Battery pack and electric vehicle

Abstract

Battery pack (300), characterized in that it comprises: a housing (100), wherein the housing (100) is provided with a lower surface (101) and an upper surface; and a battery arrangement (200), wherein the battery arrangement (200) is arranged in the housing (100); the battery arrangement (200) comprises a cell sequence (201) and a structural reinforcing element (202); the cell sequence (201) comprises 4 or more cells (203) and at least some of the cells (203) in the cell sequence (201) are connected by the structural reinforcing element (202); an outer surface of the cell (203) comprises a lower surface (204), an upper surface (205) and side surfaces (206, 207); the lower surface (204) of the cell (203) faces the lower surface (101) in an interior of the housing (100) and the upper surface (205) of the cell (203) faces the upper surface in the interior of the housing (100); the side surfaces (206, 207) comprise first side surfaces (206) and two opposite second side surfaces (207), and the first side surface (206) is defined as a surface which has a largest area under the total outer surface of the cell (203);the cells (203) in the battery arrangement (200) are arranged sequentially, second side surfaces (207) of two adjacent cells (203) are arranged opposite each other, and one arrangement direction of the cells (203) is a first direction; and ; the battery arrangement (200) rests against the lower surface (101) of the housing (100) in order to be held in the housing (100), wherein the battery arrangement (200) extends from one side of the housing (100) to another side of the housing (100) along the first direction and the structural reinforcement element (202) extends from one side of the housing (100) to another side of the housing (100) only along the first direction, wherein the battery pack (300) has an X-direction, a Y-direction and a Z-direction that are perpendicular to each other, and the lower surface (101) in the housing (100) is opposite the upper surface in the housing (100) along the Z-direction; the battery pack (300) comprises a plurality of battery assemblies (200), and the plurality of battery assemblies (200) are arranged along the X-direction; the first direction is parallel to the Y-direction; and a second direction is parallel to the X-direction, and wherein the structural reinforcement element (202) is firmly connected to a first side surface (206) of each cell (203) in the cell sequence (201).

Description

AREA

[0001] This application pertains to the area of ​​batteries, more precisely, to a battery pack and an electric vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] A battery pack, as currently used in electric vehicles, primarily comprises a pack body and several battery modules mounted within it. The battery module includes a cell array, formed from several cells arranged in series, side plates located on two sides of the cell array, and end plates located at two ends of the cell array. The side plates and end plates are connected by bolts, a tie rod, or welding to secure the cell array. Once assembled, the battery modules are installed in the pack body using fasteners such as bolts. To improve the battery pack's strength, a reinforcing beam is generally incorporated.The addition of structural elements such as end plates, side plates, reinforcement beams, and fasteners results in a relatively high overall weight for the battery pack and reduces the utilization of the internal space within the battery pack housing. Consequently, the battery pack's energy density may not meet user requirements for the lifespan of electric vehicle batteries. Furthermore, this structure is associated with a cumbersome assembly process and complex assembly procedures. The cells must first be assembled into a battery module, and then the battery module is installed in the pack housing, increasing labor, material, and other costs.

[0003] To solve this problem, the prior art, patent number CN201822274851.1, provides a battery module comprising a first battery module, a second battery module, and a liquid cooling plate. Both the first and second battery modules contain multiple cells arranged along a horizontal direction, and each cell in the battery module is laid flat (i.e., two large, opposing surfaces of the cell are arranged along a vertical direction). The liquid cooling plate is positioned between the first and second battery modules along the vertical direction, and two side surfaces of the liquid cooling plate are connected to the first and second battery modules, respectively, by a thermally conductive adhesive.Although the structural elements for mounting and securing the cells are eliminated in the battery module, which simplifies the assembly process, the overall structural strength of the battery module is relatively low. DEMOLITION

[0004] This application aims to provide a battery pack with a simple structure, convenient assembly, relatively high structural strength, relatively high space utilization and energy density, and an electric vehicle.

[0005] A first aspect of this application provides for a battery pack comprising: a housing with a bottom surface and an top surface; and a battery assembly arranged within the housing. The battery assembly comprises a cell sequence and a structural reinforcing element. The cell sequence comprises multiple cells. At least some of the cells in the cell sequence are connected by the structural reinforcing element. An outer surface of the cell comprises a bottom surface, a top surface, and a side surface. The bottom surface of the cell faces the bottom surface of the housing. The top surface of the cell faces the top surface of the housing. The side surface comprises first side surfaces and two opposing second side surfaces. The first side surface is defined as the surface with the largest area among all the outer surfaces of the cell. The cells in the battery assembly are arranged sequentially.The second side faces of two adjacent cells are arranged opposite each other. One arrangement direction of the cells is the first direction. The structural reinforcement element is firmly connected to the first side faces of the cells to which it is attached. The size of the structural reinforcement element is T1 along a second direction, and T1 ranges from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The battery assembly rests against the lower surface of the casing to be held in place.

[0006] In some embodiments of this application, in the cell sequence, the quantity of cells associated with the structural reinforcement element is not less than half of the quantity of cells contained in the cell sequence.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, odd or even cells in the cell sequence are connected to the structural reinforcement element along the first direction.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element is rigidly connected to a first side surface of each cell in the cell sequence.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the side surface comprises two opposing first side surfaces. Two structural reinforcing elements are arranged on opposite sides of the cell sequence. One structural reinforcing element is rigidly connected to a first side surface on one side of each cell in the cell sequence, and another structural reinforcing element is rigidly connected to a first side surface on the other side of each cell in the cell sequence.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement elements are firmly connected to a part of the first side surfaces of the cells at two ends of the cell sequence along the first direction.

[0011] In some implementations of this registration, the cell has the largest size along the first direction.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the battery arrangement extends from one side of the housing to another side of the housing along the first direction.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the first side faces of all cells in the battery arrangement are arranged in the same plane.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, a surface of the structural reinforcement element associated with the cell sequence is defined as the first surface. A surface of the cell sequence associated with the structural reinforcement element is defined as the second surface. The first surface is then joined with the second surface.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element is a rectangular plate.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element is an L-shaped plate. A “|” portion of the L-shaped plate is attached to and firmly connected with the first side faces of the cells in the cell sequence.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, a "-" portion of the L-shaped plate is attached to the lower surfaces of the cells in the cell sequence and firmly connected to them. In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcing element is a "["-shaped plate. The cell sequence is arranged in the "["-shaped plate. A "|" portion of the "["-shaped plate is attached to the first side surfaces of the cells in the cell sequence and firmly connected to them.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, two “-” parts of the “[”-shaped plate are attached to the upper surfaces of the cells and the lower surfaces of the cells in the cell sequence, respectively.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, a surface of each of the two “-” parts of the “[”-shaped plate ≤ a surface of a lower surface or an upper surface of the cell sequence.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, a structural adhesive is arranged between the structural reinforcement element and a first side surface of each cell in the cell sequence.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element comprises a metal plate.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the battery pack has an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction that are perpendicular to each other. The lower surface of the housing faces the upper surface of the housing in the Z-direction. The battery pack contains multiple battery assemblies. The multiple battery assemblies are arranged along the X-direction. The first assemblies are parallel to the Y-direction. The second assemblies are parallel to the X-direction.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the cell is a rough cuboid and has a length L, a height H, and a thickness D, where L is greater than D and L is greater than H. A longitudinal direction of the cell extends along the Y direction. A height direction of the cell extends along the Z direction. A thickness direction of the cell extends along the X direction. The structural reinforcing element is the rectangular plate and has a thickness T1. A longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate extends along the Y direction. A thickness direction of the rectangular plate extends along the X direction.

[0024] In some versions of this application, the cell thickness ranges from 10 mm to 90 mm.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, the cell comprises six surfaces: the lower surface and the upper surface, which are parallel to each other, two parallel first side surfaces, and two parallel second side surfaces. The two parallel first side surfaces are opposite each other in the thickness direction of the cell.

