Battery device

Abstract

Provided is a battery device comprising: a plurality of pack housings including a first pack housing and a second pack housing, each of which accommodates a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells, and which are stacked in one direction; and an upper cover which covers the upper portion of the pack housing disposed at the uppermost end among the plurality of pack housings, wherein: each of the first pack housing and the second pack housing comprises: a lower frame in which the cell assembly is seated; and a plurality of side frames connected to the lower frame to protect the side surface of the cell assembly; at least one of the plurality of side frames comprises: a body part disposed to face the side surface of the cell assembly; and a first upper flange and a first lower flange disposed at both ends of the body part in the height direction; and the first lower flange of the first pack housing and the first upper flange of the second pack housing are coupled to each other with the lower frame of the first pack housing therebetween.

Description

Battery device

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery device in which a plurality of battery packs are stacked.

[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 is required in electric vehicles and power storage devices, battery modules that house multiple secondary batteries (battery cells) inside a housing or large-capacity battery devices that connect multiple battery packs are widely used.

[0004] In particular, for large vehicles such as commercial vehicles, battery devices with multiple battery packs connected have been applied as large-capacity energy sources are required to drive the vehicles over long distances.

[0005] In the case of conventional battery devices applied to large vehicles such as this, multiple battery packs are each fixed to the vehicle and electrically connected to each other to form the entire battery device.

[0006] In this case, a complex fixing device was required to secure each battery pack, and a gap was created between the battery packs, which caused a problem of reducing the energy density per unit volume of the battery device.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art as described above, and provides a battery device having a high energy density by reducing wasted space between battery packs in a battery device composed of a plurality of battery packs.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery device having a structure in which a plurality of battery packs can be quickly and stably stacked and connected.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to achieve or maintain sealing performance between two stacked battery packs.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, in embodiments of the present invention, a battery device is provided, including a plurality of pack housings including a first pack housing and a second pack housing, each of which accommodates a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells and is stacked along one direction; and an upper cover covering an upper portion of a pack housing disposed at the uppermost end of the plurality of pack housings, wherein the first pack housing and the second pack housing each include a lower frame on which the cell assembly is mounted; and a plurality of side frames connected to the lower frame to protect a side surface of the cell assembly, wherein at least one of the plurality of side frames is disposed to face a side surface of the cell assembly; and an upper flange and a lower flange disposed at both ends in the height direction of the body portion, wherein the lower flange of the first pack housing and the upper flange of the second pack housing are coupled to each other with the lower frame of the first pack housing interposed therebetween.

[0011] In embodiments, the lower flange of the first pack housing and the upper flange of the second pack housing are coupled to each other via a first coupling assembly, wherein the first coupling assembly may include a first nut fixed to one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing; and a first bolt that penetrates the other of the first pack housing and the second pack housing and is fastened to the first nut.

[0012] In embodiments, the lower frame of the first pack housing may include a through hole through which the first bolt passes.

[0013] In the embodiments, the first nut is provided as a blind rivet nut type and is coupled to the upper flange of the second pack housing, and the upper surface of the first nut can be in contact with the lower frame of the first pack housing.

[0014] In embodiments, the upper flange of the second pack housing includes a mounting portion on which the lower frame of the first pack housing is mounted; a support portion connected to the mounting portion and the body portion respectively and supporting the mounting portion; and a hollow portion formed between the mounting portion and the support portion, wherein the support portion may have an inclined surface inclined with respect to the stacking direction of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

[0015] In embodiments, the lower frame of the first pack housing may include a first plate on which the cell assembly is mounted; a second plate mounted on a mounting portion of the second pack housing; and a third plate disposed between the first plate and the second plate to form a cooling channel.

[0016] In embodiments, the second plate of the second pack housing may cover the upper portion of the first pack housing to seal the internal space of the first pack housing.

[0017] In embodiments, the device further includes a guide assembly for guiding the relative positions of the first pack housing and the second pack housing, wherein the guide assembly may include a plurality of guide pins fixed to one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing; and a plurality of guide holes arranged in the other of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

[0018] In embodiments, at least one of the plurality of guide holes may have a slot structure in which the plurality of guide pins extend in a direction facing each other.

[0019] In embodiments, the plurality of guide pins may include a guide support portion sandwiched between the first pack housing and the second pack housing; a pin body protruding from the guide support portion and inserted into one of the plurality of guide holes; and a guide head portion connected to the guide support portion and accommodated in a hollow portion provided in one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

[0020] In embodiments, the battery device may further include a second nut coupled to at least one of the plurality of side frames; and a second bolt inserted into the second nut to secure the battery device to the external structure.

[0021] In embodiments, the insertion direction of the second bolt may be perpendicular to the stacking direction of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

[0022] In embodiments, the second nut may be coupled to at least one of the upper flange and the lower flange of the plurality of side frames.

