CN-122029680-A - Battery module, battery pack including the same, and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention may provide a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, a top cover configured to cover one surface of the plurality of battery cells, and at least one heat deformation member disposed between the top cover and the battery cells and configured to expand in volume when a temperature rises to a preset temperature or more due to heat, such that a portion of the top cover is deformed.

Inventors

• ZHAO YONGXIN
• Quan Xilong
• Sun Hongshi
• An Chengyou

Assignees

• 株式会社LG新能源

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250715

Priority Date

20240718

Claims (14)

1. 1. A battery module, the battery module comprising: a plurality of battery cells; A top cover configured to cover one surface of the plurality of battery cells, and At least one heat deformation member disposed between the top cover and the battery cell, and configured to expand in volume and deform a portion of the top cover when a temperature reaches a preset temperature or higher due to heat.
2. 2. The battery module according to claim 1, The battery module further includes a module frame configured to house the plurality of battery cells, Wherein the module frame includes at least one first vent hole formed at a position corresponding to the heat deformation member and configured to vent gas generated from the battery cell to the outside.
3. 3. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein at least a portion of the heat deformable member is configured to pass through the first exhaust hole when heat is applied to the heat deformable member and a temperature of the heat deformable member reaches a preset temperature or higher.
4. 4. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein the first vent holes are configured to be sealed by the top cover under normal conditions, and at least one of the first vent holes is configured to open when the temperature of the heat deformation member reaches a preset temperature or higher.
5. 5. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein, the top cap includes: a first cover secured to the module frame, and At least one second cover surrounded by the first cover and configured to cover the first vent hole.
6. 6. The battery module according to claim 5, Wherein a central portion of the second cover corresponds to the first exhaust hole, and an edge portion of the second cover is disposed to face the module frame.
7. 7. The battery module according to claim 5, Wherein the second cover is configured such that a position of the second cover is changed due to the heat deformation member.
8. 8. The battery module according to claim 5, Wherein when heat is applied to the heat deformable member and the temperature of the heat deformable member reaches a preset temperature or higher, the heat deformable member is configured to expand upward toward the second cover, and the second cover is configured to move upward.
9. 9. The battery module according to claim 1, Wherein a plurality of heat deformable members are provided in at least one direction.
10. 10. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein the horizontal width of the heat deformation member is smaller than the horizontal width of the first exhaust hole.
11. 11. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein the heat deformable member comprises at least one of a foaming agent and a shape memory alloy.
12. 12. The battery module according to claim 2, Wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged in the horizontal direction, and Wherein the first exhaust hole is configured to cover one surface facing an upper side direction of the plurality of battery cells.
13. 13. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
14. 14. A vehicle comprising the battery pack according to claim 13.

Description

Battery module, battery pack including the same, and vehicle Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a battery module, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle. The present application is based on and claims priority from korean patent application No. 10-2024-0095252 filed on the intellectual property part of korea at month 7 of 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Secondary batteries that provide high applicability across product categories and have electrical characteristics such as high energy density are widely used not only in portable devices but also in Electric Vehicles (EVs) or hybrid vehicles (HEVs) driven by power sources. Such secondary batteries are gaining attention as new energy sources for enhancing environmental sustainability and energy efficiency not only because secondary batteries significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also because they do not generate byproducts from energy use. Secondary batteries that are widely used at present include lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel zinc batteries. When a high output voltage is required, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in series to form a battery module or battery pack. In addition, in order to increase charge/discharge capacity, a plurality of battery cells may be connected in parallel to configure a battery module or a battery pack. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery module or the battery pack may be variously configured according to a desired output voltage or charge/discharge capacity. Meanwhile, since the battery cells involve chemical reactions during charge and discharge, their performance may be deteriorated when used in environments exceeding an appropriate temperature. Furthermore, if thermal control is not properly maintained at the proper temperature, there is still a potential risk of accidental fires or explosions. In addition, the battery module is configured in a structure in which such battery cells are densely stored in a module frame. Thus, if a thermal event occurs in any one of the battery cells, high temperature gases and flames released therefrom may propagate to an adjacent battery cell, thereby causing a chain reaction of battery cell explosion, which poses a significant safety risk. In particular, since the module frames of the battery modules are made of metal, the module frames of the battery modules may serve as a heat source when a thermal event occurs in the battery modules or adjacent modules, thereby promoting heat propagation between the battery modules. Accordingly, the battery module is configured to have a hole in an upper portion of the module and includes a frame cover configured to cover an outer surface (particularly, an upper surface) of the module frame, thereby preventing foreign substances or gases from entering the battery module under normal conditions, and breaking the module cover due to pressure in the event of thermal runaway of the battery module to allow the gases or flames to be discharged. However, when a thermal event occurs in adjacent battery modules, the external pressure of the battery modules increases, and the module covers of the battery modules, in which thermal runaway does not occur, are also damaged by the pressure, resulting in the inflow of high-temperature gas and/or flame into the affected area, thereby accelerating the thermal runaway. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a structure capable of preventing thermal runaway propagation by preventing a module cover of a battery module, in which thermal runaway does not occur, from being damaged due to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the module. Disclosure of Invention Technical problem The present disclosure has been made in order to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore, is directed to providing a battery module that facilitates the discharge of high-temperature gases or flames generated from battery cells in the event of an abnormal situation occurring in the battery module while minimizing their spreading to neighboring battery modules, thereby effectively preventing or delaying the propagation of thermal runaway between the modules. The present disclosure also relates to providing a battery module having an improved structure, a battery pack including the battery module, and a vehicle including the battery pack. However, the technical problems the present disclosure is intended to solve are not limited to the above-described problems, and other problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present invention described below. Technical proposal In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery module including a plurality of battery cells, a top cover configured to cover one surfac