[0026] In some embodiments of this application, the cells in one battery arrangement of at least two adjacent battery arrangements and the cells in another battery arrangement of the at least two adjacent battery arrangements are arranged offset from each other.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, the number of cells in one battery arrangement of the at least two adjacent battery arrangements is greater than the number of cells in the other battery arrangement of the at least two adjacent battery arrangements.

[0028] In some embodiments of this application, a reinforcement block is arranged in the other battery arrangement. The reinforcement block is connected to the second side face of the cell in the battery arrangement to form the cell sequence.

[0029] In some versions of this application, the lengths of the two adjacent battery arrangements are the same.

[0030] In some embodiments of this application, a gap is provided between two adjacent cell sequences, and an air channel for battery cooling is formed in the gap.

[0031] In some embodiments of this application, a gap is provided between the two adjacent cell sequences, and a cooling plate is arranged in the gap.

[0032] In some embodiments of this application, the battery assembly comprises a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along the Y direction. The housing comprises a first side frame and a second side frame arranged in the Y direction. The battery assembly is located between the first side frame and the second side frame. The first end of the battery assembly is supported on the first side frame and the second end of the battery assembly is supported on the second side frame.

[0033] In some embodiments of this application, a first support step is arranged on the first side frame and a second support step is arranged on the second side frame. The first end of the battery assembly is supported on the first support step, and the second end of the battery assembly is supported on the second support step.

[0034] In some embodiments of this application, the housing comprises a third side frame and a fourth side frame arranged opposite each other in the X direction. Several battery assemblies are arranged parallel in the X direction between the third and fourth side frames.

[0035] In some embodiments of this application, a battery arrangement is arranged in the housing in the Y direction.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, a reinforcing plate is arranged between the at least two adjacent battery arrangements.

[0037] In some embodiments of this application, the reinforcement plate is firmly connected to the battery arrangements on two sides of the reinforcement plate.

[0038] In some embodiments of this application, the thickness of a structural reinforcement element of at least one battery arrangement is 10 mm to 35 mm.

[0039] In some embodiments of this application, the housing comprises a shell and a top cover. A receiving space is jointly defined by the shell and the top cover, and the battery assembly is arranged in the receiving space. The lower surface of the cell in the battery assembly is rigidly connected to an inner surface of the shell, and the upper surface of the cell is rigidly connected to an inner surface of the top cover.

[0040] In some embodiments of this application, in the cell sequence the lower surfaces of the multiple cells are firmly connected to an inner surface of the shell, and the upper surfaces of the multiple cells are firmly connected to an inner surface of the upper cover.

[0041] In some embodiments of this application, the shell and / or the top cover is a multilayer composite structure. The multilayer composite structure comprises two layers of aluminum plates and a steel plate or a foamed aluminum plate located between the two aluminum plate layers.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, the shell and / or the top cover consists of a multilayer composite structure. The multilayer composite structure comprises two fiber composite layers and a foam layer embedded between the two fiber composite layers.

[0043] In some embodiments of this application, the fiber composite layer comprises a glass fiber layer and / or a carbon fiber layer.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, an electrode terminal of the cell in the battery arrangement is arranged on the upper surface of the cell.

[0045] In some embodiments of this application, the battery pack also includes a battery management system.

[0046] According to another aspect, this application also provides an electric vehicle that includes the battery pack.

[0047] Compared to the prior art, this application offers the following advantages: In this application, several cells are connected to form a whole, i.e., a battery assembly, by a structural reinforcing element. The battery assembly is relatively large and relatively strong, and it is supported by a housing and can play a load-bearing role. The battery assembly can be used as a crossbeam or longitudinal beam to reinforce the structural strength of the housing, thus reducing the number of crossbeams and / or longitudinal beams required in the battery pack, or even eliminating them entirely. In other words, the structural strength of the battery pack can be ensured by replacing the crossbeam and / or longitudinal beam with the battery assembly, preventing the battery pack from deforming easily under external force.This reduces the space required by the cross and / or longitudinal beams in the housing, improves the space utilization of the housing, and allows as many cells as possible to be arranged in the housing, thereby increasing the capacity, voltage, and lifespan of the entire battery pack.

[0048] Furthermore, this battery arrangement requires fewer end plates compared to existing battery modules. Since the crossbeam and / or longitudinal beam do not need to be integrated into the battery pack, the manufacturing process is simplified, cell assembly effort is reduced, and production costs are lowered. Additionally, the overall weight of the battery pack is reduced, resulting in a lighter battery pack. When installed in an electric vehicle, this can improve the vehicle's range and make the vehicle lighter.

[0049] Further aspects and advantages of this registration are listed in the following description, some of which will be evident from the following description or can be learned from the practice of this registration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] The accompanying drawings serve to further understand this application and form part of the specification. They explain this application together with the following specific embodiments, but do not constitute a limitation of this application. The accompanying drawings include: Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic structure diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic structure diagram of several battery arrangements according to an embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic structure diagram of a housing according to an embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 4 is a schematic structure diagram in which a sequence of cells is connected to a structural reinforcement element according to an embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic structure diagram in which a sequence of cells is connected to a structural reinforcement element according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic exploded view of a battery arrangement according to an embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 7 is a schematic structure diagram in which a sequence of cells is connected to a structural reinforcement element according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. Figure 8 is a schematic structure diagram of a structural reinforcement element according to an embodiment of the present application. Fig.Figure 9 is a schematic structure diagram of a structural reinforcement element according to another embodiment of the present application. Fig. Figure 10 is a schematic structure diagram of a cell according to this application. Fig. Figure 11 is a schematic structure diagram of another battery arrangement according to this application. Fig. Figure 12 is another schematic structure diagram in which several battery arrangements according to this application are stacked. Fig. Figure 13 shows another battery pack as defined in this application. Fig. 14 is a state-of-the-art battery pack. Fig. 15 is a battery pack produced using a different related method. Reference figures:

[0051] 100. Housing; 101. Bottom surface of housing; 103. First side frame; 104. Second side frame; 107. First supporting step; 111. Third side frame; 112. Fourth side frame; 200. Battery assembly; 201. Cell sequence; 202. Structural reinforcement element; 203. Cell; 204. Bottom surface of cell; 205. Top surface of cell; 206. First side surface; 207. Second side surface; 208. First plate surface; 209. Third plate surface; 210. Second plate surface; 211. Fourth plate surface; 212. Fifth plate surface; 213. Structural adhesive; 214. First end; 215. Second end; 216. Electrode terminal; 217. Battery terminal plate; 218. Reinforcement block; 300 battery packs; L. Cell length; D. Cell thickness; and H. Height of the cell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Embodiments of this application are described in detail below, and examples of such embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein identical or similar elements or elements with identical or similar functions are designated by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the description. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and serve only to illustrate this application and should not be construed as limiting it.

[0053] In describing this application, it should be understood that orientation or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "on", "under", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "above", "below", "inside", "outside", "axial direction", "radial direction", and "circumferential direction" are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the sake of simplicity and brevity of illustration and description, without indicating or implying that the device or component mentioned must have a particular orientation or be designed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, these terms should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0054] As in Fig. 1 and Fig.Figure 3 shows a battery pack 300 in the application, comprising a housing 100 with a lower surface 101 and an upper surface, and a battery assembly 200 arranged in the housing 100. The battery assembly 200 comprises a cell sequence 201 and a structural reinforcement element 202. The cell sequence 201 comprises several cells 203, and at least some of the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are connected by the structural reinforcement element 202.

