Battery module and battery pack including same

Abstract

The present invention includes a battery module and a battery pack including same. The battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a battery cell stack comprising a plurality of battery cells stacked together; a module frame including a lower frame in which the battery cell stack is mounted, and an upper cover which is coupled to the lower frame while covering the top portion of the battery cell stack: end plates covering the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack; a heat insulation member positioned to cover the top and both side portions of the module frame and positioned to cover the end plates; and a cover member positioned on the heat insulation member, positioned to cover the top and both side portions and a partial area of the bottom portion of the module frame, and positioned to cover the end plates.

Description

Battery module and battery pack including same

[0001] Cross-citation with related application(s)

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0105716, filed August 11, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The present invention relates to a battery module and a battery pack including the same, and more particularly, to a battery module having improved safety by maintaining the structural stability of the battery module and a battery pack including the same.

[0004] As technological developments and demand for mobile devices increase, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing. Accordingly, extensive research is being conducted on secondary batteries that can meet diverse needs.

[0005] Secondary batteries are attracting much attention not only as an energy source for mobile devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, and laptops, but also as a power source for power devices such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0006] Recently, as the need for large-capacity secondary battery structures has increased, including the use of secondary batteries as energy storage sources, the demand for battery packs with medium- to large-sized module structures that assemble battery modules in which a number of secondary batteries are connected in series / parallel is increasing.

[0007] Meanwhile, when configuring a battery pack by connecting multiple battery cells in series / parallel, it is common to configure a battery module composed of at least one battery cell, and then configure the battery pack by adding other components using at least one battery module. Since the battery cells constituting these medium- to large-sized battery modules are composed of secondary batteries that can be charged and discharged, such high-output, large-capacity secondary batteries generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging process. This may cause the electrolyte located within the battery cell to vaporize, increasing the internal pressure, which may tear the battery cell pouch, and this may cause venting gases or flames, so it is necessary to prevent these from spreading to neighboring battery modules or causing an explosion.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional battery module. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional battery module.

[0009] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional battery module (10) includes a lower frame (11) on which a battery cell stack (22) in which a plurality of battery cells (21) are stacked is mounted, an upper frame (12) that covers the upper portion (z-axis direction) of the battery cell stack (22) and is coupled to the lower frame (11), and an end plate (50) that covers the front and back surfaces of the battery cell stack (22).

[0010] In this case, if venting gas or flame is generated in the battery cell (21), it may be vented through the gap between the lower frame (11) or the upper frame (12), or between the frames and the end plate (50), and in this case, the pressure at the time of venting may cause the structure of the battery module (10) itself to collapse, causing flames or the like to be transferred to the neighboring battery module (10), which may cause an explosion of the entire battery pack.

[0011] Therefore, in order to prevent the above-mentioned problems, it is necessary to develop a battery module that can ensure the safety of the battery during venting.

[0012] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module with improved safety, a battery pack including the same, and a method for manufacturing the battery module.

[0013] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the problems described above and can be expanded in various ways within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery module includes a battery cell stack having a plurality of battery cells stacked thereon; a module frame including a lower frame on which the battery cell stack is mounted, and an upper cover covering an upper portion of the battery cell stack and coupled to the lower frame; an end plate covering a front and a rear surface of the battery cell stack; an insulating member positioned to cover an upper portion and both side portions of the module frame and positioned to cover the end plate; and a cover member positioned on the insulating member and positioned to cover a portion of an upper portion, both side portions, and a lower portion of the module frame and positioned to cover the end plate.

[0015] The upper cover includes a plurality of venting holes penetrating the upper cover, and the insulating member includes a first insulating member covering the upper portion of the module frame, and the first insulating member is provided at a position corresponding to the venting holes and may include an insulating rupture portion which is a groove formed in the first insulating member.

[0016] The above cover member includes a first cover member that covers the first insulating member, and the first cover member is provided at a position corresponding to the venting hole and may include a cover rupture portion that is a groove formed in the first cover member.

[0017] The end plate has a terminal bus bar that is electrically connected to the battery cell stack partially exposed, and the insulating member includes a second insulating member that covers the front and rear surfaces of the end plate, and the second insulating member may include a terminal insulating portion that covers the front surface of the terminal bus bar.

[0018] The above cover member may include a second cover member covering the second insulating member, and the second cover member may include a second-first cover member covering the terminal insulating portion.

[0019] The end plate includes a connecting portion located on both sides of the end plate, and the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion may be provided with a height difference from the upper and lower surfaces of the end plate.

[0020] The above cover member may include a second cover member covering the end plate, and the second cover member may include a second-second cover part covering the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion.

[0021] The second-second cover part can be formed by folding the second cover member in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the end plate.

[0022] The above insulating member includes a third insulating member covering both side portions of the module frame, the cover member includes a third cover member covering the third insulating member, and the third cover member may include a 3-1 cover portion formed by folding the third cover member in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the third insulating member.

[0023] The above 3-1 cover part can cover the front and rear sides of the end plate that are exposed to the outside and not covered by the second cover member that covers the end plate.

[0024] The third cover member may include a third-second cover portion that covers a side of the end plate exposed to the outside while being positioned on both sides of the third cover member.

