Battery pack and vehicle including same

Abstract

A battery pack according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of battery modules; a pack case which has an outer wall and a plurality of cross beams for partitioning an inner space surrounded by the outer wall, and which is provided such that the plurality of battery modules can be arranged in the partitioned spaces; and a gas movement channel provided inside the cross beams and the outer wall, wherein, when gas is generated in a random battery module, gas is discharged to the outside of the pack case through the gas movement channel of the outer wall and the cross beams adjacent to the random battery module.

Description

Battery pack and vehicle including same

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack capable of suppressing thermal runaway of battery modules by eliminating heat energy accumulation inside the battery pack when a thermal event occurs.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0039141, filed on March 21, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated by reference into this application.

[0003] Secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for environmental friendliness and energy efficiency, not only because they have the primary advantage of drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels, but also because they produce no byproducts from energy use.

[0004] Accordingly, the application of secondary batteries to various devices is increasing. For example, they are widely used as energy sources for multifunctional small products such as wireless mobile devices and wearable devices. They are also being used as energy sources and energy storage systems (ESS) for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, which are presented as alternatives to conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.

[0005] Typically, secondary batteries have an operating voltage of approximately 2.5 V to 4.5 V. Therefore, for electric vehicles or power storage devices requiring large capacities and high output, battery modules comprising multiple secondary batteries connected in series and / or parallel, and battery packs comprising the battery modules connected in series and / or parallel, are used as energy sources.

[0006] Recent battery packs are designed to accommodate as many secondary batteries and battery modules as possible to maximize energy density. Therefore, if one of the secondary batteries or battery modules catches fire, it can easily trigger a chain reaction that can spread to other secondary batteries or battery modules. Therefore, ensuring the safety of battery packs is emerging as a critical issue.

[0007] Meanwhile, conventional battery packs, for example, include pack structures such as cross beams between battery modules to ensure the structural rigidity of the pack case. These cross beams also serve to prevent heat transfer between battery modules in the event of a thermal event within the battery pack. However, if a battery module continues to combust, high-temperature gas erupts from the battery module. As this high-temperature gas accumulates within the battery pack, other battery modules in the vicinity suffer thermal damage, and further, the internal pressure of the battery pack may increase, causing the pack case to collapse. Therefore, in the event of a thermal event, it is necessary to appropriately discharge high-temperature gas, etc., to the outside of the battery pack to suppress the accumulation of heat energy and pressure increase within the battery pack.

[0008] The present invention was created in consideration of the above problems, and its primary purpose is to provide a battery pack that can suppress thermal runaway of battery modules and prevent collapse of the pack case by eliminating heat energy accumulation inside the battery pack when a thermal event occurs.

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

[0010] According to the present invention, a battery pack may be provided, comprising: a plurality of battery modules; an outer wall; and a plurality of cross beams that divide an internal space surrounded by the outer wall, the pack case being arranged so that the plurality of battery modules can be placed in each of the divided spaces; and a gas movement channel provided inside the cross beams and the outer wall, wherein when gas is generated in any of the battery modules, the gas is discharged to the outside of the pack case through the cross beam adjacent to any of the battery modules and the gas movement channel of the outer wall.

[0011] The gas movement channel may include a main channel extending along the outer wall; and a plurality of branch channels branching from the main channel and extending along each of the cross beams.

[0012] The cross beam may include a gas suction port provided on at least one side and communicating the partitioned space with the branch channel; and an opening / closing member that covers the gas suction port and operates to open the gas suction port when gas pressure is applied.

[0013] The cross beam may include a partition wall extending along the branch channel therein, and the branch channel may include a first branch channel and a second branch channel separated from each other by the partition wall.

[0014] The above gas suction port may be provided at least once on both side surfaces of the cross beam.

[0015] The gas suction port provided on one side of the cross beam and the gas suction port provided on the other side of the cross beam may be arranged so as not to face each other.

[0016] The above opening / closing member may include an opening / closing plate that is provided in the form of a plate having a larger area than the gas suction port and is fixedly connected to the inside of the cross beam at only one end.

[0017] The above opening / closing plate is made of a material having a property of bending under external force, and the cross beam may include a partition wall extending along the branch channel therein; and a plate stopper protruding from the partition wall to limit bending of the opening / closing plate.

