Battery pack and vehicle including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention may include: multiple battery modules arranged along the width direction or the longitudinal direction thereof; a pack case for accommodating the multiple battery modules: multiple inter-busbars for electrically connecting two neighboring battery modules among the multiple battery modules; and a shielding unit for shielding the inter-busbars from an inner space of the pack case, wherein the shielding unit is disposed on the outer surfaces of the inter-busbars, between one inter-busbar and another inter-busbar, and between the inner space and the inter-busbars.

Description

Battery pack and vehicle including same

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack capable of preventing arcing or short-circuiting on the outer surface of an inter-busbar due to flame or high-temperature impurities when an internal ignition occurs in a battery module. This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0112309, filed on August 25, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] A semi-permanent battery that converts electrical energy into chemical energy and can be repeatedly charged and discharged is called a secondary battery, to distinguish it from a primary battery that cannot be reused after a single use.

[0003] Lithium-ion secondary batteries, in particular, have high energy storage density, can be made lightweight and compact, and offer advantages such as excellent safety, low discharge rates, and long lifespan. These advantages have led to their recent widespread use as batteries for electric vehicles. Lithium-ion secondary batteries are generally classified into cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch types depending on their manufacturing form. Their applications are diverse, encompassing not only electric vehicle batteries but also energy storage system (ESS) batteries and other electrical devices.

[0004] Currently, the operating voltage of a single lithium-ion secondary battery cell is approximately 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, in order to apply a secondary battery as an energy source for an electric vehicle, a battery module is formed by connecting multiple lithium-ion secondary battery cells in series and / or parallel, and a battery pack is formed by connecting the battery modules in series and / or parallel.

[0005] Meanwhile, secondary batteries undergo chemical reactions during charging and discharging, which can lead to performance degradation if used in environments above their optimal temperature. Furthermore, if thermal control fails to maintain optimal temperatures, there's a constant risk of unexpected fire or explosion. Furthermore, battery packs, which are a collection of secondary batteries, are structured to house these batteries as tightly as possible within the pack case, making them vulnerable to thermal events.

[0006] Accordingly, if a thermal event such as overheating or thermal runaway occurs in a specific battery module, flames or high-temperature impurities may be ejected into the pack case. Furthermore, since the inter-busbars that electrically connect the battery modules are exposed in the internal space, arcing or short-circuiting may occur when the inter-busbars come into contact with flames or impurities, which accelerates the accumulation of thermal energy, easily causing thermal propagation to adjacent battery modules or accelerating a chain reaction of thermal runaway among the battery modules.

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for structural improvement to shield the inter-busbar from the internal space of the pack case to prevent arcing or short-circuiting at the inter-busbar in the event of internal ignition of the battery module.

[0008] The present invention was created in consideration of the above problems, and the problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a battery pack in which the inter-bus bar connecting the battery modules is completely shielded inside the pack case, so that arcing or short-circuiting can be prevented in advance on the outer surface of the inter-bus bar in the event of internal ignition of the battery module, and heat energy accumulation can be minimized to delay heat transfer to adjacent battery modules.

[0009] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0010] A battery pack according to the present invention for solving the above problem comprises: a plurality of battery modules arranged in a width direction or a length direction; a pack case accommodating the plurality of battery modules; a plurality of inter busbars electrically connecting two adjacent battery modules among the plurality of battery modules; and a shielding unit shielding the inter busbars from an internal space of the pack case, wherein the shielding unit can be arranged on an outer surface of the inter busbars, between one inter busbar and another inter busbar, and between the internal space and the inter busbars.

[0011] The above inter-busbar interconnects two battery modules that are adjacent in the width direction among the plurality of battery modules, and the shielding unit is arranged to extend in the width direction and can be arranged in a gap between two battery modules that are adjacent in the length direction.

[0012] The above shielding unit can block upward or lateral exposure of the inter-bus bar, thereby preventing flames or solid discharge generated in the internal space when a thermal event occurs from contacting the outer surface of the inter-bus bar.

[0013] The shielding unit may include a first shielding portion provided to correspond to the outer surface of the inter-bus bar; and a second shielding portion provided to partition and separate one inter-bus bar from another inter-bus bar adjacent to the inter-bus bar in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] The first shielding member may include a fireproof member that faces the inter-bus bar and partially surrounds the inter-bus bar; and a receiving case that receives the inter-bus bar.

[0015] The above refractory material can be made of MICA tape or GLASS tape.