[0025] The third cover member may further include a third-third cover member extending in the longitudinal direction of the third-second cover member.

[0026] The above 3-3 cover part can be folded in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the 3-2 cover part positioned on the third insulating member to cover the front and rear surfaces of the end plate.

[0027] The above cover member may include a fourth cover member positioned to cover the bottom portion, which is the lower portion of the lower frame.

[0028] The fourth cover member may be an area extending in the height direction of the second cover member covering the end plate and the third cover member covering both side portions of the module frame.

[0029] The fourth cover member may be a portion formed by folding the second cover member in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the end plate, and may be a portion formed by folding the third cover member in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on both side surfaces of the module frame.

[0030] The above insulating material may include silicon (Si).

[0031] The above cover member may include an insulating material made of mica (MICA) or an inorganic material.

[0032] A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the battery module described above.

[0033] According to embodiments, the safety of the battery can be improved by maintaining the structural stability of the battery module during venting.

[0034] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0035] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional battery module.

[0036] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional battery module.

[0037] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module excluding the insulating member and cover member of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 is a perspective view of an insulating member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a cover member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cover member of Fig. 7.

[0043] Figure 9 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the -z-axis direction.

[0044] Fig. 10 is a drawing of the battery module of Fig. 3 viewed in the x-axis direction and the -x-axis direction.

[0045] Fig. 11(a) is a perspective view showing a conventional battery module. Fig. 11(b) is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Fig. 12(a) is a perspective view showing a conventional battery module. Fig. 12(b) is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 13 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the y-axis direction and the -y-axis direction.

[0048] Figure 14 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the z-axis direction.

[0049] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. The present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0050] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not related to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0051] Furthermore, the sizes and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily indicated for convenience of explanation, and thus the present invention is not necessarily limited to the illustrated components. In the drawings, the thicknesses are enlarged to clearly represent various layers and regions. Furthermore, in the drawings, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for convenience of explanation.

[0052] Furthermore, when we say that a layer, membrane, region, plate, or other part is "on" or "over" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly on" the other part, but also cases where there are other parts in between. Conversely, when we say that a part is "directly on" another part, we mean that there are no other parts in between. Furthermore, saying that a part is "on" or "over" a reference part means that it is located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean that it is located "above" or "over" the reference part in the opposite direction of gravity.

[0053] Additionally, throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0054] Additionally, throughout the specification, when we say "in plan", we mean when the target portion is viewed from above, and when we say "in cross section", we mean when the target portion is viewed from the side in a cross-section cut vertically.

[0055] Additionally, while the first and second terms used in this application may be used to describe various components, the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

[0056] In addition, in the present application, the upper and lower may be defined as meaning the z-axis direction and the -z-axis direction, respectively, the side as meaning the y-axis direction and the -y-axis direction, and the front and rear as meaning the x-axis direction and the -x-axis direction, respectively, but these are arbitrarily defined within the specification for convenience, and the scope of rights is not limited to these names.

[0057] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module excluding the insulating member and the cover member of the present invention.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cell stack (120) in which a plurality of battery cells (110) are stacked, a module frame (200) that accommodates the battery cell stack (120), an end plate (250) that covers the front and back surfaces of the battery cell stack (120), an insulating member (300) that covers the module frame (200) and the end plate (250), and a cover member (400).

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, first, the battery cell (110) may be a pouch-type battery cell. Such a pouch-type battery cell may be formed by housing an electrode assembly in a pouch case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and then heat-sealing the sealing portion of the pouch case. At this time, the battery cell (110) may be formed in a rectangular sheet-type structure. However, the battery cell (110) is not limited to a pouch-type battery cell, and may be a variety of battery cells.

[0060] These battery cells (110) may be configured in multiple numbers, and the multiple battery cells (110) may be stacked so as to be electrically connected to each other to form a battery cell stack (120). In particular, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the multiple battery cells (110) may be stacked along a direction parallel to the y-axis.

[0061] A module frame (200) that accommodates a battery cell stack (120) may include an upper cover (220) and a lower frame (210).

[0062] The lower frame (210) may include a bottom portion (210a) and two side portions (211) extending upward from both ends of the bottom portion (210a). The bottom portion (210a) may cover the lower surface (-z-axis direction) of the battery cell stack (120), and the side portions (211) may cover both side surfaces (y-axis direction and -y-axis direction) of the battery cell stack (120).

[0063] A thermally conductive resin layer (213) may be positioned on the bottom portion (210a) of the lower frame (210). The thermally conductive resin layer (213) may be positioned between the battery cell stack (120) and the bottom portion (210a) of the lower frame (210), so that the battery cell stack (120) may be fixedly positioned on the bottom portion (210a) of the lower frame (210).

[0064] The upper cover (220) may be formed as a single plate-shaped structure that covers the upper portion (z-axis direction) of the battery cell stack (120) except for the lower portion and both side portions that are wrapped by the lower frame (210). The upper cover (220) and the lower frame (210) may be joined by welding or the like with corresponding edge portions in contact with each other, thereby forming a structure that covers the battery cell stack (120) in the upper, lower, left, and right directions.

