Patent Description:
In general, a battery module is formed to have a structure in which a plurality of cells are aggregated through a series connection and/or parallel connections. Such a battery module typically includes a cell assembly in which a plurality of cells are arranged and stacked in one direction, and a frame having plates configured to accommodate the cell assembly.

Furthermore, the battery module is designed to have a cooling channel through which a coolant for cooling battery cells flows. However, process costs are increased by adding separate components to install such a cooling channel. Cases for a battery module are described, for example, in prior art documents D1 to D5 listed below.

One aspect of the present disclosures provides a case for a battery module that can reduce assembly processes during assembly.

A case for a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosures may include: a body having an internal space; and an end plate disposed on an end of the body, wherein the body may include a bottom plate having at least one coolant flow path through which a coolant flows, and the end plate may include a coolant flow tube through which the coolant flows and at least one connection portion extending from the coolant flow tube and coupled to the at least one coolant flow path of the bottom plate.

The end plate includes a plate portion having a lattice shape on one surface thereof and an extension portion extending from the plate portion, and the coolant flow tube is connected to an end of the extension portion.

The coolant flow tube may be formed integrally with the plate portion of the end plate.

The at least one connection portion may comprise plural connection portions and the plural connection portions extend toward the bottom plate, and the coolant flow paths are coupled to the plural connection portions.

The coolant flow tube may be formed along a bottom end of one surface of the end plate.

The coolant flow tube may be formed along a top end and a bottom end of one surface of the end plate.

When the end plate is coupled to the body, the connection portion may be coupled to the coolant flow path of the bottom plate.

One surface of the plate portion may be lattice-shaped.

The coolant flow tube, the plate portion, the extension portion, and the connection portion may be integrally molded.

A battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a plurality of battery modules, each including a case for a battery module, wherein the case for the battery module includes a body having an internal space, and an end plate disposed on an end of the body, wherein the body includes a bottom plate having at least one coolant flow path through which a coolant flows, and wherein the end plate includes a coolant flow tube through which the coolant flows and at least one connection portion extending from the coolant flow tube and coupled to the at least one coolant flow path of the bottom plate, wherein the end plate includes a plate portion having a lattice shape on one surface thereof and an extension portion extending from the plate portion, and the coolant flow tube is connected to an end of the extension portion; and a frame arranged to surround the plurality of battery modules.

The frame may have a band shape in which a top portion and a bottom portion thereof is open.

The plurality of battery modules may be disposed in adjacent battery cases, and the coolant flow tube in a first battery case may be connected to an adjacent coolant flow tube in a second battery case through a connection hose.

The frame may include a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, and the coolant flow tube may be connected to the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet.

In some embodiments of the present disclosures, assembly processes can be reduced during assembly.

Features of the present disclosure are described by embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure relates to a case for a battery module and a battery pack. Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure are provided to describe the disclosures to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated for further clarity.

Furthermore, singular forms herein may include their plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and throughout this specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same component or to a corresponding component.

Furthermore, it should be noted in advance that the expressions such as "above," "top," "below", "beneath," "bottom," "side, " "front, " and "rear" are based on the direction illustrated in the drawings, and may be expressed differently if the direction of the object is changed.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a case for a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating an end plate of a case for a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating an end plate at an angle different from that of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a descriptive view illustrating a coolant flow path provided on a bottom plate of a case for a battery module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a case <NUM> for a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body <NUM> and an end plate <NUM>.

The body <NUM> has an internal space. The body <NUM> may include a bottom plate <NUM>, a side plate <NUM>, and a top plate <NUM>. The bottom plate <NUM>, the side plate <NUM>, and the top plate <NUM> may be coupled to have a rectangular cuboid shape in which both ends are open. Furthermore, the bottom plate <NUM> and the side plate <NUM> may be integrally formed and may have a shape in which the top plate <NUM> is coupled thereto. Furthermore, the bottom plate <NUM>, the side plate <NUM>, and the top plate <NUM> may be, for example, metal plates such as relatively thin aluminum plates.

The bottom plate <NUM> includes a coolant flow path <NUM> through which a coolant flows, and the coolant flow path <NUM> may be provided in plural on the bottom plate <NUM>. Furthermore, the coolant flow path <NUM> may have a circular tubular shape, as shown in <FIG>, providing a passage for coolant flow. However, the disclosed technology is not limited thereto, and the shape of the coolant flow path <NUM> may have other shapes Slits may be provided on a top surface of the bottom plate <NUM> to form a plurality of rows in which battery cells are inserted according to respective shapes thereof (e.g., a prismatic shape, a cylindrical shape, a pouch type, and the like). For example, a plurality of slits may be spaced apart from each other in an X-axis direction of <FIG>.