[0016] The above-mentioned receiving case can be made of heat-resistant plastic material.

[0017] The above-mentioned receiving case may include a lower receiving casing that receives the inter-bus bar; and an upper receiving cover that is disposed on the upper portion of the lower receiving casing and is coupled to the lower receiving casing.

[0018] The lower receiving casing includes a side wall frame having a thickness and height of the inter-bus bar; and a support plate provided at the lower portion of the side wall frame and having the inter-bus bar fixedly supported at the center, and both sides of the support plate may have openings formed thereon.

[0019] The side wall frame may be provided with a coupling hook protruding upward to be coupled to the upper receiving cover, and the upper receiving cover may be formed with a coupling groove to which the coupling hook is detachably coupled.

[0020] The second shielding member may include a cover member attached to a portion of the outer surface of the battery module to cover the inter-bus bar; and a blocking member disposed on the upper end of the two battery modules that are adjacent to each other in the length direction and facing the cover member to block the gap.

[0021] The above cover portion may be provided to be folded so as to cover one edge of the battery module.

[0022] The cover part includes a first cover member covering an upper surface of the inter-bus bar; and a second cover member arranged vertically from the first cover member to cover a side surface of the inter-bus bar, wherein the length and width of the first cover member are provided to be greater than the length and width of the inter-bus bar in the longitudinal direction, and the length of the second cover member is the same as the length of the first cover member and the width of the second cover member is provided to be greater than the thickness of the inter-bus bar.

[0023] The above blocking member may be provided in a flat shape and arranged to connect the upper surfaces of the two battery modules adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0024] The length of the above blocking member may be set to be greater than the length of the above cover part.

[0025] The above blocking member may be arranged to extend continuously in the width direction of the battery module.

[0026] The width of the above blocking member may be set to be greater than the sum of the width of the first cover member arranged on the two battery modules adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction and the gap between the two battery modules adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0027] The above second shielding part can be made of MICA material.

[0028] Due to the first shielding portion and the cover portion, the flame or solid discharge ejected from the front of one of the battery modules may not come into contact with the inter-bus bar of another battery module arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0029] A fastening hole for connection with the battery module is formed on both sides of the above inter-bus bar, a fastening bolt is placed in the fastening hole, and the receiving case can shield the outer surface of the fastening bolt.

[0030] Additionally, according to the present invention, a vehicle including the above-described battery pack can be provided.

[0031] According to one aspect of the present invention, an inter-bus bar connecting battery modules can be completely shielded inside the pack case through a shielding unit that shields the internal space of the pack case, so that arcing or short-circuiting on the outer surface of the inter-bus bar due to flame or high-temperature impurities discharged into the pack case due to a thermal event can be prevented in advance, heat energy accumulation can be reduced, and heat transfer to adjacent battery modules can be delayed.

[0032] Additionally, chain reactions between battery modules can be prevented, increasing the durability of the battery pack and reducing maintenance costs.

[0033] In addition, with a relatively simple shielding structure, it can prevent electrical short circuits and short-circuits between battery modules in advance when a fire occurs inside the pack, thereby preventing explosive chain reactions in the battery modules and consequently preventing structural collapse of the battery pack by regulating the thermal energy that explosively accumulates inside the battery pack.

[0034] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0035] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the detailed description of the invention described below, serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to matters described in such drawings.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the battery pack of Figure 1.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of the first shielding section of the shielding unit in Figure 2.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a shielding unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a first shielding portion in a shielding unit of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are drawings for explaining a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are perspective views schematically illustrating a process of combining a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are schematic drawings illustrating a state in which a shielding unit is combined in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of a term to best explain his or her invention, they should be interpreted in a way that conforms to the technical spirit of the present invention.

[0047] Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0048]

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the battery pack of FIG. 1.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a battery pack (10) according to the present embodiment may include a plurality of battery modules (100) arranged along a width direction or a length direction, a pack case (200) accommodating the plurality of battery modules (100), a plurality of inter busbars (300, see FIG. 4, inter busbar) electrically connecting two adjacent battery modules (100) among the plurality of battery modules (100), and a shielding unit (400) shielding the inter busbars (300) from the internal space of the pack case (200).

[0051] The above battery module (100) may include a plurality of battery cells (not shown). The battery cell refers to a secondary battery including an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a pouch case that accommodates the electrode assembly. In the present embodiment, a pouch-type battery cell having a high energy density and easy stacking is targeted, but it is of course possible for a cylindrical or square secondary battery to be applied as the battery cell.