[0018] The above plate stopper may include a first blocking plate extending in a direction intersecting the bulkhead; and a second blocking plate intersecting the first blocking plate and extending in the direction of the main channel.

[0019] The above opening / closing member may include an opening / closing plate provided in a plate-like shape capable of covering the gas suction port; and a damper hinge connected to one end of the opening / closing plate and fixedly coupled to the inside of the cross beam.

[0020] The above opening / closing member may include an opening / closing plate provided in a plate-like shape with a larger area than the gas suction port; and an elastic member provided inside the cross beam and elastically pressing the opening / closing plate so that the gas suction port is covered.

[0021] The above cross beam includes a bulkhead extending along the branch channel therein,

[0022] The above elastic member may have one end joined to the opening / closing plate and the other end joined to the bulkhead.

[0023] The outer wall may include at least one gas outlet through which gas may be discharged from the gas movement channel to the outside of the pack case.

[0024] The above pack case may include a pack tray having the compartmentalized spaces inside and being provided in the form of a box with an open top, and a pack cover covering the open top of the pack tray and mutually connected to the pack tray.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle including the above-described battery pack can be provided.

[0026] According to the present invention, a battery pack can be provided that can suppress thermal runaway of battery modules and prevent collapse of a pack case by relieving heat energy accumulation inside the battery pack when a thermal event occurs.

[0027] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the battery pack of Figure 1.

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a pack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a cross beam when a gas suction port is opened as a part of a pack tray according to the present embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an outer wall and a cross beam according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a gas discharge path when one of the battery modules of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention ignites.

[0036] Fig. 9 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a first modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0037] Fig. 10 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a second modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0038] Fig. 11 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a third modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0039] Fig. 12 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a fourth modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0040] FIG. 13 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle including a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their typical or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to best explain his or her own invention. 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 spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modified examples may exist as of the time of this application.

[0042] In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0043] Since the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, the shapes and sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for clearer explanation. Accordingly, the sizes and proportions of each component do not fully reflect the actual sizes or proportions.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the battery pack of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a pack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Referring to these drawings, a battery pack (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of battery modules (100), a pack case (200), and a gas movement channel (300).

[0046] The battery module (100) may include a plurality of battery cells and a module case that accommodates the battery cells. Here, the battery cell refers to a secondary battery including an electrode assembly, an electrolyte, and a battery case, and any type of secondary battery, such as a pouch-shaped, cylindrical, or square secondary battery, is not limited thereto. In addition, the module case may be configured to accommodate the battery cells and have a gas venting hole (not shown) on at least one side. In the battery module (100), when an internal fire occurs, gas or flame may be discharged out of the module case through the gas venting hole. The module case may be made of a metallic material such as steel or a non-metallic material with high rigidity so as to protect the battery cells from external impacts, etc.

[0047] These battery modules (100) are each mounted in a space (S1) divided into a cross beam (230) and a center beam (240) in the pack tray (210) of the pack case (200) and can be electrically connected to each other by an inter-bus bar (not shown) or a cable.

[0048] The pack case (200) may be configured to accommodate a plurality of battery modules (100). As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pack case (200) may include a pack tray (210) and a pack cover (250). The pack tray (210) may have spaces (S1) partitioned therein, and a battery module (100) may be placed in each of the partitioned spaces (S1), and may be configured in the form of a box with an open top. The pack cover (250) may cover the open top of the pack tray (210) and may be configured to be mutually connectable with the pack tray (210).

[0049] Specifically, the pack tray (210) may include, as shown in FIG. 3, a base plate (211) that supports the battery modules (100) at the bottom of the battery modules (100), an outer wall (220) that forms a wall along the outer edge of the base plate (211), and a plurality of cross beams (230) and a center beam (240) that divide an internal space surrounded by the outer wall (220).

[0050] The pack tray (210) according to the present embodiment includes a center beam (240) that is a wall extending in the vertical direction (X direction) and dividing the internal space of the pack tray (210) into two, and cross beams (230) that are extended in the horizontal direction (Y direction) and have both ends connected to the center beam (240) and the outer wall (220). That is, one end of the cross beam (230) may be connected to the center beam (240), and the other end of the cross beam (230) may be connected to the outer wall (220). In addition, the cross beams (230) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other.

