Battery module

Abstract

Provided is a battery module comprising: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a housing which accommodates the cell stack and has one or more venting holes provided therein; and a venting guide member which guides gas generated in the cell stack to flow in a direction toward the one or more venting holes, wherein the venting guide member comprises a body part which is disposed between the venting holes and the cell stack and has a plurality of openings provided therein, and a plurality of guide parts which are disposed between the body part and the cell stack and are in contact with the surface of the cell stack.

Description

battery module

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module.

[0002] Secondary batteries, capable of being recharged and discharged, are widely used in mobile devices such as digital cameras, cell phones, and laptops. Recently, they have been attracting attention as an energy source for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS).

[0003] As large-capacity and high-output power are required in electric vehicles and power storage devices, large-capacity battery devices such as battery modules or battery packs that house multiple secondary batteries (battery cells) inside a housing are widely utilized.

[0004] In battery devices housing multiple secondary batteries, external shocks, harsh charging / discharging, and short circuits between secondary batteries can cause high-temperature gas or flames to be generated in some battery cells. If these high-temperature gas or flames emitted from one battery cell spread to adjacent battery cells, they can trigger a cascade of thermal runaway within the battery device.

[0005] Therefore, a structure is required that can block high-temperature gas emitted from a battery cell from affecting other battery cells and safely discharge it outside the battery device.

[0006] The present invention has been devised to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art as described above, and provides a battery module having a structure capable of safely discharging gas generated inside the battery module.

[0007] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a battery module capable of preventing high-temperature gases generated in some battery cells from spreading to other adjacent battery cells along the periphery of the cell stack.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, in embodiments of the present invention, a battery module is provided, including a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a housing in which the cell stack is accommodated and in which one or more venting holes are provided; and a venting guide member that guides gas generated in the cell stack to flow in a direction toward the one or more venting holes, wherein the venting guide member is disposed between the venting hole and the cell stack and includes a body portion having a plurality of openings; and a plurality of guide members disposed between the body portion and the cell stack and in contact with a surface of the cell stack.

[0009] In embodiments, a plurality of guide portions may be formed by folding a notch portion formed by cutting an area of ​​a plate-shaped body portion in a direction toward the cell stack.

[0010] In embodiments, the plurality of openings may be empty spaces formed by folding a notch portion in the body portion.

[0011] In embodiments, the cell stack further includes one or more protective members disposed between the plurality of battery cells and facing the electrode receiving portions of the plurality of battery cells, and the plurality of guide portions may include one or more first guide portions that are in contact with an edge of the protective member; and one or more second guide portions that are in contact with the electrode receiving portions.

[0012] In embodiments, one or more first guide portions and one or more second guide portions may be alternately arranged along the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells.

[0013] In embodiments, the plurality of battery cells may include lead tabs extending in a first direction from the electrode receiving portion, and the venting guide member may be arranged to face the cell stack in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0014] In embodiments, a plurality of guide portions may protrude from the body portion in a direction toward the cell stack.

[0015] In embodiments, the length of the plurality of guide portions in the first direction may be shorter than the length of the body portion in the first direction.

[0016] In embodiments, the housing includes a lower frame on which the cell stack is mounted; and an upper cover coupled to the lower frame and covering an upper portion of the venting guide, wherein one or more venting holes can be arranged in the upper cover.

[0017] In embodiments, at least one area of ​​one or more venting holes may be opposite at least one of the plurality of openings in a second direction.

[0018] In embodiments, the battery module may further include a first fixing member that fixes the body portion to the inner surface of the housing.

[0019] In embodiments, the first fixing member includes a through-hole portion penetrating the housing; and a flange portion provided at an end of the through-hole portion, wherein the housing may include a first receiving groove for receiving the flange portion such that the flange portion does not protrude from a surface of the housing.

[0020] In embodiments, the battery module further includes a second fixing member that is engaged with the penetration portion of the first fixing member, and the body portion may include a second receiving groove that receives the second fixing member such that the second fixing member does not protrude from a surface of the body portion.