The side plate <NUM> may be coupled to both sides of the bottom plate <NUM> and may have a shape having a narrow width and a long length. That is, the side plate <NUM> may have a plate shape having a long length in the X-axis direction of <FIG> and a relatively shorter length in a Z-axis direction of <FIG>.

The top plate <NUM> is disposed to face the bottom plate <NUM>. For example, the top plate <NUM> may be coupled to a top surface of the side plate <NUM> and may have a rectangular plate shape. Additionally, the top plate <NUM> may be provided with slits disposed to form a plurality of rows in which battery cells are inserted.

Furthermore, the side plate <NUM> and the top plate <NUM> may be formed integrally with each other. In this case, the side plate <NUM> and the top plate <NUM> formed integrally with each other are coupled to the bottom plate <NUM>.

Here, pouch cells (or otherwise referred to as battery cells) are disposed in an internal space of the case <NUM> for a battery module, with each of the pouch cells having a thin plate-shaped body, and having a structure in which an anode, a separator, and a cathode are alternately stacked and an electrode tab is drawn out to at least one side thereof. The anode and the cathode can be manufactured by coating a slurry such as an electrode active material, a binder resin, a conductive agent, and other additives, on at least one surface of a current collector. As the electrode active material, positive electrode active materials such as a lithium-containing transition metal oxide may be used for the anode, and cathode active materials such as lithium metal, a carbon material, and a metal compound, and/or mixtures thereof, in which lithium ions may be absorbed and discharged, may be used for the cathode. Furthermore, a porous polymer film used in a lithium secondary battery may be adopted as the separator.

As an electrolyte accommodated in the pouch case together with the electrode assembly, an electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery may be adopted. The pouch case is formed of a sheet material and includes an accommodation portion for accommodating an electrode assembly. For example, the pouch case is formed by combining a first case and a second case formed by processing a sheet material to have a predetermined shape. The sheet material forming the pouch case may be comprised of a multilayer structure comprising a stack of an outermost external resin layer formed of an insulating material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or nylon, an aluminum metal layer for maintaining mechanical strength and preventing penetration of moisture and oxygen, and an internal resin layer formed of a polyolefin-based material having thermal adhesiveness and serving as a sealing material.

In the sheet material forming the pouch case, an adhesive resin layer may be interposed between the internal resin layer and the metal layer and between the external resin layer and the metal layer. The adhesive resin layer may be formed in a single layer or multiple layers for smooth adhesion between heterogeneous materials, and a material thereof may generally be a polyolefin-based resin or a polyurethane resin for smooth processing, or a mixture thereof may be adopted as the material.

Meanwhile, a plurality of pouch cells may be arranged in one direction. For example, the plurality of pouch cells may be spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction of <FIG>.

Here, an example (in which a battery cell installed in the case <NUM> for the battery module is a pouch cell) is described, but the battery cell is not limited thereto a pouch cell, and the battery cell may be a prismatic battery cell in which an electrode assembly is accommodated in a rectangular cuboid shape housing.

When the battery cell is a prismatic cell, an anode tab and a cathode tab may be configured to be drawn out to a top portion (in the Z-axis direction of <FIG>) and the prismatic battery cells may be stacked in the X-axis direction of <FIG> and may be seated in the battery module case. Furthermore, the anode tab and the cathode tab may be configured to be drawn out on both sides or one side in the Y-axis direction of <FIG>, respectively.

The end plate <NUM> is coupled to both ends of the body <NUM>. On the other hand, the end plate <NUM> includes a plate portion <NUM> having a lattice shape on one side thereof, an extension portion <NUM> extending from the plate portion <NUM>, a coolant flow tube <NUM> connected to an end of the extension portion <NUM>, and a connection portion <NUM> (as illustrated in <FIG>) extending from the coolant flow tube <NUM> to the bottom plate <NUM> of the body <NUM>.

One surface of the plate portion <NUM> has a lattice shape. Accordingly, the plate portion <NUM> may better withstand pressing force due to swelling generated by a plurality of battery cells. Accordingly, the battery cells may be more firmly connected to each other in the X-axis direction of <FIG> while limiting the swelling of the battery cells.

