Battery device

Abstract

A battery device, according to embodiments, comprises: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells and one or more first thermal blocking members are stacked; a second thermal blocking member disposed on at least one side surface of the cell stack and in contact with the one or more first thermal blocking members in a height direction of the cell stack; and a housing accommodating the cell stack and the second thermal blocking member, wherein the housing may include a plurality of venting holes disposed to face the second thermal blocking member, and a portion of the second thermal blocking member facing the plurality of venting holes may be configured to be opened by internal pressure of the housing.

Description

battery device

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

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 2024-0156339 filed November 06, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the document of said Korean Patent Application are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] Secondary batteries are rechargeable and dischargeable, making them widely used in mobile devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones, and laptops. In particular, they are recently attracting attention as a large-capacity energy source for applications in electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). To realize such large-capacity energy sources, battery module or battery pack structures in which multiple secondary batteries (battery cells) are connected in series or parallel are being actively developed.

[0004] In a battery device housing multiple secondary batteries, high-temperature gas or flames may be generated in some battery cells due to external impact, harsh charging and discharging, or short circuits between secondary batteries. At this time, if the high-temperature gas or flames ejected from a battery cell are transferred to an adjacent battery cell, it may cause a chain reaction of thermal runaway within the battery device.

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

[0006] The present invention is designed to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to provide a battery device capable of safely discharging high-temperature gas or flames to the outside of the battery device in the event of a thermal runaway.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, in the embodiments, a battery device is provided comprising a cell stack having a plurality of battery cells and one or more first heat blocking members stacked thereon, a second heat blocking member disposed on at least one side of the cell stack and in contact with one or more first heat blocking members in the height direction of the cell stack, and a housing that accommodates the cell stack and the second heat blocking member, wherein the housing includes a plurality of venting holes disposed facing the second heat blocking member, and the portion of the second heat blocking member facing the plurality of venting holes is configured to be opened by the internal pressure of the housing.

[0008] In the embodiments, the second heat-blocking member may include a first layer comprising an insulating material, and a second layer comprising a flame-retardant material disposed on at least one surface of the first layer.

[0009] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member may be formed by laminating a first layer between a pair of second layers.

[0010] In the embodiments, the first layer comprises silicon, and the second layer may comprise a material with higher flame retardancy than silicon.

[0011] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member may include a plurality of first slits arranged to face a plurality of venting holes and configured to open by the internal pressure of the housing.

[0012] In the embodiments, the end of the first heat blocking member can press the second heat blocking member in the height direction of the cell stack.

[0013] In the embodiments, the battery device further includes a third heat-blocking member covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing, and the third heat-blocking member may cover a plurality of venting holes.

[0014] In the embodiments, the third heat blocking member may be made of a material different from the second heat blocking member.

[0015] In the embodiments, the third heat blocking member may include a plurality of second slits arranged to face a plurality of venting holes and configured to open by the internal pressure of the housing.

[0016] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member includes a plurality of first slits arranged facing a plurality of venting holes, and the plurality of first slits may be arranged offset from each other in the height direction of the cell stack with the plurality of second slits.

[0017] In the embodiments, the housing further includes a main frame on which a cell stack is seated, and an upper cover covering the open upper side of the main frame, and a plurality of venting holes may be disposed in the upper cover.

[0018] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member can be adhesively fixed to the lower surface of the upper cover via an adhesive member.

[0019] In the embodiments, one side of the second heat blocking member is in contact with the upper cover, and the other side of the second heat blocking member may be in contact with at least one side of the cell stack.

[0020] In the embodiments, the third heat-blocking member can cover the upper surface of the upper cover.

[0021] In the embodiments, a cut-type slit may not be formed in the second heat-blocking member.

[0022] According to the embodiments, a battery device can be provided that prevents high-temperature gas or flames from indiscriminately propagating inside the battery device during a thermal runaway situation.

[0023] In addition, according to the embodiments, a battery device capable of safely discharging high-temperature gas or flames to the outside of the battery device can be provided.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0025] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0026] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cell stack included in a battery device according to embodiments.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second heat-blocking member according to embodiments.

[0028] Figure 5 is a reference diagram showing a second heat-blocking member positioned at the bottom of the upper cover.

[0029] FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view according to the section II-II' of FIG. 4.