[0021] In embodiments, the body portion and the plurality of guide portions may be made of aluminum.

[0022] According to embodiments, a battery module capable of safely discharging high-temperature gas generated from a battery cell to the outside can be implemented.

[0023] Additionally, according to embodiments, a battery module can be provided that can block high-temperature gases generated in some battery cells from propagating to other adjacent battery cells along the periphery of the cell stack.

[0024] Additionally, according to embodiments, the direction of gas flow inside the battery module can be guided in a direction desired by the manufacturer through a venting guide member having a simple structure.

[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery module.

[0026] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery module.

[0027] Figure 3 is a reference diagram showing the configuration of a cell stack included in a battery module.

[0028] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the venting guide member before the guide portion is formed.

[0029] Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of a venting guide member in which a guide portion is formed.

[0030] Fig. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view according to part II' of Fig. 1.

[0031] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 6.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a reference drawing for explaining the combination of an upper cover and a venting guide member in a battery module according to another embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 9 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery module according to another embodiment.

[0034] Before going into the detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but rather should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical idea of ​​the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term in order to explain his or her own invention in the best way. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0035] The same reference numbers or symbols used in each drawing attached to this specification represent parts or components that perform substantially the same functions. For convenience of explanation and understanding, the same reference numbers or symbols may be used in different embodiments. In other words, even if components with the same reference numbers are depicted in multiple drawings, they do not necessarily represent a single embodiment.

[0036] In the following description, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms such as "comprises" or "comprises" should be understood to indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0037] In addition, in the description below, expressions such as top, upper, lower, lower, side, front, and rear are expressed based on the direction shown in the drawing, and it is noted in advance that they may be expressed differently if the direction of the object in question changes.

[0038] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., may be used in this specification and claims to distinguish between components. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components from each other, and the use of these ordinal numbers should not be interpreted in a limited manner. For example, components associated with these ordinals should not be interpreted in a restricted manner, such as in the order of use or arrangement, based on their numbers. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the presented embodiments. For example, those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention may propose other embodiments within the spirit of the present invention by adding, modifying, or deleting components, etc., but such embodiments will also be considered to be within the spirit of the present invention. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0040] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery module (10).

[0041] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module (10).

[0042] Figure 3 is a reference drawing showing the configuration of a cell stack (100) included in a battery module (10).

[0043] A battery module (10) may include a housing (200) having an internal space, a plurality of battery cells (110) accommodated in the internal space, and an end cover assembly (400) including a conductive busbar coupled to at least one side of the housing (200) and electrically connected to the battery cells (110).

[0044] The housing (200) provides an internal space in which one or more cell stacks (100) can be accommodated. The housing (200) may be formed of a material having a predetermined rigidity to protect the cell stacks (100) and other electrical components accommodated in the internal space from external impact. For example, the housing (200) may include a metal material such as iron, stainless steel, or aluminum.

[0045] The housing (200) may include a lower frame (210) and an upper cover (220) that are coupled to each other. The lower frame (210) may be provided as a U-shaped frame on which the cell stack (100) is mounted and on which the upper and both sides are open, and the upper cover (220) may be configured to be coupled to the open upper portion of the lower frame (210) so as to cover the upper surface of the cell stack (100).

[0046] However, the structure of the housing (200) is not limited thereto, and may be of any shape as long as it has an internal space capable of accommodating at least one cell stack (100). For example, the housing (200) may be configured as an integral monoframe in which an upper cover (220) and a lower frame (210) are integrally formed and both sides are open.

[0047] The housing (200) may be provided with a venting hole (221), which is a hole through which gas generated from the cell stack (100) can be discharged. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more venting holes (221) are provided in the upper cover (220) positioned on the upper portion of the cell stack (100), and gas generated in the internal space of the housing (200) can be discharged to the outside of the battery module (10) through the venting holes (221).

