Temperature sensing structure of battery cells and battery modules

Abstract

The present application relates to a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell and a battery module. The temperature sensing structure of the battery cell includes a shell and a temperature sensing element arranged in the shell; wherein, the shell is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell; a heat conducting portion is provided on the side opposite to the battery cell, and the temperature sensing element contacts the side of the battery cell through the heat conducting portion to sense the temperature of the battery cell. In the solution provided by the present application, since the side of the battery cell is tightly fitted with the interior of the battery cell, the side of the battery cell can truly reflect the temperature of the battery cell, and the temperature sensing element in the shell contacts the side of the battery cell through the heat conducting portion. The heat conducting portion can enhance the heat conduction effect between the temperature sensing element and the battery cell, thereby improving the temperature monitoring accuracy of the battery cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of power batteries, and in particular to a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell and a battery module. Background Art

[0002] Currently, there are three main packaging formats for battery cells in new energy vehicles: cylindrical, prismatic, and soft-pack. Cylindrical cells are increasingly gaining market share. To monitor the temperature environment of cylindrical cells, temperature sensors must be installed on them.

[0003] In related technologies, the sensing end of the temperature sensor is usually connected to the positive top cover or the negative top cover of the cylindrical battery cell. Since the insulation performance between the positive and negative poles needs to be ensured, the positive top cover and the negative top cover usually use poor thermal conductors, resulting in a large difference between the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor and the actual temperature of the battery cell, and the actual temperature of the cylindrical battery cell cannot be accurately monitored. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve or partially solve the problems existing in the related art, the present application provides a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell and a battery module, which can improve the temperature monitoring accuracy of the battery cell.

[0005] A first aspect of the present application provides a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell, comprising: a housing and a temperature sensing element disposed in the housing;

[0006] The shell is fixed to the upper end of the battery core; a heat conducting portion is provided on the side opposite to the battery core, and the temperature sensing element contacts the side of the battery core through the heat conducting portion to sense the temperature of the battery core.

[0007] In one embodiment, the housing includes a loading portion for mounting the temperature sensing element and a connecting portion provided on the loading portion, the loading portion is provided on a side of the battery cell, and the heat conducting portion is provided on a side of the loading portion opposite to the battery cell;

[0008] The connecting portion is arranged on the upper side of the loading portion and is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell.

[0009] In one embodiment, the heat conducting portion includes an opening formed in the loading portion, the opening being opposite to a side of the battery core; and the temperature sensing element is heat-conductively connected to the side of the battery core through the opening.

[0010] In one embodiment, the heat conducting portion further includes a heat conducting material disposed between the temperature sensing element and the battery core, the heat conducting material being disposed at the opening, and the temperature sensing element being heat-conductively connected to a side of the battery core via the heat conducting material.

[0011] In one embodiment, the temperature sensing element has electrical connection pins;

[0012] The electrical connection pins are arranged on the upper side of the temperature sensing element. After extending from the loading portion, the electrical connection pins are opposite to the outer surface of the upper end of the battery core.

[0013] In one embodiment, the connecting portion includes a planar connecting structure connected to the loading portion, and the planar connecting structure is opposite to and fixedly connected to the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell.

[0014] In one embodiment, an opening is provided on the upper side of the loading portion for the electrical connection pin to extend out, and the planar connection structure is provided on at least one side of the opening.

[0015] In one embodiment, the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, and a plurality of the cylindrical battery cells are installed in a battery module along a vertical direction.

[0016] In one embodiment, the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery cell are arranged at the same end, wherein the positive electrode is arranged at the center of the end, and the negative electrode is arranged around the positive electrode.

[0017] A second aspect of the present application provides a battery module, comprising the temperature sensing structure of the battery cell as described above.

[0018] The technical solution provided by this application may have the following beneficial effects:

[0019] The temperature sensing structure of the battery cell provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a shell and a temperature sensing element disposed in the shell; wherein the shell is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell; a heat conducting portion is provided on the side of the shell opposite to the battery cell, and the temperature sensing element contacts the side of the battery cell through the heat conducting portion to sense the temperature of the battery cell. After such a configuration, since the side of the battery cell is tightly fitted with the interior of the battery cell, the side of the battery cell can truly reflect the temperature of the battery cell, and the temperature sensing element in the shell contacts the side of the battery cell through the heat conducting portion. The heat conducting portion can enhance the heat conduction effect between the temperature sensing element and the battery cell, thereby improving the accuracy of temperature monitoring of the battery cell.