[0051] These cross beams (230) and center beams (240) serve to support the outer wall (220) and thereby increase the structural rigidity of the pack tray (210). Accordingly, the pack tray (210) can be hardly deformed, such as twisted, even when subjected to external impact.

[0052] In addition, the pack tray (210) has a plurality of compartmentalized spaces (S1) so that the battery modules (100) can be stored in compartmentalized areas. When the battery modules (100) are stored in compartmentalized areas, for example, in a situation where a thermal event occurs in a battery module (100), the cross beam (230) or the center beam (240) can block heat and high-temperature gas, thereby blocking or delaying heat transmission between the battery modules (100).

[0053] The above pack tray (210) may include a gas discharge port (221). One or more of the gas discharge ports (221) may be provided on at least one side of the outer wall (220).

[0054] The above gas outlet (221) may be formed through the outer wall (220). A metal mesh may be combined with the gas outlet (221). Gas may pass through the metal mesh, but flames or sparks may be prevented from leaking out to the outside by the metal mesh. Although not shown, a valve unit that opens and closes depending on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pack case (200) may be mounted on the gas outlet (221).

[0055] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, two gas exhaust ports (221) may be provided at the front (+X direction) and rear (-X direction) of the outer wall (220), respectively. One of the two gas exhaust ports (221) provided at the front of the outer wall (220) may be provided at the left side of the center beam (240), and the other may be provided at the right side of the center beam (240). The two gas exhaust ports (221) provided at the rear of the outer wall (220) may also be provided at the left side and the right side of the center beam (240), respectively. Here, the gas discharge ports (221) located on the left side of the center beam (240) are used to discharge gases that may be generated from battery modules (100) arranged on the left side of the center beam (240) to the outside of the pack case (200), and the gas discharge ports (221) located on the right side of the center beam (240) are used to discharge gases that may be generated from battery modules (100) arranged on the right side of the center beam (240) to the outside of the pack case (200).

[0056] The pack cover (250) may be provided in the form of a plate that is, for example, bolted to the upper end of the outer wall (220) of the pack tray (210) and can cover at least the open upper part of the pack tray (210). Although not shown, a sealing gasket may be arranged on the upper end of the outer wall (220) and the rim of the pack cover (250) may be placed on the sealing gasket.

[0057] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the gas movement channel (300) may be provided inside the cross beams (230) and the outer wall (220). For example, the cross beams (230) and the outer wall (220) may be provided as a hollow structure so that fluid can move inside.

[0058] As will be described in detail later, the battery pack (10) according to the present invention is configured such that when gas is generated in any battery module (100) among a plurality of battery modules (100), the gas moves along a gas movement channel (300) provided inside the cross beam (230) adjacent to the any battery module (100) and the outer wall (220) and is discharged to the outside of the pack case (200) through the gas discharge port (221). According to this configuration of the present invention, high-temperature gas can be discharged to the outside of the pack case (200) while minimizing thermal damage to other battery modules (100) in the vicinity, thereby alleviating heat energy accumulation inside the battery pack (10) and preventing collapse of the pack case (200).

[0059] In this embodiment, the gas movement channel (300) may be separated into a left-side gas movement channel (300) and a right-side gas movement channel (300) based on the center beam (240), as illustrated in FIG. 4. The left-side gas movement channel (300) and the right-side gas movement channel (300) may be configured not to communicate with each other. The left-side gas movement channel (300) may be used as a movement path for gas generated from battery modules (100) arranged on the left side (-Y direction) of the center beam (240), and the right-side gas movement channel (300) may be configured to be used as a movement path for gas generated from battery modules (100) arranged on the right side (+Y direction) of the center beam (240). The gas moving along the left-side gas movement channel (300) may be configured to be discharged outside the pack case (200) through the left-side gas discharge port (221) described above, and the gas moving along the right-side gas movement channel (300) may be configured to be discharged outside the pack case (200) through the right-side gas discharge port (221) described above.

[0060] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent high-temperature gas from continuously circulating inside the outer wall (220), and it is effective in suppressing heat energy transmission between the battery modules (100) on the left side and the battery modules (100) on the right side based on the center beam (240).

[0061] The above gas movement channel (300) may include a main channel (310) extending along the outer wall (220), and a plurality of branch channels (320) branching from the main channel (310) and extending along each of the cross beams (230).