[0048] A shielding member (not shown) may be placed above or below the venting hole (221) to shield the venting hole (221). The shielding member (not shown) may be composed of a thin resin film or sheet and may block external foreign substances from entering the internal space of the housing (200). In the event of thermal runaway of the battery module (10), at least a portion of the shielding member (not shown) may be torn to allow gas emitted from the cell stack (100) to pass through appropriately.

[0049] An end cover assembly (400) may be coupled to one open side of the housing (200). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the end cover assemblies (400) may be provided as a pair and coupled to each of the open sides of the housing (200).

[0050] The end cover assembly (400) may have a plurality of conductive busbars arranged thereon that are electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells (110) included in the cell stack (100).

[0051] A plurality of battery cells (110) accommodated in a battery module (10) may be stacked in one direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2) to form at least a portion of a cell stack (100). In the following description, the stacking direction of the battery cells (110) is referred to as a 'cell stacking direction'.

[0052] In embodiments, the battery cells (110) forming the cell stack (100) may be secondary batteries capable of being charged and discharged. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the battery cells (110) may be pouch-type secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is housed within a sealed pouch.

[0053] In a pouch-type secondary battery (110), the electrode assembly and electrolyte may be housed within a pouch formed by processing one or more outer materials. The outer material forming the pouch may be composed of an aluminum laminated film, but the specific material thereof is not limited thereto.

[0054] The battery cell (110) may include an electrode receiving portion (111) having an internal space in which an electrode assembly is received, and a sealing portion (112) formed by sealing an outer material at the edge of the electrode receiving portion (111).

[0055] The sealing portion (112) may include a first sealing portion (112a) formed at a portion of the edge of the electrode receiving portion (111) where a metallic lead tab (113) electrically connected to the electrode assembly protrudes, and a second sealing portion (112b) formed at a portion where the lead tab (113) does not protrude. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell (110) may have a double-ended tab structure in which a pair of lead tabs (113) extend to both sides of the electrode receiving portion (111), and the edge where the lead tab (113) is exposed in the electrode receiving portion (111) may be sealed to form the first sealing portion (112a), and the edge where the lead tab (113) is not exposed may be sealed to form the second sealing portion (112b). At this time, in order to increase sealing reliability and minimize the area of ​​the sealing portion (112), a part of the second sealing portion (112b) may be formed in a folded shape at least once.

[0056] However, the shapes of the battery cells (110) shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are merely exemplary, and the battery cells (110) included in the battery modules (10) according to the embodiments are not limited to pouch-type secondary batteries. For example, the battery cells (110) may be configured as square secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is accommodated inside a square case having a predetermined rigidity, or as cylindrical secondary batteries in which an electrode assembly is accommodated inside a cylindrical case.

[0057] The cell stack (100) may further include a protective member (120) capable of protecting a plurality of battery cells (110).

[0058] For example, the protective member (120) may be a pressure pad that can apply a predetermined pressure to the battery cell (110) to prevent the battery cell (110) from swelling during the charging and discharging process. The pressure pad may further include at least one of polyurethane, silicone, and rubber (EPDM), and can apply pressure to the battery cell (110) by utilizing the elasticity of these materials.

[0059] Alternatively, the protective member (120) may be an insulating sheet capable of blocking high-temperature heat energy or flame generated from one battery cell (110) from being transferred to another neighboring battery cell (110). The insulating sheet is made of a material such as mica, silicate, or ceramic wool, which has excellent flame retardancy, heat resistance, and insulation properties, and can effectively block the transmission of heat energy within the cell stack (100).

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of protective members (120) and a plurality of battery cells (110) may be stacked along a cell stacking direction (e.g., Y-axis direction). However, the number of protective members (120) and battery cells (110) constituting the cell stack (100) is not limited to that illustrated in the drawing. The number and stacking pattern of the protective members (120) and battery cells (110) may be varied as needed.

