BATTERY HEAT RADIATION UNIT FOR VEHICLE AND BATTERY CASE FOR VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME

A battery heat radiation unit for a vehicle includes a cell cover configured to cover a side surface on which leads of battery cells overlapping to form a module are formed; and lead cooling portions provided in the cell cover, wherein a first side of each lead cooling portion is thermally connected to each lead of the battery cell, and a second side of each lead cooling portion is connected to a battery heat radiation portion so that each lead of the battery cells is cooled through the battery heat radiation portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0129328 filed on Sep. 30, 2021, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

Field of the Present Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a battery heat radiation unit for a vehicle, which is capable of improving heat radiation performance of a battery by being provided with a lead cooling portion, which is a structure for additionally thermally connecting a portion of a lead, which is a maximum heat generation portion of a battery for a vehicle, to the existing battery heat radiation portion and thus is capable of improving durability and stability of the battery and in which the lead cooling portion is integrated with a cover of a case so that assembly is easy and a manufacturing cost is reduced, and a battery case for a vehicle including the same.

Description of Related Art

Generally, secondary batteries are batteries capable of being repeatedly used because charging and discharging are possible and are formed of battery modules including a plurality of battery cells and battery packs formed by assembling the battery modules so that the secondary batteries may be used power sources for driving motors of electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs).

The battery pack generates a great deal of heat due to a charging or discharging operation. Generally, a cooling channel of the battery pack is cooled only on an exposed surface of the battery cell by the medium of a heat radiation resin. However, in the case of the battery, because a temperature is not uniformly increased over the entire area and overheating is particularly concentrated on the lead, a separate additional cooling structure is required for electrical connections, such as a lead and a bus bar, through which a large current flows.

On the other hand, in the existing battery module, a cover covering six surfaces of a plurality of overlapping battery cells is formed on each surface, and each cover is integrally combined so that there is a problem in that assembly is complicated and a process is increased, and thus a production cost is increased. Furthermore, in a welding process of integrally coupling each cover, there is a problem in that, due to a welding line facing toward an internal side of the case, an internal battery cell is damaged due to the welding line.

Furthermore, there is a problem in that the existing steel case comes into contact with a battery pack tray made of aluminum, and thus galvanic corrosion also occurs.

The information included in this Background of the present disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and may not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a battery heat radiation unit, which is configured for improving heat radiation performance of a battery by being provided with a lead cooling portion, which is a structure for additionally thermally connecting a portion of a lead, which is a maximum heat generation portion of a battery for a vehicle, to the existing battery heat radiation portion and thus is configured for improving durability and stability of the battery and in which the lead cooling portions are integrated with a cover of a case so that assembly is easy and a manufacturing cost is reduced, and a battery case.

According to one aspect, there is provided a battery heat radiation unit including a cell cover configured to cover a side surface on which leads of battery cells overlapping to form a module are formed; and lead cooling portions provided in the cell cover, wherein a first side of each lead cooling portion is thermally connected to each lead of the battery cells, and a second side of each lead cooling portion is connected to a battery heat radiation portion so that each lead of the battery cells is cooled through the battery heat radiation portion.

The lead cooling portions may extend in a direction in which the leads of the battery cells extend and may be bent at an extending end portion thereof to form a contact in contact with the battery heat radiation portion.

Plastic of a thermally conductive material may be used as the lead cooling portion.

The cell cover may include a first cover provided with a plurality of bus bars connected to each lead of the battery cells, and a second cover configured to cover an external side of the first cover to prevent the leads and the bus bars from being exposed.

A lead slit through which the leads of the battery cells pass to come into contact with the bus bars may be formed in the first cover, and the leads of the battery cells may be thermally connected to the lead cooling portions in a state of coming into contact with the bus bars through the lead slits.

The lead cooling portions may be provided on the internal surface of the second cover facing the first cover, and when the second cover is assembled, the lead cooling portions may be thermally connected to the leads of the battery cells exposed to the outside of the first cover.

The bus bars and the lead cooling portions may be provided to be thermally connected to each other in the first cover, and when the first cover is coupled to the battery cells, the bus bars of the first cover may be connected to the leads of the battery cells, and the lead cooling portions may be thermally connected to the leads of the battery cells through the bus bars.

The lead cooling portions may be connected to a side surface of the bus bars facing the battery cells, and the leads of the battery cells may be connected to a side surface of the bus bars opposite to the battery cells.