[0055] An outer surface of cell 203 comprises a bottom surface, a top surface, and a side surface. The bottom surface 204 of the cell faces the bottom surface of the housing 100, and the top surface 205 of the cell faces the top surface of the housing 100. The side surface comprises first side surfaces 206 and two opposing second side surfaces 207. The first side surface 206 is defined as the surface with the largest area of ​​all outer surfaces of cell 203. The cells 203 in the battery assembly 200 are arranged sequentially. The second side surfaces 207 of two adjacent cells 203 are arranged opposite each other. One arrangement direction of the cells 203 is a first direction. The structural reinforcement element 202 is rigidly connected to the first side surfaces 206 of the cells 203 connected to the structural reinforcement element 202.The battery assembly 200 abuts the lower surface of the housing 100 in order to be supported in the housing 100.

[0056] In this application, the housing 100 is provided with the lower surface 101 and the upper surface (which is opposite the lower surface 101 and not shown in the figure). The lower surface 101 and the upper surface of the housing refer here to two opposite surfaces of the housing 100 in the vertical direction. In some specific embodiments, the housing 100 includes a base plate and a sealing cover. A receiving cavity for receiving cells is bounded by the base plate and the sealing cover. The lower surface 101 of the housing is defined as the inner surface of the base plate, and the upper surface of the housing 100 is defined as the inner surface of the sealing cover.

[0057] In this application, the shape of cell 203 is not limited. Cell 203 can have various shapes, such as a regular or irregular geometric shape, a square, a circle, a polygon, a triangle, or any other shape, such as a specially shaped battery. It is understood that the shape of cell 203 is not limited in this application.

[0058] In this application, the multiple cells 203 are arranged to form the cell sequence 201. A force between two adjacent cells 203 is generally relatively weak. The cell sequence 201 is rigidly connected to the structural reinforcement element. The structural reinforcement element 202 is connected to a side surface with the largest area of ​​the cell 203 to provide the area of ​​a connection surface, thereby ensuring the structural strength of the connection surface.

[0059] In this application, the structural reinforcement element can be connected to the cell array 201 by means of a structural adhesive. In this case, the structural adhesive is preferably a structural adhesive with thermal conductivity. During the bonding process, heat can also be conducted to the outside of the battery. When assembling the existing battery module, several cells 203 are first arranged so that their large surfaces (surfaces with the largest area) face each other to form a cell array 201, and side plates are also arranged on two sides of the cell array along one of the cell array orientations. In this assembly, the several cells 203 are arranged so that their large surfaces face each other.In this application, however, the cell sequence 201 consists of several cells 203 with second side surfaces 207 (small surfaces) arranged opposite each other in a relatively small area to form the cell sequence 201. That is, the cells are arranged such that their "small surfaces" face each other. The two arrangements are compared, and the arrangement in this application is more advantageous for improving the overall structural strength of the battery arrangement 200.

[0060] In some embodiments of this application, the size of the battery arrangement 200 ranges from 400 mm to 2500 mm in a first direction. In some other embodiments, the size of the battery arrangement 200 ranges from 600 mm to 2500 mm in a first direction.

[0061] In related prior art, e.g. in patent no. CN201822274851.1, several cells in the battery module are arranged such that their small surfaces face each other, but the several cells 203 are arranged horizontally (two large surfaces each point to a lower surface and an upper surface).

[0062] When a force acts on a battery pack in the Z-direction (vertical direction), the first side face with the largest area of ​​the cell is most likely to deform. If a structural reinforcement element is horizontally oriented (the cell is horizontally oriented), and if the force is applied to the battery pack along the Z-direction, the force is more likely to cause the structural reinforcement element to bend along a thickness direction of the battery assembly, and the cell is also likely to deform along that thickness direction. To prevent deformation of the structural reinforcement element and the cell, the following solutions generally exist: 1. The base plate of the battery pack is made thicker, but the weight of the battery pack is increased, which reduces the energy density of the battery pack. 2. The base plate of the shell is designed as a hollow body. While arranging a reinforcing structure within the cavity can reduce the weight of the battery pack, it inevitably increases the processing and design difficulties of the shell. Furthermore, it increases the height of the shell, thereby reducing the energy density of the battery pack. 3. A reinforcing rib is arranged on the base plate of the casing. The cells are assembled into a battery module, which is then attached to the reinforcing rib. To meet the requirements for mounting the battery module, the thickness of the reinforcing rib is generally 10 mm to 20 mm, which occupies part of the battery pack and reduces its usable volume.

[0063] In this application, the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are arranged vertically (the large surface has no contact with the lower or upper surface). In this case, the structural reinforcement element is arranged along a vertical direction of the packing body, and the strength of the structural reinforcement element is greater, which can increase the structural strength of the entire cell sequence 201. If a force is applied to the battery assembly 200 along a Z-direction, it is more likely that the force along the Z-direction will cause bending of the structural reinforcement element 202 along a thickness direction of the battery assembly 200.However, due to the close connection between the structural reinforcement element and the cells, as well as the supporting and protective effect of the four side frames of a shell, deformation of the structural reinforcement element 202 along the thickness direction and deformation of the first side surface 206 of the cell 203 are largely prevented in order to ensure the reliability of the battery along the thickness direction.

[0064] In this application, the size of the structural reinforcement element 202 along a second direction and the weight of the cell are specified as 0.15 mmkg-1 <T1 / G<7 mmkg-1 definiert, und T1 reicht von 0,5 mm bis 5 mm, wodurch nicht nur die Festigkeitsanforderungen der gesamten Batterieanordnung erfüllt werden können, sondern auch die Größe des strukturellen Verstärkungselements minimiert werden kann. Die Größe des strukturellen Verstärkungselements ist offensichtlich geringer als die Dicke (10 mm bis 20 mm) der Verstärkungsrippe in der verwandten Technik.

[0065] In some preferred embodiments, the dimension T1 of the structural reinforcement element along the second direction and the weight G of the cell satisfy a relationship: 0.25 mmkg-1≤T1 / G≤5.8 mmkg-1.

[0066] In the prior art, a single cell is relatively small and cannot function as a self-sufficient power source. In this application, several cells 203 are connected by a structural reinforcing element 202 to form a battery assembly 200 with a size of 400 mm to 2500 mm or 600 mm to 2500 mm. The multiple cells 203 as a whole have a structural strength that far exceeds the strength of a single cell 203. Since the battery assembly 200 is sufficiently long, two ends of the battery assembly 200 can be directly supported on the lower surface 101 of the housing, i.e.,The battery arrangement 200 replaces a reinforcement structure to ensure structural strength of the battery pack 300, so that fewer crossbeams and / or longitudinal beams are used in the battery pack 300, and even the crossbeam and / or longitudinal beam in the battery pack 300 can be omitted, thereby reducing the space occupied by the crossbeam and / or longitudinal beam in the battery pack 300, improving the space utilization of the battery pack 300, allowing as many cells 203 as possible to be arranged in the battery pack 300 and further improving the capacity, voltage and battery life of the entire battery pack 300.

[0067] In this application, the battery arrangement 200, which rests against the lower surface 101 of the housing, can be in direct contact with the lower surface 101 of the housing to support the battery arrangement 200, or it can be in indirect contact with or connected to the lower surface 101 of the housing, which can be arranged by those skilled in the art depending on the specific working conditions and is not limited in this application.

[0068] In an implementation of this application, in the cell sequence 201, which is formed by the sequential arrangement of the multiple cells 203, the first side surfaces 206 of all cells 203 can be connected to the structural reinforcement element 202, or the first side surfaces 206 of some of the cells 203 can be connected to the structural reinforcement element 202. That is, the multiple cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are sorted into two groups. One group is rigidly connected to the structural reinforcement element 202, and the other group is not rigidly connected to the structural reinforcement element 202. In order to keep the overall structural strength of the battery arrangement 200 relatively high, the number of cells 203 connected to the structural reinforcement element 202 is at least half the number of cells 203 contained in the cell sequence 201.