[0061] When a large number of battery cells (110) are stacked inside a battery module (10), there is a risk that an event occurring in one battery cell (110) may be transferred to other battery cells (110) in a chain reaction manner. In particular, there is a risk that high-temperature gas or flames generated in the battery cells (110) may flow irregularly around the cell stack (100), thereby impacting the battery module (10). In addition, as the gas or flames flow around the cell stack (100), various heat propagation paths may be formed, which may further worsen the thermal runaway situation.

[0062] To prevent this, the battery module (10) may further include a venting guide member (300) arranged on one side of the cell stack (100) to guide heat energy or gas generated in the cell stack (100) to stably escape through the venting hole (221).

[0063] The venting guide member (300) may be placed between the cell stack (100) and the housing (200). For example, referring to FIG. 2, the venting guide member (300) may be placed between the upper cover (220) having the venting hole (221) and the cell stack (100), and may serve to guide gas generated in the cell stack (100) to flow toward the venting hole (221) of the upper cover (220).

[0064] When the direction in which the lead tab (113) extends from the battery cell (110) is referred to as the first direction (e.g., the X-axis direction), the upper cover (220) provided with the venting hole (221) can be arranged along the second direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) perpendicular to the cell stack (100) and the first direction (X-axis direction).

[0065] The second direction can be specifically defined as a direction showing a plurality of interstitial spaces or gaps formed by a plurality of battery cells (110) of the cell stack (100).

[0066] Between the upper cover (220) and the cell stack (100), a venting guide member (300) is arranged to face the cell stack (100) in a second direction (Z-axis direction), so as to guide gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) to flow in a direction toward the upper cover (220) (for example, the positive Z-axis direction). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first direction (X-axis direction) may mean the direction in which the lead tab (113) of the battery cell (110) protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the battery module (10), and the second direction (Z-axis direction) may mean the direction in which the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (220) face each other in the height direction of the battery module (10).

[0067] Meanwhile, the arrangement position of the venting guide member (300) is not limited to that shown in Fig. 2. For example, when the venting hole (221) is provided on the lower surface of the housing (200), the venting guide member (300) can be arranged between the lower surface of the cell stack (100) and the lower surface of the housing (200), thereby guiding the gas generated in the cell stack (100) to flow toward the venting hole (221) on the lower surface of the housing (200).

[0068] The venting guide member (300) can be positioned along an intended venting direction in the cell stack (100), and at this time, the venting guide member (300) can be positioned between the cell stack (100) and the housing (200). When the intended venting directions in the cell stack (100) are in multiple directions, the venting guide member (300) can be positioned along at least one of the multiple directions.

[0069] The venting guide member (300) may include a plurality of openings (330) configured to communicate with the venting holes (221) of the housing (200). Gas generated in the cell stack (100) may pass through the openings (330) of the venting guide member (300) and be safely discharged to the outside of the battery module (10) through the venting holes (221) of the housing (200).

[0070] In this way, the venting guide member (300) can guide the movement path of gas or flame around the cell stack (100) in a preset direction in a thermal runaway situation of the battery cell (110), thereby preventing an unexpected heat propagation path from being created around the cell stack (100). To this end, at least a portion of the venting guide member (300) can have a structure that protrudes toward the cell stack (100).

[0071] For the above reasons, the venting guide member (300) may be arranged so that the cell stack (100) viewed from the point where the venting guide member (300) is arranged shows a plurality of interstitial spaces or gaps formed by the plurality of battery cells (110). That is, gas or flame leaking from any battery cell (110) may be guided toward the venting guide member (300) instead of being transmitted to an adjacent battery cell (110).

[0072] Below, the detailed structure of the venting guide member (300) is described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0073] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the venting guide member (300) before the guide portion (320) is formed.

[0074] Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of a venting guide member (300) in which a guide portion (320) is formed.

[0075] The venting guide member (300) described in FIGS. 4 and 5 corresponds to the venting guide member (300) described in FIGS. 1 to 3, so redundant description may be omitted.