The extension portion <NUM> may extend from one surface of the plate portion <NUM> and may be disposed in a bottom end portion of the plate portion <NUM>. The extension portion <NUM> serves to connect the plate portion <NUM> and the coolant flow tube <NUM>. On the other hand, the shape of the extension portion <NUM> is not limited to the shape illustrated in <FIG>, and may also be a bar shape connecting the plate portion <NUM> and the coolant flow tube <NUM>.

The coolant flow tube <NUM> has a circular tube shape and provides a flow path through which the coolant flows. For example, the coolant flow tube <NUM> may be disposed in parallel with the plate portion <NUM>.

The connection portion <NUM> may extend from the coolant flow tube <NUM> to the bottom plate <NUM>, and may have a circular tube shape to be coupled to the coolant flow path <NUM> of the bottom plate <NUM>. In this manner, the connection portion <NUM> may be connected to the coolant flow path <NUM> of the bottom plate <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, thus providing a coolant supplied to the coolant flow tube <NUM> to the coolant flow path <NUM> of the bottom plate <NUM>. Furthermore, a plurality of connection portions <NUM> may be spaced apart from each other.

The plate portion <NUM>, the extension portion <NUM>, the coolant flow tube <NUM>, and the connection portion <NUM> of the end plate <NUM> may be integrally molded. Accordingly, the end plate <NUM> may be installed in the body <NUM> by connecting the connection portion <NUM> to the coolant flow path <NUM> of the bottom plate <NUM>, thereby completing the assembly without installing separate components. Namely, simply combining the end plate <NUM> with the body <NUM> may lead to completion of the assembly process of the case <NUM> for a battery module, reducing the assembly processes.

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the coolant flow tube <NUM> is configured in a bottom end of the plate portion <NUM> has been described, but the coolant flow tube <NUM> may be configured in both a top end and a bottom end of the plate portion <NUM>. In this case, the coolant flow path <NUM> is formed not only on the bottom plate <NUM> but also on the top plate <NUM> to cool both top and bottom portions (Z-direction) of the battery cell, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a case in which cases for a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are disposed adjacently to each other.

As illustrated in <FIG>, when cases <NUM> for a battery module case are disposed adjacently to each other, a coolant flow tube <NUM> may be connected through a connection hose <NUM>. In this manner, when a plurality of cases for a battery module are disposed adjacently to each other, the coolant flow tube <NUM> may be connected by the connection hose <NUM>, thereby completing a connection operation of the coolant flow tube <NUM>.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery pack accommodating a plurality of battery modules according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery pack <NUM> includes a frame <NUM> and a plurality of battery modules <NUM> in which cases <NUM> for a battery module are connected to each other. On the other hand, the frame <NUM> of the battery pack <NUM> may be equipped with a coolant inlet <NUM> and a coolant outlet <NUM> through which a coolant may flow in and out, and the coolant flow tube <NUM> (illustrated in <FIG>) provided in the case <NUM> for a battery module case (illustrated in <FIG>) may be connected to a coolant inlet <NUM> or a refrigerant outlet <NUM>. Top and bottom portions of the battery pack <NUM> may be configured in an open state that does not completely enclose the battery modules <NUM>. For example, the frame <NUM> may have a rectangular band shape (as shown in <FIG>) disposed to surround a plurality of battery modules <NUM>. In more detail, for example, a cooling plate may be disposed in a bottom portion of a battery pack, and a pack top plate may be disposed in a top portion thereof, so that a plurality of battery modules (each having a separate module case) are accommodated in an internal space formed by a frame, a cooling plate, and a pack top plate. However, an overall structure of the battery pack <NUM> may be simplified through a plurality of battery modules <NUM> equipped with the case <NUM> for a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the capacity of the battery cell may be increased by increasing the size of the battery cell in a height direction (Z-direction in <FIG>).

Claim 1:
A case (<NUM>) for a battery module comprising:
a body (<NUM>) having an internal space; and
an end plate (<NUM>) disposed on an end of the body (<NUM>),
wherein the body (<NUM>) includes a bottom plate (<NUM>) having at least one coolant flow path (<NUM>) through which a coolant flows, and
wherein the end plate (<NUM>) includes a coolant flow tube (<NUM>) through which the coolant flows and at least one connection portion (<NUM>) extending from the coolant flow tube (<NUM>) and coupled to the at least one coolant flow path (<NUM>) of the bottom plate (<NUM>),
characterized in that the end plate (<NUM>) includes a plate portion (<NUM>) having a lattice shape on one surface thereof and an extension portion (<NUM>) extending from the plate portion (<NUM>), and the coolant flow tube (<NUM>) is connected to an end of the extension portion (<NUM>).