[0069] If the first side faces 206 of some of the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are connected to the structural reinforcement element 202, the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 can be arranged one behind the other or spaced apart. That is, the cells 203 connected to the structural reinforcement element 202 and the cells 203 not connected to the structural reinforcement element 202 are arranged crosswise and form the cell sequence 201.

[0070] In some specific embodiments, the odd-numbered cells 203 or the even-numbered cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are connected to the structural reinforcement element 202. In this application, multiple first side surfaces 206 may be present. In some embodiments, the side surface comprises two opposing first side surfaces 206. Two structural reinforcement elements 202 are arranged on opposite sides of the cell sequence 201. One structural reinforcement element 202 is rigidly connected to a first side surface 206 on one side of each cell 203 in the cell sequence 201, and another structural reinforcement element 202 is rigidly connected to a first side surface 206 on the other side of each cell 203 in the cell sequence 201. The structural reinforcement elements 202 are arranged on opposite sides of the cell sequence 201 to further improve the strength of the battery assembly 200.

[0071] In this application, the entire area of ​​the first side surfaces 206 of the cells 203 can be connected to the structural reinforcement elements 202, or a partial area of ​​the first side surfaces 206 of some of the cells 203 can be connected to the structural reinforcement element 202. In some embodiments, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the structural reinforcement element 202 is firmly connected to the entire area of ​​the first side surfaces 206 of the intervening cells 203, so that the structural strength and stability of the entire battery assembly 200 are still relatively high, and partial areas of the first side surfaces 206 of the cells 203 at two ends of the cell sequence 201 are connected to the structural reinforcement element 202, thus not affecting the overall strength and stability of the battery assembly 200 and reducing costs.

[0072] In this application, cell 203 has the largest size along the first direction. Therefore, the battery arrangement 200 with higher strength can be achieved by arranging the fewest cells 203.

[0073] It should be noted that one arrangement direction of the cells 203, i.e. the first direction, is a direction in which the quantity of cells 203 increases.

[0074] In this application, the battery arrangement 200 extends from one side of the housing 100 to the other side of the housing 100 along the first direction; that is, if several battery arrangements 200 are arranged in the housing 100, only one battery arrangement 200 is arranged along the first direction, and the two or more battery arrangements 200 are not accommodated. Only a single battery arrangement 200 is arranged along the first direction to allow compact stacking of the multiple cells 203.

[0075] In this application, the first side surfaces 206 of the several cells 203 in the cell sequence 201 are arranged in the same plane, so that the structural reinforcement element 202 can be more reliably connected to the first side surfaces 206 of all cells 203 and the stability and strength of the battery arrangement 200 is also higher.

[0076] In this application, the shape of the structural reinforcement element 202 is not particularly restricted, provided that the structural reinforcement element can have a certain structural strength and can increase the structural strength of the battery assembly 200 when the multiple cells 203 are connected to form a whole. Furthermore, the structural reinforcement element is not easily deformed.

[0077] In some embodiments, a surface of the structural reinforcement element 202, which is connected to the cell sequence 201, is defined as the first surface. A surface of the cell sequence 201, which is connected to the structural reinforcement element 202, is defined as the second surface. The first surface is brought together with the second surface.

[0078] Note that in this application, the adaptation relates to the fact that the first surface of the structural reinforcement element 202 can be attached to the second surface of the cell sequence 201, so that the structural reinforcement element 202 can play a role of reinforcement and attachment, the shape and area of ​​the structural reinforcement element 202 not being specifically limited. In some specific embodiments, the first surface of the structural reinforcement element 202 and the second surface of the cell sequence 201 have the same shape and are arranged accordingly. The shapes of the first and second surfaces are identical, so that the structural reinforcement element 202 can be more easily attached to the cell sequence 201.

[0079] Of course, the first and second surfaces can have different shapes. For example, if the cells 203 in cell sequence 201 are all rectangular cells with a cuboid structure (cell sequence 201 is also cuboid) and the structural reinforcement element 202 is a rectangular plate, for instance, if the strength of the battery pack 300 meets a requirement or there is a specific requirement for a mounting location of the battery assembly 200 in the housing 100, all cells 203 in cell sequence 201 are connected into a single unit by the structural reinforcement element 202, and the strength of the battery assembly 200 can be ensured. The area of ​​the structural reinforcement element 202 can be smaller than the area of ​​the second surface of cell sequence 201.For example, the length of the rectangular structural reinforcement element 202 is less than the length of the cell sequence 201, and the width of the structural reinforcement element 202 is less than the width of the cell sequence 201. In this case, the length of the battery assembly 200 is the length of the cell sequence 201, the width of the battery assembly 200 is the width of the cell sequence 201, and the thickness of the battery assembly 200 is the thickness of the cell sequence 201.

[0080] Of course, in some embodiments, the area of ​​the structural reinforcement element 202 can alternatively be larger than the area of ​​the second surface of the cell sequence 201. For example, the length of the rectangular structural reinforcement element 202 is greater than the length of the cell sequence 201, and the width of the structural reinforcement element 202 is greater than the width of the cell sequence 201.

[0081] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element 202 is a rectangular plate.

[0082] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element 202 is an L-shaped plate. The “|” portion of the L-shaped plate is attached to and firmly connected with the first side surfaces 206 of the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201.

[0083] In some embodiments of this application, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, a side face of the “|” portion of the L-shaped plate, which is attached to the first side faces 206 of cells 203 in cell sequence 201, is defined as a first plate face 208, and a side face of cell sequence 201, which is attached to the first plate face 208, is defined as a third face. The first plate face 208 and the third face have the same shape and are arranged accordingly.

[0084] In some embodiments of this application, the “-” part of the L-shaped plate is attached to the lower surfaces 204 of the cells in the cell sequence 201 and firmly connected to them.

[0085] A surface of the "-" portion of the L-shaped plate, attached to the lower surfaces 204 of the cells in cell sequence 201, is defined as the second plate surface 210, and a surface of cell sequence 201 attached to the second plate surface 210 is defined as the fourth surface. The second plate surface 210 and the fourth surface have the same shape and area and are arranged accordingly.

[0086] The arrangement not only significantly simplifies the construction of the housing 100, but also improves the space utilization and energy density of the battery pack 300. Furthermore, all cells 203 in the cell sequence can be connected to form a whole by the structural reinforcement element 202, thereby improving the strength of the battery assembly 200 and reducing the space occupied by the reinforcement rib in the battery pack 300, thus further reducing the weight of the battery pack 300.

[0087] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcement element 202 is a “[”-shaped plate, and the cell sequence 201 is arranged in the “[”-shaped plate. The “|” portion of the “[”-shaped plate is attached to and firmly connected with the first side faces 206 of the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201.

[0088] In some embodiments of this application, a side face of the “|” portion of the “[”-shaped plate, which is attached to the first side faces 206 of the cells 203 in the cell sequence 201, is defined as a third plate face 209, and a side face of the cell sequence 201, which is attached to the third plate face 209, is defined as a seventh face. The third plate face 209 and the seventh face have the same shape and the same area and are arranged accordingly.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, two “-” parts of the “[”-shaped plate are attached to the upper surfaces 205 of the cells and the lower surfaces 204 of the cells in the cell sequence 201, respectively.

[0090] In some embodiments of this application, a surface of each of the two “-” parts of the “[”-shaped plate ≤ a surface of a lower surface or an upper surface of the cell sequence.

[0091] In some embodiments of this application, a surface of the “[”-shaped plate attached to the lower surfaces 204 of the cells in the cell sequence 201 is defined as the fourth plate surface 211, and a surface of the cell sequence 201 attached to the fourth plate surface 211 is defined as the fifth surface. The fourth plate surface 211 and the fifth surface have the same shape and area and are arranged accordingly.