[0076] The venting guide member (300) may include a body portion (310) forming the body of the venting guide member (300), a plurality of openings (330) provided in the body portion (310), and a plurality of guide portions (320) that guide gas generated in a cell stack (e.g., 100 of FIGS. 1 to 3) to flow toward the plurality of openings (330).

[0077] The guide portion (320) may have a structure protruding from one side of the body portion (310). For example, referring to FIG. 5, the guide portion (320) may be a partition structure extending downward (e.g., in the negative Z-axis direction) from the lower surface of the body portion (310).

[0078] A plurality of guide parts (320) may be arranged in parallel along the cell stacking direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) on one surface of the body part (310). An opening (330) may be provided between two adjacent guide parts (320), and thus, gas generated in the cell stack (100 of FIGS. 1 to 3) flows between the two guide parts (320) and passes through the venting guide member (300) through the opening (330).

[0079] The guide part (320) can be formed by folding a notch part (311) formed in at least a portion of a plate-shaped body part (310). For example, referring to FIG. 4, a notch part (311) is formed by cutting a portion of a flat plate member constituting the body part (310), and the guide part (320) can be formed by folding the notch part (311) in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the empty space formed by folding the notch part (311) can be an opening (330) of the venting guide member (300).

[0080] In this way, a venting guide member (300) capable of guiding a gas flow path inside a battery module (e.g., 10 of FIGS. 1 to 2) can be manufactured through a simple process of cutting and then folding a portion of a flat plate.

[0081] To facilitate the manufacturing process, the venting guide member (300) may be formed of a metal material suitable for cutting and folding. For example, the venting guide member (300) may be formed of iron or an aluminum alloy, which are easily moldable. In particular, metal materials such as iron or an aluminum alloy are easy to mold and can withstand the gases generated from the cell stack (100) without being easily burned or melted, thereby effectively performing the role of a venting path guide.

[0082] In the venting guide member (300), the length (d2) of the guide portion (320) in the first direction (X-axis direction) may be shorter than the length (d1) of the body portion (310) in the first direction (X-axis direction).

[0083] The body part (310) can be inserted between end cover assemblies (e.g., 400 of FIGS. 1 to 2) coupled to both sides of the housing (e.g., 200 of FIGS. 1 to 2) and fixed so as not to move in the first direction (X-axis direction), which is the longitudinal direction of the battery module (10 of FIGS. 1 to 2), inside the housing (200 of FIGS. 1 to 2). In addition, since the guide part (320) protruding from the lower surface of the body part (310) has a length (d2) shorter than the length (d1) of the body part (310), physical interference or collision with other components (e.g., bus bars or various electrical components) arranged inside the end cover assembly (400 of FIGS. 1 to 2) can be avoided.

[0084] In addition, the length (d2) of the first direction (X-axis direction) of the guide portion (320) may be configured to be equal to or longer than the length of the corresponding battery cell (110) in the same direction. This is to effectively reduce the probability of gas or flames propagating in the Y-axis direction by blocking the space between two adjacent battery cells (110) as much as possible.

[0085] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the venting path formed inside the battery module (10) by the venting guide member (300) described above will be described in more detail.

[0086] Fig. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view according to part II' of Fig. 1.

[0087] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 6.

[0088] The battery module (10) described in FIGS. 6 and 7 corresponds to the battery module (10) described above through FIGS. 1 to 5, so any redundant description may be omitted.

[0089] A battery module (10) may include a cell stack (100) in which a plurality of battery cells (110) and a plurality of protective members (120) are stacked, an upper cover (220) disposed on the upper portion of the cell stack (100) and having a plurality of venting holes (221), and a venting guide member (300) disposed between the cell stack (100) and the venting holes (221) to guide a gas flow path.

[0090] The venting guide member (300) may include a body portion (310) positioned between the venting hole (221) of the housing (200) and the cell stack (100), and a plurality of guide portions (320) protruding from the body portion (310) and coming into contact with the surface of the cell stack (100).

[0091] A plurality of guide portions (320) may protrude from the body portion (310) in a direction toward the cell stack (100). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the guide portions (320) may protrude from the body portion (310) in a second direction (Z-axis direction) so that their ends may come into contact with the surface of the cell stack (100).