[0030] FIG. 7 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a reference diagram for explaining the venting of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0034] FIG. 11 is a reference diagram for explaining the venting of a battery device according to embodiments.

[0035] Prior to the detailed description of the present invention, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Instead, they should be interpreted in a sense and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor may appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention. Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all aspects of the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications capable of replacing them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0036] Identical reference numbers or symbols in each drawing attached to this specification represent parts or components that perform substantially the same function. For convenience of explanation and understanding, the same reference numbers or symbols may be used to describe different embodiments. That is, even if components having the same reference number are depicted in multiple drawings, the multiple drawings do not all represent a single embodiment.

[0037] In the following description, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms such as "comprising" or "constituting" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0038] In addition, it should be noted in advance that expressions such as upper side, top, lower side, bottom, side, front, and rear in the following description are based on the direction depicted in the drawings, and may be expressed differently if the direction of the object changes.

[0039] Additionally, in this specification and claims, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to distinguish between components. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish identical or similar components from one another, and the meaning of the terms should not be limited by the use of such ordinal numbers. For example, the order of use or arrangement of components combined with such ordinal numbers should not be limited by the number. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

[0040] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented. For example, a person skilled in the art who understands the scope of the present invention may propose other embodiments that fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention by adding, changing, or deleting components, and such embodiments shall also be deemed to be within the scope of the concept of the present invention. In the drawings, the shapes and sizes of elements may be exaggerated for clearer explanation.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0042] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0043] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cell stack included in a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0044] A battery device (10) according to the embodiments may include a housing (300) having an internal space and a plurality of battery cells (110) accommodated in the internal space of the housing (300).

[0045] In the embodiments described below, the term 'battery device (10)' refers collectively to an energy storage device composed of a plurality of battery cells (110) electrically connected. For example, the battery device (10) may be understood as a battery module, a battery pack, or an Energy Storage System (ESS).

[0046] A plurality of battery cells (110) accommodated in a battery device (10) may be stacked in one direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2) to form at least a part of a cell stack (100). In the following description, the stacking direction of the battery cells (110) is referred to as the 'cell stacking direction' or the 'first direction (Y-axis direction)'.

[0047] In the embodiments, the battery cell (110) forming the cell stack (100) may be a rechargeable secondary battery. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell (110) may be a pouch-type secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a sealed pouch.

[0048] In a pouch-type secondary battery, the electrode assembly and the electrolyte may be housed inside a pouch formed by processing one or more outer materials. The outer material forming the pouch may be composed of an aluminum laminated film, but the specific material is not limited thereto.

[0049] The battery cell (110) may include a cell case (111) having an internal space in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, and a sealing portion (112) formed by sealing an outer material at the edge of the cell case (111).

[0050] The sealing portion (112) may include a first sealing portion (112a) formed in the portion of the edge of the cell case (111) where a metallic lead tab (113) electrically connected to the electrode assembly protrudes, and a second sealing portion (112b) formed in the portion where the lead tab (113) does not protrude. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell (110) may have a double-ended tab structure in which a pair of lead tabs (113) extend to both sides of the cell case (111), and the first sealing portion (112a) may be formed by sealing the edge of the cell case (111) where the lead tab (113) is exposed, and the second sealing portion (112b) may be formed by sealing the edge where the lead tab (113) is not exposed. At this time, in order to increase sealing reliability and minimize the area of ​​the sealing portion (112), a part of the second sealing portion (112b) may be formed in a folded shape at least once.

[0051] However, the shapes of the battery cell (110) illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 are merely exemplary shapes, and the battery cell (110) included in the battery device (10) according to the embodiments is not limited to a pouch-type secondary battery. For example, the battery cell (110) may be configured as a prismatic secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a prismatic case having a certain rigidity, or as a cylindrical secondary battery in which an electrode assembly is housed inside a cylindrical case.

[0052] The cell stack (100) may further include a cell protection member that is positioned adjacent to the battery cell (110) to protect the battery cell (110). For example, the cell protection member may be a first heat blocking member (120) that is stacked together with the battery cell (110) to block high-temperature thermal energy or flame generated in one battery cell (110) from being transferred to an adjacent battery cell (110).