[0092] In some embodiments of this application, a surface of the []-shaped plate attached to the upper faces of cells 203 in cell sequence 201 is defined as the fifth plate surface 212, and a surface of cell sequence 201 attached to the fifth plate surface 212 is defined as the sixth surface. The fifth plate surface 212 is a rectangle, and the area of ​​the rectangle is smaller than the area of ​​the sixth surface. This arrangement not only significantly simplifies the construction of the housing 100 but also improves the space utilization and energy density of the battery pack 300.Furthermore, all cells 203 in the cell sequence can be joined together by the structural reinforcement element 202 to improve the strength of the battery assembly 200 and to reduce the space occupied by the reinforcement rib in the battery pack 300, thereby further reducing the weight of the battery pack 300.

[0093] In some embodiments of this application, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, a structural adhesive 213 is arranged between the structural reinforcement element 202 and a first side surface 206 of each cell 203 in the cell sequence 201, i.e. the cell 203 is connected to the structural reinforcement element 202 by the structural adhesive 213.

[0094] Preferably, the structural adhesive 213 is a thermally conductive structural adhesive 213. The thermally conductive structural adhesive 213 can not only ensure good adhesion between the structural reinforcement element 202 and the first side surface 206 of the cell 203, but also conduct the heat generated by the cell 203 during operation. Preferably, the thickness of the thermally conductive structural adhesive 213 is 0.5 mm to 20 mm.

[0095] In some embodiments of this application, the structural reinforcing element 202 is a metal plate. The metal plate can be, for example, a steel or aluminum plate, which exhibits high structural strength and good heat dissipation. In some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the metal plate is 0.8 mm to 3.5 mm. Preferably, the thickness of the metal plate is 1 mm to 2.5 mm. If the structural reinforcing element 202 is too thin, the structural strength of the battery assembly 200 is compromised. If the structural reinforcing element 202 is too thick, it increases the weight and space within the battery pack 300, which is not advantageous for the design of the battery pack 300.

[0096] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery pack 300 has an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction that are perpendicular to each other. The lower surface 101 of the housing faces the upper surface of the housing in the Z-direction. The battery pack 300 comprises multiple battery assemblies 200, and the multiple battery assemblies 200 are arranged along the X-direction. The first direction is parallel to the Y-direction, and the second direction is parallel to the X-direction.

[0097] In this application, the X direction, the Y direction and the Z direction only indicate orientations, but do not limit a specific shape of the enclosure 100.

[0098] In some embodiments of this application, the cell is a rough cuboid and has a length L, a height H, and a thickness D, where L is greater than D and L is greater than H. A longitudinal direction of cell 203 extends along the Y-direction. A height direction of the cell extends along the Z-direction. A thickness direction of the cell extends along the X-direction. The structural reinforcing element is a rectangular plate, and a dimension of the structural reinforcing element along the second direction is the thickness T1. A longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate extends along the Y-direction. A thickness direction of the rectangular plate extends along the X-direction.

[0099] If cell 203 is a cuboid and structural reinforcement element 202 is a rectangular plate, the length of battery assembly 200 corresponds to the aforementioned dimension of battery assembly 200 in the first direction. The thickness of the rectangular plate corresponds to the aforementioned dimension T1 of structural reinforcement element 202 in the second direction.

[0100] In this version, cell 203 is approximately cuboid in shape. It is understood that cell 203 can be a cuboid, a cube, or a rough cuboid or cube that has a particular shape locally, or it can represent an approximate cuboid or cube as a whole, but partially exhibit a gap, a bulge, a chamfer, an arc, or a curvature.

[0101] In this embodiment, the structural reinforcement element 202 is approximately a rectangular plate. It is understood that the structural reinforcement element 202 can be a cuboid, a cube, or a rough cuboid or cube that locally has a special shape; or it can be an approximate cuboid or cube as a whole, but partially featuring a gap, a bulge, a chamfer, an arc, or a curve.

[0102] To enable a more stable connection between the structural reinforcement element 202 and the cell 203 and to achieve a longer service life, the thickness T1 of the structural reinforcement element and the thickness D of the cell in this embodiment satisfy a relationship: T1 / D>0.012, and more preferably 0.4≤T1 / D≤0.9. The inventor of this application has found through a large number of experiments that the battery pack can meet the requirements of the Chinese standard GB / T31467.3-2015 for vibration and extrusion performance if the thickness T1 of the structural reinforcement element and the thickness D of the cell satisfy the aforementioned relationship.

[0103] In some embodiments, the cell thickness ranges from 10 mm to 90 mm. Therefore, the bond strength between the structural reinforcement element and the cell is higher.

[0104] In this embodiment, the cell 203 has six surfaces: the lower surface and the upper surface, which are parallel to each other, two parallel first side surfaces 206, and two parallel second side surfaces 207. The two parallel first side surfaces 206 are opposite each other in the thickness direction of the cell 203.

[0105] In this embodiment, the first side surface 206 of the cell 203 is a surface formed along a longitudinal and a transverse direction (the first side surface 206 comprises two opposite surfaces). The second side surface 207 of the cell 203 is a surface formed along the longitudinal direction and a transverse direction (the second side surface 207 also comprises two opposite surfaces), and both the lower surface 204 and the upper surface of the cell are surfaces formed along the transverse and transverse directions.

[0106] The cells 203 in cell sequence 201 are all designed as rectangular cells with a cuboid structure, which allows the structural reinforcement element 202 to be attached to and firmly connected with the first side surface 206 of each cell 203 in cell sequence 201. All cells 203 in cell sequence 201 are connected by the structural reinforcement element 202 to form a rectangular whole, simplifying the assembly process. Furthermore, the cuboid battery arrangement 200 can better serve as a reinforcement beam in the housing 100, reducing the need for reinforcement ribs. This not only contributes to the weight reduction of the entire battery pack 300 but also significantly simplifies the structure of the housing 100, thus helping to improve the space utilization and energy density of the battery pack 300.

[0107] It should be noted that the shapes of the multiple cells 203 contained in cell sequence 201 can be the same or different. For example, although all cells 203 in cell sequence 201 can be rectangular cells with a cuboid structure, their dimensions (lengths L, heights H, and thicknesses D) can also differ. The size of each cell 203 can be flexibly adjusted and selected according to the actual requirements.

[0108] To further improve the strength of the entire battery pack, in some embodiments of this application the cells 203 in one battery arrangement 200 are arranged offset from each other of at least two adjacent battery arrangements 200 and the cells 203 in another battery arrangement 200 of the at least two adjacent battery arrangements.

[0109] In the related arts, such as in Fig. 14 and Fig.As shown in Figure 15, all cells are arranged in a straight line along all directions. While this design offers the advantages of simple arrangement and processing, it also presents the problem that a gap between two cells represents a weak point in the entire battery pack structure. These gaps are highly susceptible to damage when the battery pack is subjected to extreme conditions such as extrusion and impacts. This leads to a design concept for electric vehicles. The cells are housed within a battery pack, and a casing is required to protect the inner cells and prevent impacts. Furthermore, the overall vehicle structure is reinforced to protect the battery pack from the impact of the entire vehicle. This inevitably increases the complexity of designing and manufacturing an electric vehicle. The protective function of the casing also strengthens the overall vehicle structure.Therefore, lightweight construction cannot be effectively implemented for electric vehicles.

[0110] In this registration, as in Fig. 12 and Fig. As shown in Figure 13, the cells 203 are arranged in two adjacent battery arrangements 200 offset in one direction.

[0111] It should be noted that due to the staggered arrangement, the second side surfaces 207 of the contact surfaces between the cells 203 are not on a straight line. Therefore, weak points between the cells 203 and the cells 203 in a battery arrangement 200 can be compensated for by another battery arrangement 200. As soon as an external force acts on the battery pack, the weak points are no longer very susceptible to malfunctions.

