Secondary battery and battery box comprising same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a secondary battery and a battery box including same. The secondary battery according to one aspect of the present invention may comprise: an electrode assembly extending in one direction; a cap covering one side in an extension direction of the electrode assembly; an exterior film surrounding the other side of the electrode assembly; and a heat insulating member provided between the cap and the electrode assembly.

Description

Secondary battery and battery box including the same

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0156414 filed on November 6, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the document of said Korean Patent Application are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] The present invention relates to a secondary battery and a battery box including the same, and more specifically, to a secondary battery capable of charging and discharging electrical energy and a battery box including the same.

[0005] Although secondary batteries have been applied to small-scale fields such as mobile devices and laptop computers, recently the direction of research has expanded to medium and large-scale fields, and they are widely used in fields requiring high voltage and large capacity, such as Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Electric Vehicles (EV).

[0006] Meanwhile, as secondary batteries are utilized in various devices, the demand for their stability is increasing. To enhance the stability of secondary batteries, it is necessary to control the direction in which internal gases or flames are discharged during abnormal situations where the battery's temperature or pressure rises. This is because controlling the discharge direction of gases or flames allows for the suppression or control of thermal transfer or thermal runaway phenomena.

[0007] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery in which the direction of discharge of internal gas or flame can be controlled, and a battery box including the same.

[0008] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a secondary battery is provided, comprising: an electrode assembly extending in one direction; a cap covering one side of the electrode assembly in the direction of extension; an outer film covering the other side of the electrode assembly; and an insulating member provided between the cap and the electrode assembly.

[0010] At this time, the insulating member may extend in a width direction perpendicular to the length direction of the electrode assembly.

[0011] At this time, the cross-section of the insulation member may be circular or elliptical.

[0012] At this time, the electrode assembly further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap to conduct electricity to the outside, and an electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the terminal, and the corresponding surface facing the electrode tab assembly from the insulating member may be formed as a curved surface.

[0013] At this time, the cross-section of the insulation member may have a polygonal shape.

[0014] At this time, the electrode assembly further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap to conduct electricity to the outside, and an electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the terminal, and a corresponding surface provided on one side of the polygonal shape may be arranged to face the outer surface of the electrode tab assembly.

[0015] At this time, the corresponding surface may be arranged parallel to the outer surface of the electrode tab assembly.

[0016] At this time, the cross-section of the insulation member is a right triangle, and the corresponding surface provided on the hypotenuse of the right triangle can be arranged to face the outer surface of the electrode tab assembly.

[0017] At this time, the electrode assembly further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap to conduct electricity to the outside, and an electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the terminal, and the insulating member may include an upper insulating member and a lower insulating member positioned opposite each other with the electrode tab assembly in between.

[0018] At this time, the upper insulating member may be provided in multiple numbers.

[0019] At this time, the upper insulating member may have a spherical shape.

[0020] At this time, the upper insulating member may have a different shape from the lower insulating member.

[0021] At this time, the insulating member may include at least one of plastic and ceramic.

[0022] At this time, the caps are provided in pairs and can cover both sides in the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly.

[0023] At this time, the insulating member may be provided between the pair of caps and the electrode assembly, respectively.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery box is provided comprising: a packaging; and a secondary battery accommodated in the packaging, wherein the secondary battery comprises: an electrode assembly extending in one direction; a cap covering one side of the extension direction of the electrode assembly; an outer film wrapping the other side of the electrode assembly; and an insulating member provided between the cap and the electrode assembly.

[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, an insulating member is provided between the cap and the electrode assembly, so the movement of gas or flame can be suppressed in a direction from the electrode assembly toward the cap. Through this, in abnormal situations, the direction of discharge of gas or flame can be guided toward the outer film, thereby improving the stability of the secondary battery.

[0026] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a secondary battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above.

[0028] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a secondary battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view according to II of Figure 1.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the third embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the 6th embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited or restricted by the following embodiments.

[0036] In order to clearly explain the present invention, detailed descriptions of related prior art that are irrelevant to the explanation or that may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention have been omitted. Furthermore, when assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing in this specification, identical or similar reference numerals are assigned to identical or similar components throughout the entire specification.