A plurality of bus bars corresponding to the leads of the battery cells may be provided in the cell cover, the battery cells overlap to form a plurality of sub-modules, and a bus bar corresponding to an outermost battery cell of the sub-module to electrically connect adjacent sub-modules may be a protruding bus bar in which a protrusion is formed to protrude outwardly from the cell cover and to be exposed thereof.

A connection bus bar may be provided in the cell cover, wherein one end portion of the connection bus bar may be connected to a protrusion of the protruding bus bar on one side and the other end portion thereof may be connected to a protrusion of the protruding bus bar on the other side adjacent to the other end portion.

An accommodation portion in which the protrusion of the protruding bus bar is accommodated may be formed on an external surface of the cell cover, and the protrusion may pass through a bus bar slit formed in the cell cover to be accommodated in the accommodation portion.

The protrusion of the protruding bus bar on a first side and the protrusion of the protruding bus bar on a second side adjacent to the protrusion of the protruding bus bar on the first side may be accommodated in the accommodation portion in which a connection bus bar for connecting the protrusion on the first side to the protrusion on the second side is provided.

According to another aspect, there is provided a battery case for a vehicle, which includes a housing in which an internal space into which the plurality of overlapping battery cells is inserted is provided, a first opening into which the battery cells are inserted is formed on a side surface of the housing, leads of the battery cells are exposed through the first opening, and a second opening is formed on a lower surface thereof so that a lower end portion of the battery cells comes into contact with the battery heat radiation portion through the second opening; a cell cover coupled to an end portion of a side of the first opening of the housing and configured to cover the side surface on which the leads of the battery cells are formed; and lead cooling portions provided in the cell cover, wherein a first side of each lead cooling portion is thermally connected to each lead of the battery cells, and a second side of each lead cooling portion is connected to a battery heat radiation portion so that each lead of the battery cells is cooled through the battery heat radiation portion.

The cell cover may include a first cover which covers the side surface on which the leads of the battery cells are formed, and a second cover which covers the first cover, and the first cover may be formed due to a hinge coupling to the end portion of one side of the first opening of the housing and may cover the side surface on which the leads of the battery cells are formed through pivoting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout the exemplary embodiment, when a part is referred to as being “connected” to other part, it includes not only a direct connection but also an indirect connection.

Furthermore, when a part is referred to as “including” a component, this refers that the part can include another element, not excluding another element unless specifically stated otherwise.

Hereinafter, configurations and operating principles of various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG.1is an exploded perspective view exemplarily illustrating a battery heat radiation unit and a battery case according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is a side view exemplarily illustrating the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.3is a projection view exemplarily illustrating a first cover of the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.4is an exploded perspective view exemplarily illustrating a second cover of the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.5is a projection view exemplarily illustrating the second cover of the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.6is a partially enlarged view exemplarily illustrating the second cover of the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.7is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.8is a projection view exemplarily illustrating a first cover of a battery heat radiation unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.9is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating the battery heat radiation unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2, the battery heat radiation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes cell covers520and540for covering side surfaces on which leads320of a plurality of battery cells300for a vehicle, which overlap to form a module M, are formed and lead cooling portions360provided at the cell covers520and540, each of which one side is thermally connected to the lead320of each battery cell300, and each of which the other side is connected to a battery heat radiation portion P so that the lead320of the battery cell300is cooled through the battery heat radiation portion P.

Generally, a maximum heat generation portion H of the battery is formed on an external side which is a portion of the lead320of the battery cell300. Accordingly, as shown inFIG.2, the lead cooling portion360including one side provided on an external surface and thermally connected to the lead320of the battery cell300and the other side connected to the battery heat radiation portion P may be provided. The present lead cooling portion360may conduct heat emitted from the maximum heat generation portion H to the battery heat radiation portion P through a lead and a bus bar of the battery to induce cooling of the maximum heat generation portion H, improving performance and durability of the battery. Because the lead and the bus bar of the battery are each formed of a metal material for electrical conduction, heat is also effectively discharged through the metal material so that there is an effect in that there is no need to install a separate heat radiation portion, which is made of a metal material, for heat radiation of a corresponding portion.