[0065] The upper cover (200) may include a plurality of venting holes (221) penetrating the upper cover (200). The venting holes (221) may be holes penetrating the upper cover (200) in the height direction (z-axis direction). Accordingly, when venting gas or flames are generated in the battery cell (110), these may be discharged to the outside of the module frame (200) through the venting holes (221).

[0066] The module frame (200) can physically protect the battery cell stack (120). To this end, the module frame (200) can include a metal material having a predetermined strength.

[0067] Meanwhile, although not specifically illustrated, the module frame (200) according to the modified example may be a mono-frame in the form of a metal plate in which the upper surface, lower surface, and both side surfaces are integrated. That is, rather than a structure in which the lower frame (210) and the upper cover (220) are mutually coupled, it may be a structure manufactured by extrusion molding in which the upper surface, lower surface, and both side surfaces are integrated. In addition, the structure of the module frame (200) may be provided as an L-shaped frame structure in addition to a mono-frame or a lower frame, and may also be provided in various structures not described in the above-described example.

[0068] The structure of the module frame (200) may be provided in an open form along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell stack (120). That is, the front (x-axis direction) and the rear (-x-axis direction) of the battery cell stack (120) may not be covered by the module frame (200). Accordingly, the front and rear of the battery cell stack (120) may be covered by the bus bar assembly (130) and the end plate (250), and through this, the front and rear of the battery cell stack (120) may be protected from external physical impacts, etc.

[0069] The busbar assembly (130) includes a busbar frame and a busbar mounted on one surface of the busbar frame.

[0070] The busbar frame may be positioned on the front and / or rear surface of the battery cell stack (120) to cover one surface of the battery cell stack (120) and simultaneously guide the connection between the battery cell stack (120) and an external device. The busbar may be mounted on one surface of the busbar frame to electrically connect the battery cell stack (120) or battery cells (110) and an external device circuit.

[0071] The busbar may include a terminal busbar (135) for electrically connecting one battery module (100) to another battery module (100). That is, at least a portion of the terminal busbar (135) may be exposed to the outside of the end plate (250) so that one battery module (100) may be connected to another neighboring battery module (100).

[0072] The terminal bus bar (135) can be connected to another battery module (100) or a BDU (Battery Disconnect Unit) through a protrusion exposed to the outside of the end plate (250), and can form an HV (High voltage) connection with them.

[0073] The end plate (250) may be used to seal the open surface of the module frame (200) to protect the battery cell stack (120) and electrical components connected thereto from external physical impact. To this end, the end plate (250) may be manufactured from a material having a predetermined strength. For example, the end plate (250) may include a metal such as aluminum.

[0074] The end plate (250) may include a connecting portion (270) that can fix the battery module (100) and the pack frame by joining them together as a fastening member. That is, the connecting portion (270) can fix the end plate (250) and the battery pack together as a fastening member.

[0075] The connecting portion (270) may be positioned on both sides of the end plate (250). The connecting portion (270) includes a hole penetrating the connecting portion (270) in the height direction (z-axis direction) of the battery module (100), and a fastening member may be positioned while passing through the hole. That is, the fastening member may fixally connect the battery module and the pack frame through the connecting portion (270), so that the battery module (100) may be positioned more firmly on the battery pack, thereby improving the mechanical stability of the battery.

[0076] The end plate (250) can be combined (bonded, sealed or sealed) with the module frame (200) while covering the bus bar assembly (130) located on one surface of the battery cell stack (120).

[0077] The insulating member (300) may be positioned while covering the module frame (200). Specifically, the insulating member (300) may be positioned while covering the upper portion, both side portions, and the front and rear portions of the module frame (200). The insulating member (300) may be formed of a material having insulating properties, thereby preventing heat transfer between one battery module (100) and a neighboring battery module (100). Therefore, even when the temperature of one battery module (100) rises, the neighboring battery module (100) may be prevented from receiving heat and thus experiencing a temperature rise, or a thermal runaway phenomenon may occur due to this.

[0078] The insulating member (300) will be described in more detail in Fig. 6.

[0079] The cover member (400) can be positioned while covering the module frame (200) and the insulation member (300). Specifically, the cover member (400) can be positioned while covering the entire outer surface of the insulation member (300) and at least a portion of the lower portion (-z-axis direction) of the module frame (200). In this case, the cover member (400) can be positioned while covering a portion of the bottom portion (210a) of the lower frame (210).

[0080] Since the cover member (400) is positioned while covering the module frame (200) and the insulation member (300), even when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in the battery module (100), insulation from the neighboring battery module (100) or battery pack can be guaranteed, thereby ensuring the safety of the battery.

[0081] In addition, since the cover member (400) is positioned while covering a portion of the bottom portion (210a) of the module frame (200), even if a venting phenomenon occurs from the battery cell stack (120) and the pressure inside the battery module (100) increases, the cover member (400) can be prevented from being lifted or peeled off from the module frame (200). Therefore, the insulation of the battery module (100) can be secured even during venting.

[0082] The cover member (400) will be described in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0083] Figure 6 is a perspective view of an insulating member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, an insulating member (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention is positioned while covering a module frame (200).