[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of first heat blocking members (120) and a plurality of battery cells (110) may be stacked along the cell stacking direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction). However, the number of first heat blocking members (120) and battery cells (110) constituting the cell stack (100) is not limited to that shown in the drawing. The number of first heat blocking members (120) and battery cells (110) and the stacking pattern may be varied as needed.

[0054] The first heat blocking member (120) may include a material with excellent flame retardancy, heat resistance, and thermal insulation properties. For example, the first heat blocking member (120) may be an insulating pad made of materials such as mica, silicate, or ceramic wool. The first heat blocking member (120) can effectively block the propagation of thermal energy within the cell stack (100).

[0055] However, the cell protection member may include various other members in addition to the first heat blocking member (120) described above. For example, the cell protection member may include a compression pad capable of absorbing swelling pressure of the battery cell (110) by applying appropriate surface pressure to the battery cell (110).

[0056] The housing (300) provides an internal space in which the cell stack (100) described above can be accommodated. One or more cell stacks (100) may be accommodated in the housing (300). The housing (300) may be formed of a material having a certain rigidity to protect the cell stack (100) and other electrical components accommodated in the internal space from external impact. For example, the housing (300) may include a metal material such as iron, stainless steel, or aluminum.

[0057] The housing (300) may include a main frame (310) that forms a receiving space for the cell stack (100) and an upper cover (320) that is coupled to the main frame (310). For example, the main frame (310) may be provided as a U-shaped frame with the top and both sides open, on which the cell stack (100) is seated, and the upper cover (320) may be configured to be coupled to the open top of the main frame (310) to cover the upper surface of the cell stack (100).

[0058] However, the structure of the housing (300) is not limited to this, and can be any shape as long as it has an internal space capable of accommodating at least one cell stack (100). For example, the housing (300) may be composed of an integrated monoframe in which the upper cover (320) and the main frame (310) are formed integrally and both sides are open.

[0059] The housing (300) may be provided with a venting hole (321) through which gas generated in the cell stack (100) can be discharged. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more venting holes (321) are provided in the upper cover (320) which is positioned on the upper part of the cell stack (100), and gas generated in the internal space of the housing (300) can be discharged to the outside of the battery device (10) through the venting hole (321).

[0060] An end cover assembly (500) may be attached to the side of the housing (300). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the end cover assembly (500) may be provided as a pair and attached to each of the open sides of the housing (300).

[0061] The end cover assembly (500) may include a plurality of conductive busbars electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells (110) included in the cell stack (100), and an end cover disposed on the outer edge of the busbars to protect the busbars and the cell stack (100) from the side.

[0062] When a large number of battery cells are stacked inside a battery device, there is a risk that an event occurring in one battery cell may sequentially spread to other battery cells. In particular, high-temperature gas or flames generated from the battery cells may flow irregularly around the cell stack, potentially causing impact to the battery device. Furthermore, as the gas or flames flow around the cell stack, they may form various heat propagation paths, potentially exacerbating the thermal runaway situation. To prevent this, the battery device (10) according to the embodiments may be configured so that flames or gases generated in the cell stack (100) can be safely discharged to the outside of the battery device (10) along a preset path.

[0063] In order to prevent high-temperature gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) from spreading indiscriminately inside the housing (300) and to rapidly discharge it in a predetermined direction (e.g., a second direction (Z-axis direction) which is the height direction of the battery device (10)), the battery device (10) according to the embodiments may further include a second heat blocking member (200) disposed on one side of the cell stack (100).

[0064] The second heat blocking member (200) has a square-shaped pad structure and can be placed between the upper cover (320) and the cell stack (100). For example, referring to FIG. 2, the second heat blocking member (200) can be positioned so that one side faces the lower surface of the upper cover (320), and the other side opposite to the one side faces the cell stack (100). In this way, the second heat blocking member (200) can cover the lower surface of the upper cover (320) to protect the upper cover (320) from high-temperature gas or flames generated in the cell stack (100).

[0065] The second heat blocking member (200) may include a material with excellent flame resistance, heat resistance, and thermal insulation properties to withstand high-temperature gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100). The second heat blocking member (200) including such a material fills the space between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320), thereby preventing flame or gas generated in the cell stack (100) from flowing indiscriminately between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320).