[0037] In addition, terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a secondary battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention viewed from above. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a secondary battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view according to II of FIG. 1.

[0039] FIGS. 1 to 3 disclose a secondary battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the secondary battery (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be a secondary battery for charging and discharging electrical energy.

[0040] To this end, a secondary battery (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode assembly (10). The electrode assembly (10) may be an assembly composed of an electrode and a separator. The electrode assembly (10) may be extended forward and backward (in the X-axis direction).

[0041] In the following, the above direction is named the length direction (or extension direction) of the electrode assembly (10), the direction wrapping around the above length direction (X-axis direction) is named the circumference direction of the electrode assembly (10), and the left and right direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the above length direction (X-axis direction) is named the width direction of the electrode assembly (10).

[0042] The electrode may consist of a foil-shaped current collector made of copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al) and an electrode active material layer provided on one or both sides of the current collector. The separator may be made of an insulating material. An all-solid-state may be used in place of the separator. The materials of the current collector, the electrode active material layer, and the separator are not particularly limited.

[0043] At this time, the electrodes and separators may be composed of multiple units. Some of the multiple electrodes may be positive electrodes, and the remaining parts may be negative electrodes. The multiple electrodes and separators may be stacked in one direction. The separators may be interposed between adjacent electrodes.

[0044] Such an electrode assembly (10) can be classified into a stacked type, a stacked and folding type, or a cylindrical type depending on the stacked structure or overall shape. In this embodiment, the type or shape of the electrode assembly (10) is not particularly limited as long as it can charge and discharge electrical energy.

[0045] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the electrode assembly (10) may be provided with an electrode tab. The electrode tab may be configured to conduct current between the electrode and the terminal (30) described later. The electrode tab may extend from the electrode.

[0046] A plurality of electrode tabs can form an electrode tab assembly (11). The electrode tab assembly (11) can be extended parallel to the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode assembly (10). The electrode tab assembly (11) can be extended toward the terminal (30).

[0047] A secondary battery (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cap (20). The cap (20) may be configured to seal the electrode assembly (10) together with an outer film (40) described later. The cap (20) may be disposed on one side of the electrode assembly (10) in the extension direction (X-axis direction).

[0048] In this embodiment, the cap (20) may be configured as a pair. The pair of caps (20) may be placed on each side of the electrode assembly (10) in the extension direction (X-axis direction). The pair of caps (20) may be formed symmetrically around the electrode assembly (10).

[0049] However, as needed, a pair of caps (20) may have different shapes or structures. Alternatively, a cap (20) may be placed on one side in the extension direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode assembly (10), while another part of the outer film (40) may surround the other side. Hereinafter, when describing a secondary battery (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, the description will be based on the cap (20) placed in front (positive direction of the X-axis) of the electrode assembly (10).

[0050] In this embodiment, the cap (20) may include a cover portion (22). The cover portion (22) may be configured to cover the front (positive direction of the X-axis) of the electrode assembly (10). The cover portion (22) and the electrode assembly (10) may be positioned at a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction).

[0051] As a result, a predetermined gap space (S) may be provided between the cover portion (22) and the electrode assembly (10). The gap space (S) may be a space that crosses so that the electrode tab assembly (11) of the electrode assembly (10) is connected to the terminal (30) described later. That is, the gap space (S) may be a space provided so that the electrode tab assembly (11) can occupy the space between the cap (20) and the electrode assembly (10).

[0052] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the cover portion (22) may have a square plate shape. The cover portion (22) may be made of a metal or plastic material having a certain rigidity. However, the material or shape of the cover portion (22) is not particularly limited as long as it can cover one side of the electrode assembly (10).

[0053] In this embodiment, the cap (20) may include an extension portion (24). The extension portion (24) may extend from the cover portion (22) toward the electrode assembly (10). The extension portion (24) may be configured to form a combined structure of the outer film (40) and the cap (20) described later. The extension portion (24) may extend from the edge portion of the cover portion (22). The extension portion (24) may have a side wall shape having a predetermined thickness.

[0054] In this embodiment, the extension portion (24) may be provided along the edge of the cover portion (22). The extension portion (24) may surround the cover portion (22) in a circumferential direction along the edge. When viewed in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode assembly (10), the extension portion (24) may have a ring shape.