[0052] The above pouch-type battery cell may include a pair of electrode leads (not shown) that are connected to the electrode assembly and extend outwardly from the pouch case to function as electrode terminals. The pair of electrode leads may extend forward and backward along the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, they may extend at both ends of the battery cell, i.e., in the longitudinal direction (±X direction). If necessary, the electrode leads may have a form in which they are positioned only at one end in the X-axis direction, for example, at the end in the -X-axis direction. Although not shown, electrical components such as a busbar, a busbar frame, and a module connector may be mounted adjacent to the pair of electrode leads of such a battery cell.

[0053] In addition, the battery module (100) may include a module case (110) for accommodating battery cells. The module case (110) is configured to accommodate one or more battery cells and may be made of a metal material with high rigidity and durability or a plastic material such as ABS resin to physically or chemically protect the accommodated battery cells.

[0054] A terminal (120) of a battery module (100) may be provided on a side surface (both sides in the X-axis direction) located at the front or rear of the module case (110). The terminal (120) may be either a positive or negative electrode, and may be provided on only one side surface of the battery module (100), or may be provided on both side surfaces as the case may be. The inter-bus bar (300) may be connected to the terminal (120).

[0055]

[0056] The pack case (200) may accommodate the plurality of battery modules (100). To this end, the pack case (200) may have an accommodation space formed therein in which the plurality of battery modules (100) are accommodated. Referring mainly to FIG. 2, the battery modules (100) may be arranged in the width direction (Y-axis direction) and the length direction (X-axis direction) within the accommodation space of the pack case (200).

[0057] The above pack case (200) may include a pack tray (210) for storing the plurality of battery modules (100) and a pack cover (230) placed on the upper portion of the pack tray (210). The upper portion of the pack tray (210) is provided in an open form and is mutually coupled with the pack cover (230). The pack tray (210) may be provided with a material having excellent mechanical strength in order to protect the battery modules (100) from external impacts, etc.

[0058] The pack tray (210) may include a tray body (211) and a plurality of partition walls (212). The tray body (211) refers to the bottom surface and the outer frame of the pack tray (210), and the battery module (100) may be seated and supported on the bottom surface of the tray body (211). The plurality of partition walls (212) are arranged within the outer frame of the tray body (211), and may be arranged at regular intervals along the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack tray (210). Accordingly, the partition walls (212) may separate the battery modules (100) arranged along the width direction (Y-axis direction).

[0059] The height (Z-axis direction) of the above-mentioned bulkhead (212) may be provided relatively lower than the height of the battery module (100). In addition, the height may be lower than the height at which the terminal (120) of the battery module (100) is located. Accordingly, when an inter-bus bar (300) is arranged between one battery module (100) and another adjacent battery module (100), it may not interfere with the bulkhead (212).

[0060] In this embodiment, six battery modules (100) are arranged along the width direction, and partition walls (212) that partition the battery modules (100) are arranged between the battery modules (100), so that five can be provided along the width direction. If these six battery modules (100) are viewed as a first row (array), a second row is additionally arranged side by side at a predetermined interval in the length direction of the battery modules (100), so that the battery modules (100) form a 6 × 2 (width × length direction) array, and similarly, five partition walls (212) can be arranged on the second row. That is, as illustrated in the drawing, one partition wall (212) can be arranged to be continuously connected along the length direction (Y-axis direction) of the pack case (200). On the other hand, it may have a structure in which a cut is made in the center. The number of bulkheads (212) inside the pack tray (210) and the number of battery modules (100) to be stored are not limited to those shown as examples in this embodiment and may be set differently.

[0061] The pack cover (230) is positioned on the upper portion of the pack tray (210) so as to seal the internal space in which the battery module (100) is accommodated. The pack cover (230) in the present embodiment may be provided to completely cover a plurality of battery modules (100). The pack cover (230) may be manufactured from a material such as aluminum or SUS to ensure rigidity and may be manufactured from a material with high conductivity. Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawing, when the pack tray (210) and the pack cover (230) are mutually coupled, various coupling methods for sealing, such as bolting, welding, adhesion, and hooking, may be applied.

[0062]

[0063] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a drawing schematically illustrating a first shielding portion of the shielding unit in FIG. 2.