[0023] In embodiments, the battery device may further include a sealing member disposed along an upper surface of at least one of the plurality of side frames to shield a gap between the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

[0024] In embodiments, the upper flange further includes a blocking portion protruding in the height direction of the body portion, and the sealing member is arranged on the inside of the blocking portion, but at least a portion of the portion can overlap with the body portion in the height direction.

[0025] According to embodiments, in a battery device comprising a plurality of battery packs, a battery device having a high energy density can be implemented by reducing wasted space between the battery packs.

[0026] A battery device having a structure in which a plurality of battery packs according to embodiments can be quickly and stably stacked and bonded can be provided.

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery device.

[0028] Figure 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a battery device.

[0029] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack.

[0030] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower frame of the battery pack.

[0031] Figure 5 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II' of Figure 1.

[0032] Figure 6 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a battery device.

[0033] Figure 7 is a reference drawing for explaining the guide assembly of the battery device.

[0034] Fig. 8 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II-II' of Fig. 1.

[0035] Figure 9 shows a battery device mounted on a vehicle.

[0036] Fig. 10 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II' of Fig. 1.

[0037] 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 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 own invention in the best way. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery device (1).

[0044] Figure 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a battery device (1).

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a battery device (1) according to embodiments may include a plurality of battery packs (10) stacked in one direction (Z-axis direction) and an upper cover (20) coupled to the uppermost battery pack (10).

[0046] Each battery pack (10) may include a cell assembly (200) including a plurality of battery cells and a pack housing (100) that accommodates the cell assembly (200).

[0047] Each battery pack (10) constituting the battery device (1) may have the same structure. That is, the user (or manufacturer) may determine the number of battery packs (10) according to the required power or size, and may stack and combine these multiple battery packs (10) to implement the entire battery device (1).

[0048] However, if necessary, the battery device (1) may be configured by stacking various types of battery packs (10) having different structures. For example, in order to improve the structural stability of the battery device (1), some of the plurality of battery packs (10) may have a structure having higher rigidity than other battery packs.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of battery packs (10) may include a first battery pack (10a) and a second battery pack (10b) that are laminated and connected. As described above, the first battery pack (10a) and the second battery pack (10b) may have the same structure.

[0050] The battery device (1) illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a structure in which two battery packs (10) are stacked, but the number of battery packs (10) included in the battery device (1) is not limited to that illustrated in the drawings. For example, the battery device (1) may include three or more battery packs (10) stacked in one direction.

[0051] In a battery pack (10) constituting a battery device (1), the pack housing (100) may have a structure with an open upper portion. The open upper portion of the pack housing (100) may be closed by the pack housing (100) of another battery pack (10) stacked on its upper side.

[0052] For example, referring to FIG. 2, the second pack housing (100b) of the second battery pack (10b) may be provided with a structure in which the internal space is opened upwards without a separate cover member covering the internal space. The internal space of the second pack housing (100b) opened upwards in this way may be closed by the first pack housing (100a) of the first battery pack (10a) stacked on top of the second battery pack (10b). That is, when the first pack housing (100a) is stacked on the upper side of the second pack housing (100b), the lower surface of the first pack housing (100a) is in close contact with the upper part of the second pack housing (100b), thereby closing the internal space of the second pack housing (100b).

[0053] In this way, when a plurality of battery packs (10) are stacked and connected, one battery pack (10) closes the internal space of the battery pack (10) positioned below it, so that a separate cover member covering the internal space of the pack housing (100) for each battery pack (10) can be omitted.

[0054] Meanwhile, the internal space of the uppermost battery pack (10) in the battery device (1) can be closed by an upper cover (20).

[0055] According to this laminated structure, the structure of the battery device (1) can be further simplified, and a plurality of battery packs (10) can be joined more closely to each other, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery device (1).

[0056] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a battery pack (10) constituting a battery device (1) according to embodiments will be described in detail.

[0057] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack (10).

[0058] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower frame of the battery pack (10).

[0059] Since the battery pack (10) described in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponds to any one of the plurality of battery packs (10) described in FIGS. 1 and 2, any description overlapping with FIGS. 1 and 2 may be omitted.

[0060] A battery pack (10) included in a battery device (1) according to embodiments may include a cell assembly (200) in which a plurality of battery cells (211) are assembled and a pack housing (100) in which the cell assembly (200) is accommodated.

[0061] A cell assembly (200) may include a plurality of battery cells (211) that are electrically connected to each other. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the cell assembly (200) may include a cell stack (210) in which a plurality of battery cells (211) are stacked, and a busbar assembly (220) that electrically connects the plurality of battery cells (211) to each other.

[0062] In one cell stack (210), a plurality of battery cells (211) may be stacked in one direction. For example, referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of battery cells (211) may be stacked in a direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the pack housing (100) to form a cell stack (210).

[0063] The battery cell (211) constituting the cell stack (210) may be a pouch-type secondary battery having a structure in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a pouch. In the pouch-type secondary battery, the electrode assembly and the electrolyte may be housed inside a pouch formed by forming one or more outer materials. However, the battery cell (211) of the cell assembly (200) according to the embodiments is not limited to a pouch-type secondary battery. For example, the battery cell (211) may also be configured as a square secondary battery or a cylindrical secondary battery.