[0092] Some of the plurality of guide portions (320) may be in contact with the electrode receiving portion (111) of the battery cell (110), and others may be in contact with the protective member (120). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the plurality of guide portions (320) may include a first guide portion (320a) whose edge is in contact with the protective member (120) and a second guide portion (320b) whose edge is in contact with the electrode receiving portion (111) of the battery cell (110). In particular, the first guide portion (320a) may have its edge in contact with the edge of the protective member (120), thereby forming a kind of protective barrier that vertically crosses the inside of the battery module (10) to block gas and heat propagation.

[0093] More actively, the guide member (320) can be configured to pressurize the protective member (120) to further improve the reliability of the heat transmission blocking effect.

[0094] When the guide portion (320) and the protective member (120) are configured to be in contact or pressurized, the relative lengths of the guide portion (320) and the protective member (120) can be determined by considering the size of the opening (330) and the relative size of the venting hole (221) described later. When the downward protrusion length of the guide portion (320) is configured to be short, the width of the opening (330) formed by the folding of the notch portion (311) may be shortened, and thus, a space for discharging gas or flames may not be sufficiently secured. Therefore, the downward protrusion length of the guide portion (320) can be made sufficiently long, and the height of the protective member (120) can be set accordingly.

[0095] The first guide portion (320a) and the second guide portion (320b) may be arranged alternately along the cell stacking direction (Y-axis direction). However, such alternate arrangement is applied when two battery cells (110) are stacked between two adjacent protective members (120), and the arrangement order of the first guide portion (320a) and the second guide portion (320b) may be varied depending on the stacking pattern of the battery cells (110) and the protective member (120).

[0096] The first guide portion (320a) and the second guide portion (320b) can serve as partitions that divide the space between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (220) into a plurality of sub-spaces. That is, gas, flames, and combustion particles generated due to thermal runaway of any one battery cell (110) of the cell stack (100) can flow only between the plurality of guide portions (320) arranged on the upper side of the battery cell (110), and the flow path can be restricted so as not to propagate beyond the guide portions (320) to other adjacent portions.

[0097] The gas whose flow in the cell stacking direction is restricted by the guide portion (320) can move upward along the surface of the guide portion (320) and be discharged to the outside of the battery module (10) through the opening (330) and the venting hole (221). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the opening (330) is arranged between a plurality of guide portions (320) in the body portion (310), and at least one area of ​​the venting hole (221) arranged in the housing (200) is arranged to face the opening (330) of the venting guide member (300), so that the gas moving upward along the surface of the guide portion (320) can sequentially pass through the opening (330) and the venting hole (221) and be discharged to the outside of the battery module (10). That is, the venting guide member (300) is placed between the cell stack (100) and the venting hole (221) of the housing (200), so as to form a gas flow path (G) extending from the cell stack (100) to the venting hole (221).

[0098] The venting hole (221) area may overlap at least a portion of the opening (330) area. Preferably, the venting hole (221) area may be configured to include the opening (330) area. In this case, the effect of gas or flame passing through the venting guide member (300) being blocked by the housing (200) is minimized, thereby enabling effective discharge, which may ultimately contribute to weight reduction of the housing (200).

[0099] In this way, the venting guide member (300) blocks gas or flame from spreading in the cell stacking direction (Y-axis direction) near the cell stack (100) and guides it to flow in the direction (Z-axis direction) toward the venting hole (221), thereby preventing a chain reaction of fire from occurring inside the battery module (10) due to gas or flame generated from some battery cells (110).

[0100] Meanwhile, the venting guide member (300) may be fixed in position while being sandwiched between the cell stack (100) and the housing (200). For example, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the body portion (310) of the venting guide member (300) may be in close contact with the lower surface of the upper cover (220), and the guide portion (320) protruding from the body portion (310) may be in contact with the surface of the cell stack (100). Accordingly, the venting guide member (300) may be fixed in a state where one side is in contact with the housing (200) (e.g., the upper cover (220)) and the other side, which is the opposite side of the one side, is in contact with the cell stack (100), that is, the venting guide member (300) may be fixed in a state where it is sandwiched between the housing (200) and the cell stack (100).