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the inter-bus bar (300) electrically connects two adjacent battery modules (100) among the plurality of battery modules (100). The inter-bus bar (300) can interconnect two battery modules (100) that are adjacent in the width direction among the plurality of battery modules (100). To this end, both ends of the inter-bus bar (300) are respectively positioned at the terminal (120) of one battery module (100) and the terminal (120) of another battery module (100) that is adjacent in the width direction, thereby electrically connecting the battery modules (100). The inter-bus bar (300) may be made of copper.

[0065] On both sides of the inter-bus bar (300), fastening holes (310, see FIG. 6) for coupling with the battery module (100) are formed, and fastening bolts (320) can be placed in the fastening holes (310). Through the fastening bolts (320), the inter-bus bar (300) can be fastened to the terminals (120) of the battery modules (100). Meanwhile, in the drawing, the inter-bus bar (300) only shows the connection between the battery modules (100) in the width direction, but the inter-bus bar (300) can also be arranged in the length direction of the battery module (100) and electrically connect the battery modules (100) arranged in the length direction.

[0066] Referring again to FIG. 2, the shielding unit (400) can shield the inter-bus bar (300) from the internal space of the pack case (200). That is, the shielding unit (400) can cover the inter-bus bar (300) and prevent the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) from being exposed to the internal space of the pack case (200).

[0067] To this end, the shielding unit (400) can be placed on the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300), between one inter-bus bar (300) and another inter-bus bar (300), and between the internal space and the inter-bus bar (300).

[0068] The above shielding unit (400) may include a first shielding portion (410) provided on the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300), as will be described in detail later, and a second shielding portion (430) provided to partition and separate one inter-bus bar (300) from another inter-bus bar (300) adjacent to it in the longitudinal direction.

[0069] The first shielding portion (410) can cover the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) as illustrated in FIG. 4 to shield the inter-bus bar (300) from the inner space of the pack case (200). The first shielding portion (410) is attached to the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) to cover the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300), and a case corresponding to the outer surface shape of the inter-bus bar (300) is provided, and the inter-bus bar (300) is accommodated in the case, thereby separating the inter-bus bar (300) from the inner space of the pack case (200).

[0070] The second shielding portion (430) may be provided to block a space between one inter-bus bar (300) and another inter-bus bar (300). In particular, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cover portion (431) of the second shielding portion (430) may be provided to partition and separate a space between an inter-bus bar (300) of one battery module (100) and an inter-bus bar (300) of another longitudinally adjacent battery module (100).

[0071] In addition, the second shielding member (430) can block the space between the internal space and the inter-bus bar (300), thereby shielding the inter-bus bar (300) from the internal space of the pack case (200). That is, the blocking member (436) of the second shielding member (430) can be arranged on the upper ends of the two battery modules (100) adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction to partition and separate the inter-bus bar (300) and the internal space of the pack case (200). It can block flames and the like that may travel along the upper surface of the battery module (100) from entering the inter-bus bar (300). This shielding unit (400) will be described in detail later.

[0072] In this way, the shielding unit (400) can block the upper or lateral exposure of the inter-bus-bar (300) from the internal space of the pack case (200), thereby preventing flames or solid discharges generated in the internal space from contacting the outer surface of the inter-bus-bar (300) when a thermal event occurs. Accordingly, the inter-bus-bar (300) connecting the battery modules (100) can be completely shielded inside the pack case (200), thereby preventing arcing or short-circuiting in advance, reducing heat energy accumulation, and delaying heat transfer to adjacent battery modules (100). The inter-bus-bar (300), which may be made of copper, is completely blocked from exposure to flames or solid discharges inside the pack case (200). As a result, the problem of arcing or short-circuiting occurring in the inter-bus-bar (300), thereby accelerating flame exposure and heat propagation to the outside of the battery pack, can be fundamentally solved.

[0073]

[0074] Below, the shielding unit (400) is described in detail.

[0075] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a shielding unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a first shielding portion in a shielding unit of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are drawings for explaining a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, the shielding unit (400) may include a first shielding portion (410) and a second shielding portion (430).

[0077] The above first shielding portion (410) is provided to correspond to the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) and can primarily block the exposure of the inter-bus bar (300) to the internal space of the pack case (200).

[0078] Referring mainly to FIG. 6, the first shielding member (410) may include a refractory member (411) that is provided to face the inter-bus bar (300) and partially surrounds the inter-bus bar (300), and a receiving case (420) that receives the inter-bus bar (300).