[0062] The above main channel (310) is a gas movement passage provided inside the outer wall (220), and the above branch channels (320) are gas movement passages provided inside the cross beams (230) and can be provided to communicate with the above main channel (310).

[0063] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the main channel (310) may be provided inside the outer wall (220) so as to communicate with the gas exhaust ports (221) provided at the front (+X direction) and rear (-X direction) of the outer wall (220). The branch channels (320) may branch off from the main channel (310) and be provided inside each cross beam (230). When gas is generated in the battery module (100), the gas flows into the inside of the cross beam (230) surrounding the partitioned space (S1) of the pack tray (210) in which the battery module (100) is placed, i.e., into the branch channel (320), moves from the branch channel (320) to the main channel (310), and may be discharged to the outside of the pack case (200) through the gas exhaust ports (221). As the amount of gas inside the pack case (200) increases, the pressure difference inside and outside the pack case (200) increases, so the gas can be quickly discharged along the gas movement channel (300) toward the gas discharge port (221).

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, each cross beam (230) according to the present embodiment may include a gas suction port (231) and an opening / closing member (232) for opening and closing the gas suction port (231).

[0065] The above gas suction port (231) can be said to be a hole perforated in one side of the cross beam (230) so that the branch channel (320) and the compartmentalized space (S1) in which the battery module (100) is placed are connected.

[0066] The gas suction port (231) may be provided on at least one side surface of the cross beam (230). That is, the gas suction port (231) may be provided on only one side surface of the cross beam (230) or on both side surfaces. For example, depending on the arrangement of the cross beams (230) and the battery modules (100), the gas suction port (231) may be provided on both side surfaces of the cross beam (230) or on only one side surface of the cross beam (230). Meanwhile, the shape, number, and position of the gas suction port (231) do not necessarily have to be the same as in the present embodiment.

[0067] The above opening / closing member (232) is configured to open / close the gas suction port (231), and may be provided to cover the gas suction port (231), but operate so that the gas suction port (231) opens when gas pressure is applied.

[0068] The opening / closing member (232) according to the present embodiment may include an opening / closing plate (233) and a damper hinge (234). Referring to FIG. 7, the opening / closing plate (233) may be provided in a plate-like shape that can cover the gas suction port (231). Preferably, the opening / closing plate (233) may have a larger area than the gas suction port (231) and may be configured to be arranged inside the cross beam (230) relative to the gas suction port (231).

[0069] The above opening / closing plate (233) can be configured to be connected to the cross beam (230) by the damper hinge (234) so ​​as to maintain a closed state in normal times and to be opened by gas pressure.

[0070] The above damper hinge (234), although not illustrated in detail, may include a damper and two metal pieces. The damper may include a main body forming an exterior, a vane provided inside the main body, silicone oil, a rotational shaft connected to the vane and extending inside and outside the main body, and may be configured so that a torque of a certain magnitude is applied to the rotational shaft. In addition, the two metal pieces may be configured to be connected to the rotational shaft of the damper and rotate in the direction in which the torque is applied. One of the two metal pieces of the damper hinge (234) may be fixedly coupled to an opening / closing plate (233), and the other may be fixedly coupled to a cross beam (230). At this time, if the torque direction of the damper hinge (234) is set in the direction in which the opening / closing plate (233) closes, as indicated by 'T1' in Fig. 7, the gas suction port (231) can be shielded by the opening / closing plate (233) by the torque of the damper hinge (234) in normal times.

[0071] Meanwhile, when gas is generated in the battery module (100), the pressure of the gas acts to cause the opening / closing plate (233) to rotate as shown in FIG. 7, thereby opening the gas suction port (231). Then, the gas flows into the branch channel (320) through the gas suction port (231) and can move toward the main channel (310) and the gas discharge port (221) by the negative pressure difference.

[0072] If one side of the cross beam (230) is defined as the first side (230a) and the other side as the second side (230b), in this embodiment, the gas suction port (231) and the opening / closing member (232) may be provided one or more on the first side (230a) and the second side (230b).