[0066] A plurality of first slits (210) may be formed in the second heat blocking member (200) to allow gas generated from the battery cell (110) to escape. The first slits (210) may be formed by cutting the second heat blocking member (200) in the thickness direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) to form notches or grooves.

[0067] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may cover one side facing the upper cover (320) in the cell stack (100). For example, referring to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 together, the upper cover (320) is positioned on the upper side of the cell stack (100), and the second heat blocking member (200) may be positioned to extend along the cell stacking direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320).

[0068] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may be positioned to fill the gap between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320). For example, one side of the second heat blocking member (200) may be in close contact with the lower surface of the upper cover (320), and the other side opposite to the one side of the second heat blocking member (200) may be in close contact with the upper surface of the cell stack (100). The second heat blocking member (200) minimizes the gap between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320), thereby preventing gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) from flowing indiscriminately between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320).

[0069] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may be attached to and fixed to the upper cover (320). For example, an adhesive member may be interposed between the second heat blocking member (200) and the upper cover (320), and the second heat blocking member (200) may be attached to the lower surface of the upper cover (320) by having its upper surface adhered to the adhesive member. For example, it may be an adhesive tape having sufficient heat resistance or flame retardancy to withstand high-temperature gas or flames generated in the cell laminate (100).

[0070] However, the second heat blocking member (200) may be placed between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320) in various ways other than the method described above. For example, an adhesive member may be interposed between the second heat blocking member (200) and the cell stack (100). Alternatively, the second heat blocking member (200) may be mechanically fastened to the housing (300) through a separate fastening member (e.g., a fastening member such as a bolt and a nut).

[0071] In the battery device (10) according to the embodiments, if the upper cover (320) is provided as a separate member distinct from the main frame (310) and is coupled to the main frame (310) to form the entire housing (300), the second heat blocking member (200) can be placed more stably on one side of the cell stack (100). For example, if the housing (300) is formed as a monoframe, the cell stack (100) needs to be assembled by sliding it through an opening on one side of the monoframe, and in this case, there is a risk that the second heat blocking member (200) covering one side of the cell stack (100) may be pushed or damaged during the assembly process. On the other hand, when the upper cover (320) and the main frame (310) are provided as separate components and assembled together, the cell stack (100) is placed on the main frame (310) and the upper side is covered with the second heat blocking member (200) and the upper cover (320), so that the second heat blocking member (200) can be quickly and effectively placed in an appropriate position inside the housing (300), thereby increasing the efficiency and speed of the battery device (10) assembly process.

[0072] In the embodiments, the battery device (10) may further include a third heat blocking member (600) covering at least some of the outer surfaces of the housing (300). For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2 together, the third heat blocking member (600) may be configured to cover the upper and side surfaces of the housing (300) to protect the housing (300) from external thermal energy. However, the shape of the third heat blocking member (600) shown in the drawings is an exemplary shape, and the third heat blocking member (600) may have various shapes.

[0073] A plurality of second slits (610) may be formed in the third heat blocking member (600) to allow gas generated inside the housing (300) to escape. The second slits (610) may be formed by cutting the third heat blocking member (600) in the thickness direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) to form a notch or groove.

[0074] The third heat-blocking member (600) may include a material with excellent heat resistance or flame retardancy so as to withstand high temperatures well. For example, the third heat-blocking member (600) may include materials such as mica, silicate, or ceramic wool.

[0075] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, a second heat blocking member (200) included in the battery device (10) will be described in more detail.

[0076] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second heat blocking member (200) according to embodiments.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a reference diagram showing a second heat blocking member (200) placed on the lower part of the upper cover (320).

[0078] FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view according to the section II-II' of FIG. 4.

[0079] Since the second heat blocking member (200) described in FIGS. 4 to 6 corresponds to the second heat blocking member (200) described earlier through FIGS. 1 to 3, descriptions that overlap with FIGS. 1 to 3 may be omitted.

[0080] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may be a battery protection pad (or sheet) comprising a material having excellent heat resistance, thermal insulation, and flame retardancy. For example, referring to FIG. 4, the second heat blocking member (200) may be provided in a roughly square pad shape to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the cell stack (100) and may include a plurality of first slits (210) that can be opened by gas generated from the cell stack (100).