[0020] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0022] Figure 1Schematic diagram of the temperature sensing structure and assembly structure of the battery cell shown in the embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 This application Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell shown in the embodiment shown;

[0024] Figure 3 This application Figure 1 The embodiment shown is a schematic structural diagram of the temperature sensing structure of the battery cell from another perspective.

[0025] Reference numerals:

[0026] 100, housing; 200, temperature sensing element; 300, heat conducting portion; 110, loading portion; 120, connection portion; 210, electrical connection pin; 310, opening; 320, heat conducting material; 40, battery cell; 41, positive electrode; 42, negative electrode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following describes embodiments of the present application in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the present application can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0028] The terms used in this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. As used in this application and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," "the," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0031] Unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "mounted," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed or detachable connections, or integration; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In related technologies, the sensing end of the temperature sensor is usually connected to the positive top cover or the negative top cover of the cylindrical battery cell. Since the insulation performance between the positive and negative poles needs to be ensured, the positive top cover and the negative top cover usually use poor thermal conductors, resulting in a large difference between the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor and the actual temperature of the battery cell, and the actual temperature of the cylindrical battery cell cannot be accurately monitored.

[0033] In response to the above problems, embodiments of the present application provide a temperature sensing structure of a battery cell and a battery module, which can improve the accuracy of temperature monitoring of the battery cell.

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Please also see Figures 1 to 3 A temperature sensing structure of a battery cell includes: a shell 100 and a temperature sensing element 200 arranged in the shell 100; wherein the shell 100 is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell 40; a heat conducting portion 300 is provided on the side opposite to the battery cell 40, and the temperature sensing element 200 contacts the side of the battery cell 40 through the heat conducting portion 300 to sense the temperature of the battery cell 40.

[0036] As can be seen from this embodiment, since the side of the battery cell 40 is tightly fitted to the interior of the battery cell 40, the side of the battery cell 40 can truly reflect the temperature of the battery cell 40. The temperature sensing element 200 in the housing 100 contacts the side of the battery cell 40 via the heat conducting portion 300. The heat conducting portion 300 can enhance the heat conduction effect between the temperature sensing element 200 and the battery cell 40, thereby improving the accuracy of temperature monitoring of the battery cell 40. It should be noted that the side of the battery cell 40 is generally an excellent thermal conductor, such as a steel housing. Thermal conductors such as steel housings tightly fit the interior of the battery cell 40. Therefore, by sensing the temperature of the side of the battery cell 40, the internal temperature of the battery cell 40 can be accurately obtained.

[0037] Furthermore, since the side surfaces of the battery cell 40 are vertical, it is difficult to directly mount the temperature sensing element 200 on the side of the battery cell 40. By securing the housing 100 to the upper end of the battery cell 40, which is typically the positive or negative terminal and has a flat surface, the housing 100 can be mounted on the battery cell 40, while aligning the temperature sensing element 200 with the side of the battery cell 40. This makes the connection between the temperature sensing structure provided by the present application and the battery cell 40 more secure and reliable. Furthermore, the temperature sensing structure has a simple structure, which can effectively improve the assembly efficiency between the temperature sensing structure and the battery cell 40.

[0038] In this embodiment, the temperature sensing element 200 can be a sensor for collecting the temperature of the battery cell 40. The industry generally refers to NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient), which refers to the phenomenon and material of thermistors with a negative temperature coefficient and whose resistance decreases exponentially with increasing temperature. For example, semiconductor ceramics made by fully mixing, molding, sintering and other processes of two or more metal oxides such as manganese, copper, silicon, cobalt, iron, nickel, and zinc can be made into thermistors with a negative temperature coefficient (NTC).

[0039] In some embodiments, the housing 100 includes a loading portion 110 for mounting a temperature sensing element 200 and a connecting portion 120 disposed on the loading portion 110. The loading portion 110 is disposed on the side of the battery cell 40, and the heat conducting portion 300 is disposed on the side of the loading portion 110 opposite the battery cell 40. The connecting portion 120 is disposed on the upper side of the loading portion 110 and fixed to the upper end of the battery cell 40. With this arrangement, by fixing the connecting portion 120 to the upper end of the battery cell 40, the loading portion 110 can be fixed to the side of the battery cell 40, so that the heat conducting portion 300 can contact the side of the battery cell 40, transfer heat from the battery cell 40 to the temperature sensing element 200, and enable the temperature sensing element 200 to accurately sense the temperature of the battery cell 40.