[0055] In this embodiment, the extension part (24) may be connected to the cover part (22). The extension part (24) may be made of the same material as the cover part (22). Of course, if necessary, the extension part (24) may be provided separately from the cover part (22) and combined with it, or it may be made of a different material.

[0056] Additionally, the structure or shape of the extension part (24) is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve a combined structure of the cap (20) and the exterior film (40). For example, the extension part (24) may be composed of a pair and provided on the left (negative direction of the Y-axis) edge portion and the right (positive direction of the Y-axis) edge portion of the cover part (22), respectively. In this case, the cover part (22) and the extension part (24) may have an overall 'U' shape.

[0057] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the cap (20) may include a connecting portion (26). The connecting portion (26) may be configured to connect the extension portion (24) and the exterior film (40) described later. Accordingly, the internal space formed by the cap (20) and the exterior film (40) can be isolated from the outside.

[0058] In this embodiment, the connecting part (26) may be made of a material that can be melted by heat or pressure. For example, the connecting part (26) may be made of a resin such as polypropylene, but the material of the connecting part (26) is not particularly limited.

[0059] In this embodiment, a portion of the connecting portion (26) may be provided on the outer circumference surface of the extension portion (24). A portion of the connecting portion (26) may have a ring shape that surrounds the outer side of the extension portion (24). The portion may be interposed between the outer film (40) and the extension portion (24) to connect them together.

[0060] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the remaining portion of the connecting portion (26) may be provided on another portion of the extension portion (24) and / or on the outer surface of the cover portion (22). As illustrated, the remaining portion of the connecting portion (26) may cover the entire outer surface of the extension portion (24) and may be provided on the surface of the outer surface of the cover portion (22) facing the electrode assembly (10). That is, the extension portion (24) may be embedded in the connecting portion (26).

[0061] However, the area where the connecting portion (26) is provided on the outer surface of the cover portion (22) or the extension portion (24) can be appropriately modified as needed. For example, a part of the connecting portion (26) may also be provided on the surface of the outer surface of the cover portion (22) that faces the outside of the electrode assembly (10).

[0062] Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, a secondary battery (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a terminal (30) made of a conductive material. The terminal (30) may be configured to conduct current to an electrode assembly (10) with an external load or power source.

[0063] In this embodiment, the terminal (30) may be installed on the cap (20). An electrode tab assembly (11) may be coupled to the terminal (30). The terminal (30) may have a rivet shape overall. However, the shape or position of the terminal (30) is not particularly limited as long as it allows the electrode assembly (10) to be electrically connected to the outside.

[0064] Meanwhile, although not shown, a gasket may be provided between the cap (20) and the terminal (30) to assist in the bonding force between the terminal (30) and the cap (20), to achieve insulation between the terminal (30) and the cap (20), or to prevent leakage of the electrolyte.

[0065] Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, a secondary battery (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an outer film (40). The outer film (40) may be configured to seal the electrode assembly (10) together with a cap (20). As a result, the electrode assembly (10) can be protected from external contamination or impact, and leakage of the electrolyte can also be prevented.

[0066] In this embodiment, the exterior film (40) may be formed into a multilayer structure. For example, the multilayer structure of the exterior film (40) may include a surface protection layer made of a polymer and provided on the outermost layer, a sealant layer made of a polymer and provided on the innermost layer, and a gas barrier layer made of metal interposed between the surface protection layer and the sealant layer.

[0067] Here, the polymer may include polyethylene terephthalate and / or polypropylene, and the metal may include iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and / or aluminum. However, the layer structure of the exterior film and the materials forming it may be appropriately modified as needed.

[0068] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the outer film (40) can wrap around the electrode assembly (10) in a circumferential direction. One side of the outer film (40) can be combined with the cap (20). The connecting portion (26) of the cap (20) is provided between one side of the outer film (40) and the extension portion (24) to combine them. Thus, the space in which the electrode assembly (10) is housed can be isolated from the outside.

[0069] In this embodiment, the outer film (40) has a certain flexibility so that it can be bent by an external force. Therefore, the outer film (40) can effectively respond to deformation of the electrode assembly (10). For example, the electrode assembly (10) may increase in volume during the charging and discharging process.

