Battery Module

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a battery module, including individual battery cells arranged in a battery pack along their thickness direction; a module base including a base plate, a first side frame, and a first end frame, the base plate, the first side frame, and the first end frame forming a cavity for accommodating the battery pack, the height of the first side frame being lower than the height of the first end frame; and an electrical isolation plate including an electrical isolation plate body, a second side frame, and a second end frame, the electrical isolation plate body, the second side frame, and the second end frame forming a cavity for accommodating the battery pack, the height of the second side frame being lower than the height of the second end frame. The electrical isolation plate, the battery pack, and the module base are sequentially connected. The battery module provided by this disclosure can reduce module temperature, achieve more uniform temperature distribution, and reduce module weight, thereby improving the safety and energy density of the battery module and reducing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of electric vehicle batteries, and more specifically, to a battery module. Background Technology

[0002] In power batteries, the safety of the battery pack is closely related to the battery's thermal management system. Temperature is a crucial factor affecting the battery module's capacity and lifespan; therefore, relevant technical measures are needed to ensure that the battery cells operate at suitable temperatures and that the temperature distribution of the battery module is uniform. Among battery thermal management methods, air cooling has attracted much attention due to its advantages such as large heat exchange area, high safety, light weight, and low cost. However, in air-cooled modules, reducing module weight and uneven temperature distribution remain problems that the industry is continuously working to overcome. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a battery module that has no side plates and forms channels between battery cells, which can reduce the module temperature, make the temperature distribution uniform, reduce the module weight, thereby improving the safety and energy density of the battery module, while reducing costs.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a battery module, including individual battery cells arranged in a battery pack along their thickness direction, and further comprising:

[0005] The module base includes a base plate, a first side frame, and a first end frame. The base plate, the first side frame, and the first end frame form a cavity for accommodating the battery pack. The height of the first side frame is lower than the height of the first end frame.

[0006] An electrical isolation plate includes an electrical isolation plate body, a second side frame, and a second end frame. The electrical isolation plate body, the second side frame, and the second end frame form a cavity for accommodating the battery pack. The height of the second side frame is lower than the height of the second end frame.

[0007] The electrical isolation plate, the battery pack, and the module base are connected in sequence.

[0008] Optionally, when the electrical isolation plate is connected to the module base, the first end frame and the second end frame are connected by snap-fit ​​and / or by adhesive bonding.

[0009] Optionally, the module base further includes a first isolator, and the electrical isolation plate further includes a second isolator, wherein the first isolator and the second isolator divide the chamber into a plurality of small chambers for accommodating the battery cells.

[0010] Optionally, the height range of both the first and second isolation members is 0.5~1.5cm.

[0011] Optionally, in the module base, the base plate, the first side frame, the first end frame, and the first isolation component are integrally formed; in the electrical isolation plate, the electrical isolation plate body, the second side frame, the second end frame, and the second isolation component are integrally formed.

[0012] Optionally, the module base and the electrical isolation plate are made of non-metallic materials.

[0013] Optionally, the upper surface of the first end frame is provided with a fastener and a positioning post; the second end frame is provided with a fastener groove and a positioning hole; the fastener is connected to the fastener groove, and the positioning post is fixed by engaging with the positioning hole.

[0014] Optionally, each of the small chambers is provided with a glue application area.

[0015] Optionally, the battery module further includes a fixing member, which is a metal sheet that matches the first end frame and covers the outer surface of the first end frame.

[0016] Optionally, the fastener is provided with mounting holes, and the number of mounting holes is two.

[0017] Optionally, the battery module also includes a protective cover, which is disposed on the electrical isolation plate body; the protective cover has a plurality of protrusions, and the electrical isolation plate body has a plurality of grooves that match the protrusions, the protrusions being pressed into the grooves to connect the protective cover to the top of the electrical isolation plate body.

[0018] This disclosure involves setting an electrical isolation plate and ensuring that the side frame height of the base is lower than the end frame height. When the electrical isolation plate is connected to the module base, and the end frame of the electrical isolation plate and the module base are connected to each other, an opening is formed on the side of the module. This can reduce the module temperature, improve the module's safety and service life, reduce the module's weight, increase the module's energy density, and reduce the module's cost. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a battery module structure.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the module base structure for one implementation method;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front view of an electrical isolation panel structure according to one implementation method;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a reverse view of an electrical isolation panel structure according to one implementation method;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a module protective cover according to one implementation method;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a fastener in one implementation method.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0027] 1. Battery pack; 11. Individual battery cells

[0028] 2. Module base 21, first end frame

[0029] 22. First side frame; 23. First partition.