[0081] A plurality of first slits (210) may be formed in at least a portion of the second heat blocking member (200). For example, in various embodiments, a plurality of first slits (210) may be formed across the entire area of ​​the second heat blocking member (200) as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, in various embodiments, a plurality of first slits (210) may be formed in a portion of the second heat blocking member (200), unlike as shown in FIG. 4. For example, various electronic components required for the battery device (10) may be placed on the upper or lower surface of the upper cover (320), and in order to prevent high-temperature gas generated from the battery cell (110) from directly contacting these electronic components, a plurality of first slits (210) may be placed avoiding the area where the electronic components are placed.

[0082] The first slit (210) may have a thin gap structure formed by cutting the second heat blocking member (200) in the thickness direction (e.g., Z-axis direction). Alternatively, the first slit (210) may be formed as a recess structure formed on the surface of the second heat blocking member (200).

[0083] The first slit (210) can be configured to be easily opened by the internal pressure of the housing (300). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first slit (210) can be provided in a shape that is slightly cut at both ends of a line that is cut long in the third direction (e.g., the X-axis direction), which is the length direction of the battery cell (110), in a direction intersecting the third direction (X-axis direction). According to this cut structure, the first slit (210) can be widely spread out and opened by the pressure of the gas released from the battery cell (110). However, the shape of the first slit (210) shown in FIG. 4 is merely an exemplary shape, and the shape of the first slit (210) can be modified in various ways.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 5, the second heat blocking member (200) may be placed on the lower surface of the upper cover (320), and the first slit (210) may be placed facing the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320) and the battery device (10) in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) to close or open the venting hole (321).

[0085] The first slit (210) can close the venting hole (321) before an event situation of the battery cell (110) occurs, and can be opened by the internal pressure of the gas generated during the event situation of the battery cell (110).

[0086] Each of the multiple first slits (210) can be opened and closed independently. For example, even if some of the first slits (210) are in an open state, other first slits (210) may be in a closed state. Therefore, when one of the first slits (210) is opened, gas that has escaped through it can be prevented from flowing back into the housing (300) through another first slit (210) near the opened first slit (210).

[0087] In the embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may have a structure in which a plurality of layers made of different materials are laminated. For example, referring to FIG. 6, the second heat blocking member (200) may have a structure in which a second layer (202) made of a material different from the first layer (201) is laminated on the upper and lower sides of the first layer (201).

[0088] In the embodiments, each layer constituting the second heat blocking member (200) may be configured to perform different functions.

[0089] For example, the first layer (201) may be an 'insulating layer' configured to effectively block high-temperature thermal energy generated in the battery cell (110) from propagating in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery device (10) by including an insulating material with excellent heat blocking ability. For example, the first layer (201) may include a material such as silicone, silicate, ceramic wool, or aerogel with excellent heat blocking ability.

[0090] In the embodiments, the first layer (201) may include silicone having excellent thermal insulation properties and a predetermined compressibility and elasticity, and accordingly, the second heat blocking member (200) may have a predetermined compressibility and elasticity in the width direction (e.g., Z-axis direction).

[0091] In the embodiments, the second layer (202) may be a 'flame-retardant layer' made of a material having high heat resistance and flame retardancy so that the second heat-blocking member (200) can have excellent thermal insulation while protecting the first layer (201) from high-temperature gas or flame. For example, the second layer (202) may include a synthetic resin material with very high flame retardancy, ceramic, mica, HPI (hydroxy polyimide), or FRB (flame retardant barrier). For example, the second layer (202) may be made of a material with a higher flame retardancy grade than the first layer (201), that is, a material with better flame retardancy. The second layer (202) containing such a material with high flame retardancy can protect the first layer (201) from thermal energy, thereby delaying the first layer (201) from deteriorating or carbonizing due to high-temperature gas or flame and losing its function (e.g., heat propagation blocking). In this way, the second heat-blocking member (200) combines a first layer (201) having excellent thermal insulation and a second layer (202) having high flame retardancy, so that it can maintain excellent thermal insulation even when exposed to high-temperature gas or flame for a long period of time.

[0092] In addition, in the embodiments, if the first layer (201) includes silicon, it can have an excellent effect in terms of the production process of the second heat-blocking member (200). For example, if the first layer (201) includes silicon, the generation of fine particles can be minimized in the process of cutting the second heat-blocking member (200) to form the first slit (210) due to the material properties of silicon.