[0070] In this process, the outer film (40) may be bent in response to the deformation of the electrode assembly (10). In other words, the shape of the space in which the electrode assembly (10) is housed may be deformed in response to the deformation of the electrode assembly (10). This prevents damage to the electrode assembly (10) by relieving the partial application of excessive force to the electrode assembly (10).

[0071] In contrast, since the case of a prismatic secondary battery in which the shape of the receiving space (S) is fixed cannot be deformed in response to the deformation of the electrode assembly (10), excessive force or pressure may be applied locally to the electrode assembly (10). The electrode assembly (10) may be damaged by such force or pressure.

[0072] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the outer film (40) may be provided with a sealing portion (41). The sealing portion (41) may extend in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode assembly (10). The sealing portion (41) may be configured to be provided on the periphery side of the electrode assembly (10) to seal it.

[0073] Because the outer film (40) is made of a single layer of film, in order to isolate the internal space from the outside, it is necessary to surround the electrode assembly (10) in a circumferential direction and then combine one side and the other side. The sealing portion (41) can be formed by combining the one side and the other side of the outer film (40).

[0074] In this embodiment, the sealing portion (41) may be made of resin that has been solidified after being melted by heat or pressure. As an example, the sealing portion (41) may be formed by partially melting and solidifying the sealant layer of the exterior film (40). However, the structure or formation process of the sealing portion (41) is not particularly limited as long as it can combine one side of the exterior film (40) with the other side.

[0075] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the sealing part (41) can function as a venting part when an abnormal phenomenon occurs in the secondary battery (1). For example, when the internal pressure or temperature of the secondary battery (1) rises, the sealing part (41) may break or melt.

[0076] As a result, the sealing portion (41) in the exterior film (40) is opened, and flame or gas can be discharged. In order for such venting direction control to be properly achieved, the discharge of gas or flame into the cap (20) portion must be restricted.

[0077] To this end, the secondary battery (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an insulating member (50). The insulating member (50) may be made of an insulating material having a relatively low thermal conductivity compared to other components of the secondary battery (1). For example, the insulating member (50) may be made of plastic or ceramic material, but is not limited thereto.

[0078] At this time, the insulating member (50) may be positioned in the gap (S) between the cap (20) and the electrode assembly (10). As such, in this embodiment, since the insulating member (50) is interposed between the electrode assembly (10) and the cap (20), the transfer of heat from the electrode assembly (10) to the cap (20) side can be minimized. As a result, the melting or breakage of the connecting part (26) of the cap (20) can be suppressed, so flames or gases can be guided to the sealing part (41) of the outer film (40).

[0079] In this embodiment, the insulating member (50) may include an upper insulating member (52) and a lower insulating member (54). The upper insulating member (52) and the lower insulating member (54) may be positioned opposite each other on the upper side (positive direction of the Z-axis) and the lower side (negative direction of the Z-axis) with respect to the electrode tab assembly (11). They occupy the upper space and the lower space of the electrode tab assembly (11), respectively, and can suppress heat transfer.

[0080] In this embodiment, the upper insulating member (52) and the lower insulating member (54) may extend in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the electrode assembly (10). This configuration may be intended to allow the insulating member (50) to occupy as much of the spaced-out space (S) as possible.

[0081] At this time, the upper insulation member (52) and the lower insulation member (54) may have a circular or elliptical cross-section. At this time, the cross-section may be perpendicular to the extension direction (Y-axis direction) of the insulation member (50).

[0082] Through this, damage caused by the insulating member (50) to the outer surface (11a, 11b) of the electrode tab assembly (11) can be minimized. If necessary, the insulating member (50) may be composed of a plurality of members having a spherical shape and may occupy a spaced-out space (S).

[0083] As previously explained, in the secondary battery (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention, an insulating member (50) is interposed in the gap (S) provided between the cap (20) and the electrode assembly (10) so that the electrode tab assembly (11) passes through, thereby minimizing the transfer of heat from the electrode assembly (10) to the cap (20). Through this, when an abnormal situation occurs, the discharge of gas or flame can be guided toward the sealing portion (41) of the outer film (40).

[0084] Hereinafter, a secondary battery according to another embodiment of the present invention is described. At this time, the differences from the secondary battery according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above are explained in detail.