[0112] In this implementation, the offset arrangement can be understood as meaning that all cells 203 in two adjacent battery assemblies 200 are offset, or that some of the cells 203 in two adjacent battery assemblies 200 are offset. Alternatively, the cells 203 in each pair of adjacent battery assemblies 200 can be offset, or the cells 203 in battery assemblies 200 that are spaced apart from each other can be offset.

[0113] The battery pack contains six battery assemblies. The conditions are as follows.

[0114] (1) Cells 203 in a first battery assembly and cells in a second battery assembly are arranged offset; the cells in the second battery assembly and cells 203 in a third battery assembly are arranged offset; the cells in the third battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fourth battery assembly are arranged offset; the cells in the fourth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fifth battery assembly are arranged offset; and the cells in the fifth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a sixth battery assembly are arranged offset.

[0115] (2) The cells 203 in the first battery assembly and the cells in the second battery assembly are arranged in an aligned manner. The cells in the second battery assembly and the cells 203 in a third battery assembly are aligned with each other. The cells in the third battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fourth battery assembly are aligned with each other. The cells in the fourth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fifth battery assembly are aligned with each other. The cells in the fifth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a sixth battery assembly are aligned with each other.

[0116] (3) The cells 203 in a first battery assembly and the cells in a second battery assembly are not properly aligned. The cells in the second battery assembly and the cells 203 in a third battery assembly are aligned with each other. The cells in the third battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fourth battery assembly are offset. The cells in the fourth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a fifth battery assembly are aligned with each other. The cells in the fifth battery assembly and the cells 203 in a sixth battery assembly are offset.

[0117] In other words, in this implementation, the cells 203 are aligned in some adjacent battery assemblies and offset in other adjacent battery assemblies. Alternatively, the cells 203 are offset in all adjacent battery assemblies.

[0118] In order to achieve an offset arrangement, the sizes of the cells 203 in two adjacent battery arrangements 200, which are offset, must not be the same.

[0119] To ensure the uniformity of the cells 203, cells 203 of the same size are used. Therefore, to achieve an offset arrangement, the number of cells 203 in one battery arrangement 200 of at least two adjacent battery arrangements 200 is greater than the number of cells 203 in another battery arrangement 200 of at least two adjacent battery arrangements.

[0120] If the number of cells 203 in a battery arrangement 200 is n (n > 1 and n is an integer), the battery arrangement 200 is called battery arrangement A, and the number of cells 203 in another battery arrangement 200 is at most n - 1 and is called battery arrangement B. As in Fig.As shown in Figure 12, the battery assemblies A and the battery assemblies B are arranged alternately to form a structure ABAB... or AABBAA.... After the battery assemblies 200 are arranged, the housing 100 is attached as shown in Figure 12. Fig. Figure 13 shows the external arrangement of the cells 203 to form the battery pack 300. The cells 203 and the housing 100 are connected to each other by the structural adhesive. The battery pack 300 is preferably encased in adhesive to form a single unit.

[0121] If the number of cells 203 in two adjacent battery arrangements 200 is not the same, the length of one battery arrangement 200 with a relatively small number of cells 203 will be less than that of the other battery arrangement 200. To ensure the overall strength of the battery pack 300, as described in Fig.Figure 11 shows a reinforcement block 218 arranged in the battery assembly 200. The reinforcement block 218 is connected to a second side surface 207 of the cell 203 in the battery assembly 200 to form the cell sequence 201, thereby ensuring an equal length of the two adjacent battery assemblies 200 and a high overall strength of the battery pack.

[0122] In this embodiment, the specific position of the reinforcement block 218 within the battery assembly 200 is not particularly restricted. The reinforcement block can be located at one end of the battery assembly 200 or between two adjacent cells 203 within the battery assembly 200. The number of reinforcement blocks 218 is not limited, and one or more reinforcement blocks can be present. Several reinforcement blocks 218 can be spaced apart between the cells 203 or arranged together.

[0123] In the implementation, for example, in structure ABAB..., a cell array 201 between two structural reinforcement elements 202 and the structural reinforcement elements 201 form a solid "l"-shaped structure, and three adjacent battery assemblies 200 form another "I"-shaped structure. The overall strength of the battery pack 300 is increased by the densely distributed "l"-shaped structures. This structure allows the thickness of the structural reinforcement element 201 to be significantly reduced, thereby supporting the structural strength of the entire battery pack 300 and enabling the formation of a cellular structure. Since the interior of the battery pack 300 is not a solid body, the small gaps can also absorb impact forces caused by extreme situations such as a collision.The battery pack 300 of this structure is located on the underside of a vehicle, which can well support the structural strength of the entire vehicle and reduce the strength of the entire vehicle, thereby reducing the design costs, difficulty and cycle time of the entire vehicle.

[0124] In some embodiments of the application, a gap exists between two adjacent cell sequences 201. An air channel for battery cooling is formed in this gap. Certainly, the gap also serves to accommodate the expansion of the cells 203 during operation. Alternatively, in some embodiments of this application, a cooling plate can be arranged in the gap to cool the cell 203 and dissipate heat.

[0125] In some embodiments of this application, the battery assembly 200 comprises a first end 214 and a second end 215, which are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. The housing 100 comprises a first side frame 103 and a second side frame 104, which are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. The battery assembly 200 is located between the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104. The first end 214 of the battery assembly 200 rests on the first side frame 103, and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 rests on the second side frame 104. That is, the battery assembly 200 extends between the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104.

[0126] In this embodiment, the first end 214 and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 are supported on the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, respectively. The battery assembly 200 can be supported directly by the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, i.e., it is placed on the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, or it can also be attached to the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104. A particular type of attachment is described in detail below, and the specific support and attachment methods are not limited in this application.

[0127] Within the technical concept of this application, in one embodiment, the distance between the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104 is adapted to the size of the battery assembly 200 in the Y-direction. The adaptation described here means that a distance between two side frames or two side walls, as described below, can be aligned with the mounting of a battery assembly 200. The adaptation can be achieved through various methods, such as interval adaptation, interference adaptation, mounting adaptation, and fixing adaptation, to accomplish the objective of this application.

[0128] In some embodiments of this application, the first end 214 of the battery assembly 200 can be supported directly or indirectly on the first side frame 103, and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 can be supported directly or indirectly on the second side frame 104. Direct support means that the first end 214 of the battery assembly 200 is in direct contact with the first side frame 103 for support and alignment, and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 is in direct contact with the second side frame 104 for alignment. Indirect support means that, for example, in some embodiments, the first end 214 of the battery assembly 200 fits with and is supported by the first side frame 103 via a first end plate 214, and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 fits with and is supported by the second side frame 104.

[0129] Furthermore, in this application, the battery assembly 200 extends between the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, and two ends of the battery assembly 200 are supported on the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, respectively, so that the battery assembly 200 serves as a cross member and / or as a longitudinal member to reinforce the structural strength of the housing 100. In other words, it is not necessary to arrange a reinforcing structure within the housing 100 to increase its structural strength, and the battery assembly 200 can be used directly to ensure the structural strength of the housing 100, thus ensuring that the housing 100 deforms easily under the influence of an external force.Since the cell 203 in the prior art has a relatively small size and a relatively short length, two opposite ends of the cell 203 cannot be brought together with two side frames arranged opposite each other in the housing 100 at a constant volume, and the cell 203 cannot play a load-bearing role.

[0130] In some embodiments of this application, the first side frame 103 is provided with a first support step 107 and the second side frame 104 with a second support step (not shown). The first end 214 of the battery assembly 200 rests on the first support step 107, and the second end 215 of the battery assembly 200 rests on the second support step 108.

[0131] There are multiple battery assemblies 200, arranged in parallel along the X-direction. These battery assemblies 200 are directly arranged in parallel within the housing 100. This design eliminates the need for structural elements for mounting and securing the cell 203, which not only reduces the weight of the entire battery pack 300 but also simplifies the assembly process and lowers production costs.