[0064] Although not illustrated in detail in the drawing, the cell stack (210) may further include a cell protection member capable of protecting a plurality of battery cells (211). For example, the cell protection member may be a pressure pad capable of applying a predetermined pressure to the battery cells (211) to prevent the battery cells (211) from swelling during the charging and discharging process. Alternatively, the cell protection member may be an insulating sheet capable of blocking high-temperature heat energy or flame generated in one battery cell (211) from being transferred to other neighboring components.

[0065] A plurality of battery cells (211) of a cell stack (210) may be electrically connected to each other through a busbar assembly (220). The busbar assembly (220) may include a plurality of conductive busbars electrically connected to the battery cells (211) and a busbar frame supporting the conductive busbars.

[0066] The busbar assembly (220) may be positioned opposite at least one side of the cell stack (210). For example, referring to FIG. 3, the busbar assembly (220) may be provided in pairs and positioned to face the cell stack (210) in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the battery cell (211).

[0067] Meanwhile, the cell assembly (200) may further include an insulating cover disposed between the busbar assembly (220) and the pack housing (100). The insulating cover may serve to protect the busbar assembly (220) and prevent a short circuit between the busbar and the pack housing (100).

[0068] In embodiments, the cell assembly (200) can be directly accommodated in the pack housing (100) without a separate module case surrounding the cell assembly (200). According to this CTP (Cell To Pack) type structure, the space occupied by a conventional module case or the assembly tolerance for module case installation can be eliminated, and a larger number of battery cells or battery cells of a larger size can be arranged by the eliminated space, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack (10).

[0069] A plurality of cell assemblies (200) can be accommodated in a pack housing (100). The pack housing (100) can include a lower frame (110) on which the cell assemblies (200) are mounted, a first side frame (120) and a second side frame (130) that are coupled to the lower frame (110) to form a side surface of the pack housing (100).

[0070] The lower frame (110) may be formed by interconnecting a plurality of plates. For example, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 together, the lower frame (110) may include a first plate (111) on which the cell assembly (200) is mounted, a second plate (112) forming the lowermost surface of the pack housing (100), and a third plate (113) disposed between the first plate (111) and the second plate (112) to form a cooling channel (CP).

[0071] The cooling path (CP) is a passage through which refrigerant can flow. The refrigerant flows into the cooling path (CP) formed by the third plate (113) through a cooling port (1333) provided on one side of the pack housing (100). The refrigerant flows along the cooling path (CP) to cool a plurality of cell assemblies (200), and then can be discharged to the outside of the pack housing (100) through the cooling port (1333).

[0072] Each plate constituting the lower frame (110) may be provided with a different size. For example, the area of ​​the second plate (112), which corresponds to the lowest surface of the pack housing (100), may be provided to be larger than the area of ​​the first plate (111), but may be provided to have an area sufficiently large enough to allow the side frames (120, 130) to be coupled to its upper surface. In the case of this structure, since the lower surface of the battery pack (10) is finished by a single member (i.e., the second plate (112)) without a joint portion between different members, the cell assembly (200) can be stably supported, while effectively blocking foreign substances or moisture from penetrating through the lower surface of the battery pack (10).

[0073] A plurality of side frames (120, 130) may be arranged on the upper portion of the lower frame (110). For example, referring to FIG. 3, the plurality of side frames (120, 130) may include a first side frame (120) and a second side frame (130) that contact each other to form different sides of the pack housing (100).

[0074] A plurality of side frames (120, 130) can protect the side surfaces of the cell assembly (200) and provide rigidity in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the pack housing (100). In addition, the plurality of side frames (120, 130) can be utilized as a joining portion in the joining between a plurality of battery packs (10) constituting the battery device (1).

[0075] To this end, one side frame (120, 130) may include a body portion (121, 131) forming the body of the side frame (120, 130), an upper flange (122, 132) and a lower flange (123, 133) arranged at both ends in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the body portion (121, 131).

[0076] For example, referring to FIG. 3, the first side frame (120) may include a first body part (121) and a first upper flange (122) and a first lower flange (123) arranged at both ends in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the first body part (121). The second side frame (130) may include a second body part (131) and a second upper flange (132) and a second lower flange (133) arranged at both ends in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the second body part (131).

[0077] A plurality of battery packs (10) can be connected to each other through at least a portion of the upper flanges (122, 132) and lower flanges (123, 133) of the plurality of side frames (120, 130) provided on each battery pack (10). Such a connection structure is described later with reference to FIG. 5.

[0078] Continuing with reference to FIG. 3, a power port (1331), a signal port (1332), and a cooling port (1333) may be arranged on one of the side frames (120, 130). However, the specific positions of the power port (1331), the signal port (1332), and the cooling port (1333) are not limited to those shown in the drawing, and may be appropriately changed as needed.

[0079] Meanwhile, the pack housing (100) may further include one or more cross frames (140) arranged on the upper surface of the lower frame (110) to partition the internal space of the pack housing (100).