[0073] According to this configuration, for example, gas generated from a battery module (100) disposed in a partitioned space (S1) facing the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) and gas generated from another battery module (100) disposed in a partitioned space (S1) facing the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) can be introduced into a branch channel (320) provided inside the cross beam (230) located between them. In addition, the opening / closing plate (233) is configured to open only in the inward direction from the outside of the cross beam (230). Accordingly, for example, if gas is generated only in a battery module (100) facing the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) and there is no problem in another battery module (100) facing the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230), even if gas flows into the branch channel (320) through the gas intake port (231) of the first side portion (230a), the opening / closing plate (233) of the second side portion (230b) is not opened by the gas. Therefore, the gas generated in the battery module (100) facing the first side portion (230a) does not propagate through the cross beam (230) to another battery module (100) facing the second side portion (230b). At this time, the gas suction port (231) provided on the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) and the gas suction port (231) provided on the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) may be arranged so as not to face each other. In addition, it is preferable that the length of the opening / closing plate (233) is shorter than the width of the branch channel (320).

[0074] According to this configuration, when the opening / closing plate (233) provided on the first side portion (230a) and the opening / closing plate (233) provided on the second side portion (230b) rotate simultaneously, it is possible to prevent interference with each other or blockage of the flow path of the branch channel (320) by the opening / closing plates (233).

[0075] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when a battery module (100) (hereinafter referred to as a trigger battery module (100)) among a plurality of battery modules (100) in which a thermal event has occurred is present, high-temperature gas is generated in the trigger battery module (100), so that the pressure in the partitioned space (S1) in which the trigger battery module (100) is placed increases. Then, as described above, the opening / closing plates (233) of the two cross beams (230) located on both side directions (±X direction) of the trigger battery module (100) rotate so that the gas suction ports (231) open, allowing gas to flow into the branch channels (320) provided inside the two cross beams (230). The gas introduced into the branch channel (320) in this way can move along the main channel (310) provided inside the outer wall (220) of the pack tray (210) and be discharged to the outside of the pack case (200) through the gas discharge port (221). In particular, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, when a thermal event occurs in the battery modules (100), the gas generated in each battery module (100) is induced to flow along an individual, independent route, thereby minimizing heat transmission to other surrounding battery modules (100) and more quickly discharging to the outside of the pack case (200), thereby effectively relieving pressure increase in the battery pack (10).

[0076] Next, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13, variations of the above-described embodiment will be briefly described.

[0077] The same absence numbers as in the above-described embodiment indicate the same absence, and duplicate descriptions of the same absences will be omitted, and the differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly explained.

[0078] Fig. 9 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a first modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 9, the cross beam (230) according to the first modified example may include a partition wall (235) extending along the branch channel (320) therein. In addition, the branch channel (320) according to the present modified example may include a first branch channel (321) and a second branch channel (322) separated from each other by the partition wall (235).

[0080] According to the configuration according to the first modified example, the gas introduced through the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) is induced to flow along the first branch channel (321), and the gas introduced through the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) is induced to flow along the second branch channel (322). In this case, for example, when a high-temperature gas is introduced into the cross beam (230) and moves along the first branch channel (321), the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) does not directly contact the high-temperature gas. Therefore, the temperature of the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) does not rise significantly, and thus the battery module (100) adjacent to the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) may not be thermally damaged. In addition, since gas does not flow through the second branch channel (322), it is possible to prevent the gas suction port (231) from being unexpectedly opened due to concerns about damage such as thermal melting of the opening / closing plate (233) provided on the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230). In addition, in the case of the embodiment described above, depending on the size or rotation angle of the opening / closing plate (233) provided on the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230), the branch channel (320) may be unintentionally closed, causing the opening / closing plate (233) provided on the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) to open, and a situation may occur in which the introduced gas cannot move to the main channel (310). However, as in the first modified example, if the first branch channel (321) for the movement of gas introduced through the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) and the second branch channel (322) for the movement of gas introduced through the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) are independently provided, the above situation does not occur.

[0081] Fig. 10 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a second modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0082] A cross beam (230) according to a second modified example of the present invention is provided in the form of a plate having a larger surface area than a gas suction port (231) and includes an opening / closing plate (233) of which only one end is fixedly connected to the inside of the cross beam (230). For example, the opening / closing plate (233) may be fixed to the cross beam (230) by a fixing member (233a) such as a bolt or rivet, or may be fixed by means of adhesion, welding, or the like.