[0132] It should be noted that in multiple battery assemblies 200, the shape and size of each battery assembly 200, as well as the shape and number of cells 203 in each battery assembly 200, can be the same or different. For example, if all cells 203 in multiple cell assemblies 201 are rectangular cells with a cuboid structure, the number of cells 203 and their dimensions (lengths l, widths h, and thicknesses d) in the multiple battery assemblies 200 can also differ. The size of the cells 203 can be flexibly adjusted and selected as required.

[0133] In some embodiments of this application, as in Fig.As shown in Figure 3, the housing 100 comprises a third side frame 111 and a fourth side frame 112, which are arranged opposite each other in the X direction. Several battery assemblies 200 are arranged parallel between the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112 along the X direction. In one embodiment, the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104 are perpendicular to and connected with the third side frame 111 and the first side frame 112, such that the housing 100 is formed as a rectangle or square. In another embodiment, the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104 can be parallel to each other, and the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112 can be arranged at an angle to the first side frame 103 and the second side frame 104, such that the housing 100 is shaped as a trapezoid, parallelogram, or the like.A specific form of the housing 100, formed by the first side frame 103, the second side frame 104, the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112, is not limited in this application.

[0134] In some embodiments of this application, the third side frame 111 exerts a force on the battery arrangement 200, which is arranged adjacent to the third side frame 111, towards the fourth side frame 112. The fourth side frame 112 exerts a force on the battery arrangement 200, which is arranged adjacent to the fourth side frame 112, towards the third side frame 111, so that several battery arrangements 200 can be arranged closely between the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112 along the X-direction, and the several battery arrangements 200 can be aligned with one another. Furthermore, the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112 can delimit the several battery arrangements 200 along the X-direction.In particular, if a slight expansion of the battery assemblies 200 occurs, the battery assemblies 200 can be buffered and pressurized internally to prevent excessive expansion and deformation of the battery assemblies 200.

[0135] In particular, if an explosion protection valve and a current interruption device (CID) are arranged on the battery assembly 200, the third side frame 111 and the fourth side frame 112 can effectively limit the expansion of the battery assembly 200, so that if the battery assembly 200 fails and expands, sufficient air pressure is present inside the battery assembly to rupture the explosion protection valve or the flip sheet within the CID, thereby short-circuiting the battery assembly 200, ensuring the safety of the battery assembly 200 and preventing the explosion of the battery assembly 200.

[0136] To further improve the overall strength of the battery pack 300, in some embodiments of this application a reinforcing plate is arranged between at least two adjacent battery assemblies 200. The arrangement of the reinforcing plate can better absorb the shocks received by the cell assembly 201 along a three-dimensional direction and improve the mechanical strength of the entire cell assembly 201.

[0137] In this application, the reinforcement plate can be an aluminum plate or a steel plate. The number of reinforcement plates is not limited, and there can be one or more reinforcement plates. If multiple reinforcement plates are to be arranged, one reinforcement plate can be placed between each pair of adjacent battery 200 assemblies, or one reinforcement plate can be placed between some of the adjacent battery 200 assemblies.

[0138] To facilitate compact stacking of the cells 203 within the entire battery pack 300, in some embodiments of this application the shape of the reinforcement plate can approximately correspond to the shape of the cell 203. The reinforcement plate is rigidly connected to the battery assemblies 200 arranged on two sides to improve the overall structure of the entire battery pack 300.

[0139] To improve the overall strength of the battery pack 300, in some other embodiments of this application the thickness of the structural reinforcing element 202 of at least one battery arrangement 200 can be directly increased. In some specific embodiments, the thickness of the structural reinforcing element of at least one battery arrangement is between 10 mm and 35 mm.

[0140] In comparison to a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.5 mm of another structural reinforcement element, the thickening allows several cells 203 to be connected by a single structural reinforcement element 202, which can reinforce the battery pack 300, and the structural reinforcement element 202 can also play a role in reinforcing the structure of the battery pack 300. This dual reinforcement effect increases the overall mechanical strength of the battery pack by 300.

[0141] In this application, the housing 100 comprises a shell and a top cover. A receiving space is jointly defined by the shell and the top cover, and the battery assembly 200 is arranged in the receiving space.

[0142] In this application, the lower surfaces 204 of several cells are rigidly connected to an inner surface of the shell, and the upper surfaces 205 of the several cells are rigidly connected to an inner surface of the upper cover. The lower surfaces and the upper surfaces of the several cells 203 are each connected to the inner surfaces of the housing 100, and the battery pack 300 can be designed as an integrated structure. Such an integrated design allows the battery pack 300 to be configured as a structural element with high rigidity, thus significantly improving the stiffness and strength of the battery pack 300 and increasing its mechanical safety and reliability. During operation, the structural strength of the integrated battery pack 300 is utilized as part of the overall structural strength of the vehicle.In contrast to previous designs, the battery pack can be used to improve the overall structural strength of the vehicle without requiring the entire vehicle to protect the battery pack. This design can simplify or even eliminate the structural design of the entire vehicle frame to protect the structural strength of the battery pack, meet lightweight vehicle requirements, reduce overall vehicle design and manufacturing costs, and improve overall vehicle production efficiency.

[0143] In the present application, the inner surface is a surface near a side of cell 203.

[0144] It should be noted that the upper surfaces 205 of the multiple cells can be directly or indirectly connected to the inner surface of the top cover.

[0145] In some embodiments of this application, the top cover and / or shell can consist of a multi-layered composite structure, which allows the battery pack to better withstand the shocks of the entire vehicle and improves structural strength.

[0146] In some specific embodiments, the multilayer composite structure comprises, for example, two layers of aluminum plates and a steel plate or a foamed aluminum plate sandwiched between the two aluminum plates. That is, the multilayer composite structure is an aluminum plate / foamed aluminum plate / aluminum plate or an aluminum plate / steel plate / aluminum plate.

[0147] In some other specific embodiments, the multilayer composite structure comprises two fiber composite layers and a foam layer located between the two fiber composite layers.

[0148] The foam layer consists of a foamed polymer material, such as polyurethane or phenolic foam. This foamed material layer provides low thermal conductivity and good thermal insulation. Furthermore, the foam has a low density. Compared to a steel plate or aluminum alloy used as a sealing cover, the battery pack is lighter.

[0149] The fiber composite layer comprises a glass fiber layer and / or a carbon fiber layer. This means the multi-layer composite can be a glass fiber layer / foam layer / glass fiber layer, a carbon fiber layer / foam layer / carbon fiber layer, or a glass fiber layer / foam layer / carbon fiber layer. The top cover and / or shell of the battery pack consists of a foam layer and fiber composite layers distributed on the inside and outside of the foam layer. The fiber layer has high tensile strength and a high modulus of elasticity and does not deform when the internal pressure of the battery pack increases within a certain range. It also effectively insulates against fire and heat, thus improving the safety performance of the battery pack in extreme situations.

[0150] The structural strength of the integrated battery pack can be used as part of the overall vehicle's structural strength. The battery pack can be used to increase the overall vehicle's structural strength, which simplifies the design of the entire vehicle frame to protect the battery pack's structural integrity, fulfills a lightweight design requirement for the entire vehicle, reduces the overall vehicle's design and manufacturing costs, and improves the overall vehicle's production efficiency. As in Fig. 4 and Fig.As shown in Figure 10, to facilitate the arrangement of the battery assembly 200 in the battery pack 300, the electrode terminals 216 of the cells 203 in the battery assembly 200 are arranged on the upper surfaces of the cells 203. One of the electrode terminals 216 is a positive electrode terminal, the other a negative electrode terminal. The electrode terminals 216 of the cells 203 are connected in series or parallel by a battery terminal plate 217.

[0151] In this application, the housing 100 also includes a battery management system.