[0080] The cross frame (140) can be connected to the lower frame (110). For example, the cross frame (140) can be positioned to cross the upper surface of the lower frame (110) between the side frames (120, 130).

[0081] The cross frame (140) can divide the internal space of the pack housing (100) into a plurality of accommodation spaces. In each accommodation space divided by the cross frame (140), one or more cell assemblies (200) or a control module (not shown) that controls the cell assemblies (200) can be placed.

[0082] At least one of the lower frame (110), side frames (120, 130), and cross frame (140) constituting the pack housing (100) may be formed of a metal material having high rigidity so as to protect the battery cell (211) and ensure the structural stability of the battery device (1). For example, at least a portion of the lower frame (110) and side frames (120, 130) may be made of aluminum or an alloy including aluminum.

[0083] Below, with reference to Fig. 5, the fastening structure between pack housings (100) is described in more detail.

[0084] Figure 5 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II' of Figure 1.

[0085] The battery pack (10) and battery device (1) described in FIG. 5 correspond to the battery pack (10) and battery device (1) described in FIGS. 1 to 4, so redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0086] A plurality of battery packs (10 of FIGS. 1 to 3) included in a battery device (1 of FIGS. 1 and 2) according to embodiments may be mutually coupled through at least one of the side frames (120, 130 of FIG. 3) of the pack housing (100).

[0087] Referring to FIG. 5, the pack housing of the first battery pack (10a of FIGS. 1 and 2) (hereinafter referred to as the first pack housing (100a)) and the pack housing of the second battery pack (10b of FIGS. 1 and 2) (hereinafter referred to as the second pack housing (100b)) can be stacked on top of each other in the height direction (Z-axis direction), and the first side frame (120a) of the first pack housing (100a) and the first side frame (120b) of the second pack housing (100b) can be coupled via the first coupling assembly (CA1).

[0088] The first coupling assembly (CA1) may include a first nut (150) fixed to one of the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) and a first bolt (160) that penetrates the other of the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) and is fastened to the first nut (150).

[0089] For example, referring to FIG. 5, the first nut (150) can be fixed to the upper flange (122b) of the second pack housing (100b), and the first bolt (160) can be fastened to the first nut (150) by passing through the lower flange (123a) of the first pack housing (100a). Accordingly, the lower flange (123a) of the first pack housing (100a) and the upper flange (122b) of the second pack housing (100b) can be firmly fixed to each other via the first coupling assembly (CA1).

[0090] The first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) each have a structure in which the lowermost surface is finished with a lower frame (110). In this case, as the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) are stacked, at least one of a plurality of plates (111, 112, 113) constituting the lower frame (110) of the first pack housing (100a) can be arranged between the side frame (120a) of the first pack housing (100a) and the side frame (120b) of the second pack housing (100b).

[0091] The first bolt (160) may be fastened to the first nut (150) by penetrating at least one of the plurality of plates (111, 112, 113) constituting the lower frame (110) of the first pack housing (100a). To this end, a through hole (1121) through which the first bolt (160) may pass may be provided in the lower frame (110).

[0092] A lower frame (110) is interposed between the side frames (120a, 120b) of the pack housings (100a, 100b) stacked vertically to fill the gap between the side frames (120a, 120b), thereby further increasing the sealing of the internal space of the pack housing (100) and the airtightness of the battery device (1).

[0093] In addition, according to this coupling structure, in a structure in which a plurality of battery packs (10) are stacked, side frames (120a, 120b) and a lower frame (110) are alternately arranged along the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery device (1), and since they are firmly fixed to each other by the first coupling assembly (CA1), a plurality of cell assemblies (200) can be stably supported, and the structural stability of the entire battery device (1) can be significantly increased.

[0094] The upper flange (e.g., 122, 132 in FIG. 3) of the pack housing (100) may be provided with a structure that can withstand a load in the height direction in order to stably support another pack housing (100) placed on its upper side.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 5, the upper flange (122b) of the second pack housing (100b) may include a mounting portion (1221) on which another pack housing (100a) or an upper cover (20) may be mounted, and a support portion (1222) that is connected to the mounting portion (1221) and the body portion (121) to support the mounting portion (1221). A hollow portion (1224) is formed between the mounting portion (1221) and the support portion (1222). Due to this hollow structure, the upper flange (122b) has a lightweight structure while being able to withstand a load well.

[0096] To further enhance the structural stability of the upper flange (122b), the support portion (1222) may have an inclined surface inclined with respect to the stacking direction of the plurality of battery packs (10). For example, referring to FIG. 5, the inclined surface of the support portion (1222) may be a portion extending obliquely from the end of the mounting portion (1221) to the body portion (121). Accordingly, the mounting portion (1221), the support portion (1222), and the body portion (121) may form a hollow portion (1224) having a roughly trapezoidal shape.