[0085] First, a secondary battery according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0086] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0087] FIG. 4 discloses a secondary battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, the upper insulating member (152) and the lower insulating member (154) of the secondary battery (101) according to the second embodiment of the present invention may each be composed of a plurality of insulating members (150).

[0088] At this time, the insulating members (150) may have a smaller cross-sectional area than the insulating member of the secondary battery according to the first embodiment described above. As a result, in this embodiment, the plurality of insulating members (150) may occupy the spaced-out space (S) at a higher density, so that heat transfer to the cap (20) side can be further suppressed.

[0089] Next, a secondary battery according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0090] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the third embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0091] FIG. 5 discloses a secondary battery according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the upper insulating member (252) and the lower insulating member (254) of the secondary battery (201) according to the third embodiment of the present invention may each have a polygonal cross-section. As an example, as shown, the cross-section may be hexagonal.

[0092] At this time, the flat corresponding surface (252a, 254a) provided on one side of the polygonal shape may be positioned to face the outer surface (11a, 11b) of the electrode tab assembly (11). At this time, the corresponding surface (252a, 254a) may be arranged parallel to each other with the outer surface (11a, 11b). This may be to minimize damage to the electrode tab assembly (11) by the corner portion of the insulating member (250).

[0093] Meanwhile, flat support surfaces (252b, 254b) provided on other sides of the polygonal shape may be positioned to face the inner wall of the spaced-apart space (S). The inner wall of the spaced-apart space (S) may be composed of the inner surface of the cap (20) or the inner surface of the outer film (40).

[0094] At this time, the support surfaces (252b, 254b) can be positioned parallel to the inner wall of the spaced-apart space (S). The support surfaces (252b, 254b) can be in surface contact with the inner wall. Accordingly, since the insulating member (250) can be supported by the inner wall, the insulating member (250) can be stably fixed in position within the spaced-apart space (S).

[0095] Next, a secondary battery according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0096] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0097] FIG. 6 discloses a secondary battery according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the upper insulating member (352) and the lower insulating member (254) of the secondary battery (301) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention may each have a cross-section that is a right triangle.

[0098] At this time, the flat corresponding surface (352a, 354a) provided on the hypotenuse of the right triangle may be positioned to face the outer surface (11a, 11b) of the electrode tab assembly (11). Also, the surface provided on the other side of the right triangle may be supported by the inner wall of the spaced-out space (S). Here, the hypotenuse of the right triangle may be the side opposite to the right corner of the right triangle.

[0099] Through this, damage caused by the insulating member (350) to the electrode tab assembly (11) can be minimized, while the insulating member (350) can be stably fixed in position in the spaced-out space (S).

[0100] Next, a secondary battery according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0101] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0102] FIG. 7 discloses a secondary battery according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, the upper insulating member (452) and the lower insulating member (454) of the secondary battery (401) according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention may each be provided with corresponding surfaces (452a, 454a). Here, the corresponding surfaces (452a, 454a) may each be surfaces facing adjacent outer surfaces (11a, 11b) of the electrode tab assembly (11).

[0103] In this embodiment, the corresponding surfaces (452a, 454b) may be formed as smooth curved surfaces. For example, the corresponding surfaces (452a, 454b) may be formed as curved surfaces that are convexly bent toward the outer surfaces (11a, 11b). This may be to minimize damage caused by the insulating member (450) to the electrode tab assembly (11).

[0104] Meanwhile, the upper insulation member (452) and the lower insulation member (454) may each be provided with a support surface (452b, 454b). The support surface (452b, 454b) may be a surface facing the inner wall of the spaced-apart space (S). At this time, the support surface (452b, 454b) may be formed as a flat plane parallel to the inner wall. Accordingly, the insulation member (450) can be stably supported and fixed to the inner wall of the spaced-apart space (S).

[0105] Next, a secondary battery according to the 6th embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0106] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a secondary battery according to the 6th embodiment of the present invention, cut according to II of FIG. 1.

[0107] FIG. 8 discloses a secondary battery according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, the upper insulating member (52) and the lower insulating member (254) of the secondary battery (501) according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention may have different shapes. For example, as illustrated, the upper insulating member (52) may have a circular cross-section, and the lower insulating member (254) may have a hexagonal cross-section.