[0030] 24. Base plate 25. Glue application area

[0031] 26. Chamber 261. Small Chamber

[0032] 27. Positioning post 28. Fastener

[0033] 3. Electrical isolation plate 31, second end frame

[0034] 32. Second side frame; 33. Electrical isolation panel body

[0035] 34. Groove; 35. Positioning hole

[0036] 36. Buckle slot; 4. Protective cover

[0037] 41. Protrusion 5. Fixing component

[0038] 51. Mounting holes Detailed Implementation

[0039] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0040] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" generally refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention. "First" and "second" are generally used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] refer to Figures 1 to 6This disclosure provides a battery module, including a plurality of battery cells 11, which are arranged in a battery pack 1 along their thickness direction;

[0042] The module base 2 includes a base plate 24, a first side frame 22, and a first end frame 21. The base plate 24, the first side frame 22, and the first end frame 21 form a cavity 26 for accommodating the battery pack 1. The height of the first side frame 22 is lower than the height of the first end frame 21. The height of the first side frame 22 ranges from 0 to 1.5 cm. When the height of the first side frame 22 is zero, the battery module has a side-plate-less structure, minimizing the weight of the battery module. Figure 1 , Figure 2 In this embodiment, the height of the first side frame 22 is 1cm to better fix the battery module; the height of the first end frame 21 is equal to 1 / 2 the height of the battery pack 1 plus the thickness of the base plate 24.

[0043] The electrical isolation plate 3 includes an electrical isolation plate body 33, a second side frame 32, and a second end frame 31. The electrical isolation plate body 33, the second side frame 32, and the second end frame 31 form a chamber 26 for accommodating the battery pack 1. The height of the second side frame 32 is lower than the height of the second end frame 31. The height range of the second side frame 32 is the same as the height range of the first side frame 22. In this embodiment, the height of the second side frame 32 is 1 cm. The height of the second end frame 31 is equal to 1 / 2 the height of the battery pack 1 plus the electrical isolation plate body 33.

[0044] Battery pack 1 is fixed on module base 2, and electrical isolation plate 3 is placed on top of battery pack 1. Electrical isolation plate 3 is connected to module base 2, which is the connection between first end frame 21 and second end frame 31. After the first end frame 21 and second end frame 31 are connected, since the height of the first side frame 22 and the second side frame 32 is much lower than the height of the first end frame 21 and the second end frame 31, a large ventilation hole is formed on each of the two sides of the battery module to allow gas to enter and exit the battery pack 1, thereby reducing the temperature.

[0045] Furthermore, the first end frame 21 and the second end frame 31 are connected by snap-fit ​​or by adhesive. In order to make the battery module installation more secure, both snap-fit ​​and adhesive connections are used.

[0046] The module base 2 also includes a first isolation member 23, and the electrical isolation plate 3 also includes a second isolation member 37. The first isolation member 23 and the second isolation member 37 divide the chamber 26 into multiple small chambers 261 for accommodating battery cells 11. Each battery cell 11 is installed in each small chamber 261, which makes the battery cell 11 more stable. At the same time, the thermal expansion and contraction of the battery cell 11 during operation will not affect the adjacent battery cells 11.

[0047] The heights of the first separator 23 and the second separator 37 are both between 0.5 and 1.5 cm. In this embodiment, the height of the first side frame 22 is equal to the height of the first separator 23, and the height of the second side frame 32 is equal to the height of the second separator 37, both being 1 cm. Heat dissipation channels are formed between the battery cells 11. Gas can enter and exit these channels through large through-holes on the side of the battery module. The temperature of each battery cell 11 can be cooled by the flow of gas. These heat dissipation channels are formed on both sides of each battery cell 11, resulting in a more uniform temperature distribution within the battery module.

[0048] In the module base 2, the base plate 24, the first side frame 22, the first end frame 21 and the first isolation component 23 are integrally formed; in the electrical isolation plate 3, the electrical isolation plate body 33, the second side frame 32, the second end frame 31 and the second isolation component 37 are integrally formed.

[0049] To reduce module weight, both the module base 2 and the electrical isolation plate 3 are made of non-metallic materials, such as PC plastic, which improves the insulation of the battery module and reduces module cost.

[0050] The upper surface of the first end frame 21 is provided with a fastener 28 and a positioning post 27; the second end frame 31 is provided with a fastener groove 36 and a positioning hole 35; the fastener 28 is connected to the fastener groove 36, and the positioning post 27 is fixed to the positioning hole 35. At the same time, the contact surfaces of the first end frame 21 and the second end frame 31 can be bonded with structural adhesive to make the battery module more stable.