[0085] The insulation member (300) includes a first insulation member (310) covering the upper portion (z-axis direction) of the module frame (200), a second insulation member covering both sides (y-axis direction and -y-axis direction) of the module frame (200), and a third insulation member (303) covering the front and rear sides (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) of the module frame (200). In this case, the first insulation member (310), the second insulation member (320), and the third insulation member (330) may be positioned while covering the outer circumferential surface of the module frame (200), respectively.

[0086] The first insulating member (310) may include an insulating rupture portion (311).

[0087] The insulation rupture portion (311) is a groove formed in the first insulation member (310) and is ruptured by internal pressure, thereby allowing venting gas or flames generated in the battery cell stack (120) to be discharged to the outside.

[0088] A plurality of insulating rupture portions (311) may be formed in the first insulating member (310). Specifically, the plurality of insulating rupture portions (311) may be grooves formed in an area of ​​the first insulating member (310) facing the venting holes (221) of the upper cover (220). Accordingly, the number and size of the insulating rupture portions (311) may correspond to the number and size of the venting holes (221). The number of the insulating rupture portions (311) may be the same as the number of the venting holes (221), and the size of the insulating rupture portions (311) may be the same as or smaller than the size of the venting holes (221).

[0089] In this drawing, the insulation rupture portion (311) is depicted as a shape in which one straight line and both ends of the straight line are divided into two branches, but it is not limited to this shape and can be changed to any shape as long as it corresponds to the size of the venting hole (221).

[0090] When venting gas or flame is generated in one battery cell (110), these can only move to the outside of the module frame (200) through some of the venting holes (221) among the plurality of venting holes (221). In this case, only the insulation rupture portions (311) provided at positions corresponding to some of the venting holes (221) through which the venting gas or flame has moved can be ruptured by the internal pressure. As a result, only some of the plurality of insulation rupture portions (311) are ruptured and the other insulation rupture portions (311) are not ruptured, thereby distinguishing the battery cell stack (120) from the external environment, and thus the venting gas, flame, high-temperature particles, etc. may not backflow into the module frame (200). Accordingly, the venting gas, flame, high-temperature particles, etc. discharged to the outside may not affect the normal battery cells (110), and thus the safety of the battery may be improved.

[0091] The second insulating member (320) may include a terminal insulating member (321).

[0092] The terminal insulation (321) may be configured to cover a portion of the terminal bus bar (135) exposed to the outside of the end plate (250). Specifically, the terminal insulation (321) may be configured to cover the front (x-axis direction) of the terminal bus bar (135) exposed to the outside of the end plate (250).

[0093] The terminal bus bar (135) is a configuration that is inevitably exposed through electrical connection between one battery module and a neighboring battery module, and generally, the battery modules can be electrically connected through the upper surface (z-axis direction) of the terminal bus bar (135). In this case, the side of the terminal bus bar (135) can be exposed to the outside without being used for electrical connection with other battery modules, so that the corresponding area can be covered by the terminal insulation part (321). This can prevent short circuits with neighboring battery modules. In addition, when a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in one battery module, the safety of the battery can be improved by preventing heat transfer or flame transfer to other battery modules and preventing reverse inflow of venting gas or flame.

[0094] The insulating member (300) may be formed of a material having insulating properties. For example, the insulating member (300) may be formed of silicon (Si).

[0095] In summary, the insulating member (300) covers the upper portion, both sides, and the front and rear surfaces of the module frame (200), thereby protecting the module frame (200) exposed to the outside from venting gas or flames in the event of a thermal runaway phenomenon. Furthermore, by covering the components inevitably exposed to the outside as much as possible, the reverse inflow of venting gas or flames can be prevented, thereby enhancing the safety of the battery.

[0096] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a cover member according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cover member of Fig. 7.

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, a cover member (400) according to one embodiment of the present invention is positioned to cover the module frame (200) and the insulation member (300).

[0098] The cover member (400) includes a first cover member (410) that covers the upper portion (z-axis direction) of the insulating member (300), a second cover member (420) that covers both sides (y-axis direction and -y-axis direction) of the insulating member (300), a third cover member (430) that covers the front and rear surfaces (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) of the insulating member (300), and a fourth cover member (440) that covers the bottom portion (210a) of the module frame (200). In this case, the first cover member (410), the second cover member (420), and the third cover member (430) may be positioned while covering the outer circumferential surface of the insulating member (300), respectively, and the fourth cover member (440) may be positioned while covering a portion of the bottom portion (210a) of the module frame (200).

[0099] The first cover member (410), the second cover member (420), the third cover member (430), and the fourth cover member (440) are all connected to form one, and can be folded and distinguished to correspond to the shape of the module frame. Specifically, the first cover member (410), the second cover member (420), the third cover member (430), and the fourth cover member (440) can be folded and distinguished along the dotted line illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0100] The cover member (400) may be formed of a material having fire resistance and / or flame retardancy. For example, the cover member (400) may include an insulating material composed of mica (MICA) or an inorganic material. Such a cover member (400) can withstand temperatures of approximately 1000 degrees Celsius or higher, thereby preventing short circuits that may occur between one battery module and an adjacent battery module, or between a battery module and a battery pack, thereby improving the stability of the battery.