[0101] However, the fixing structure of the venting guide member (300) is not limited to what has been described above. For example, in other embodiments, the venting guide member (300) may be fixed by being fastened to the housing (200) through a fixing member.

[0102] Hereinafter, a battery module (10) further including a fixing member will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0103] FIG. 8 is a reference drawing for explaining the combination of an upper cover (220') and a venting guide member (300') in a battery module (10') according to another embodiment.

[0104] Fig. 9 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery module (10') according to another embodiment.

[0105] The battery module (10') described in FIGS. 8 and 9 includes all the features of the battery module (10) described in FIGS. 1 to 7, but further includes a fixing member (500) that fixes the position of the venting guide member (300'). Accordingly, the remaining features, excluding the features related to the fixing member (500), may be referred to the descriptions regarding FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0106] The battery module (10') may further include a fixing member (500) that can fix the venting guide member (300') to the inner surface of the housing (200).

[0107] For example, referring to FIG. 8, the fixing member (500) may include a first fixing member (510) that penetrates the upper cover (220') and is fastened to the venting guide member (300'), and a second fixing member (520) that is fastened to an end of the first fixing member (510). For example, the first fixing member (510) may be a bolt having a penetration portion (511) and a flange portion (512) formed at an end of the penetration portion (511), and the second fixing member (520) may be a nut that is fastened to the penetration portion (511) of the bolt. However, the configuration of the fixing member (500) is not limited to that described above, and for example, the first fixing member (510) may be directly fastened to the venting guide member (300') without the second fixing member (520) to mutually fasten the upper cover (220') and the venting guide member (300').

[0108] To allow the first fixing member (510) to pass through, a joining hole (H1, H2) may be provided in the upper cover (220') and the venting guide member (300').

[0109] The joining holes (H1, H2) of the upper cover (220) and the venting guide member (300) can be arranged so as not to overlap with the venting hole (221) and the opening (330), respectively.

[0110] The coupling holes (H1, H2) may be arranged along the edges of the upper cover (220') and the venting guide member (300'), but may be additionally provided at other parts in addition to the edges to prevent sagging of the central portion. For example, referring to Fig. 8, the coupling holes (H1, H2) may be arranged in three rows parallel to the first direction (X-axis direction), which is the longitudinal direction, and four columns parallel to the cell stacking direction (Y-axis direction), which is the width direction, in the upper cover (220') and the venting guide member (300').

[0111] The venting guide member (300') is firmly fixed to the lower surface of the upper cover (220') by the first fixing member (510) and the second fixing member (520), so that it does not come out of place even if an impact is applied due to an impact from outside the battery module (10) or an explosion inside the battery module (10).

[0112] Meanwhile, in order to prevent the fixing member (500) from protruding further than the surfaces of the upper cover (220') and the venting guide member (300') and interfering with other components inside and outside the battery module (10'), the coupling holes (H1, H2) may be provided with receiving grooves (222, 340) having a sunken structure so as to accommodate at least a portion of the fixing member (500). For example, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a first receiving groove (222) in which a flange portion (512) of a first fixing member (510) is accommodated may be provided in a first coupling hole (H1) of the upper cover (220'). In addition, a second receiving groove (340) in which a second fixing member (520) can be accommodated may be provided in a second coupling hole (H2) of the venting guide member (300').

[0113] However, in the battery module (10'), the fixing structure of the venting guide member (300') is not limited to what has been described above. For example, in addition to the fixing member (500) described above, the battery module (10') may further include an adhesive member applied between the venting guide member (300') and the upper cover (220') for fixing the venting guide member.