[0079] The above-mentioned refractory member (411) may be provided to face the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300). The refractory member (411) may be provided to partially wrap the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300), and may be provided to wrap the outer surface of the central portion, excluding the fastening holes (310) formed on both sides of the inter-bus bar (300). The refractory member (411) used here may be provided as a tape made of a mica material or a glass material. The refractory member (411) directly covers the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300), thereby enabling shielding of the inter-bus bar (300). In addition, when a tape made of a mica material or a glass material is applied instead of a simple insulating material, the time and temperature that the inter-bus bar (300) can withstand at high temperatures increase through the refractory member (411).

[0080] The above-described receiving case (420) can receive the inter-bus bar (300). The receiving case (420) can completely receive the inter-bus bar (300) therein and shield it from the internal space of the pack case (200). The receiving case (420) can include a lower receiving casing (421) that receives the inter-bus bar (300), and an upper receiving cover (426) that is arranged on the upper portion of the lower receiving casing (421) and coupled to the lower receiving casing (421).

[0081] The lower receiving casing (421) may include a side wall frame (422) having a thickness and height of the inter-bus bar (300), and a support plate (424) provided at the lower portion of the side wall frame (422) and having the inter-bus bar (300) secured and supported at the center. The side wall frame (422) may be provided with a coupling hook (423) protruding upward to be coupled to the upper receiving cover (426). The inter-bus bar (300) may be secured and supported on the upper surface of the support plate (424). Opening surfaces (425) may be formed on both sides of the support plate (424). The terminal (120) of the battery module (100) may be arranged on the opening surfaces (425).

[0082] The upper receiving cover (426) may be provided so as to be open at the bottom and completely cover the lower receiving casing (421), and a joining groove (427) may be formed in the upper receiving cover (426) to which the joining hook (423) is detachably joined.

[0083] The receiving case (420) of this configuration can completely accommodate the inter-bus bar (300) therein and completely shield the inter-bus bar (300) from the internal space of the pack case (200). However, both ends of the inter-bus bar (300) may be arranged on the opening surface (425) of the support plate (424) to provide a joint portion between the inter-bus bar (300) and the terminal (120). At this time, the fastening bolt (320) may also be arranged within the receiving case (420) and shielded from the internal space of the pack case (200). In particular, the receiving case (420) can cover the entire area of ​​the inter-bus bar (300) and shield the outer surface of the fastening bolt (320) at the same time.

[0084] In this way, the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) can be completely shielded while minimizing exposure at the connection point between the inter-bus bar (300) and the battery module (100). Meanwhile, the material of the receiving case (420) can be made of a heat-resistant plastic material. However, other materials may be adopted as long as they are heat-resistant and have guaranteed insulation properties.

[0085] Through the first shielding portion (410) of this configuration, the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) can be primarily shielded from the inner space of the pack case (200). Since there is no exposed portion of the inter-bus bar (300) to the outside, arcing or short-circuiting can be prevented more reliably.

[0086] Referring back to FIG. 5, the second shielding portion (430) may be provided to partition and separate one inter-bus bar (300) from another inter-bus bar (300) adjacent to it in the longitudinal direction. To this end, the second shielding portion (430) may include a cover portion (431) attached to a portion of the outer surface of the battery module (100) to cover the inter-bus bar (300), and a blocking member (436) disposed on the upper end of the two battery modules (100) that are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction and face the cover portion (431) to block the gap.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 together with FIG. 5, the cover part (431) may be attached to the outer surface of the battery module (100), particularly to one corner. The cover part (431) may be provided to be bent so as to cover one corner of the battery module (100). For example, the cover part (431) may have an L-shaped cross-section. This cover part (431) may be placed on the battery module (100) and may also cover the inter-bus bar (300) from the upper side and the side surfaces. The cover part (431) may include a first cover member (432) that covers the upper surface of the inter-bus bar (300), and a second cover member (433) that is arranged vertically from the first cover member (432) and covers the side surface of the inter-bus bar (300).

[0088] Referring to Fig. 8, the first cover member (432) may be attached to the upper surface of the battery module (100) and arranged to be spaced a predetermined distance from the inter-bus bar (300). The first cover member (432) may cover the upper side of the inter-bus bar (300). The length and width of the first cover member (432) may be provided to be greater than the length and width of the inter-bus bar (300) in the longitudinal direction, so that shielding efficiency may be improved.