[0097] As the inclined surface structure is formed on the support portion (1222) of the upper flange, the load applied in the stacking direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) can be better withstood compared to the case where only a structure (e.g., a mounting portion (1221)) protruding in a direction perpendicular to the body portion (121) (e.g., X-axis direction) exists.

[0098] Meanwhile, in FIG. 5, the description is made based on the upper flange (122b) of the second pack housing (100b), but the above-described structure can be equally applied to the upper flange of other pack housings (100) including the first pack housing (100a).

[0099] Meanwhile, in embodiments, the first nut (150) may be provided as a blind rivet nut type, in which case, after a portion of the first nut (150) is inserted into the hollow portion (1224) of the upper flange (122b), force is applied to deform the portion inserted into the hollow portion (1224), thereby firmly fixing the first nut (150) to the upper flange (122b). In this way, if the first nut (150) is configured as a blind rivet nut type, the fastening operation can be easily performed even in a narrow area of ​​the seating portion (1221) of the upper flange (122b).

[0100] The upper surface of the first nut (150) is positioned so as to be in contact with at least a portion of the lower frame (110) of the first pack housing (100a). Accordingly, the upper surface of the mounting portion (1221) of the second pack housing (100b) and the upper surface of the first nut (150) have a structure in which they are connected on the same plane, so that the load applied from the first pack housing (100a) can be more evenly distributed.

[0101] Meanwhile, FIG. 5 illustrates a coupling structure between the first side frames (120a, 120b) of the upper and lower pack housings (100a, 100b), but this coupling structure can also be applied equally to the coupling structure between the second side frames (130 in FIG. 3) of the upper and lower pack housings (100a, 100b).

[0102] That is, as needed, a coupling structure can be formed between the first side frames (120) as well as the second side frames (130) in a plurality of battery packs (10) via the first coupling assembly (CA1). In this case, the coupling structure between the upper and lower second side frames (130) can be described with reference to the description in FIG. 5.

[0103]

[0104] Meanwhile, the battery pack (10) according to the embodiments may further include a guide assembly that enables stacking between a plurality of battery packs (10) to be performed accurately and quickly.

[0105] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a guide assembly for precise stacking and bonding of battery packs (10) will be described.

[0106] Fig. 6 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a battery device (1).

[0107] Fig. 7 is a reference drawing for explaining the guide assembly of the battery device (1).

[0108] The battery pack (10) and battery device (1) described in FIGS. 6 and 7 include all of the technical features of the battery pack (10) and battery device (1) described in FIGS. 1 to 5, so redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0109] The battery device (1) may further include a guide assembly (GA) capable of guiding the relative positions of a plurality of battery packs (10) stacked in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0110] The guide assembly (GA) may include a plurality of guide pins (190) fixed to one of the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) and a plurality of guide holes (1331, 1332) arranged in the other of the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b).

[0111] Referring to FIG. 6, the guide pin (190) may be arranged on at least one of the side frames (120b, 130b) of the lower-layer battery pack (10b) among two or more stacked battery packs (10). For example, two guide pins (190) may be arranged on the upper flange (132) of the second side frame (130b) of the second pack housing (100b), and guide holes (1331, 1332) into which each guide pin (190) is inserted may be provided on the lower surface of the first pack housing (100a). However, the specific position of the guide pin (190) is not limited to that shown in the drawing, and may be arranged on the first side frame (120b) of the second pack housing (100b) as needed.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 7, the guide pin (190) may include a guide support portion (191) sandwiched between the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b), a pin body (192) protruding from the guide support portion (191) and inserted into one of a plurality of guide holes (1331, 1332), and a guide head portion (193) connected to the guide support portion (191) and accommodated in a hollow portion (1321) provided in a side frame of the pack housing (100).

[0113] In embodiments, the guide pin (190) may be provided as a blind stud type. That is, after inserting the guide head portion of the guide pin (190) into the hollow portion (1224), force is applied to deform the guide head portion (193), thereby firmly fixing the guide pin (190) to the upper flange (132b). If the guide pin (190) is configured as a blind stud type in this way, the fastening operation can be easily performed even in a narrow area on the upper surface of the upper flange (132b).

[0114] The guide holes (1331, 1332) are arranged on the lower surface of the upper battery pack (10) among two or more battery packs (10) that are stacked on each other, and are configured so that the guide pin (190) can be inserted. For example, referring to FIG. 6, the guide holes (1331, 1332) can be arranged on the lower surface of the first pack housing (100a) corresponding to the position of the guide pin (190) coupled to the second pack housing (100b).

[0115] The guide holes (1331, 1332) may include a first guide hole (1331) and a second guide hole (1332) having different shapes. For example, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the first guide hole (1331) may be provided as a hole of a size that exactly fits the guide pin (190), and the second guide hole (1332) may be provided as a slot structure so that the guide pins (190) can move relative to each other while being inserted. In this case, the second guide hole (1332) may be provided as a slot structure in which a plurality of guide pins (190) extend in a direction facing each other (for example, the Y-axis direction of FIG. 6).