[0114] In embodiments, the venting guide member (300, 300') of the battery module (10, 10') can guide the gas generated in the cell stack (100) to flow toward the side where the venting hole (221) is arranged (e.g., in the direction toward the top of the battery module (10, 10')), so that the gas can be safely discharged to the outside of the battery module (10, 10').

[0115] In addition, the venting guide member (300, 300') can prevent high-temperature gas or flames from flowing along the cell stacking direction around the cell stack (100) in a thermal runaway situation, thereby preventing a chain reaction of fires from occurring inside the battery module (10, 10').

[0116] In addition, since the venting guide member (300, 300') can be mass-produced quickly through a simple process of cutting and folding a flat plate, a structure capable of safely releasing gas can be added without a complex additional process in the manufacturing process of the battery module (10, 10').

[0117] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be implemented by deleting some components, and the embodiments may be implemented in combination with each other.

[0118] [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 10... battery module 100... cell stack

[0120] 110... Battery cell 120... Protection member

[0121] 200... Housing 210... Lower frame

[0122] 220... Top cover 221... Venting hole

[0123] 222... No. 1 receiving home 300... Absence of venting guide

[0124] 310... Body part 311... Notch part

[0125] 320... Guide part 330... Opening part

[0126] 340... Second receiving groove 400... End cover assembly

[0127] 500... fixed member 510... first fixed member

[0128] 520... Second fixed member

Claims

1. A cell stack in which multiple battery cells are stacked; A housing in which the cell stack is accommodated and having one or more venting holes; and A venting guide member is included to guide the gas generated in the cell stack to flow in a direction toward the one or more venting holes. The above venting guide member A body portion disposed between the venting hole and the cell stack, and having a plurality of openings; and A battery module comprising a plurality of guide portions disposed between the body portion and the cell stack and in contact with the surface of the cell stack.

2. In paragraph 1, A battery module in which the plurality of guide parts are formed by folding a notch formed by cutting an area of ​​the plate-shaped body part in a direction toward the cell stack.

3. In paragraph 2, A battery module in which the plurality of openings are empty spaces formed by folding the notch portion in the body portion.

4. In paragraph 1, The above cell stack is Further comprising one or more protective members disposed between the plurality of battery cells and facing the electrode receiving portions of the plurality of battery cells, The above multiple guide parts One or more first guide portions in contact with the edge of the protective member; and A battery module comprising at least one second guide portion in contact with the electrode receiving portion.

5. In paragraph 4, A battery module in which the one or more first guide portions and the one or more second guide portions are alternately arranged along the stacking direction of the plurality of battery cells.

6. In paragraph 1, The plurality of battery cells include a lead tab extending in a first direction from the electrode receiving portion, A battery module in which the above venting guide member is arranged to face the cell stack in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7. In paragraph 6, A battery module in which the plurality of guide portions protrude from the body portion in a direction toward the cell stack.

8. In paragraph 6, A battery module in which the length of the plurality of guide parts in the first direction is shorter than the length of the body part in the first direction.

9. In paragraph 6, The above housing a lower frame on which the cell stack is mounted; and It includes an upper cover that is coupled to the lower frame and covers the upper portion of the venting guide, A battery module wherein the one or more venting holes are arranged in the upper cover.

10. In paragraph 9, A battery module wherein at least one area of ​​said one or more venting holes faces at least one of said plurality of openings in the second direction.

11. In paragraph 1, A battery module further comprising a first fixing member for fixing the body portion to the inner surface of the housing.

12. In paragraph 11, The above first fixed member a penetration portion penetrating the housing; and Includes a flange portion provided at the end of the above penetration portion, A battery module wherein the housing includes a first receiving groove for receiving the flange portion so that the flange portion does not protrude from the surface of the housing.

13. In paragraph 12, It further includes a second fixing member that is connected to the penetration portion of the first fixing member, A battery module wherein the body portion includes a second receiving groove for receiving the second fixing member so that the second fixing member does not protrude from the surface of the body portion.

14. In paragraph 1, A battery module in which the body portion and the plurality of guide portions are made of aluminum.

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