[0051] The battery cell 11 is fixed to the module base 2 and the electrical isolation plate 3 by adhesive bonding. UV adhesive, quick-drying adhesive, AB adhesive, etc., can be selected; in this embodiment, UV adhesive is used. Each small chamber 261 has a glue application area 25, which is located on each surface of the small chamber 261, either on the side or the bottom. In this embodiment, the glue application area 25 is located on all four sides of the small chamber 261, and the distance from the glue application area 25 to the electrical isolation plate body is 7mm. In the electrical isolation plate 3, the glue application area 25 is elongated and distributed on each side wall of the small chamber 261. The glue application area 25 is a continuous area with its ends connected, sealing the upper surface of the battery cell 11 and preventing gas from penetrating the battery pack 1. The electrical isolation plate body 33 has an integrally formed exhaust channel. When gas is ejected from the explosion-proof valve, it is directly discharged from the battery module through the exhaust channel. Therefore, the height of the second side frame 32 is set to 1cm, allowing glue to be applied to each side wall of the small chamber 261 to improve sealing.

[0052] The battery module also includes a fixing component 5, which is a metal sheet. The fixing component 5 matches the first end frame 21 and is installed on the outer surface of the first end frame 21 by a nut. The metal fixing component 5 can withstand a certain assembly pressure, compensating for the insufficient strength of the plastic module base 2. At the same time, the metal material can absorb a certain amount of thermal expansion and contraction, improving the safety of the battery module.

[0053] Furthermore, the fastener 5 is provided with mounting holes 51, such as... Figure 6 There are two mounting holes 51. The mounting holes 51 are used for mounting and fixing the battery module to the battery housing.

[0054] The battery module also includes a protective cover 4, which covers the electrical isolation plate body 33; such as Figure 5 The protective cover 4 has multiple protrusions 41 that protrude towards the lower surface of the protective cover 4. The protrusions 41 are rectangular and arranged sequentially around the edge of the protective cover 4. At the same time, the electrical isolation plate body 33 has multiple grooves 34 that match the protrusions 41. The protrusions 41 can be pressed into the grooves 34, connecting the protective cover 4 to the top of the electrical isolation plate body 33 for easy installation.

[0055] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. For example, the module base can be changed to consist of a base plate and an end frame, and the electrical isolation plate can consist of an electrical isolation plate body and an end frame. The electrical isolation plate and the module base are also connected by a snap-fit ​​method to completely enclose the battery pack.

[0056] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. For example, the electrical isolation plate body of the electrical isolation plate can be replaced with any partition; the side frames, end frames, and isolation components in the electrical isolation plate and module base can be mechanically connected, glued, etc. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0057] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising individual battery cells arranged in a battery pack along its thickness direction, characterized in that, Also includes: The module base includes a base plate, a first side frame, and a first end frame. The base plate, the first side frame, and the first end frame form a cavity for accommodating the battery pack. The height of the first side frame is lower than the height of the first end frame. An electrical isolation plate includes an electrical isolation plate body, a second side frame, and a second end frame. The electrical isolation plate body, the second side frame, and the second end frame form a cavity for accommodating the battery pack. The height of the second side frame is lower than the height of the second end frame. The electrical isolation plate, the battery pack, and the module base are connected in sequence; The module base also includes a first isolator, and the electrical isolation plate also includes a second isolator. The first isolator and the second isolator divide the chamber into multiple small chambers that accommodate the battery cells, and each battery cell is installed in each of the small chambers. The height range of both the first and second isolation components is 0.5 to 1.5 cm; Each of the small chambers is provided with a glue application area. The glue application area located on the electrical isolation plate is a continuous area connected end to end. The glue application area is used to hold the glue. The electrical isolation plate body is provided with an exhaust channel. When gas is sprayed out from the explosion-proof valve of the battery cell, the glue prevents the gas from entering the battery module. The gas is discharged to the outside of the battery module through the exhaust channel.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the electrical isolation plate is connected to the module base, the first end frame and the second end frame are connected by snap-fit ​​and / or by adhesive bonding.

3. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, In the module base, the base plate, the first side frame, the first end frame, and the first isolation component are integrally formed; in the electrical isolation plate, the electrical isolation plate body, the second side frame, the second end frame, and the second isolation component are integrally formed.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module base and the electrical isolation plate are made of non-metallic materials.

5. The battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper surface of the first end frame is provided with a fastener and a positioning post; the second end frame is provided with a fastener groove and a positioning hole; the fastener is connected to the fastener groove, and the positioning post is fixed by the positioning hole.

6. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fastener, which is a metal sheet that matches the first end frame and covers the outer surface of the first end frame.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fastener has two mounting holes.

8. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a module protective cover, which is placed on the electrical isolation plate body; the module protective cover has multiple protrusions, and the electrical isolation plate body has multiple grooves that match the protrusions. The protrusions are pressed into the grooves, connecting the module protective cover to the top of the electrical isolation plate body.

Images