[0089] The second cover member (433) may be provided to be vertically bent from the first cover member (432) and attached to a side surface (or front portion) of the battery module (100). The length of the second cover member (433) may be equal to the length of the first cover member (432), and the width of the second cover member (433) may be provided to be greater than the thickness of the inter-bus bar (300).

[0090] Meanwhile, the blocking member (436) may be provided in a flat shape and may be arranged to connect the upper surfaces of the two battery modules (100) that are adjacent to each other in the length direction. The size of the blocking member (436) may be provided to be relatively larger than the size of the cover part (431), and specifically, the length of the blocking member (436) may be provided to be larger than the length of the cover part (431). In the present embodiment, the blocking member (436) may be arranged to extend continuously in the width direction of the battery module (100), as shown in FIG. 5.

[0091] Alternatively, the blocking member may be configured to be segmented and connected rather than extending continuously. In this case, a plurality of segmented blocking members may be provided along the width direction of the battery module (100). A cut line may be formed between the plurality of blocking members.

[0092] In addition, the width of the blocking member (436) may be set to be larger than the sum of the width of the first cover member (432) arranged on the two battery modules (100) adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction and the gap between the two battery modules (100) adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0093] Accordingly, the second shielding portion (430) including the cover portion (431) and the blocking member (436) can form a secondary shielding structure that shields the inter-bus bar (300) from the internal space. The second shielding portion (430) having this configuration can be made of a MICA material. In the present embodiment, a rigid MICA material can be adopted, and the material can have relatively excellent mechanical properties such as bending or sagging characteristics of a plate-like structure. Here, the rigid MICA material can be a soft or flexible MICA material, or a material with relatively high rigidity in the relative sense of a tape.

[0094] According to this implementation configuration, even if there is a flame or high-temperature impurity discharged into the pack case (200) due to a thermal event, the inter-bus bar (300) connecting the battery modules (100) can be completely shielded inside the pack case (200), so that arcing or short-circuiting can be prevented in advance and heat energy accumulation can be reduced. In addition, heat transfer to adjacent battery modules (100) can be delayed or prevented, so that TP (Thermal propagation) suppression can be attempted.

[0095] In addition, chain ignition between battery modules (100) can be prevented, thereby increasing the durability of the battery pack (10) and reducing maintenance costs. In addition, by using a simpler shielding structure, explosive chain ignition of the battery modules (100) due to electrical short-circuiting can be prevented, thereby preventing structural collapse of the battery pack (10) in advance.

[0096]

[0097] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are perspective views schematically illustrating a process of combining a shielding unit in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0098] Hereinafter, the process of combining the shielding unit (400) in the battery pack (10) according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6, 8 to 10.

[0099] First, as shown in Fig. 6, a refractory member (411) is attached to the inter-bus bar (300). A tape made of MICA material or GLASS material is attached to the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300).

[0100] Next, before connecting the inter-bus bar (300) between the battery modules (100), the receiving case (420) is placed at the position where the inter-bus bar (300) is connected. The lower receiving casing (421) is placed on both terminals (120) of a pair of battery modules (100), and the inter-bus bar (300) is secured to the support plate (424), and then the battery module (100) and the inter-bus bar (300) are connected through the fastening bolt (320) in the fastening hole (310). Thereafter, while the inter-bus bar (300) is accommodated in the lower receiving casing (421), the upper receiving cover (426) is coupled to assemble the receiving case (420). By going through this process, the first shielding part (410) can be provided. Through the above first shielding portion (410), not only can the entire outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) be covered, but also the fastening portion including the terminal (120) and fastening bolt (320) of the battery module (100) can be covered.

[0101] Next, in FIG. 3, the cover member (431) can be attached to the corner of the battery module (100) as in FIG. 9. That is, the first cover member (432) is attached to the upper surface of the battery module (100), and the second cover member (433) is attached to the front of the battery module (100). The length and width of the first cover member (432) and the length and width of the second cover member (433) can be provided to be greater than the length or thickness of the inter-bus bar (300) as in FIG. 8, so that the shielding efficiency can be improved.

[0102] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 10, a blocking member (436) is placed on the upper side of the two battery modules (100) adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. The blocking member (436) is provided in the form of a flat plate and is placed to connect the upper surfaces of the two battery modules (100) adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the blocking member (436) is placed to extend continuously in the width direction of the battery module (100).

[0103]

[0104] Below, the shielding process is described.

