Conductive spring and battery module equipped with the conductive spring

Abstract

The present application discloses a conductive spring and a battery module equipped with the conductive spring, wherein the conductive spring is made of metal and comprises a horizontally arranged substrate, the substrate having four outer edges in the shape of concave arcs, and the four outer edges are symmetrically arranged in a regular quadrilateral, and each of the outer edges is integrally connected with a plurality of side claws extending downward and spaced from each other, and the side claws are bent structures. When the battery module of the present application is assembled, the conductive spring will not be crushed by the battery, and there is no need to configure and network it.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a conductive spring and a battery module equipped with the conductive spring. Background Art

[0002] The battery module needs to output a larger capacity and a higher voltage, so the battery module requires multiple battery cells to be connected in a certain series-parallel connection manner.

[0003] The existing typical battery module is mainly composed of multiple battery cells and a battery bracket supporting these battery cells, wherein the battery bracket is provided with multiple battery insertion holes, and an octagonal conductive spring sheet is embedded in the battery insertion holes. One end (charged) of each battery cell is respectively inserted into these battery insertion holes and is in conductive contact with the aforementioned octagonal conductive spring sheet, and the clamping claw of the conductive spring sheet is tightly clamped between the outer wall of the battery cell and the wall of the battery insertion hole.

[0004] The traditional eight-claw conductive spring sheet is mainly composed of a bottom sheet and a plurality of spring claws vertically connected to the bottom sheet. When assembled, the bottom sheet is inside the battery insertion hole, and the spring claws extend from the bottom sheet to the hole opening, that is, the ends of the spring claws are at the battery insertion hole opening. In this way, when the end of the battery cell is inserted from the battery insertion hole opening into the hole, it is easy to crush the spring claws of the conductive spring sheet, causing the spring claws to collapse and deform in the axial direction of the battery insertion hole, thereby resulting in poor contact between the spring claws and the battery cell.

[0005] In addition, in order to realize the parallel connection of each battery cell in the module, a parallel network conductively connected to each battery cell will be embedded in the battery bracket. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to address the above-mentioned problems and to propose a conductive spring sheet of a novel structure and a battery module equipped with the conductive spring sheet. When assembling the battery module, the conductive spring sheet will not be crushed by the battery and does not need to be configured and connected to the network.

[0007] The technical solution of this application is:

[0008] A conductive spring is made of metal, comprising a horizontally arranged substrate having four outer edges with concave arc shapes, and the four outer edges are symmetrically arranged in a regular quadrilateral, each of the outer edges is integrally connected with a plurality of side claws extending downward and spaced from each other, and the side claws are bent structures.

[0009] A battery module comprises a plurality of cylindrical battery cells and a battery support for supporting the battery cells, the battery support being provided with a plurality of circular battery insertion holes which are vertically penetrated and arranged in a matrix, so that a spacer is formed between any four adjacent battery insertion holes which are arranged in a quadrilateral, the hole wall of the battery insertion hole being integrally provided with a circle of radially protruding annular inner flanges, the lower ends of the vertically arranged battery cells being inserted into the battery insertion holes and axially abutting against the annular inner flanges, a conductive spring sheet of the above structure being sleeved on the outside of each of the spacers, the substrate being arranged against the top surface of the spacer, the side claws at the four outer edges of the substrate respectively extending into the four adjacent battery insertion holes which are arranged in a quadrilateral, and the side claws being radially clamped between the battery cells and the hole walls of the battery insertion holes, and the contact parts between the battery cells and the side claws being charged.

[0010] The battery module of the present application further includes the following preferred solutions based on the above technical solutions:

[0011] The outer shell of the battery cell is electrically charged.

[0012] The spacer block and the substrate are both provided with heat dissipation holes which penetrate vertically.

[0013] The lower end of the side claw is integrally connected to a bottom plate extending outward, and the bottom plate abuts against the annular inner flange.

[0014] The side claws connected to the same outer edge are connected to the same bottom sheet at the same time.

[0015] The conductive spring sheet is composed of an inner steel sheet and an aluminum sheet arranged close to the outer side of the steel sheet, and the bottom sheet is formed on the steel sheet.

[0016] The steel sheets of at least two adjacent conductive spring sheets are integrally connected via a steel bar.

[0017] The steel sheets on the conductive spring sheets in the same row are integrally connected via steel bars.

[0018] The advantages of this application are:

[0019] 1. The conductive spring sheet of the present application is installed in the battery module, and its side claws extend from the outer substrate of the battery installation hole into the hole - the same as the insertion direction of the battery cell. When inserting the battery cell, the conductive spring sheet, especially the side claws on the conductive spring sheet, will not be crushed by the battery.

[0020] 2. The conductive spring is installed upside down on the battery bracket, which is easy to install and has a high module assembly effect.