[0083] That is, in the second modified example, one end of the opening / closing plate (233) is a fixed end fixed to the cross beam (230), and the other end of the opening / closing plate (233) is a free end not bound to the cross beam (230). This opening / closing plate (233) can be bent or broken by the pressure of the gas. The opening / closing plate (233) is preferably made of a material having a property of bending under a predetermined external force, such as, for example, silicon, copper, aluminum, or wrought iron.

[0084] In addition, the cross beam (230) according to the second modified example may have a partition wall (235) inside, like the first modified example described above, and may include a first branch channel (321) and a second branch channel (322) separated by the partition wall (235).

[0085] In addition, the cross beam (230) according to the second modified example may include a plate stopper (236) protrudingly formed on the partition wall (235) to limit the bending of the opening / closing plate (233). The plate stopper (236) may include a first blocking plate (236a) extending in a direction intersecting the partition wall (235) and a second blocking plate (236b) intersecting the first blocking plate (236a) and extending in the direction of the main channel (310).

[0086] According to the configuration according to this second modified example, the gas suction port (231) can be normally shielded, and when gas is generated, the opening / closing plate (233) can be bent to open the gas suction port (231). In addition, the free end of the bendable opening / closing plate (233) can be supported by a plate stopper (236) to limit the bending of the opening / closing plate (233) and prevent the flow of gas from flowing in the opposite direction to the main channel (310).

[0087] Fig. 11 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a third modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0088] The opening / closing member (232) according to the third modified example of the present invention may include, as shown in FIG. 11, an opening / closing plate (233) provided in a plate-like shape with a larger area than the gas suction port (231) and an elastic member (237) provided inside the cross beam (230) and elastically pressing the opening / closing plate (233) so that the gas suction port (231) is covered.

[0089] A spring may be employed as the elastic member (237). The spring is an example of the elastic member (237). That is, in addition to the spring, any means capable of elastically pressing the opening / closing plate (233) may be employed as the elastic member (237).

[0090] The spring may be configured such that one end is fixed to the side of the cross beam (230) facing the gas suction port (231) and the other end is connected to the opening / closing plate (233), and when no external force is applied, the spring elastically presses the opening / closing plate (233) so that the gas suction port (231) is closed.

[0091] According to this third modified example, when gas pressure is applied in the direction of the cross beam (230) in the partitioned space (S1), the spring is compressed, and the opening / closing plate (233) can fall from the gas suction port (231). In particular, according to the third modified example, the opening / closing plate (233) translates according to the pressure of the gas and the deformation amount of the spring to open and close the gas suction port (231), so there is no problem even if the sizes of the gas suction port (231) and the opening / closing plate (233) are formed larger than in the above-described modified examples. In particular, when the width of the cross beam (230) is not sufficient, the opening / closing member (232) that opens and closes the gas suction port (231) by rotating is limited by the size of the opening / closing plate (233), but according to the third modified example, this limitation can be solved.

[0092] Fig. 12 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 7, and is a drawing showing a fourth modified example of the cross beam of Fig. 7.

[0093] The cross beam (230) according to the fourth modified example of the present invention includes a partition wall (235) extending along the branch channel (320), and the opening / closing member (232) is substantially the same as that of the third modified example described above.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 12, in the fourth modified example, the elastic member (237) can be configured so that one end is coupled to the opening / closing plate (233) and the other end is coupled to the partition wall (235).

[0095] According to the implementation configuration according to the fourth modified example, the first branch channel (321) for the movement of gas introduced through the first side portion (230a) of the cross beam (230) according to the first modified example and the second branch channel (322) for the movement of gas introduced through the second side portion (230b) of the cross beam (230) are independently provided, thereby providing an effect of blocking heat energy transmission between adjacent battery modules (100). In addition, as described in the third modified example, it has the advantage of a high degree of freedom in application of the opening / closing plate (233) and the gas suction port (231) in relation to the width of the cross beam (230).

[0096] Next, a vehicle according to the present invention will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 13.

[0097] FIG. 13 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle including a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 13, a vehicle according to the present invention may be configured to include the battery pack (10), ECU (Electronic Control Unit, 20), inverter (30), and motor (40) described above according to one embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle.