[0093] In the embodiments, the second layer (202) may be disposed on one or both sides of the first layer (201). Alternatively, in the embodiments, the first layer (201) and the second layer (202) may be alternately stacked along the thickness direction of the second heat blocking member (200).

[0094] In the embodiments, referring to FIG. 6, the first slit (210) may be formed to penetrate both the first layer (201) and the second layer (202) stacked along the thickness direction of the second heat-blocking member (200). However, the shape shown in the drawing is merely an example, and in various embodiments, the first slit (210) may be formed by cutting only at least some of the layers among the plurality of layers.

[0095] Meanwhile, in various embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may include additional layers in addition to the first layer (201) and the second layer (202) described above. For example, the second heat blocking member (200) may include a third layer capable of performing a different material or function from the first layer (201) and the second layer (202). For example, the third layer may include a material with excellent compressibility, and accordingly, the second heat blocking member (200) may be appropriately deformed to correspond to the upper surface shape of the cell stack (100) to more tightly fill the gap between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320).

[0096] FIG. 7 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0097] FIG. 8 is a reference diagram for explaining the venting of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0098] Since the battery device (10) described in FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8 includes all the features of the battery device (10) described above through FIGS. 1 to 6, descriptions that overlap with FIGS. 1 to 6 may be omitted.

[0099] In the embodiments, the battery device (10) may include a cell stack (100) housed inside a main frame (310), a second heat blocking member (200) covering the upper surface of the cell stack (100), and an upper cover (320) covering the upper surface of the second heat blocking member (200).

[0100] The second heat blocking member (200) is positioned to fill the gap between the cell stack (100) and the upper cover (320), thereby preventing gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) from flowing indiscriminately inside the battery device (10) and allowing it to be stably discharged to the upper side of the battery device (10).

[0101] The second heat blocking member (200) may be positioned to be in contact with the first heat blocking member (120). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the end of the first heat blocking member (120) may be in contact with the second heat blocking member (200). In this way, the first heat blocking member (120) and the second heat blocking member (200) may come into contact with each other to form a kind of heat blocking compartment around the battery cell (110). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the first heat blocking member (120) may cover the battery cell (110) in a first direction (Y-axis direction), and the second heat blocking member (200) may cover the battery cell (110) in a second direction (Z-axis direction). In this way, the battery device (10) according to the embodiments may have a structure in which one or more battery cells (110) are disposed inside a heat-blocking compartment formed by a first heat-blocking member (120) and a second heat-blocking member (200).

[0102] According to this heat-blocking compartment structure, gas or flames emitted from some battery cells (110) where an event occurred can be effectively blocked from transferring to adjacent battery cells (110). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a chain reaction of ignition from occurring inside the battery device (10).

[0103] In the embodiments, the end of the first heat blocking member (120) may be positioned to press the second heat blocking member (200) in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the battery device (10). In various embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200) may be made of a material having a certain compressibility, such as silicon, in which case the portion of the second heat blocking member (200) that is pressed by the end of the first heat blocking member (120) may be slightly compressed, as shown in FIG. 7. In this way, the first heat blocking member (120) and the second heat blocking member (200) may be interlocked with each other to form a more robust heat blocking compartment.

[0104] However, the contact structure between the first heat blocking member (120) and the second heat blocking member (200) is not limited to that shown in the drawing. For example, the second heat blocking member (200) may be positioned in contact with the first heat blocking member (120) but not compressed.

[0105] Additionally, in FIG. 7, two battery cells (110) are arranged in each heat-blocking compartment formed by the first heat-blocking member (120) and the second heat-blocking member (200), but alternatively, one or three or more battery cells (110) may be arranged in each heat-blocking compartment.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8 together, in the embodiments, the first slit (210) of the second heat blocking member (200) may be formed at a position corresponding to the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320). For example, when the second heat blocking member (200) and the upper cover (320) are positioned to face each other in the second direction (Z-axis direction), which is the height direction of the battery device (10), the first slit (210) may be positioned to face the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320) in the second direction (Z-axis direction).