[0040] In order to ensure the structural strength of the shell 100 and improve the production efficiency of the shell 100, in some embodiments, the shell 100 is an integrally molded structure, such as integral injection molding or integral stamping molding, wherein the shell 100 can be made of lightweight materials such as plastic.

[0041] In some embodiments, the shape and structure of the shell 100 matches the shape and structure of the battery cell 40. For example, since there is a fillet or chamfer between the upper end and the side of the battery cell 40, in order to enable the loading part 110 to be close to or in contact with the side of the battery cell 40 when the connecting part 120 is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell 40, an angle portion is formed between the connecting part 120 and the loading part 110. The angle portion corresponds to the fillet or chamfer between the upper end and the side of the battery cell 40, so that after the connecting part 120 is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell 40, due to the existence of the angle portion, the loading part 110 can be close to or in contact with the side of the battery cell 40, thereby facilitating the temperature sensing element 200 in the loading part 110 to sense the temperature of the side of the battery cell 40.

[0042] In some embodiments, the heat conducting portion 300 includes an opening 310 formed in the loading portion 110, with the opening 310 facing the side of the battery cell 40. The temperature sensing element 200 is thermally connected to the side of the battery cell 40 through the opening 310. With this arrangement, the temperature sensing element 200 can directly contact the side of the battery cell 40, or indirectly contact the side of the battery cell 40 through other thermally conductive materials 320, such as thermally conductive adhesive. This allows the temperature sensing element 200 to sense the temperature of the battery cell 40 through the side of the battery cell 40, thereby improving the accuracy of temperature monitoring of the battery cell 40.

[0043] It is worth noting that the loading portion 110 includes multiple sidewalls forming a loading space, within which the temperature sensing element 200 is disposed. An opening 310 is defined on one of the sidewalls of the loading portion 110, facing the side of the battery cell 40. This allows the temperature sensing element 200 to establish a thermal connection with the side of the battery cell 40 through the opening 310. The remaining sidewalls of the loading portion 110 form a surrounding structure for the temperature sensing element 200, thereby preventing temperature loss and creating a balanced temperature system between the interior of the loading portion 110 and the interior of the battery cell 40, further improving the accuracy of monitoring the temperature of the battery cell 40.

[0044] In this embodiment, the heat conducting portion 300 further includes a heat conducting material 320 disposed between the temperature sensing element 200 and the battery cell 40. The heat conducting material 320 is disposed at the opening 310, and the temperature sensing element 200 is thermally connected to the side of the battery cell 40 via the heat conducting material 320. This arrangement, on the one hand, increases the contact area between the temperature sensing element 200 and the side of the battery cell 40, allowing the heat conducting material 320 to better transfer the temperature of the side of the battery cell 40 to the temperature sensing element 200; on the other hand, the heat conducting material 320 can more quickly transfer the temperature of the side of the battery cell 40 to the temperature sensing element 200, allowing the temperature sensing element 200 to sense the temperature of the battery cell 40 in real time, ensuring accurate monitoring of the temperature of the battery cell 40. In this embodiment, the thermal conductive material 320 can be a thermal conductive glue. By pouring the thermal conductive material 320 into the shell 100, the thermal conductive material 320 can cover the temperature sensing element 200. Moreover, after the thermal conductive material 320 is cured, the temperature sensing element 200 can be fixed to the side of the battery cell 40, so that the temperature sensing structure provided in this application can fit tightly with the side of the battery cell 40 to form a stable temperature sensing system.

[0045] In some embodiments, the temperature sensing element 200 has an electrical connection pin 210; the electrical connection pin 210 is provided on the upper side of the temperature sensing element 200, and the electrical connection pin 210 extends from the loading portion 110 and is opposite to the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell 40. The electrical connection pin 210 is used to supply power to the temperature sensing element 200 on the one hand, and to transmit the temperature sensing data of the temperature sensing element 200 on the other hand. After being arranged in this way, the electrical connection pin 210 can extend above the battery cell 40, which can facilitate the power supply of the temperature sensing element 200, and can also reduce the occupation of the gap space between each battery cell 40, which is conducive to the optimization of the wiring space. In this embodiment, an opening is provided on the upper side of the loading portion 110 to facilitate the passage of the electrical connection pin 210. In addition, the opening can also be used to pour thermal conductive material 320 into the interior of the loading portion 110.