[0108] Through this, an insulating member (550) having a structure suitable for the upper and lower parts of the gap space (S) can be individually selected and placed. The cross-sections of the upper insulating member (52) and the lower insulating member (254) can be varied as needed.

[0109] Meanwhile, a battery box according to one embodiment of the present invention may include packaging and a secondary battery. In this case, the secondary battery may be a secondary battery according to the embodiment of the present invention described above (shown in FIGS. 1 to 8). The secondary battery may be composed of a plurality of units. As a result, the discharge of flame or gas in the battery box can be controlled in a specific direction.

[0110] In this embodiment, the secondary battery may be housed in a package. The package may be configured to protect the secondary battery from external shock or contamination. To this end, the package may have an enclosure shape with a predetermined space inside. However, the structure or shape of the package is not particularly limited as long as it can house and protect the secondary battery.

[0111] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various implementations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0112] [Explanation of the symbol]

[0113] 1, 101, 201, 301, 401, 501: Secondary battery

[0114] 10: Electrode assembly 11: Electrode tab assembly

[0115] 20: Cap 22: Cover part

[0116] 24: Extension part 26: Connection part

[0117] 30: Terminal 40: Exterior film

[0118] 50, 150, 250, 350, 450, 550: Insulating members

[0119] 52, 152, 252, 352: Upper insulation member

[0120] 54, 154, 254, 354: Lower insulation members

[0121] S: Separation space

Claims

1. Electrode assembly extended in one direction; A cap covering one side in the extension direction of the above electrode assembly; An outer film covering the other side of the electrode assembly; and A secondary battery comprising an insulating member provided between the above cap and the above electrode assembly.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above insulating member is a secondary battery that extends in the width direction perpendicular to the length direction of the electrode assembly.

3. In Paragraph 2, A secondary battery in which the cross-section of the above-mentioned insulating member is circular or elliptical.

4. In Paragraph 2, To conduct electricity to the outside of the above electrode assembly, it further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap, and An electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the above terminal, and A secondary battery in which the corresponding surface facing the electrode tab assembly from the above insulating member is formed as a curved surface.

5. In Paragraph 2, The cross-section of the above-mentioned insulating member has a polygonal shape, a secondary battery.

6. In Paragraph 5, To conduct electricity to the outside of the above electrode assembly, it further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap, and An electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the above terminal, and A secondary battery in which a corresponding surface provided on one side of the above polygonal shape is arranged to face the outer surface of the electrode tab assembly.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above-mentioned corresponding surface is a secondary battery arranged parallel to the above-mentioned outer surface of the above-mentioned electrode tab assembly.

8. In Paragraph 6, The cross-section of the above-mentioned insulating member is a right triangle, and A secondary battery in which a corresponding surface provided on the hypotenuse of the above right triangle is arranged to face the outer surface of the electrode tab assembly.

9. In Paragraph 1, To conduct electricity to the outside of the above electrode assembly, it further includes a terminal that is coupled through the cap, and An electrode tab assembly extending from the electrode assembly is coupled to the above terminal, and The above-mentioned insulating member is, A secondary battery comprising an upper insulating member and a lower insulating member positioned opposite each other with the above electrode tab assembly in between.

10. In Paragraph 9, The above upper insulating member is a secondary battery provided in multiple units.

11. In Paragraph 9, The above upper insulating member is a secondary battery having a spherical shape.

12. In Paragraph 9, The above upper insulating member has a shape different from the above lower insulating member, in a secondary battery.

13. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned insulating member comprises at least one of plastic and ceramic, a secondary battery.

14. In Paragraph 1, The above caps are provided in pairs and each cover both sides in the longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly, in a secondary battery.

15. In Paragraph 14, The above insulating member is a secondary battery, each provided between the pair of caps and the electrode assembly.

16. Packaging; and Includes a secondary battery housed in the above packaging, The above secondary battery is, Electrode assembly extended in one direction; A cap covering one side in the extension direction of the above electrode assembly; An outer film covering the other side of the electrode assembly; and A battery box comprising an insulating member provided between the above cap and the above electrode assembly.

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