[0021] 3. The conductive spring battery module of the present application can realize the series connection between different battery modules, and can also connect the battery cells in the same module in parallel, having the functions of both series connection and parallel connection, without the need to configure the traditional parallel connection network, simplifying the assembly and saving costs.

[0022] 4. The conductive spring is composed of an outer aluminum sheet and an inner steel sheet. The steel has good strength and toughness, which can support the entire conductive spring and improve the contact quality between the conductive spring and the battery cell. The light weight of aluminum reduces the weight of the entire conductive spring, and the good conductivity of aluminum reduces the contact resistance between the battery cell and the conductive spring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0024] Figure 1 This is an assembly diagram of a battery module in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is one of the exploded views of the battery module in the embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 This is the second exploded view of the battery module in the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the conductive spring in the embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single conductive spring in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Among them: 100-conductive spring, 200-battery bracket, 300-battery monomer, 400-steel bar, 101-base plate, 102-side claws, 103-bottom plate, 101a-heat dissipation hole, 201-battery insertion hole, 202-spacer, 203-annular inner flange, 110-steel sheet, 120-aluminum sheet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present application is further described in detail below through specific implementations in combination with the accompanying drawings. The present application can be implemented in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the implementation described in this embodiment. The purpose of providing the following specific implementations is to facilitate a clearer and more thorough understanding of the disclosure of the present application, wherein words indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right are only for the position of the structure shown in the corresponding drawings.

[0031] However, those skilled in the art may realize that one or more of the specific details may be omitted, or other methods, components or materials may be used. In some examples, some embodiments are not described or are not described in detail.

[0032] In addition, the technical features and technical solutions described herein may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It is easy for a person skilled in the art to understand that the steps or operation sequence of the methods related to the embodiments provided herein may also be changed. Therefore, any sequence in the drawings and embodiments is only for illustrative purposes and does not imply a requirement to follow a certain sequence unless it is explicitly stated that a certain sequence is required.

[0033] The serial numbers of the components in this document, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the objects described and do not have any order or technical meaning. The "connection" and "coupling" mentioned in this application, unless otherwise specified, include direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0034] Figures 1 to 5 A specific embodiment of the battery module of the present application is shown. Similar to some traditional battery modules, the module also includes a plurality of cylindrical battery cells 300 and a battery holder 200 that supports these battery cells. Specifically, the battery holder 200 is an integral injection-molded structure, on which are formed a plurality of circular battery insertion holes 201 that penetrate vertically and are distributed in a matrix. Since the numerous battery insertion holes 201 on the battery holder 200 are circular holes that penetrate in the same direction and are distributed in a matrix, a spacer 202 (the spacer 202 has four arc-shaped side walls) will naturally be formed between any four adjacent battery insertion holes 201 that are distributed in a quadrilateral. In order to axially limit the battery cell 300 to prevent the battery cell 300 from passing downward out of the battery insertion hole, a circle of radially protruding annular inner flange 203 is integrally provided on the hole wall of the battery insertion hole 201 in this embodiment. The lower end of the battery cell 300 is inserted into the battery insertion hole 201 and axially abuts against the annular inner flange 203.

[0035] The key improvement of this embodiment is that each spacer 202 is provided with a metal conductive spring 100. Figure 2 and Figure 5The substrate 101 is arranged horizontally in the middle, and the substrate 101 has four outer edges with concave arcs, and these four outer edges are arranged symmetrically in a regular quadrilateral. Each outer edge is integrally connected with a plurality of side claws 102 extending downward and separated from each other, and the side claws 102 are bent structures to enhance their elastic deformation ability and thus enhance their contact strength with the battery cell. The substrate 101 is arranged against the top surface of the spacer 202, and the side claws 102 at the four outer edges of the substrate 101 extend into the four adjacent battery insertion holes 201 distributed in a quadrilateral, and the side claws 102 are radially clamped between the battery cell 300 and the hole wall of the battery insertion hole 201. Moreover, the contact part between the battery cell 300 and the side claws 102 is negatively charged (or positively charged), so that one conductive spring 100 is conductively connected to four battery cells 300 at the same time, thereby connecting the negative electrodes of the four battery cells 300 in parallel. Most of the battery cells 300 are conductively connected to four conductive springs 100 at the same time (the remaining battery cells 300 are conductively connected to two conductive springs 100 at the same time). In this way, the negative electrodes of all battery cells 300 in the module are connected in parallel through the above-mentioned conductive springs 100, and there is no need to configure and network the battery module.

[0036] In practical application, Figure 1 The two battery modules shown are plugged into each other, and the two battery modules are connected in series. Figure 1 The upper end of the battery cell 300 is connected to another Figure 1 The lower opening of the battery insertion hole 201 on the battery support 200 of the battery module structure is inserted upward, so that the upper end (ie, the positive end) of the battery cell 300 of the lower module is in conductive contact with the lower end of the battery cell 300 in the upper module.