[0099] The above battery pack (10) can be used as an electric energy source to drive a vehicle by providing driving force to a motor (40). The battery pack (10) can be charged or discharged by an inverter (30) according to the operation of the motor (40) and / or an internal combustion engine (not shown). The battery pack (10) can be charged by a regenerative charging device combined with a brake. The battery pack (10) can be electrically connected to the motor (40) of the vehicle through the inverter (30).

[0100] The ECU (20) is an electronic control device that controls the status of the vehicle. For example, it determines torque information based on information such as the accelerator, brake, and speed, and controls the output of the motor (40) to match the torque information. In addition, the ECU (20) sends a control signal to the inverter (30) so that the battery pack (10) can be charged or discharged based on status information such as the SOC and SOH of the battery pack (10) transmitted by the BMS. The inverter (30) allows the battery pack (10) to be charged or discharged based on the control signal of the ECU (20). The motor (40) drives the vehicle based on control information (e.g., torque information) transmitted from the ECU (20) using the electric energy of the battery pack (10).

[0101] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0102] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer.

[0103] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0104] In addition, although terms indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right are used in this specification, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are only for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the location of the target object or the location of the observer.

Claims

1. Multiple battery modules; A pack case having an outer wall and a plurality of cross beams that divide an inner space surrounded by the outer wall, and wherein the plurality of battery modules can be placed in each of the divided spaces; and Including the above cross beams and the gas movement channel provided inside the outer wall, A battery pack characterized in that, when gas is generated in any of the above battery modules, the gas is discharged to the outside of the pack case through the gas movement channel of the cross beam and the outer wall adjacent to any of the above battery modules.

2. In paragraph 1, The above gas movement channel is, a main channel extending along the outer wall; and A battery pack characterized by comprising a plurality of branch channels branching from the main channel and extending along each of the cross beams.

3. In paragraph 2, The above cross beam, A gas suction port provided on at least one side and connecting the partitioned space with the branch channel; and A battery pack characterized by including an opening / closing member that covers the gas suction port and operates to open the gas suction port when gas pressure is applied.

4. In paragraph 3, The above cross beam includes a bulkhead extending along the branch channel therein, A battery pack, characterized in that the branch channel includes a first branch channel and a second branch channel separated from each other by the bulkhead.

5. In paragraph 3, The above gas suction port is, A battery pack characterized in that at least one is provided on both side surfaces of the above cross beam.

6. In paragraph 3, A battery pack characterized in that the gas suction port provided on one side of the cross beam and the gas suction port provided on the other side of the cross beam are arranged so as not to face each other.

7. In paragraph 3, The above opening and closing member is, A battery pack characterized in that it comprises an opening / closing plate formed in a plate shape having a larger area than the gas suction port and having only one end fixedly connected to the inside of the cross beam.

8. In paragraph 7, The above opening / closing plate is made of a material having a property of bending under external force, The above cross beam, a bulkhead extending along the branch channel therein; and A battery pack characterized in that it includes a plate stopper protrudingly formed on the bulkhead to limit bending of the opening / closing plate.

9. In paragraph 8, The above plate stopper, A first blocking plate extending in a direction intersecting the above bulkhead; and A battery pack characterized by including a second blocking plate intersecting the first blocking plate and extending in the direction of the main channel.

10. In paragraph 3, The above opening and closing member is, An opening / closing plate provided in the form of a plate capable of covering the above gas suction port; and A battery pack characterized by including a damper hinge connected to one end of the opening / closing plate and fixedly coupled to the inside of the cross beam.

11. In paragraph 3, The above opening and closing member is, An opening / closing plate provided in the form of a plate having a larger area than the above gas suction port; and A battery pack characterized by including an elastic member provided inside the cross beam and elastically pressing the opening / closing plate so that the gas suction port is covered.

12. In paragraph 11, The above cross beam includes a bulkhead extending along the branch channel therein, A battery pack characterized in that one end of the elastic member is coupled to the opening / closing plate and the other end is coupled to the bulkhead.

13. In paragraph 1, A battery pack characterized in that the outer wall includes at least one gas outlet through which gas can be discharged from the gas movement channel to the outside of the pack case.

14. In paragraph 1, The above pack case is, A battery pack characterized by comprising a pack tray having the above-described compartmentalized spaces inside and an open-top box shape, and a pack cover covering the open top of the pack tray and mutually coupled with the pack tray.

15. A vehicle comprising a battery pack according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 14.

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