[0116] A method for aligning a battery pack (10) using a guide assembly (GA) is as follows. First, one of a plurality of guide pins (190) is inserted into a second guide hole (1332) having a slot structure. With the guide pin (190) inserted into the second guide hole (1332), the two pack housings (e.g., the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) of FIG. 6) arranged vertically can move slightly relative to each other in accordance with the slot shape of the second guide hole (1332). Thereafter, the positions of the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) are appropriately adjusted so that the remaining guide pins (190) are inserted into the first guide hole (1331). Accordingly, the relative positions of the two neighboring battery packs (10) are determined. According to this guide structure, a plurality of battery packs (10) can be aligned quickly and accurately.

[0117] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a second coupling assembly capable of fixing a battery device (1) to an external structure will be described.

[0118] Fig. 8 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II-II' of Fig. 1.

[0119] Fig. 9 shows a battery device (1) mounted on a vehicle.

[0120] Since the battery pack (10) described in FIGS. 8 and 9 includes all of the technical features of the battery pack (10) and battery device (1) described in FIGS. 1 to 7, redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0121] The battery device (1) according to the embodiments may be coupled to a structure external to the battery device (1). For example, referring to FIG. 9, the battery device (1) may be coupled to a battery holder (SP) provided in the vehicle (VH) and fixed to the vehicle (VH).

[0122] The battery device (1) may further include a second coupling assembly (CA2) capable of effectively securing a plurality of battery packs (10) to an external structure. For example, referring to FIG. 8, the second coupling assembly (CA2) may include a second nut (170) coupled to the pack housing (100) and a second bolt (180) fastened to the second nut (170).

[0123] The second nut (170) may be fixed to at least one of the plurality of side frames (e.g., 120, 130 of FIG. 3) of the pack housing (100). For example, the second nut (170) may be placed on at least one of the upper flange (122) or the lower flange (123) of the first side frame (120).

[0124] The second bolt (180) can be inserted into the external structure and the second nut (170), respectively, so that the battery device (1) is firmly fixed to the external structure. For example, the second bolt (180) can be fastened to the battery holder (SP) of the vehicle (VH) and the second nut (170) of the battery device (1), respectively, so that the battery device (1) can be coupled to the vehicle (VH).

[0125] At this time, the insertion direction of the second bolt (180) into the second nut (170) may be perpendicular to the stacking direction of the plurality of battery packs (10). For example, referring to FIG. 8, the first pack housing (100a) and the second pack housing (100b) are stacked in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery device (1), and the second nut (170) is provided with a nut hole that is open in a first direction (for example, X-axis direction) perpendicular to the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery device (1), and the second bolt (180) is inserted into the nut hole in the first direction to mutually fix the external structure and the battery pack (10).

[0126] The second nut (170) may be provided as a blind rivet nut type. For example, referring to FIG. 8, after a portion of the second nut (170) is inserted into the lower flange (123a), force is applied to deform the portion inserted into the lower flange (123a), thereby firmly fixing the second nut (170) to the lower flange (123a). If the second nut (170) is configured as a blind rivet nut type in this way, the second nut (170) can be easily fastened to the lower flange (123a).

[0127] Meanwhile, to avoid mutual interference, a second coupling assembly (CA2) may be placed between a plurality of first coupling assemblies (CA1).

[0128] Hereinafter, the sealing structure of the battery device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 10.

[0129] Fig. 10 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of part II' of Fig. 1.

[0130] The battery device described in FIG. 10 may include the technical features of the battery device (1) described in FIGS. 1 to 9, and any redundant description may be omitted.

[0131] The battery device according to the embodiments may further include a sealing member (101) to improve sealing performance between battery packs (e.g., 10a, 10b of FIGS. 1 and 2). The sealing member (101) may fill a gap that may occur between battery packs (10a, 10b) stacked vertically, thereby preventing moisture or foreign substances from outside the battery device from entering the internal space of the pack housing.

[0132] The sealing member (101) may be disposed on the upper surface of a side frame of the pack housing (e.g., 100 in FIG. 2). For example, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 10 together, the sealing member (101) may be disposed along the upper surface of at least one of the first side frame (120) and the second side frame (130) forming the side surface of the pack housing (100).

[0133] As another pack housing (e.g., 100a in FIG. 10) is mounted and connected to the upper portion of one pack housing (e.g., 100b in FIG. 10), the upper surface of the sealing member (101) is in close contact with the lower surface of the other pack housing (100a), and thus the internal space of the pack housing (100b) positioned at the lower portion can be sealed.

[0134] Likewise, a sealing member (101) placed on the uppermost pack housing of the battery device shields between the uppermost pack housing and the upper cover (20 in FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0135] The sealing member (101) may be made of a material having a predetermined elasticity or restoring force. For example, at least a portion of the sealing member (101) may be made of a polymer resin material such as rubber or polyurethane foam. Alternatively, the sealing member (101) may be provided as a liquid type gasket containing silicone or the like. The sealing member (101) formed of such a material may be deformed to correspond to the shape of the gap between battery packs (e.g., 10a and 10b) that are stacked adjacent to each other, or between the battery pack (10) and the upper cover (20), thereby increasing the watertightness and airtightness of the battery device.