[0037] Furthermore, the outer shell of the battery cell 300 is negatively charged as a whole, and a portion of the shell is located at the lower end of the battery cell 300 and contacts the side claws 102 of the conductive spring 100 , thereby achieving conductive connection between the negative electrode of the battery cell 300 and the conductive spring 100 .

[0038] In order to improve the ventilation and heat dissipation performance of the battery module, in this embodiment, heat dissipation holes 101a are formed on the aforementioned spacer 202 and the substrate 101. In addition, the aforementioned heat dissipation holes 101a can also reduce the weight of the module, thereby improving the energy density of the battery module.

[0039] In this embodiment, the lower end surface of the battery cell 300 is also negatively charged. In order to increase the conductive contact area between the battery cell 300 and the conductive spring sheet 100, in this embodiment, a bottom sheet 103 extending outward is integrally connected to the lower end of the side claw 102, and the bottom sheet 103 abuts against the annular inner flange 203, and a portion of the lower end surface of the battery cell 300 abuts against the bottom sheet 103.

[0040] Furthermore, the side claws 102 connected to the same outer edge are connected to the same bottom sheet 103 at the same time.

[0041] Furthermore, if Figure 5 As shown, the conductive spring sheet 100 is composed of an inner steel sheet 110 and an aluminum sheet 120 arranged close to the outer side of the steel sheet. Obviously, the outer aluminum sheet, not the inner steel sheet, is in contact with the battery cell 300. The aforementioned bottom sheet 103 is formed on the steel sheet 110 (no bottom sheet is provided on the aluminum sheet). The advantages are: steel has good strength and toughness, which can support the entire conductive spring sheet and improve the contact quality between the conductive spring sheet and the battery cell 300; aluminum is light in weight, which reduces the weight of the entire conductive spring sheet, and aluminum has good conductivity, which reduces the contact resistance between the battery cell and the conductive spring sheet.

[0042] Furthermore, the steel sheets on the conductive spring sheets 100 in the same row are integrally connected via the steel bars 400 .

[0043] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in order to further reduce the internal resistance of the battery module, in this embodiment, another type of battery conductive sheet (not marked in the figure) is respectively configured at the four sides of the battery holder 200.

[0044] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present application, and their purpose is to enable people to understand the content of the present application and implement it accordingly, and they cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present application. Any equivalent transformation or modification made according to the spirit of the main technical solution of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising a plurality of cylindrical battery cells (300) and a battery support (200) supporting the battery cells, wherein the battery support (200) is provided with a plurality of circular battery insertion holes (201) which are vertically penetrated and arranged in a matrix, so that a spacer (202) is formed between any four adjacent battery insertion holes (201) which are arranged in a quadrilateral, and a circle of radially protruding annular inner flanges (203) are integrally provided on the hole walls of the battery insertion holes (201), and the lower ends of the vertically arranged battery cells (300) are inserted into the battery insertion holes (201), characterized in that: The outer shell of the battery cell (300) is charged as a whole. Each of the spacers (202) is sheathed with a conductive spring sheet (100). The conductive spring (100) is made of metal and comprises a horizontally arranged substrate (101), wherein the substrate (101) has four outer edges with concave arc shapes, and the four outer edges are symmetrically arranged in a regular quadrilateral, and each of the outer edges is integrally connected to a plurality of side claws (102) extending downward and spaced from each other, wherein the side claws (102) are bent structures, and the lower ends of the side claws (102) are integrally connected to a bottom sheet (103) extending outwards, The substrate (101) is arranged against the top surface of the spacer (202), The side claws (102) at the four outer edges of the substrate (101) extend into four adjacent battery insertion holes (201) distributed in a quadrilateral, respectively, and the side claws (102) are radially sandwiched between the battery cell (300) and the wall of the battery insertion hole (201). The lower end of the battery cell (300), the bottom sheet (103) and the annular inner flange (203) are in contact with each other in sequence. The side surface and the lower end surface of the outer shell of the battery cell (300) are in contact with the side claws (102) and the bottom sheet (103) respectively, thereby achieving conductive connection between the battery cell (300) and the conductive spring sheet (100).

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spacer (202) and the substrate (101) are both provided with heat dissipation holes (101a) that penetrate vertically.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each side claw (102) connected to the same outer edge is simultaneously connected to the same bottom sheet (103).

4. The battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The conductive spring sheet (100) is composed of an inner steel sheet and an aluminum sheet arranged close to the outer side of the steel sheet, and the bottom sheet (103) is formed on the steel sheet.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The steel sheets of at least two adjacent conductive spring sheets (100) are integrally connected via a steel bar (400).

6. The battery module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The steel sheets on the conductive spring sheets (100) in the same row are integrally connected via steel bars (400).

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