Cell monitoring apparatus and battery pack including the apparatus
A cell monitoring apparatus including a plurality of vent hole opening detectors and a controller, and a battery pack including the apparatus are provided. A cell monitoring apparatus includes: a plurality of vent hole opening detectors to be located in correspondence with each of a plurality of cells, each of the vent hole opening detectors including a plurality of holes corresponding to a position of a vent hole of a corresponding cell of the plurality of cells, each of the vent hole opening detectors configured to detect whether the vent hole of each of the plurality of cells is open using the plurality of holes; and a controller configured to detect a cell in which an event has occurred based on whether the vent hole of each of the plurality of cells is open.
1 . A cell monitoring apparatus comprising:
a plurality of vent hole opening detectors to be located in correspondence with each of a plurality of cells, each of the vent hole opening detectors comprising a plurality of holes corresponding to a position of a vent hole of a corresponding cell of the plurality of cells, each of the vent hole opening detectors configured to detect whether the vent hole of each of the plurality of cells is open using the plurality of holes; and
a controller configured to detect a cell in which an event has occurred based on whether the vent hole of each of the plurality of cells is open,
wherein each of the plurality of vent hole opening detectors comprises a first resistor and a second resistor that are connected in series between a power terminal supplying a power voltage and a ground, and the second resistor is directly connected to the ground.
2 . The cell monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of vent hole opening detectors comprises a contact point connected to the controller, and
the first resistor or the second resistor is located in an area where the plurality of holes is located, or a first metal wiring pattern for connection with the first resistor or a second metal wiring pattern for connection with the second resistor is located in the area where the plurality of holes is located.
3 . The cell monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the opening of the vent hole from the voltage of the contact point, and to determine a cell in which the event has occurred from the opening of the vent hole.
4 . The cell monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the holes are located at intervals along a circumference of the vent hole.
5 . The cell monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the event includes thermal runaway.
6 . A battery pack comprising:
a plurality of cells each comprising a vent hole; and
a cell monitoring apparatus to detect whether the vent hole of each of the cells is open using a plurality of holes corresponding to a location of the vent hole of each of the cells, and to detect a cell of the plurality of cells in which an event has occurred based on whether each of the plurality of cells is open,
wherein the cell monitoring apparatus comprises a plurality of vent hole opening detectors to detect whether the vent hole of each of the plurality of cells is open using the plurality of holes,
wherein each of the plurality of vent hole opening detectors comprises a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series between a power terminal supplying a power voltage and a ground, and the second resistor is directly connected to the ground.
7 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the holes corresponding to the location of the vent hole of each of the cells are located at intervals along a circumference of the vent hole.
8 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 6 , wherein
the first resistor or the second resistor is located in an area where the plurality of holes is located, or a first metal wiring pattern for connection with the first resistor or a second metal wiring pattern for connection with the second resistor is located in an area where the plurality of holes is located.
9 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the cell monitoring apparatus further comprises a controller to determine whether the vent hole is open based on a voltage of a contact point between the first resistor and the second resistor.
10 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 8 , wherein a resistor of the first resistor or the second resistor located in the area where the plurality of holes is located or a resistor of the first resistor or the second resistor connected to a metal wiring pattern of the first metal wiring pattern or the second metal wiring pattern located in the area where the plurality of holes is located is opened if an event of a corresponding cell occurs.