KR-20260067977-A - BATTERY PACK

KR20260067977AKR 20260067977 AKR20260067977 AKR 20260067977AKR-20260067977-A

Abstract

A battery pack is disclosed. A battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a base plate; an upper plate comprising a coupling portion coupled to the upper surface of the base plate, a protrusion extending rearward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space, and a buffer portion extending forward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space; and a battery module having a venting portion facing the buffer portion and contacting the protrusion portion.

Inventors

이상준
강종모
권현수
노용환
박신영
서성원
안문열
황태원

Assignees

주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20250912
Priority Date: 20241106

Claims (18)

Base plate; An upper plate comprising a coupling portion coupled to the upper surface of the base plate, a protrusion extending rearward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space, and a buffer portion extending forward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space; and, A battery pack comprising a venting portion facing the above-mentioned buffer portion and a battery module in contact with the above-mentioned protrusion.
In Article 1, The above buffer unit is, A battery pack spaced apart from the above base plate.
In Article 1, The above buffer unit is, A battery pack spaced apart from the above-mentioned venting section.
In Article 1, The above buffer unit is, A battery pack extending toward the venting section.
In Article 1, The height of the above buffer section is, A battery pack configured to be lower than the height of the above-mentioned protrusion.
In Article 1, The above protrusion is: A support member in contact with the above battery module; and, A battery pack comprising an inclined portion that connects the support portion and the coupling portion and has an inlet hole.
In Article 6, The above-mentioned inclined portion is, A battery pack including a convex portion protruding outward.
In Article 6, The above-mentioned inclined portion is, A battery pack including a recess protruding inward.
In Article 6, The above-mentioned inclined portion is, A battery pack including a venting guide covering a portion of the inlet hole.
In Article 9, The above venting guide is, A battery pack including a first venting guide extending outwardly to the inclined portion.
In Article 9, The above venting guide is, A battery pack including a second venting guide extending inwardly to the inclined portion.
In Article 1, A battery pack further comprising a venting device located inside the upper plate and installed on the base plate.
An automobile comprising a battery pack of claim 1.
Base assembly; A side wall installed at the upper corner of the base assembly; and Includes a pack cover installed on the side wall, and The above base assembly is: base plate; and The upper plate includes a coupling portion coupled to the upper surface of the base plate, a protrusion extending rearward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space, and a buffer portion extending forward from the coupling portion and providing an internal space. A battery pack case designed such that the above-mentioned protrusion contacts a battery module from above, and the above-mentioned buffer portion faces the venting portion of the battery module contacted from above.
In Article 14, A battery pack case designed such that the above-mentioned protrusion includes a support member installed spaced apart from the base plate, and the battery module can be fastened and installed to the support member from the top.
In Article 15, A battery pack case in which the above-mentioned protrusion includes an inclined portion, the inclined portion connects the support portion and the coupling portion, and a plurality of inlet holes are formed in the inclined portion.
In Article 14, The above upper plate is a battery pack case formed as a single unit.
In Article 14, The height of the above buffer section is, A battery pack case configured to be lower than the height of the above-mentioned protrusion.

Description

Battery Pack The present invention relates to a battery pack. This application is a priority claim application for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0156375 filed on November 6, 2024, the entire contents of said application are incorporated into this application by reference. 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 for these products, such as rechargeable 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 a battery case, which is an outer casing 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. Meanwhile, as secondary batteries are used in pack units in medium to large-scale devices such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems, research on safety issues regarding secondary batteries, including events such as thermal runaway, is actively underway. 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 amoun