[0105] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are schematic drawings illustrating a state in which a shielding unit is combined in a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 11, 12 and the preceding FIGS. 6 to 8, when a thermal event occurs in any one of the battery modules (100) (see the battery module (100) on the right in FIG. 11), flames or various discharges may be ejected along the front (center area between the battery modules (100) in FIG. 11) and upper surface of the battery module (100).

[0107] At this time, the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) is primarily shielded by the first shielding member (410). That is, the refractory member (411, see FIG. 6) attached to the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) blocks contact with the flame or discharged matter. In addition, the receiving case (420) fundamentally blocks the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) from being exposed, thereby blocking contact with the flame or discharged matter.

[0108] When flame or discharge is discharged along the upper surface of the battery module (100) (bent on the pack cover (230)) (see the upper surface of the battery module (100) in FIG. 11, arrow in FIG. 12), the blocking member (436) of the second shielding member (430) prevents entry into the gap between the battery modules (100). In addition, as a result of the first cover member (432) of the cover member (431) forming a double shielding layer, entry of flame or discharge is prevented as much as possible.

[0109] Flames or jets may be ejected forward of the battery module (100) (see arrows on the front side of the battery module (100) in FIG. 11). In this case, the second cover member (433) on the side of the triggered battery module (100) (the battery module (100) on the right side of FIG. 11) can block the ejection of flames or the like. With respect to the inter-bus bar (300) of the left battery module (100), the first shielding member (410) primarily blocks this, while the second cover member (433) shields the inter-bus bar (300) from the flames or jets. In this way, due to the first shielding portion (410) and the cover portion (431), the flame or solid discharge ejected from the front of one of the battery modules (100) is prevented from contacting the inter-bus bar (300) of the other battery modules (100) arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0110] According to the present embodiment, the inter-bus bar (300) connecting the battery modules (100) can be completely shielded inside the pack case (200), so that arcing or short-circuiting on the outer surface of the inter-bus bar (300) due to flames or high-temperature impurities discharged into the pack case (200) due to a thermal event can be prevented in advance, heat energy accumulation can be reduced, and heat transfer to adjacent battery modules (100) can be delayed.

[0111] In addition, chain ignition between battery modules (100) can be prevented, thereby increasing the durability of the battery pack (10) and reducing maintenance costs. In addition, by using a simpler shielding structure, explosive chain ignition of the battery modules (100) due to electrical short-circuiting can be prevented, thereby preventing structural collapse of the battery pack (10) in advance.

[0112]

[0113] Meanwhile, the battery pack (10) according to the present invention may further include various devices for controlling charging and discharging of battery modules (100), such as a BMS (Battery Management System), a current sensor, a fuse, etc., although not shown.

[0114] FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 13, the battery pack (10) according to the present invention can be applied to a vehicle (V), such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. That is, the vehicle (V) according to the present invention can include the battery pack (10) according to the present invention. The battery pack (10) can be installed in the body frame under the vehicle seat or in the trunk space, and when installed in the vehicle, the battery pack (10) can be arranged in a reversed order as needed.

[0116] According to various embodiments as described above, it is possible to provide a vehicle (V) including a battery pack (10) in which arcing or short-circuiting, which may occur due to flames or high-temperature impurities discharged into the pack case (200) due to a thermal event coming into contact with the inter-bus bar (300), can be prevented in advance, heat energy accumulation can be reduced, and heat transfer to an adjacent battery module (100) can be delayed.

[0117] In this specification, terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back are used, but these terms are only for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer.

[0118] As described above, although the present invention has been described by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the equivalent scope of the patent claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0119] [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 10: Battery pack 100: Battery module

[0121] 120: Terminal 200: Pack Case

[0122] 210: Pack tray 211: Tray body

[0123] 212: Bulkhead 230: Pack cover

[0124] 300: Inter-bus bar 310: Fastening hole

[0125] 320: Fastening bolt 400: Shielding unit

[0126] 410: First shielding section 411: Fire-resistant member

[0127] 420: Receiving case 421: Lower receiving casing

[0128] 422: Side wall frame 423: Joining hook

[0129] 424: Support plate 425: Opening surface

[0130] 426: Upper receiving cover 427: Joining groove

[0131] 430: Second shielding section 431: Cover section

[0132] 432: First cover member 433: Second cover member

[0133] 436: Absence of blocking

Claims

1. A plurality of battery modules arranged along the width direction or length direction; A pack case accommodating the plurality of battery modules; A plurality of inter busbars electrically connecting two adjacent battery modules among the plurality of battery modules; and A shielding unit is included that shields the inter-bus bar from the internal space of the pack case, A battery pack characterized in that the shielding unit is disposed on the outer surface of the inter-busbar, between one inter-busbar and another inter-busbar, and between the internal space and the inter-busbar.

