Patent ID: 12244029

BEST MODE

The present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative only for better understanding of the present disclosure, and that the present disclosure may be modified in various ways. In addition, for ease understanding of the present disclosure, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to real scale, but the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

FIG.1is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is a cross-sectioned view showing the battery module ofFIG.1, andFIG.3is a diagram for illustrating the deformation of a cover frame when battery cells of the battery module ofFIG.1are inflated.

Referring toFIGS.1to3, the battery module10may include a battery cell assembly100, an end plate200, and a cover frame300.

The battery cell assembly100may have a plurality of battery cells110. The plurality of battery cells110may be secondary batteries, particularly pouch-type secondary batteries. The plurality of battery cells110may be stacked on each other and electrically connected to each other.

The end plate200may be provided in a pair and may be provided at both sides of the battery cell assembly100. The pair of end plates200may support both sides of the battery cell assembly100.

The cover frame300may be coupled to the pair of end plates200to cover the battery cell assembly100. The cover frame300may cover at least an upper side and a lower side of the pair of end plates200.

When the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the cover frame300may be deformed along the inflating direction of the plurality of battery cells110. Here, the inflating direction of the plurality of battery cells110may be a direction toward both sides of the battery cell assembly100, namely toward the pair of end plates200.

The cover frame300may have an elastic deforming portion350for the elastic deformation.

When the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the elastic deforming portion350may elastically deformed in the direction toward both sides of the battery cell assembly100to extend the cover frame300in the direction toward both sides of the battery cell assembly100.

The elastic deforming portion350may be formed with a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly100, namely in the front and rear directions of the battery module10, and may be provided in plural such that the plurality of elastic deforming portions350are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the direction toward both sides of the battery cell assembly100.

The plurality of elastic deforming portions350may be formed to convexly protrude out of the cover frame300and may be concavely formed at an inner side of the cover frame300, respectively.

When the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the plurality of elastic deforming portions350may be elastically deformed to become flat along the direction toward both sides of the cover frame300. When the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the plurality of elastic deforming portions350may be elastically deformed to extend the cover frame300to a predetermined length in the inflating direction, thereby guiding deformation of the cover frame300.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, it is possible to effectively prevent the inner pressing force of the battery module10from increasing beyond a predetermined magnitude by means of the elastic deforming portion350when the plurality of battery cells110are inflated.

Thus, in this embodiment, when the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the elastic deforming portion350may prevent the pressing force of the battery module10from increasing beyond a predetermined magnitude, thereby significantly reducing the risk of damage of the battery cells110or the cover frame300.

FIG.4is a diagram for illustrating a battery module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.5is a diagram for illustrating a cover frame of the battery module ofFIG.4, andFIG.6is a diagram for illustrating the deformation of the cover frame when battery cells of the battery module ofFIG.4are inflated.

Since the battery module20according to this embodiment is similar to the battery module10of the former embodiment, the features identical or similar to those of the former embodiment will not described in detail, and features different from the former embodiment will be described in detail.

Referring toFIGS.4to6, the battery module20may include a battery cell assembly100, an end plate200and a cover frame400.

The battery cell assembly100and the end plate200are substantially identical or similar to those of the former embodiment and thus will be described in detail.

The cover frame400may have an elastic deforming portion450.

The elastic deforming portion450has a groove shape with a predetermined size and may be provided in plural such that the plurality of deforming portions450are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell assembly110.

The elastic deforming portion450may have a center groove451, a front edge groove453, a front groove455, a rear groove457, and a rear edge groove459.

The center groove451may be formed at the center of the cover frame400. The center groove451may be convexly formed along the front and rear directions of the cover frame400.

The front edge groove453may be spaced apart from the center groove451at the front side of the cover frame400. The front edge groove453may be provided at the front edge of the cover frame400.

The front groove455may be provided in plural and disposed between the front edge groove453and the center groove451. The front grooves455may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the front and rear direction of the cover frame400and be formed convex toward a front side of the cover frame400.

The rear groove457is provided in plural, and the plurality of rear grooves457are disposed to face the plurality of front grooves455with the center groove451being interposed therebetween. The rear groove457may be formed convex toward a rear side of the cover frame400.

The rear edge groove459may be spaced apart from the plurality of rear grooves457. The rear edge groove459may be provided at a rear edge of the cover frame400.

When the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the center groove451, the front edge groove453, the plurality of front grooves455, the plurality of rear grooves457, and the rear edge groove459may be elastically deformed to become flat along the direction toward both sides of the cover frame400.

Accordingly, when the plurality of battery cells110are inflated, the elastic deforming portion450may extend the cover frame400by a predetermined length in the inflating direction to guide deformation of the cover frame400.

As described above, the elastic deforming portion450may be formed with a plurality of straps with a bent groove shape capable of elastically extending the cover frame400, instead of the shape of the former embodiment.

FIG.7is a diagram for illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.8is a diagram for illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIGS.7and8, a battery pack1may include at least one battery module10according to the former embodiment and a pack case50for packaging the at least one battery module10.

The battery pack1may include at least one battery module20of the former embodiments, or may include both the battery modules10,20of the former embodiments.

The battery pack1may be provided to a vehicle V as a fuel source of the vehicle V. As an example, the battery pack1may be provided to a vehicle V such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and various other-type vehicles capable of using the battery pack1as a fuel source.

In addition, the battery pack1may be provided in other devices, instruments or facilities such as an energy storage system using a secondary battery, in addition to the vehicle V.

As described above, the battery pack1of this embodiment and devices, instruments or facilities such as a vehicle V, which have the battery pack1, include the battery module10,20as described above, and thus it is possible to implement a battery pack1having all the advantages of the battery module10,20described above, or devices, instruments, facilities or the like such as a vehicle V, which have the battery pack1.

According to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide the battery module10,20, which may prevent the cover frame300,400from being damaged when the battery cells110are inflated, the battery pack1including the battery module10,20, and the vehicle V including the battery pack1.

Moreover, according to various embodiments as above, it is possible to provide the battery module10,20, which may prevent the battery cells110frame from being damaged when the battery cells110are inflated, the battery pack1including the battery module10,20, and the vehicle V including the battery pack1.

While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described, and that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be understood individually from the technical ideas and views of the present disclosure.