Meanwhile, because the cell cover520or540according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is integrally provided with a bus bar340or the lead cooling portion360, even without a process of individually assembling the bus bar340and the lead cooling portion360in a one-to-one manner by corresponding to the lead320of each battery cell, with only combination of the cell covers520and540, the bus bar340and the lead cooling portion360may be thermally connected at once by corresponding to the lead320of each battery cell. That is, through a structure of the cover of the present disclosure, because assembly is easy and an unnecessary process is omitted, a manufacturing production cost may be reduced, and contact failures of some of the leads320may be prevented in advance.

The lead cooling portion360has a shape extending together in a direction, in which the lead320of the battery cell300extends, and is bent at an extending end portion so that a contact362in contact with the battery heat radiation portion P may be formed. That is, the lead cooling portion360according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure extends in the direction in which the lead320of the battery cell300extends and come into surface-contact with the lead320so that a contact area with the lead320may be maximally increased. Accordingly, because a maximum heat radiation area may be utilized, a cooling effect of the maximum heat generation portion H may be improved.

Furthermore, because the bent portion is formed in the lead cooling portion360to come in contact with the battery heat radiation portion P through the contact362, a structure of the existing battery heat radiation portion P may be utilized. In general, since the battery lead320and the battery heat radiation portion P are provided at different location apart from each other and located on different side surfaces, the two elements are thermally connected through the bending of the lead cooling portion360so that heat radiation performance may be improved without changing the existing battery design.

Furthermore, for heat radiation of the maximum heat generation portion H, a separate battery heat radiation portion may be additionally provided or a battery heat radiation portion of a new structure may be provided. However, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, because only the lead cooling portion360is integrally provided on the cover, the above additional components are not necessary so that it is advantageous in terms of a material and a weight.

On the other hand, plastic of a thermally conductive material may be used as the lead cooling portion360according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Generally, in the battery for a vehicle, the maximum heat generation portion H is located on the lead320and the bus bar340which have electrical conductivity, and the battery heat radiation portion P is formed in a structure in which an internal flow path is provided and cooling water flows through the flow path so that an insulation characteristic is required, because a large current flows in the lead320and the bus bar340, insulation from the outside thereof is a very important design factor.

Referring toFIG.2in detail, heat generated from the maximum heat generation portion H of the battery is conducted to the lead cooling portion360which is thermally connected to the lead320and the bus bar340and is continuously conducted to the contact362along an extension of the lead cooling portion360so that the heat may be radiated through the battery heat radiation portion P.

That is, the lead cooling portion360requires thermal conductivity, and because the other side of the lead cooling portion360comes into contact with the battery heat radiation portion P, an insulating characteristic is also required. As a material including these two contradictory characteristics, a heat radiation plastic may be utilized. The heat radiation plastic has thermal conductivity which is lower than thermal conductivity of a conductive metal and has thermal conductivity which is significantly higher than thermal conductivity of general plastic. The heat radiation material applicable to the present disclosure includes LUVOCOM 1301-8312 (28 W/mK), CoolPoly E3603 (20 W/mK), and CoolPoly E5101 (20 W/mK). However, the material of the lead cooling portion360is not necessarily limited only to the above examples, and any material including thermal conductivity while electrically insulating will be applicable.

Meanwhile, the cell covers520and540of the present disclosure may include a first cover520provided with a plurality of bus bars340connected to the leads320of the battery cell300, and a second cover540which covers an external side of the first cover520to prevent the leads320and the bus bars340form being exposed.

Referring toFIG.3, after the first cover520is coupled, because the leads320and the bus bars340are inevitably exposed to the outside, the second cover540which covers and insulates the exposed portions is required. That is, by providing the second cover540to cover the exposed portions of the leads320and the bus bars340, leakage or discharging to the outside may be prevented.

Furthermore, because the first cover520is integrally provided with the bus bar340, without performing a process of individually assembling each of the bus bars340by corresponding to the lead320of each battery cell, the bus bars340may be thermally connected to correspond to the lead320of each battery cell with only the coupling of the first cover520. That is, through the structure of the cover of the present disclosure, assembly is easy and contact failures of some of the leads320may be prevented in advance.

Furthermore, the first cover520may be provided with a sensing portion S2connected to each bus bar340to serve as a sensing block. As components for voltage sensing in the module M of the battery, a sensing line S1formed along a line of the first cover520, a sensing portion S2connected to the sensing line S1, and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) S3for connecting the sensing line S1may be formed.

Due to application of the FPCB S3, assembly with parts configured for being coupled to the first cover520may be easy, and a supplier for providing the parts may provide the cell covers520and540and parts configured for being coupled to the cell cover520after assembled in each part in advance.