[0136] The sealing member (101) may be placed in a sealing groove (122a) formed on the upper surface of the side frame (120, 130). Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 10 together, the sealing groove (122a) is a concave space provided so that the sealing member (101) can be seated, and may be placed closer to the internal space of the pack housing (e.g., 100b) than to the portion where the coupling assembly (150, 160) is coupled in the side frame (e.g., 120b). Considering the material characteristics of the sealing member (101), before the sealing member (101) is pressed by the upper member, its upper surface may be provided to protrude by a predetermined thickness from the upper boundary surface of the sealing groove (122a) or the upper surface of the side frame (120, 130).

[0137] At least a portion of the sealing groove (122a) and the sealing member (101) may overlap the body portions (121, 131) of the side frames (120, 130) in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the pack housing (100). Accordingly, even if the flange portions (122, 123, 132, 133) of the side frames (120, 130) that are stacked vertically are somewhat deformed during the joining process or the use of the battery device, the sealing member (101) sandwiched between the body portions (121, 131) can stably fill the gap between the upper and lower pack housings (100) to maintain the sealing property of the battery device.

[0138] In addition, the sealing member (101) can be spaced apart from the portion where the coupling assembly (150, 160) is coupled in the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) by a predetermined interval, thereby preventing interference with the sealing member (101) or damage to the sealing member (101) during the fastening process of the coupling assembly (150, 160).

[0139] In embodiments, the side frame may further include a protruding mounting portion (122b) disposed on one side of the sealing groove (122a). The protruding mounting portion (122b) is a portion that protrudes further in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) than the bottom surface of the sealing groove (122a), and may be brought into contact with the lower surface of another pack housing or upper cover (20) that is mounted on the upper side of the side frame (120a, 120b of FIG. 10).

[0140] The protruding mounting portion (122b) is arranged adjacent to the sealing member (101), and is configured to support a load applied by another pack housing or upper cover (20) mounted on the upper side of the side frame (120a, 120b of FIG. 10), thereby preventing an excessively large load from being applied to the sealing member (101) and allowing the sealing member (101) to be compressed at an appropriate level.

[0141] Meanwhile, a blocking portion (122c) may be provided on the outer side of the portion where the coupling assembly (150, 160) is arranged in the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) to block the inflow of external foreign substances. For example, referring to FIG. 10, the blocking portion (122c) may be a portion that protrudes in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery pack (10) from the edge of the upper flange (122b).

[0142] The upper surface of the blocking member (122c) is in close contact with the lower surface of another pack housing or upper cover (20) mounted on the upper side of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10). The blocking member (122c) not only primarily blocks moisture and foreign substances from the outside of the battery pack (10) from flowing into the inside of the pack housing (100), but also can serve to block the sealing member (101) positioned inside the blocking member (122c) from being directly exposed to the external environment of the battery pack (10). Accordingly, the sealing member (101) is prevented from being contaminated or damaged, and the excellent shielding performance of the sealing member (101) can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0143] In embodiments, the upper surface of the first nut (150) constituting the coupling assembly (150, 160) may be arranged to have the same height level as the upper surface of the blocking portion (122c). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the upper surface of the first nut (150) and the upper surface of the blocking portion (122c) may be arranged on the same plane, thereby increasing the contact area with the upper pack housing (100a) to stably support the upper pack housing (100a) while minimizing the gap between the upper and lower pack housings (100a, 100b).

[0144] Meanwhile, the upper surface of the protruding mounting portion (122b) of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) may also be provided to have the same height level as the upper surface of the first nut (150) and the upper surface of the blocking portion (122c). In this way, by forming the portions of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) of one pack housing that come into contact with the upper pack housing at the same height level, the load applied by the upper pack housing is not concentrated on a specific portion of the lower pack housing, and the upper surface of the pack housing is prevented from being damaged by the concentrated load as much as possible.

[0145] In addition, since the blocking portion (122c), the first nut (150), and the protruding mounting portion (122b) of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10) are formed at the same height level, the upper pack housing (e.g., 100a of FIG. 10) can be brought into maximum contact with the lower pack housing (e.g., 100b of FIG. 10), and a uniform load is applied to various parts of the sealing member (101) extending along the upper surface of the side frame (e.g., 120a, 120b of FIG. 10), so that higher sealing performance can be expected.

[0146] The battery device (1) according to the embodiments may be configured to omit a separate cover member covering each battery pack (10), and to seal the upper portion of a battery pack (10) disposed underneath by one battery pack (10). Accordingly, in a battery device (1) composed of a plurality of battery packs (10), wasted space between the battery packs (10) can be reduced, thereby increasing energy density.

[0147] In addition, in the connection between a plurality of battery packs (10) stacked vertically, the side frames (120, 130) of the upper battery pack (10) and the side frames (120, 130) of the lower battery pack (10) are connected via a connection assembly (CA1), and the lower frame (110) of the upper battery pack (10) is connected in a state where it is sandwiched between the side frames (120, 130), thereby increasing the structural stability of the battery device (1) while simultaneously improving the sealing property of the battery device (1).