[0101] Figure 9 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the -z-axis direction.

[0102] Referring to FIGS. 4, 7 to 9, the first cover member (410) according to one embodiment of the present invention is positioned to cover the upper portion (z-axis direction) of the battery module (100).

[0103] The first cover member (410) can be positioned to cover the upper cover (220) of the module frame (200) located at the upper part of the battery module and the upper part (z-axis direction) of the insulation member (300).

[0104] Since the first cover member (410) can be positioned to cover the entire outer surface of the upper cover (220), the size of the first cover member (410) can be the same as or larger than the size of the upper cover (220). In addition, since the first cover member (410) can be positioned to cover the entire upper portion of the insulating member (300), the size of the first cover member (410) can be the same as or larger than the size of the upper portion of the insulating member (300).

[0105] The first cover member (410) may include a plurality of cover rupture portions (411).

[0106] The cover rupture portion (411) is a groove formed in the first cover member (410), and can discharge venting gas or flames, etc. discharged through the venting hole (221) of the upper cover (220) and the insulation rupture portion (311) of the insulation member (300), to the outside. At this time, the cover rupture portion (411) can discharge these to the outside by being ruptured by the internal pressure increased by the venting gas or flames, etc.

[0107] The cover rupture portion (411) may be a plurality of grooves formed in the first cover member (410). Specifically, the cover rupture portion (411) may be a plurality of grooves formed in an area of ​​the first cover member (410) facing the venting hole (221) provided in the upper cover (220). In addition, the cover rupture portion (411) may be a plurality of grooves formed in an area of ​​the first cover member (410) facing the insulation rupture portion (311) provided in the upper portion of the insulation member (300). Accordingly, the cover rupture portion (411) may be provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of venting holes (221) and the insulation rupture portion (311), respectively.

[0108] The cover rupture portion (411) may be a groove formed in the same shape as the venting hole (221) provided in the upper cover (220). Accordingly, when the cover rupture portion (411) ruptures due to internal pressure, it may form a hole having the same shape as the venting hole (221). However, the shape of the cover rupture portion (411) is not limited thereto, and may be changed to any shape that can be changed from the perspective of a person skilled in the art.

[0109] When venting gas or flame is generated in one battery cell (110), it can only move to the outside of the module frame (200) through some of the venting holes (221) among the plurality of venting holes (221). In this case, only the insulation rupture part (311) provided at a position corresponding to some of the venting holes (221) through which the venting gas or flame has moved can be ruptured by the internal pressure. The venting gas or flame that has moved through the insulation rupture part (311) provided at a position corresponding to some of the venting holes (221) can be discharged to the outside by rupturing the cover rupture part (411) provided at a position corresponding thereto.

[0110] Due to this, only some of the plurality of cover rupture portions (411) rupture and the other cover rupture portions (411) do not rupture, thereby separating the battery cell stack (120) from the external environment, so that venting gas, flames, high-temperature particles, etc. may not be reversed into the module frame (200). Accordingly, venting gas, flames, high-temperature particles, etc. discharged to the outside may not affect normal battery cells (110), so that the safety of the battery may be improved.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 9, when looking down at the battery module (100) in the z-axis direction, the exposed portion of the module frame (200) except for the terminal bus bar (135) may be covered by the first cover member (410) and the folding cover portion (423a).

[0112] Here, the folding cover part (423a) constitutes the second cover member (420), which will be described in detail below when describing the second cover member (420).

[0113] Fig. 10 is a view of the battery module of Fig. 3 viewed in the x-axis direction and the -x-axis direction. Figs. 11(a) and 12(a) are perspective views showing a conventional battery module. Figs. 11(b) and 12(b) are perspective views of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] Referring to FIGS. 4, 7, 8, and 10, the second cover member (420) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be positioned to cover the front (x-axis direction) and the rear (-x-axis direction) of the battery module.

[0115] The second cover member (420) may be positioned while covering the end plate (250) and the insulation member (300) located on one side (x-axis direction) and the other side (-x-axis direction) of the battery module (100). One side of the battery module (100) may be the front side of the battery module (100), and the other side of the battery module (100) may be the other surface of the battery module (100). Here, FIG. 10(a) illustrates that the second cover member (420) is positioned while covering the front side of the battery module (100) of the present invention, and FIG. 10(b) illustrates that the second cover member (420) is positioned while covering the rear side of the battery module (100) of the present invention.

[0116] Since the second cover member (420) can be positioned to cover the entire outer surface of the end plate (250), the size of the second cover member (420) can be the same as or larger than the size of the end plate (250). In addition, since the second cover member (420) can be positioned to cover the entire front and back surfaces of the insulating member (300), the size of the second cover member (420) can be the same as or larger than the size of the insulating member (300).

[0117] In this case, the second cover member (420) covering the front part of the battery module (100) where the terminal bus bar (135) is located may include a 2-1 cover member (421) and a 2-2 cover member (423).

[0118] The 2-1 cover portion (421) may be configured to cover a portion of the terminal bus bar (135) exposed to the outside of the end plate (250). Specifically, the 2-1 cover portion (421) may be configured to cover an insulating member (300) that covers a portion of the terminal bus bar (135) exposed to the outside of the end plate (250). Here, the insulating member (300) that covers a portion of the terminal bus bar (135) may be a terminal insulating member (321, see FIG. 6).