Referring toFIG.1, a wireless communication connector C may be attached to an external side of the second cover540, and the sensing portion S2may detect a voltage through the wireless communication connector C. The wireless communication connector C does not necessarily need to be attached to the external side of the second cover540and may be attached to various locations according to a shape of the battery of the vehicle.

On the other hand, a lead slit524is formed in the first cover520of the present disclosure so that the leads320of the battery cell300pass through to come into contact with the bus bars340, and the leads320of the battery cell300may be thermally connected to the lead cooling portion360through the lead slit524in a state of coming into contact with the bus bars340.

Referring toFIG.3, because the lead slit524is provided in the first cover520, even when the first cover520is coupled, the leads320of the battery cell300may be exposed to the outside of the first cover520to be connected to the bus bars340without adding a separate connection device. As a result, with only the coupling of the first cover520, the bus bars340may be thermally connected to correspond to the leads320of the battery cell300. That is, through the structure of the cover of the present disclosure, assembly may be easy, contact failures of some of the leads320may be prevented in advance, and because a separate additional device is not required, a manufacturing production cost may be reduced.

Meanwhile, the lead slit524is not necessarily limited only in a form of a slit and may be formed of various types of holes according to a manufacturing method.

Meanwhile, referring toFIG.7, the lead cooling portion360of the present disclosure is provided on an internal surface of the second cover540facing the first cover520, and when the second cover540is assembled, the lead cooling portion360may be thermally connected to the leads320of the battery cell300exposed to the outside of the first cover520.

That is, because the lead cooling portion360is integrally provided in the second cover540, even when a process of individually assembling the lead cooling portion360to correspond to each lead320of the battery cell300is not performed, the lead cooling portion360may be thermally connected to correspond to each lead320of the battery cell300at a time with only the coupling of the second cover540. That is, through a structure of the cover of the present disclosure, because assembly is easy and an unnecessary process is omitted, a manufacturing production cost may be reduced, and contact failure of some of the leads320may be prevented in advance.

Meanwhile, the lead cooling portion360is thermally connected to the leads320through thermal grease364, and in a state in which the lead cooling portion360is inserted and fitted into the second cover540, the thermal grease364is applied onto an internal surface of the lead cooling portion360and then assembly may be performed.

The thermal grease364may remove voids on a contact surface between the lead320, a contact of the bus bar340, and the lead cooling portion360, minimizing loss of heat conduction.

On the other hand, inFIG.3, the lead cooling portion360is merely shown to illustrate a state of being thermally connected to the lead320and the bus bar340, and as shown inFIG.4, the lead cooling portion360may be provided in the second cover540in an insertion fitting manner.

The lead cooling portion360may be inserted through a hole542formed in the second cover540and be fitted into a groove544having a shape corresponding to a shape of the lead cooling portion360, being assembled.

As described above, because the lead cooling portion360is provided on the second cover540, the second cover540may be provided in units of parts as a finished product. Accordingly, because a correct size of the second cover540may be secured in units of parts in advance, a size management factor in a module process is reduced so that process efficiency may be improved.

Meanwhile, with reference toFIG.8, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, bus bars340and lead cooling portions360are provided in a first cover520to be thermally connected to each other, and when the first cover520is coupled to a battery cell300, the bus bars340of the first cover520may be connected to the leads320of a cell, and the lead cooling portions360may be thermally connected to the leads320of the battery cell300through the bus bars340. That is, it may be configured so that the lead cooling portions360are inserted into the first cover520as internal parts and radiate heat in a state of being in contact with rear surfaces of the bus bars340.

That is, because the first cover520is integrally provided with all the bus bars340and the lead cooling portions360, even without performing a process of individually assembling the bus bars340and the lead cooling portions360in a one-to-one manner by corresponding to leads320of each battery cell, with only combination of a second cover540, the bus bars340and the lead cooling portions360may be thermally connected by corresponding to the lead320of each battery cell. That is, through a structure of the cover of the present disclosure, because assembly is easy and an unnecessary process is omitted, a manufacturing production cost may be reduced, and contact failure of some of the leads320may be prevented in advance.

Furthermore, unlike the above embodiment, when the lead cooling portions360are provided in the first cover520, after the lead cooling portions360are inserted into the first cover520, thermal grease364is applied to external surfaces of the lead cooling portions360before assembling the bus bars340, and then assembly may be performed. That is, because the process of applying the thermal grease364may be omitted in an operation before assembling the second cover540with the first cover520in a module assembly line, a size control factor in the module process is reduced so that process efficiency may be improved.