[0107] The first slit (210) may be configured to open and close the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320). For example, in a situation where no event such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery device (10), the first slit (210) may block the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320) to prevent foreign matter from outside the battery device (10) from entering the housing (300). When an event such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery device (10), the first slit (210) may be configured to open due to the internal pressure of the housing (300) in which the cell stack (100) is housed. For example, as a thermal runaway phenomenon occurs in some battery cells (110) housed within the housing (300) and gas is released, the internal pressure in the space near the ignited battery cells (110) increases, and due to this increased internal pressure, the first slit (210) is opened to form the first open slit (210a). Accordingly, high-temperature gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) can pass through the first open slit (210a) and escape to the outside of the housing (300) through the venting hole (321). That is, the second heat blocking member (200) is placed between the upper cover (320) and the cell stack (100) and can perform the role of guiding the gas generated in the cell stack (100) to flow toward the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320).

[0108] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 together, in the embodiments, the third heat blocking member (600) may cover at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing (300). For example, referring to FIG. 7, the third heat blocking member (600) may be positioned to cover the upper cover (320) and a plurality of venting holes (321) formed in the upper cover (320).

[0109] In the embodiments, the third heat-blocking member (600) may be made of a material different from the material forming the second heat-blocking member (200), while having heat resistance and flame retardancy. For example, the second heat-blocking member (200) may include silicone, and the third heat-blocking member (600) may not include silicone. For example, the second heat-blocking member (200) may include a first layer (201) including silicone and a second layer (202) including FRB (or HPI), and the third heat-blocking member (600) may include mica.

[0110] In the embodiments, the second slit (610) of the third heat blocking member (600) may be formed at a position corresponding to the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320). For example, when the third heat blocking member (600) is positioned to cover the outer surface of the upper cover (320), the second slit (610) may be positioned to face the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320) in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the upper cover (320) (i.e., the height direction of the battery device (10)).

[0111] In the embodiments, referring to FIG. 7, the second slit (610) may be positioned so as to be slightly offset from the first slit (210) in the height direction of the battery device (10). When the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) are positioned offset in this way, foreign substances can be more effectively blocked from entering from the outside to the inside of the battery device (10). However, the positions of the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) are not limited to those shown in the drawings. For example, they may be positioned so as to overlap each other in the height direction of the battery device (10). Even in this case, the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) are formed as thin gaps so that foreign substances do not enter, thereby sufficiently blocking foreign substances.

[0112] The second slit (610) may be configured to open and close the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320). For example, in a situation where no event such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery device (10), the second slit (610) can block the venting hole (321) of the upper cover (320) to prevent foreign matter from outside the battery device (10) from entering the venting hole (321). When an event such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery device (10), the second slit (610) is opened by the internal pressure of the housing (300) to form a second open slit (610a). For example, gas released from some battery cells (110) contained within the housing (300) passes through the first open slit (210a) and the venting hole (321) and applies pressure to the second slit (610), and due to this pressure, the second slit (610) can be opened to form the second open slit (610a). Accordingly, high-temperature gas or flame generated in the cell stack (100) can pass through the opened first open slit (210a), the venting hole (321), and the second open slit (610a) and escape to the outside of the battery device (10).

[0113] In this way, the gas released as an event occurs in the battery cell (110) can be discharged to the outside of the battery device (10) through the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) and the venting hole (321). The battery device (10) according to the embodiments can smoothly discharge high-temperature gas and flames in the upward direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the battery device (10), thereby preventing the gas and flames from spreading widely inside the housing (300) and preventing the internal pressure of the housing (300) from increasing excessively.

[0114] Meanwhile, the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) in areas other than the first slit (210) and the second slit (610) facing the battery cell (110) where the event occurred may not be opened, and accordingly, gas or flames discharged outside the battery device (10) through other venting holes (321) around the opened venting hole (321) may not flow into other venting holes (321). Accordingly, the problem of gas discharged outside the battery device (10) flowing back into the battery device (10) and accelerating thermal runaway can be prevented. That is, the battery device (10) according to the embodiments can locally open only the upper region of the heat-blocking compartment in which the battery cell (110) in which the event occurred is housed, so that gas or flame can be effectively discharged in a predetermined direction (e.g., the upper direction of the battery device (10)) and the gas or flame can be minimized from affecting other adjacent normal battery cells (110).