2. In paragraph 1, The above inter-busbar interconnects two battery modules adjacent in the width direction among the plurality of battery modules, A battery pack characterized in that the shielding unit is arranged to extend in the width direction and is arranged in a gap between two battery modules adjacent to each other in the length direction.

3. In paragraph 2, A battery pack characterized in that the shielding unit blocks upward or lateral exposure of the inter-bus bar, thereby preventing flames or solid discharge generated in the internal space when a thermal event occurs from contacting the outer surface of the inter-bus bar.

4. In paragraph 3, The above shielding unit, A first shielding portion provided to correspond to the outer surface of the above inter-bus bar; and A battery pack characterized by including a second shielding member configured to partition and separate one of the inter-bus bars and another inter-bus bar adjacent to the inter-bus bar in the longitudinal direction.

5. In paragraph 4, The above first shielding part is, A fireproof member that is arranged to face the inter-bus bar and partially surrounds the inter-bus bar; and A battery pack characterized by including a housing case that accommodates the inter-bus bar.

6. In paragraph 5, A battery pack characterized in that the above-mentioned refractory member is made of MICA tape or GLASS tape.

7. In paragraph 5, A battery pack characterized in that the above-mentioned receiving case is made of heat-resistant plastic material.

8. In paragraph 5, The above acceptance case is, A lower receiving casing for receiving the above inter-bus bar; and A battery pack characterized by including an upper receiving cover disposed on the upper portion of the lower receiving casing and coupled to the lower receiving casing.

9. In paragraph 8, The above lower receiving casing is, A side wall frame having the thickness and height of the above inter-bus bar; It is provided at the lower part of the side wall frame and includes a support plate on which the inter bus bar is fixedly supported at the center. A battery pack characterized in that both sides of the support plate have openings formed thereon.

10. In paragraph 9, The above side wall frame is provided with a coupling hook protruding upward to be coupled to the upper receiving cover, A battery pack characterized in that the upper receiving cover has a joining groove formed therein to which the joining hook is detachably joined.

11. In paragraph 4, The above second shielding part is, A cover portion attached to a portion of the outer surface of the battery module and covering the inter-bus bar; and A battery pack characterized in that it includes a blocking member disposed on the upper side of the two battery modules that are adjacent to each other in the length direction and are arranged to face the cover part to block the gap.

12. In paragraph 11, A battery pack characterized in that the cover portion is bent to cover one edge of the battery module.

13. In paragraph 12, The above cover part, A first cover member covering the upper surface of the above inter-bus bar; and A second cover member is disposed vertically from the first cover member and covers a side surface of the inter-bus bar, The length and width of the above first cover member are provided to be greater than the length and width in the longitudinal direction of the inter-bus bar, A battery pack characterized in that the length of the second cover member is the same as the length of the first cover member and the width of the second cover member is provided to be larger than the thickness of the inter-bus bar.

14. In paragraph 13, A battery pack characterized in that the above blocking member is arranged in a flat shape to connect the upper surfaces of the two battery modules that are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

15. In paragraph 11, A battery pack characterized in that the length of the above blocking member is set to be greater than the length of the above cover portion.

16. In paragraph 11, A battery pack, characterized in that the blocking member is arranged to extend continuously in the width direction of the battery module.

17. In paragraph 13, A battery pack characterized in that the width of the blocking member is set to be larger than the sum of the width of the first cover member arranged on the two battery modules adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction and the gap between the two battery modules adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

18. In paragraph 4, A battery pack characterized in that the second shielding member is made of MICA material.

19. In paragraph 11, A battery pack characterized in that, due to the first shielding portion and the cover portion, the flame or solid discharge ejected from the front of one of the battery modules does not contact the inter-bus bar of another battery module arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.

20. In paragraph 9, On both sides of the above inter-bus bar, fastening holes are formed for connection with the battery module. A fastening bolt is placed in the above fastening hole, A battery pack characterized in that the above-mentioned receiving case shields the outer surface of the above-mentioned fastening bolt.

21. A vehicle characterized by including a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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