[0119] The 2-1 cover portion (421) may be configured to cover an area of ​​the terminal bus bar (135) that is exposed to the outside and is not used for electrical connection between battery modules. Specifically, the 2-1 cover portion (421) may be positioned to further cover the terminal insulation portion (321) of the insulation member (300).

[0120] Referring to FIG. 11(a) and FIG. 12(a), the terminal bus bar (13) is mounted on the end plate (50) located on the front side (x-axis direction) of the conventional battery module (10) in a state where it is partially exposed to the outside. Specifically, in the conventional battery module (10), the terminal bus bar (13) is exposed to the outside not only on the upper surface for electrical connection with the battery module, but also on the side surface. That is, unlike the battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the conventional battery module (10) does not have an insulating member or a covering member covering the end plate (50) and the terminal bus bar (13), and therefore, there was a problem that the terminal bus bar (15) may short-circuit with other battery modules or battery packs. In addition, there was a problem that if venting gas or flames are generated in an adjacent battery module and discharged to the outside, venting gas or flames may flow between the assembly tolerances of the terminal bus bar (13) and the end plate (50) and the terminal bus bar (13) and the module frame (11, 12), causing an explosion, etc., thereby reducing the safety of the battery.

[0121] In contrast, referring to FIG. 11(b) and FIG. 12(b), it can be seen that the battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention covers the module frame not only with the insulating member but also with the cover member (400). Specifically, it can be seen that the second cover member (420) covers the front of the battery module (100), and at this time, the side of the terminal bus bar (135) is also covered with the 2-1 cover part (421). That is, by the 2-1 cover part (421) covering the side of the terminal bus bar (135) that is unnecessarily exposed to the outside, a short circuit between one battery module and a neighboring battery module or battery pack can be prevented. In addition, when venting gas or flames, etc. are generated in an adjacent battery module and discharged to the outside, unlike the conventional battery module (10), the second cover member (420) covers the tolerance of the components assembled with the terminal bus bar (13), thereby preventing the inflow of venting gas or flames, thereby improving the safety of the battery.

[0122] Referring again to FIGS. 4, 7, and 8, the second-second cover portion (423) may be a portion formed by folding in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the second cover portion (420) positioned on both sides of the second cover portion (420) on the end plate (250). At this time, the second-second cover portion (423) may be positioned while covering the connecting portion (270) of the end plate (250). Specifically, the second-second cover portion (423) may be positioned while covering the upper surface (z-axis direction) and the lower surface (-z-axis direction) of the connecting portion (270).

[0123] In the battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper and lower surfaces of the connection portion (270) are positioned with a height difference from the upper and lower surfaces of the end plate (250), and thus may not be covered by the first cover member (410) or the fourth cover member (440). Therefore, in order to prevent venting gas or flames from flowing into the battery module (100) due to the upper and lower surfaces of the connection portion (270) being inevitably exposed to the outside, the second-second cover portion (423) may be positioned while covering the connection portion (270).

[0124] Referring to FIG. 11(a) and FIG. 12(a), the end plate (50) covering the front and rear sides (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) of the conventional battery module (10) may include a connecting portion (51) provided on both sides of the end plate (250). In this case, not only the connecting portion (51), but also the end plate (50) and the module frame (11, 12) may all be exposed to the outside.

[0125] That is, unlike the battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the conventional battery module (10) is not provided with an insulating member or a covering member that covers the end plate (50), the connecting portion (51), the module frame (11, 12), etc., and therefore, when venting gas or flames, etc. are generated in an adjacent battery module and are discharged to the outside, the venting gas or flames, etc. may flow into the gap between the assembly tolerances of the end plate (50) and the module frame (11, 12), which are inevitably exposed to the outside, and an explosion, etc. may occur, which has a problem in that the safety of the battery is reduced. In addition, when a thermal runaway phenomenon, etc. occurs and the external shape of the battery module (10) collapses, there is a problem in that a short circuit may occur between battery modules, or between a battery module and a battery pack.

[0126] In contrast, referring to FIG. 11(b) and FIG. 12(b), it can be seen that the battery module (100) of the present invention is covered with a cover member (400) not only the module frame (200) but also the connecting portion (270) of the end plate (250). Specifically, the second cover member (420) covers the front and back surfaces of the battery module (100), and the second-second cover portion (423) folded while connected to the second cover member (420) can cover the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion (270).

[0127] In this case, the 2-2 cover part (423) may include a first folding cover part (423a) that covers the upper surface of the connection part (270), and a second folding cover part (423b) that covers the lower surface of the connection part (270). The first folding cover part (423a) and the second folding cover part (423b) are positioned to cover the upper and lower surfaces of the connection part (270) that are inevitably exposed to the outside, respectively, thereby preventing venting gas or flames from entering the battery module (100), thereby preventing thermal runaway phenomena, etc. from occurring. In addition, even in cases where thermal runaway phenomena, etc. occur and the outer shape of the battery module (100) collapses, since the 2-2 cover part (423) is positioned to cover the upper and lower surfaces of the connection part (270), short circuits between battery modules or between the battery module and the pack can be prevented, thereby improving the safety of the battery.