[0148] In addition, the battery device (1) according to the embodiments is manufactured by stacking a plurality of standardized battery packs (10), and thus, battery devices (1) of various capacities and sizes can be quickly manufactured.

[0149] In particular, the battery device (1) according to the embodiments has a structure in which a plurality of battery packs (10) are integrated, while also having high sealing and structural stability, and thus can be widely applied to large electric vehicles including commercial vehicles (e.g., VH of FIG. 9) that require large-capacity energy storage devices.

[0150] 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.

[0151] [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] 1... Battery device 10... Battery pack

[0153] 10a... 1st battery pack 10b... 2nd battery pack

[0154] 20... Top cover 100... Pack housing

[0155] 100a... 1st pack housing 100b... 2nd pack housing

[0156] 110... Lower frame 111... First plate

[0157] 112... Second plate 113... Third plate

[0158] 120... 1st side frame 130... 2nd side frame

[0159] 140... Cross Frame 200... Cell Assembly

[0160] 210... cell stack 211... battery cell

[0161] 220... Busbar assembly CA1... First joint assembly

[0162] CA2... Second bonding assembly GA... Guide assembly

[0163] VH... vehicle SP... battery holder

Claims

1. A plurality of pack housings including a first pack housing and a second pack housing, each housing a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells and stacked along one direction; and Includes an upper cover covering the upper portion of the pack housing positioned at the top among the plurality of pack housings, The above first pack housing and the above second pack housing a lower frame on which the above cell assembly is mounted; and Each side frame comprises a plurality of side frames connected to the lower frame and protecting the side surfaces of the cell assembly, At least one of the above plurality of side frames A body portion positioned facing the side of the cell assembly; and It includes an upper flange and a lower flange arranged at both ends in the height direction of the above body part, A battery device in which the lower flange of the first pack housing and the upper flange of the second pack housing are connected to each other with the lower frame of the first pack housing interposed therebetween.

2. In paragraph 1, The lower flange of the first pack housing and the upper flange of the second pack housing are coupled to each other via the first coupling assembly, The above first coupling assembly a first nut fixed to one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing; and A battery device comprising a first bolt that penetrates the other of the first pack housing and the second pack housing and is fastened to the first nut.

3. In paragraph 2, A battery device in which the lower frame of the first pack housing includes a through hole through which the first bolt passes.

4. In paragraph 2, The above first nut is provided as a blind rivet nut type and is coupled to the upper flange of the second pack housing, A battery device in which the upper surface of the first nut is in contact with the lower frame of the first pack housing.

5. In paragraph 1, The upper flange of the above second pack housing A mounting portion on which the lower frame of the first pack housing is mounted; A support part that is connected to the above-mentioned mounting part and the above-mentioned body part and supports the above-mentioned mounting part; and It includes a hollow portion formed between the above-mentioned fixing portion and the above-mentioned support portion, A battery device wherein the support portion has a sloped surface inclined with respect to the one direction.

6. In paragraph 5, The lower frame of the above first pack housing A first plate on which the above cell assembly is mounted; A second plate mounted on the mounting portion of the second pack housing; and A battery device comprising a third plate disposed between the first plate and the second plate to form a cooling passage.

7. In paragraph 6, The second plate of the second pack housing A battery device that covers the upper portion of the first pack housing and seals the internal space of the first pack housing.

8. In paragraph 1, It further includes a guide assembly that guides the relative positions of the first pack housing and the second pack housing, The above guide assembly A plurality of guide pins fixed to one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing; and A battery device comprising a plurality of guide holes arranged in the other of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

9. In paragraph 8, A battery device having at least one of the plurality of guide holes having a slot structure in which the plurality of guide pins extend in a direction facing each other.

10. In paragraph 8, The above plurality of guide pins A guide support member sandwiched between the first pack housing and the second pack housing; A pin body protruding from the above guide support and inserted into one of the plurality of guide holes; and A battery device comprising a guide head portion connected to the above guide support portion and accommodated in a hollow portion provided in one of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

11. In paragraph 1, a second nut coupled to at least one of the plurality of side frames; and A battery device further comprising a second bolt inserted into the second nut to secure the battery device to an external structure.

12. In paragraph 11, A battery device in which the insertion direction of the second bolt is perpendicular to the stacking direction of the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

13. In paragraph 11, A battery device wherein the second nut is coupled to at least one of the upper flange and the lower flange of the plurality of side frames.

14. In paragraph 1, A battery device further comprising a sealing member disposed along the upper surface of at least one of the plurality of side frames to shield a gap between the first pack housing and the second pack housing.

15. In paragraph 14, The upper flange further includes a blocking portion protruding in the height direction of the body portion, A battery device in which the sealing member is arranged on the inside of the blocking portion, and at least a portion of the sealing member overlaps the body portion in the height direction.

Images