[0115] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, a battery device (10) including a second heat blocking member (200') according to various other embodiments will be described.

[0116] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0117] FIG. 10 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0118] FIG. 11 is a reference diagram for explaining the venting of a battery device (10) according to embodiments.

[0119] In various embodiments, the second heat blocking member (200') included in the battery device (10) may not have a slit formed therein. For example, referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, the second heat blocking member (200') may be provided in a flat pad shape and may not have a separate slit structure.

[0120] The second heat blocking member (200') having a flat pad structure like this can be configured to be locally torn by the pressure of gas generated by the thermal runaway of the battery cell (110) to form an opening (200'a).

[0121] For example, the second heat blocking member (200') may be configured such that a local area is torn by a gas pressure above a certain level, thereby opening a venting hole (321) in that area, and thus gas or flame may be discharged to the outside of the battery device (10) through the opening (200'a) and the venting hole (321).

[0122] Meanwhile, other areas of the second heat-blocking member (200') may not be torn except for the area facing the battery cell (110) where gas or flame is generated, thereby preventing the gas discharged outside the battery device (10) from re-entering the battery device (10).

[0123] Meanwhile, the second heat blocking member (200') may be formed from the material described above through FIGS. 1 to 8, and may include a laminated structure of multiple layers formed from different materials. For a detailed description thereof, refer to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0124] In addition, other technical features of the battery device (10) described in FIGS. 9 to 11, excluding the shape of the second heat blocking member (200'), are the same as those of the battery device (10) described in FIGS. 1 to 8, so a detailed description thereof may be made by referring to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0125] Although 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 obvious to those with average knowledge in the art that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be implemented by deleting some components, and each embodiment may be implemented in combination with one another.

Claims

1. A cell stack comprising a plurality of battery cells and one or more first heat-blocking members; A second heat blocking member disposed on at least one side of the cell stack and in contact with the one or more first heat blocking members in the height direction of the cell stack; and It includes a housing that accommodates the cell stack and the second heat blocking member, The above housing includes a plurality of venting holes positioned facing the second heat-blocking member, and A battery device configured such that the portion facing the plurality of venting holes in the second heat-blocking member is opened by the internal pressure of the housing.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above second heat blocking member is A first layer comprising an insulating material; and A battery device comprising a second layer disposed on at least one surface of the first layer and including a flame-retardant material.

3. In Paragraph 2, The above second heat blocking member is A battery device formed by laminating the first layer between a pair of the second layers.

4. In Paragraph 2, The first layer above includes silicon, A battery device in which the second layer comprises a material having higher flame retardancy than the silicon.

5. In Paragraph 2, The above second heat blocking member is, A battery device comprising a plurality of first slits arranged facing the plurality of venting holes and configured to open by the internal pressure of the housing.

6. In Paragraph 2, A battery device in which the end of the first heat blocking member presses the second heat blocking member in the height direction of the cell stack.

7. In Paragraph 2, It further includes a third heat-blocking member covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the above housing, and The above third heat-blocking member covers the plurality of venting holes, battery device.

8. In Paragraph 7, A battery device in which the third heat blocking member is made of a material different from the second heat blocking member.

9. In Paragraph 7, The above third heat blocking member is, A battery device comprising a plurality of second slits arranged facing the plurality of venting holes and configured to open by the internal pressure of the housing.

10. In Paragraph 9, The second heat-blocking member includes a plurality of first slits arranged facing the plurality of venting holes, and A battery device in which the plurality of first slits are arranged offset from each other in the height direction of the cell stack with the plurality of second slits.

11. In Paragraph 7, The above housing is A main frame on which the above cell stack is mounted; and It further includes an upper cover that covers the open upper side of the main frame, and The battery device, wherein the plurality of venting holes are disposed in the upper cover.

12. In Paragraph 11, The battery device, wherein the second heat-blocking member is adhesively fixed to the lower surface of the upper cover via an adhesive member.

13. In Paragraph 11, One side of the second heat-blocking member is in contact with the upper cover, and A battery device in which the other side of the second heat-blocking member contacts at least one side of the cell stack.

14. In Paragraph 13, The above third heat-blocking member covers the upper surface of the upper cover, battery device.

15. In Paragraph 1, A battery device in which a cut-shaped slit is not formed in the second heat-blocking member.

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