[0128] Figure 13 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the y-axis direction and the -y-axis direction.

[0129] Referring to FIGS. 4, 7, 8, and 13, the third cover member (430) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be positioned to cover both side surfaces (in the y-axis direction and the -y-axis direction) of the battery module (100).

[0130] The third cover member (430) can be positioned to cover the side portions (211, see FIG. 5) of the module frame (200) located on both side portions of the battery module and the side portions of the insulating member (300). That is, the third cover member (430) can be positioned to cover the third insulating member (330, see FIG. 6).

[0131] Since the third cover member (430) can be positioned to cover the entire outer surface of the side portion (211) of the module frame (200), the size of the third cover member (430) can be the same as or larger than the size of the side portion (211). In addition, since the third cover member (430) can be positioned to cover both side portions of the insulating member (300), the size of the third cover member (430) can be the same as or larger than the sizes of both side portions of the insulating member (300).

[0132] The third cover member (430) may include a third-first cover portion (431) and a third-second cover portion (433).

[0133] Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 11(b), and FIG. 12(b), the 3-1 cover portion (431) may be formed by folding the 3rd cover portion (430) in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the 3rd cover portion (430) positioned on both sides of the 3rd cover portion (430) and positioned on the 3rd insulating portion (330). At this time, the 3-1 cover portion (431) may be positioned while covering the end plate (250). Specifically, the 3-1 cover portion (431) may be positioned while covering an area of ​​the end plate (250) that is not covered by the 1st cover portion (410) and is exposed to the outside. Here, the area of ​​the end plate (250) covered by the 3-1 cover portion (431) may be a front portion of the end plate (250) corresponding to the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion (270).

[0134] Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 11(b), FIG. 12(b), and FIG. 13, the 3-2 cover portion (433) may be configured to cover the side surfaces (y-axis direction and -y-axis direction) of the end plate (250) exposed to the outside while being positioned on both side surfaces (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) of the third cover member (430). Here, the side surface of the end plate (250) covered by the third cover member (430) may be a connecting portion (270).

[0135] Specifically, the 3-2 cover portion (433) may be positioned to cover an area of ​​the connecting portion (270) that is exposed to the outside and not covered by the first cover member (410). In this case, the area of ​​the connecting portion (270) may be a side surface of the connecting portion (270).

[0136] The 3-2 cover portion (433) may cover the connection portion (270) while being positioned on both sides of the 3rd cover member (430) as in FIG. 13, but may further include a 3-3 cover portion (435) extending in the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) of the 3-2 cover portion (433) as in FIG. 11(b) and FIG. 12(b).

[0137] The 3-3 cover part (435) can be positioned while covering the front and rear surfaces of the end plate (250) by folding the 3-2 cover part (433) in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the module frame (200), i.e., the side positioned on the third insulating member (330, see FIG. 6). Specifically, the 3-3 cover part (435) can be positioned while covering a portion of the 1st cover member (410) that covers the front and rear surfaces of the end plate (250).

[0138] In this case, since the 3-3 cover part (435) is positioned to cover one area of ​​the first cover member (410) once more, one area of ​​the battery module (100) exposed to the outside is more reliably protected, thereby preventing short circuits between the battery module and other electrical components and preventing the inflow of venting gas or flames, etc., thereby improving the safety of the battery.

[0139] Figure 14 is a drawing of the battery module of Figure 3 viewed in the z-axis direction.

[0140] Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 12(b), and FIG. 14, the fourth cover member (440) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be positioned while covering the bottom portion (210a), which is the lower portion (-z-axis direction) of the battery module (100). Specifically, the fourth cover member (440) may be positioned while partially covering the bottom portion (210a) of the battery module (100).

[0141] The fourth cover member (440) may be a region where the second cover member (420) and the third cover member (430) extend in the height direction (z-axis direction), and may be a portion formed by folding the second cover member (420) and the third cover member (430) in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the battery module (100). That is, the fourth cover member (440) may be a portion formed by folding the second cover member (420) in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the end plate (250), and may be a portion formed by folding the third cover member (430) in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on both side portions of the module frame (200).

[0142] Since the fourth cover member (440) is positioned to cover only a portion of the bottom portion (210a), an adhesive (not shown) is applied to the area of ​​the bottom portion (210a) where the fourth cover member (440) is not positioned, so that the battery module (100) can be fixedly positioned on the battery pack frame. Accordingly, the cover member (400) can cover the assembly tolerance between the module frame and the end plate constituting the battery module (100) to the maximum extent, while at the same time ensuring a fixing force between the battery module (100) and the battery pack, thereby simultaneously improving the safety and mechanical stability of the battery.

[0143] In the conventional battery module (10, see FIGS. 1 and 2), not only was there no configuration covering the module frame like the cover member (400) of the present invention, but even if there was a configuration corresponding to the cover member (400), it was common for it not to cover the lower portion of the battery module. That is, in the conventional battery module, even if there was a configuration corresponding to the cover member (400) of the present invention, it only covered the upper portion, both side portions, and the front and rear portions of the battery module, and did not cover the lower portion.