Meanwhile, referring toFIG.9, the lead cooling portion360may be connected to a side surface of the bus bar340facing the battery, and the lead320of the battery cell300may be connected to a side surface of the bus bar340opposite to the battery.

In the instant case, because the lead cooling portion360is provided in the first cover520, the lead cooling portion360is provided at a position close to the maximum heat generation portion H, and thermal connection (indirect connection) through the battery cell lead320and the bus bar340and a thermal connection (direct connection) through a contact with the maximum heat generation portion H may be formed. That is, because heat generated in the maximum heat generation portion H is conducted to the battery heat radiation portion P through the direct connection, heat radiation performance may be further improved.

Meanwhile, referring toFIGS.1and3, a plurality of bus bars340corresponding to the leads320of each battery cell300are provided in the first cover520of the present disclosure, a plurality of battery cells300for a vehicle overlap to form a plurality of sub-modules SM, and to electrically connect adjacent sub-modules SM, the bus bar340corresponding to the outermost battery cell300of the sub-module SM may be a protruding bus bar340in which protrusions342and342′ are formed to be exposed by protruding outwardly from the cell covers520and540.

When the plurality of battery cells300are stacked, to secure alignment of the battery cells300, a maximum number of stackable cells in a single stacking operation is limited. Therefore, in general, the plurality of maximally stacked battery cells300are used as the sub-module SM to form one unit of a module M through electrical connection between the sub-modules SM. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the bus bar340corresponding to the outermost battery cell300of the sub-module SM is provided with the protruding bus bar340in which the protrusions342and342′ are formed to be exposed by protruding outwardly from the cell covers520and540so that the adjacent sub-modules SM may be electrically connected.

Meanwhile, the protrusions342and342′ may be each manufactured in a form of a quadrangular or circular flat plate, and a fixing portion343in a form of a hole is formed in a center portion of the flat plate to be engaged with a fixing bolt. However, the protrusions342and342′ and the fixing portion343are not necessarily limited to the above forms and may be manufactured in various forms according to a manufacturing method.

On the other hand, referring toFIG.5, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a connection bus bar344provided in the second cover540may be further included, wherein one end portion of the connection bus bar344is connected to a protrusion342of a protruding bus bar340on one side and the other end portion thereof is connected to a protrusion342′ of a protruding bus bar340on the other side adjacent to the other end portion.

Referring toFIGS.3and5, because lower end portions of the protrusions342and342′ of the protruding bus bar340are in contact with an upper end portion of the connection bus bar344, adjacent sub-modules SM may be electrically connected.

Meanwhile, the connection bus bar344may be manufactured in a form of a quadrangular or circular flat plate, and two fixing portions345in a form of a hole are formed in center portions of both sides in a longitudinal direction of the flat plate so that fixing bolts may be engaged. However, the connection bus bar344and the fixing portion345are not necessarily limited to the above forms and may be manufactured in various forms according to a manufacturing method.

Meanwhile, referring toFIG.4andFIG.5, an accommodation portion548in which the protrusion342of the protruding bus bar340is accommodated is formed on an external surface of the second cover540of the present disclosure, and the protrusion342may pass through a bus bar slit546formed in the second cover540to be accommodated in the accommodation portion548.

The accommodation portion548may cover the protrusion342of the protruding bus bar340protruding outwardly from the second cover540, preventing electric leakage or discharging to the outside.

Meanwhile, the accommodation portion548may be manufactured in a form of a quadrangular or circular flat plate. However, the accommodation portion548is not necessarily limited to the above form and may be manufactured in various forms according to a manufacturing method in accordance with the form of the protruding bus bar340.

Meanwhile, the bus bar slit546is not necessarily limited only in a form of a slit and may be formed of various types of holes according to a manufacturing method.

On the other hand, referring toFIG.5andFIG.6, a connection bus bar344may be provided in the accommodation portion548, wherein the connection bus bar344may accommodate both of the protrusion342of the protruding bus bar340on one side and the protrusion342′ of the protruding bus bar340on the other side adjacent to the protrusion342and may connect the protrusion342on one side to the protrusion342′ on the other side thereof.

Because the connection bus bar344is provided in the accommodation portion548, the connection bus bar344may be prevented from being exposed to the outside, preventing electric leakage or discharging to the outside.

