KR-20260065463-A - BATTERY PACK

Abstract

A battery pack is disclosed. A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a bottom cover assembly; a battery module installed on the upper surface of the bottom cover assembly; a top cover assembly positioned above the battery module, the top cover assembly having a fluid path formed therein and an injection hole communicating with the fluid path and facing the battery module; and a hole cover fixed between the top cover assembly and the battery module and sealing the injection hole.

Inventors

• 박주훈
• 김소영
• 박기찬
• 정동익
• 황원필

Assignees

• 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20250124

Priority Date

20241101

Claims (20)

1. Bottom cover assembly; A battery module installed on the upper surface of the above-mentioned bottom cover assembly; A top cover assembly positioned above the battery module, comprising a fluid channel formed therein and an injection hole communicating with said fluid channel and facing said battery module; and, A battery pack comprising a hole cover that is fixed between the top cover assembly and the battery module and seals the injection hole.
2. In Article 1, The above hole cover is, A battery pack coupled to the upper surface of the above battery module.
3. In Article 1, The above hole cover is, A battery pack coupled to the lower surface of the above top cover assembly.
4. In Article 1, The above hole cover is, A sealing portion facing the injection hole; and, It includes a first part that extends from the sealing portion and surrounds the sealing portion, The thickness of the above sealing portion is, A battery pack configured to be thinner than the thickness of the first part above.
5. In Paragraph 4, A battery pack further comprising a first reinforcing member disposed on the lower surface of the sealing portion.
6. In Article 5, The above-mentioned first reinforcing member is, Battery pack having a plate shape.
7. In Article 5, The above-mentioned first reinforcing member is, Battery pack having a mesh shape.
8. In Article 5, The above hole cover is, A connecting hole formed in the sealing portion and facing the injection hole, and The above-mentioned first reinforcing member is, A battery pack sealing the above connection hole.
9. In Article 5, A battery pack in which the sealing portion and the first reinforcing member are integrally formed.
10. In Paragraph 4, A battery pack further comprising a second reinforcing member disposed on the upper surface of the sealing portion.
11. In Article 10, A battery pack in which the sealing portion and the second reinforcing member are integrally formed.
12. In Paragraph 4, The above hole cover is, It further includes a reinforcing member extending along the perimeter of the injection hole, and The thickness of the above reinforcing part is, A battery pack configured to be thinner than the thickness of the first part and thicker than the thickness of the sealing part.
13. In Article 5, The above battery module is: A modular case that provides internal space and is equipped with a top plate; and, It includes a battery cell located inside the above module case, and The above top plate is, A battery pack having an inlet hole facing the sealing portion.
14. In Article 13, A battery pack configured such that the injection hole and the inlet hole are connected when a thermal event occurs.
15. In Article 13, It further includes a first reinforcing member disposed on the lower surface of the sealing portion, and The above battery module is, It further includes a support formed on the upper surface of the top plate and partitioning the inlet hole, The above support is, A battery pack supporting the first reinforcing member.
16. In Article 15, A battery pack in which the above support and the above top plate are integrally formed.
17. In Article 15 The above hole cover is, It has a groove formed on the lower surface of the first part above, and The above support is, A battery pack accommodated in the above groove.
18. In Article 1, The above hole cover is, The battery module is provided with an opening that exposes the upper surface of the battery module, and The above battery pack is, A battery pack further comprising a heat transfer member disposed in the above opening and in contact with the lower surface of the top cover assembly and the upper surface of the battery module.
19. In Article 18, The above hole cover is, A battery pack further comprising a second part extending along the perimeter of the upper surface of the battery module.
20. An automobile comprising a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

Description

Battery Pack The present invention relates to a battery pack. As the demand for portable electronic products such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and smartwatches increases significantly and electric vehicles become increasingly widespread, research on batteries installed in them, particularly secondary batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging, is actively underway. Currently commercialized rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to charge and discharge freely with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density. These lithium secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative active materials, respectively. The lithium secondary battery comprises an electrode assembly in which a positive plate and a negative plate, each coated with the positive and negative active materials, are arranged with a separator in between, and an outer casing, namely a battery case, that seals and houses the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte. Generally, lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the shape of the casing into can-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and pouch-type secondary batteries, in which the electrode assembly is embedded in a pouch of aluminum laminate sheet. Recently, secondary batteries are widely used for driving or energy storage not only in small devices such as portable electronic devices but also in medium-to-large devices such as electric vehicles and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). A single battery module can be formed by housing multiple such secondary batteries together inside a module case while electrically connected. In this case, each secondary battery included in a single battery module can be referred to as a battery cell. Furthermore, multiple such battery modules can be connected to form a single battery pack. However, when a battery pack contains multiple battery modules, and each module contains multiple battery cells, it may be vulnerable to thermal chain reactions between modules or cells. For example, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs within a single battery module, it is necessary to suppress the propagation of this runaway to other battery modules or cells. If the propagation of thermal runaway between modules or cells is not properly suppressed, an event originating in a specific module or cell may trigger a chain reaction of thermal reactions in other modules or cells, potentially causing explosions or fires, or significantly amplifying their scale. In particular, if an event such as thermal runaway occurs in a single battery module, gases or flames may be randomly released to the outside. If the release of such gases or flames is not properly controlled, they may be released toward other battery modules, potentially causing a thermal chain reaction in those modules. Specifically, module terminals may be located on the front side of a battery module to provide electrical connections to other battery modules or battery packs, such as module busbars. Therefore, if flames are released toward the front of such a battery module, they can damage the module terminals within the battery pack and cause an electrical short circuit. Furthermore, since other battery modules may be located in front of a specific battery module, if flames are released toward the front of that module, the emitted flames may spread toward other modules, making it easy for fire to spread between battery modules. If thermal propagation between battery modules or between battery cells is not properly controlled, a rapid voltage drop in the battery module or battery pack may occur. This can lead to a sudden shutdown of the device equipped with the battery module or battery pack, causing unexpected damage. For example, if a sudden voltage drop in the battery pack occurs while an electric vehicle is in operation, there may not be enough time to move the electric vehicle to a safe location. Furthermore, if thermal propagation between battery modules or battery cells is not properly controlled and a fire or explosion occurs suddenly, there is a high possibility of causing casualties to users. For example, if thermal runaway occurs in an electric vehicle and a certain amount of time is not secured before it progresses into a full-scale fire, the occupants may not be able to escape safely. The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the m