The first gasket (G1) and the second gasket (G2) may be made of a resin material having insulating and elastic properties.

[0058] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a battery (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a view of a first current collector (500) included in a battery (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7, the first current collector (500) may include a beading part protection part (530).

[0060] The beading part protection portion (530) may be provided between the beading part (210) and the electrode assembly (100). The beading part protection portion (530) may extend along the circumferential direction of the battery (10). The beading part protection portion (530) may be formed integrally with the first coupling portion (510). The beading part protection portion (530) may be thicker than the first coupling portion (510). In this case, the first coupling portion (510) may extend from approximately the center to the inner surface of the battery housing (200) and be connected to the beading part coupling portion (530). According to the structure of the battery (10) as described above, the first electrode (110), the first current collector (500), and the battery housing (200) have the same polarity, so there is no problem even if they are electrically connected. However, the beading part protection part (530) may be configured to be in contact with the first coupling part (510) as a separate component, rather than being part of the first current collector (500).

[0061] According to this structure of the present invention, a beading part protection member (530) is provided between the electrode assembly (100) and the beading part (210), thereby more effectively protecting the beading part (210) from gas and / or flame generated inside the battery (10). In addition, when the first current collector (500) and the beading part protection member (530) are formed integrally, the production and assembly process can be facilitated.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a battery pack (5) according to the present invention.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 8, the battery pack (5) according to the present invention may include a battery (10). The battery pack (5) may further include various other components other than the battery (10), such as a BMS, a busbar, a pack case, a relay, a current sensor, etc., components of the battery pack (5) known at the time of filing the present invention.

[0064] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a vehicle (3) according to the present invention.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 9, the automobile (3) according to the present invention may include a battery pack (5). The automobile (3) may be a hybrid automobile (3) or an electric automobile (3). The automobile (3) according to the present invention may further include various other components included in the automobile (3) in addition to the battery pack (5). For example, the automobile (3) according to the present invention may further include a vehicle body, a motor, an electronic control unit (ECU), and other control devices in addition to the battery pack (5) according to the present invention.

[0066] As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is evident to those skilled in the art that many diverse and obvious variations are possible from this description without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be interpreted by the claims described to include examples of such many variations. Explanation of the symbols

[0067] 3 cars 5 battery packs 10 batteries 100 electrode assemblies 100' laminate 110 First electrode 111 1st Mujibu 112 1st coating section 120 Second electrode 121 2nd Department of Indefinite Service 122 Second coating section 130 separator 200 battery housing 210 Bidding Section 220 Crimping Department 300 Top Cab 310 Venting Section 400 thermally conductive member 500 The entire 1st house 510 First connecting part 520 Second connecting part 530 Bidding Department Protection Department 600 entire 2nd house 700 terminals 800 Insulators G1 1st gasket G2 2nd gasket

Claims

Claim 1 A battery comprising: an electrode assembly; a battery housing having an opening formed on one side to accommodate the electrode assembly through the opening, and a beading portion formed by pressing the outer circumference of the opening side; a top cap covering the opening; a thermally conductive member configured to fill at least a portion of the space formed by the beading portion on the outside of the battery housing; and a beading portion protection portion provided between the beading portion and the electrode assembly. Claim 2 A battery according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive member extends along the outer circumference of the battery housing. Claim 3 A battery according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive member is a thermally conductive adhesive. Claim 4 A battery according to claim 3, wherein the thermally conductive member comprises a ceramic filler. Claim 5 A battery according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive member has a hardness of 70Sh A or higher. Claim 6 A battery according to claim 1, wherein the top cap is configured to have a venting portion that is vulnerable compared to the surrounding area. Claim 7 A battery according to claim 6, characterized in that the cap is configured to be insulated from the electrode assembly and the battery housing so as not to have polarity. Claim 8 A battery according to claim 1, characterized by comprising: a first coupling portion electrically coupled to the electrode assembly on the side of the opening; and a first current collector including a housing coupling portion electrically coupled to the battery housing. Claim 9 A battery according to claim 8, wherein the first current collector comprises the beading portion protection portion. Claim 10 In claim 9, the battery is characterized in that the beading portion protection portion extends along the circumferential direction of the battery. Claim 11 A battery pack characterized by including a battery according to any one of claims 1 to 10. Claim 12 An automobile characterized by including a battery pack according to claim 11.

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