[0152] A second aspect of this application envisions an electric vehicle that incorporates the 300 battery pack. The electric vehicle boasts high endurance and low operating costs.

[0153] In the descriptions of this application, it should be noted that terms such as "install," "connect," and "connection" are to be understood in their broadest sense, unless expressly stated or defined otherwise. For example, the connection may be a permanent connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; the connection may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; the connection may be a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate element, or internal communication between two components. A person competent in this application will be able to understand the specific meanings of the foregoing terms in this application depending on the specific situations.

[0154] In the description of this specification, the description of reference terms such as "an embodiment," "certain embodiments," or "an example" means that certain features, structures, materials, or properties described in the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this description, exemplary descriptions of the foregoing terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials, or properties may be combined appropriately in one or more of the embodiments or examples.

[0155] Although the embodiments of this application have been shown and described, it is understandable to a person with ordinary knowledge in the field of technology that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, and the scope of this application is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents. Special embodiments 1 to 5

[0156] Four cuboid cells 203 are arranged along a Y-direction in the Fig. 2 arranged as shown, an equal side of the four cells is connected by a structural reinforcement element 202 to form a battery assembly 200, and one form of the structural reinforcement element 202 is a rectangular plate which is in Fig.Figure 4 shows that such twelfth battery arrangements 200 are arranged along an X-direction and in a Fig. The housing 100 shown in Figure 1 accommodates two battery assemblies 200, with each battery assembly having two ends supported on a first side frame 103 and a second side frame 104 and then sealed by a top cover to form a battery pack. The structural reinforcement element 202 and the cell 203 satisfy the following conditions in each embodiment. A test result according to standard GB / T 31467.3-2015 “Lithium-ion battery packs and systems for electric vehicles – Part 3: Safety requirements and test methods” is shown in Table 1. Special embodiments 6 to 14

[0157] Four cuboid cells 203 are arranged along a Y-direction in the Fig.The four cells 203 are arranged as shown in Figure 7, and the two large surfaces of each cell are connected to a structural reinforcement element 202. One form of the structural reinforcement element 202 is a rectangular plate which is arranged in Figure 7. Fig. Figure 4 shows that the four cells 203 are joined together to form a battery assembly 200. Such twelfth battery assemblies 200 are arranged along an X-direction and in a Fig.The housing 100 shown in Figure 1 accommodates two battery assemblies 200, with each battery assembly having two ends supported on a first side frame 103 and a second side frame 104 and then sealed by a top cover to form a battery pack. In this embodiment, the structural reinforcement element and the cell 203 meet the conditions listed in Table 1. A test result according to standard GB / T 31467.3-2015 “Lithium-ion battery packs and systems for electric vehicles – Part 3: Safety requirements and test methods” is shown in Table 1.

[0158] Table 1: Test results for vibration and extrusion resistance of batteries with different battery assembly specifications number T1 Thickness (mm) of a rectangular plate D Thickness (mm) of a cell Weight (kg) of a cell T1D T1 / G(mm*kg-1) Test result Design 1 0,5 80 2 0,00625 0,25 No fire and no explosion Design 2 5 10 1,2 0,5 4.166666667 No fire and no explosion embodiment 3 0,6 50 3,5 0,012 0,171428 No fire and no explosion Design 4 4 10 5 0,4 0,8 No fire and no explosion Design 5 2 10 2 0,2 1 No fire and no explosion Design 6 5 13 1,2 0,384615385 4.166666667 No fire and no explosion Design 7 2,9 29 0,5 0,1 5,8 No fire and no explosion Design 8 2 26,5 0,9 0,075471698 2,222222222 No fire and no explosion Design 9 3 37 2 0,081081081 1,5 No fire and no explosion Design 10 4 44 5 0,090909091 0,8 No fire and no explosion Design 11 1 50 1,6 0,02 0,625 No fire and no explosion Design 12 1 70 4 0,014285714 0,25 No fire and no explosion embodiment 13 3,9 39 0,6 0,1 6,5 No fire and no explosion embodiment 14 4,2 90 2 0,0466666 2,1 No fire and no explosion

[0159] The test results in the table show that the battery pack in this application has a relatively high strength and can meet the requirements for vibration and extrusion resistance of the battery pack. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] CN 201822274851.1 [0003, 0061] Cited non-patent literature

[0000] GB / T31467.3-2015 [0102, 0156, 0157]

Claims

Battery pack (300), characterized in that it comprises: a housing (100), wherein the housing (100) is provided with a lower surface (101) and an upper surface; and a battery arrangement (200), wherein the battery arrangement (200) is arranged in the housing (100); the battery arrangement (200) comprises a cell sequence (201) and a structural reinforcement element (202); the cell sequence (201) comprises 4 or more cells (203) and at least some of the cells (203) in the cell sequence (201) are connected by the structural reinforcement element (202); an outer surface of the cell (203) comprises a lower surface (204), an upper surface (205) and side surfaces (206, 207); the lower surface (204) of the cell (203) faces the lower surface (101) in an interior of the housing (100) and the upper surface (205) of the cell (203) faces the upper surface inside the housing (100);the side surfaces (206, 207) comprise first side surfaces (206) and two opposing second side surfaces (207), and the first side surface (206) is defined as a surface that has a largest area under the entire outer surface of the cell (203); the cells (203) are arranged sequentially in the battery arrangement (200), second side surfaces (207) of two adjacent cells (203) are arranged opposite each other, and one arrangement direction of the cells (203) is a first direction;and the battery assembly (200) rests against the lower surface (101) of the housing (100) in order to be held in the housing (100), wherein the battery assembly (200) extends from one side of the housing (100) to another side of the housing (100) along the first direction, and the structural reinforcing element (202) extends from one side of the housing (100) to another side of the housing (100) only along the first direction, wherein the battery pack (300) has an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction that are perpendicular to each other, and the lower surface (101) in the housing (100) is opposite the upper surface in the housing (100) along the Z-direction; the battery pack (300) comprises a plurality of battery assemblies (200), and the plurality of battery assemblies (200) are arranged along the X-direction; the first direction is parallel to the Y direction;and a second direction parallel to the X direction, wherein the structural reinforcement element (202) is firmly connected to a first side surface (206) of each cell (203) in the cell sequence (201). Battery pack (300) according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural reinforcement element (202) is firmly connected to the first side surfaces (206) of the cells (203) which are connected to the structural reinforcement element (202); a size of the structural reinforcement element (202) T1 along the second direction, and T1 is in the range of 0.5 mm to 5 mm; the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. Battery pack (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the cell sequence (201) a number of cells (203) connected to the structural reinforcement element (202) is not less than half of the number of cells (203) contained in the cell sequence (201). Battery pack (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structural reinforcement elements (202) are firmly connected to a part of the first side surfaces (206) of the cells (203) at two ends of the cell sequence (201) along the first direction. Battery pack (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structural reinforcement element (202) is a rectangular plate. Battery pack (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a structural adhesive (213) is arranged between the structural reinforcement element (202) and a first side surface (206) of each cell (203) which is connected to the structural reinforcement element (202) in the cell sequence (201). Battery pack (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structural reinforcement element (202) comprises a metal plate. Battery pack (300) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cell (203) is approximately rectangular and has a length L, a height H and a thickness D, wherein L is greater than D and L is greater than H; a longitudinal direction of the cell (203) extends along the Y direction, a height direction of the cell (203) extends along the Z direction and a thickness direction of the cell (203) extends along the X direction; the structural reinforcing element (202) is the rectangular plate and has a thickness T1; and a longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate extends along the Y direction, and a thickness direction of the rectangular plate extends along the X direction. Battery pack (300) according to claim 8, characterized in that the thickness of the cell (203) is 10 mm to 90 mm. Electric vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the battery pack (300) according to one of claims 1 - 9.

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