Meanwhile, the accommodation portion548may be manufactured in a form of a quadrangular or circular flat plate. However, the accommodation portion548is not necessarily limited to the above form and may be manufactured in various forms according to the form of the connection bus bar340.

Meanwhile, referring toFIG.1, a battery case according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure include a housing100in which an internal space120into which a plurality of overlapping battery cells300are inserted is provided, a first opening140into which the battery cells300are inserted is formed on a side surface of the housing100, the leads320of the battery cells300are exposed through the first opening140, and a second opening is formed on a lower surface thereof so that a lower end portion of the battery cell300comes into contact with the battery heat radiation portion P through the second opening; cell covers520and540coupled to an end portion of the first opening140of the housing100and configured to cover the side surface where the leads320of the battery cells300are formed; and lead cooling portions360provided in the cell covers520and540, wherein one side of each lead cooling portion360is thermally connected to each lead320of the battery cell300, and the other side thereof is connected to the battery heat radiation portion P so that the leads320of the battery cells300are cooled through the battery heat radiation portion P.

The housing100may be formed as an integrated housing through extrusion and brazing methods, and the housing100may be provided after being coupled in advance in a state of part modularization from a supplier which supplies the parts. Accordingly, a housing assembly process is omitted, and thus the number of assembly processes is reduced so that an effect of reducing production cost may be achieved.

Furthermore, the battery cells300of the present disclosure overlap to form a plurality of sub-modules SM, and each sub-module SM may be inserted through the first opening140of the housing100to form one battery module M.

Through the housing100and an insertion method of the sub-module SM, a separate welding process for forming the housing100is omitted so that the battery cell300may be prevented from being damaged due to a welding line.

Furthermore, unlike the existing method in which probability of galvanic corrosion with the battery pack tray made of aluminum occurs due to the use of a steel material, the housing100of the present disclosure may employ an aluminum material to prevent probability of galvanic corrosion with the battery pack tray.

On the other hand, the cell covers520and540include the first cover520which covers the side surface on which the leads320of each battery cell300are formed, and the second cover540which covers the first cover520. The first cover520may be formed due to a coupling of a hinge522to an end portion of one side of the first opening140of the housing100to cover the side surface on which the leads320of the battery cell300are formed through pivoting.

Referring toFIGS.1,7, and9, because the cell covers520and540are coupled and connected to the end portion of one side of the first opening140of the housing100through the hinge522, the cell covers520and540may be stocked as one finished product in units of parts. Accordingly, because correct sizes of the cell covers520and540may be secured in units of parts in advance, a size management factor in a module process is reduced so that process efficiency may be improved.

Furthermore, the coupling to the housing100is easy and thus the assembly process is simplified, and the parts supplier may provide the cell covers520and540and the housing100after coupling each part in advance. Accordingly, the number of assembly processes is reduced so that an effect of reducing production cost may be achieved.

Meanwhile, referring toFIG.3, the first cover520is a component for voltage sensing in the module M of the battery, and the sensing line S1formed along a line of the first cover520, the sensing portion S2connected to the sensing line S1, and the FPCB S3for connecting the sensing line S1may be formed.

Even when the first cover520is coupled to the end portion of one side of the first opening140of the housing100and pivoted, the FPCB S3allows the connection of the sensing line S1to be maintained. Furthermore, due to the application of the FPCB S3, the part supplier may provide the cell covers520and540and the housing100after coupling each part in advance.

According to the battery heat radiation unit for a vehicle and the case of the present disclosure, the lead cooling portion360which is a structure for additionally thermally connecting the lead320, which is the maximum heat generation portion H of the battery for a vehicle, to the existing battery heat radiation portion P is provided so that it is possible to improve heat radiation performance of the battery, and thus durability and stability of the battery may be improved, and the lead cooling portion360is integrated with the covers520and540of the case so that assembly may be easy and a manufacturing production cost may be reduced.

In accordance with a battery heat radiation unit for a vehicle and a case according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a lead cooling portion which is a structure for additionally thermally connecting a lead, which is a maximum heat generation part of a battery for a vehicle, to the existing battery heat radiation part is provided so that it is possible to improve heat radiation performance of the battery, and thus durability and stability of the battery may be improved, and the lead cooling part is integrated with covers of the case so that assembly may be easy and a manufacturing production cost may be reduced.