[0144] In contrast, the cover member (400) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a fourth cover member (440), and thus can cover not only the upper portion, both side portions, front and rear portions, but also the lower portion of the battery module (100). In this case, the cover member (400) is positioned as if hanging from the lower portion of the battery module (100), so that even if a high pressure is applied from the inside to the outside of the cover member (400) due to a thermal runaway phenomenon or the like, the cover member (400) can be prevented from being separated from the battery module (100) due to lifting. In addition, it is possible to prevent flames or venting gases from entering the assembly tolerance between the module frame or end plates, and heat transfer can be delayed more effectively, thereby improving the safety of the battery.

[0145] The battery module and battery pack containing the battery module described above can be applied to various devices. These devices include, but are not limited to, means of transportation such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various devices that can utilize the battery module and battery pack containing the battery module, which also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0146] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0147] Description of the symbol

[0148] 100: Battery module

[0149] 135: Terminal bus bar

[0150] 200: Module Frame

[0151] 210: Lower frame

[0152] 220: Top cover

[0153] 221: Venting Hall

[0154] 250: End Plate

[0155] 270: Connection

[0156] 300: Insulating member

[0157] 400: Cover member

[0158] 410: First cover member

[0159] 411: Cover rupture

[0160] 420: Second cover member

[0161] 421: Cover Section 2-1

[0162] 423: Cover Section 2-2

[0163] 430: Third cover member

[0164] 431: Cover Section 3-1

[0165] 433: Cover Section 3-2

[0166] 440: Fourth cover member

Claims

1. A battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; A module frame including a lower frame on which the battery cell stack is mounted, and an upper cover that covers the upper portion of the battery cell stack and is coupled to the lower frame; An end plate covering the front and rear surfaces of the above battery cell stack; An insulating member positioned while covering the upper and both side surfaces of the module frame and positioned while covering the end plate; and A battery module including a cover member positioned on the insulating member, positioned so as to cover a portion of the upper part, both side parts, and the lower part of the module frame, and positioned so as to cover the end plate.

2. In paragraph 1, The upper cover includes a plurality of venting holes penetrating the upper cover, The above insulating member includes a first insulating member covering the upper portion of the module frame, A battery module wherein the first insulating member is provided at a position corresponding to the venting hole and includes an insulating rupture portion which is a groove formed in the first insulating member.

3. In paragraph 2, The above cover member includes a first cover member covering the first insulating member, A battery module wherein the first cover member is provided at a position corresponding to the venting hole and includes a cover rupture portion which is a groove formed in the first cover member.

4. In paragraph 1, The terminal bus bar electrically connected to the battery cell stack is partially exposed and positioned on the end plate. The above insulating member includes a second insulating member covering the front and rear surfaces of the end plate, The second insulating member is a battery module including a terminal insulating member covering the front surface of the terminal bus bar.

5. In paragraph 4, The above cover member includes a second cover member covering the second insulating member, A battery module wherein the second cover member includes a second-1 cover member that covers the terminal insulation member.

6. In paragraph 1, The end plate includes connecting portions located on both sides of the end plate, A battery module in which the upper and lower surfaces of the above-mentioned connecting portion have a height difference from the upper and lower surfaces of the above-mentioned end plate.

7. In paragraph 6, The above cover member includes a second cover member covering the end plate, The second cover member is a battery module including a second-second cover member that covers the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting portion.

8. In paragraph 7, A battery module in which the second cover member is formed by folding in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the end plate.

9. In paragraph 1, The above insulating member includes a third insulating member covering both side portions of the module frame, The above cover member includes a third cover member covering the third insulating member, A battery module including a 3-1 cover portion, wherein the third cover member is formed by folding in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the third cover member positioned on the third insulating member.

10. In Article 9, The above 3-1 cover part is a battery module that covers the front and rear sides of the end plate that are exposed to the outside and not covered by the second cover member that covers the end plate.

11. In paragraph 9, A battery module wherein the third cover member includes a third-second cover portion that is positioned on both sides of the third cover member and covers a side of the end plate exposed to the outside.

12. In Article 11, A battery module wherein the third cover member further includes a third-third cover member extending in the longitudinal direction of the third-2 cover member.

13. In paragraph 12, A battery module in which the above-mentioned 3-3 cover part is folded in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the 3-2 cover part positioned on the third insulating member, thereby covering the front and rear surfaces of the end plate.

14. In paragraph 1, The above cover member is a battery module including a fourth cover member positioned while covering the bottom portion, which is the lower portion of the lower frame.

15. In paragraph 14, The fourth cover member is a battery module that is an area extending in the height direction of the second cover member covering the end plate and the third cover member covering both side portions of the module frame.

16. In paragraph 15, The above fourth cover member is, The second cover member is a part formed by folding in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on the end plate, A battery module in which the third cover member is formed by folding in a direction perpendicular to one surface positioned on both side surfaces of the module frame.

17. In paragraph 1, The above insulating material is a battery module containing silicon (Si).

18. In paragraph 1, The above cover member is a battery module including an insulating material made of mica (MICA) or an inorganic material.

19. A battery pack comprising a battery module according to paragraph 1.

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