[0046] In order to ensure that the shell 100 is firmly connected to the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell 40, in some embodiments, the connecting portion 120 includes a planar connecting structure connected to the loading portion 110, and the planar connecting structure and the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell 40 are opposite and fixedly connected. After being arranged in this way, the planar connecting structure and the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell 40 can have a larger contact connection area, so that the connecting portion 120 is firmly connected to the upper end of the battery cell 40. In addition, since the thickness of the planar connecting structure is relatively small, it will not take up too much height space of the battery cell 40 and will not affect the layout of each battery cell 40. In this embodiment, the planar connecting structure and the outer surface of the upper end of the battery cell 40 have multiple connection methods, including but not limited to welding or gluing.

[0047] In some embodiments, the upper side of the loading portion 110 is provided with an opening from which the power connection pins 210 extend, and the planar connection structure is provided on at least one side of the opening. With this arrangement, since power supply components such as a busbar are typically provided on the top of the battery cell 40, in order to facilitate powering the temperature sensing element 200, the power connection pins 210 need to extend upward from the battery cell 40. By providing an opening on the upper side of the loading portion 110 from which the power connection pins 210 extend, the power connection pins 210 do not need to contact the side walls of the loading portion 110 when extending upward from the battery cell 40. This helps to avoid problems such as poor insulation and, on the other hand, helps to avoid problems such as loose wiring caused by friction between the power connection pins 210 and the side walls of the loading portion 110 when the battery cell 40 shakes. Furthermore, by providing the planar connection structure on at least one side of the opening, the planar connection structure can avoid the position of the opening, thereby preventing the planar connection structure from blocking the power connection pins 210 from passing through the opening, making it easier to arrange the power connection pins 210 of the temperature sensing element 200. In other embodiments, planar connection structures are provided on opposite sides of the opening to increase the connection strength between the connection portion 120 and the loading portion 110 , and further prevent the connection portion 120 and the loading portion 110 from becoming loose.

[0048] In some embodiments, the battery cell 40 is a cylindrical battery cell 40, and a plurality of cylindrical battery cells 40 are installed in the battery module along the vertical direction. Since the cylindrical battery cell 40 is a cylindrical structure and the side of the cylindrical battery cell 40 is an arc-shaped structure, it is difficult to directly install the temperature sensing element 200 on the side of the battery cell 40. The temperature sensing structure provided in the present application is achieved by fixing the shell 100 to the upper end of the cylindrical battery cell 40, and providing a heat conducting portion 300 on the opposite side of the shell 100 and the cylindrical battery cell 40. The temperature sensing element 200 contacts the side of the cylindrical battery cell 40 through the heat conducting portion 300 to sense the temperature of the cylindrical battery cell 40. After such an arrangement, the temperature sensing structure can be simply fixed on the cylindrical battery cell 40, and the connection between the temperature sensing structure and the cylindrical battery cell 40 is safer and more reliable.

[0049] See Figure 1 In order to better connect multiple battery cells 40 in series or in parallel, in some embodiments, the positive electrode 41 and the negative electrode 42 of the battery cell 40 are arranged at the same end, wherein the positive electrode 41 is arranged in the center of the end, and the negative electrode 42 is arranged around the positive electrode 41. Compared with the positive electrode 41, the negative electrode 42 has a larger surface area and is located at the edge of the upper end of the battery cell 40. In some embodiments, the housing 100 is fixed to the negative electrode 42, and the temperature sensing element 200 in the housing 100 contacts the side of the battery cell 40 through the heat conductive portion 300. This arrangement does not affect the electrical connection between the positive electrode 41 and the negative electrode 42 of the battery cell 40 and other components, and also realizes the temperature sensing structure to be arranged on the battery cell 40, thereby achieving accurate monitoring of the temperature of the battery cell 40.

[0050] The above embodiments introduce the temperature sensing structure of the battery cell provided in the embodiments of the present application. Accordingly, the present application also provides an embodiment of a battery module. The battery module provided in this embodiment includes the temperature sensing structure of the battery cell described in any of the above embodiments.

[0051] The battery module provided in this embodiment includes a temperature sensing structure for a battery cell, which includes a housing 100 and a temperature sensing element 200 disposed within the housing 100. The housing 100 is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell 40. A heat conducting portion 300 is provided on the side of the housing 100 opposite the battery cell 40. The temperature sensing element 200 contacts the side of the battery cell 40 through the heat conducting portion 300 to sense the temperature of the battery cell 40. With this arrangement, since the side of the battery cell 40 is tightly fitted with the interior of the battery cell 40, the side of the battery cell 40 can truly reflect the temperature of the battery cell 40. The temperature sensing element 200 within the housing 100 contacts the side of the battery cell 40 through the heat conducting portion 300. The heat conducting portion 300 can enhance the heat conduction effect between the temperature sensing element 200 and the battery cell 40, thereby improving the accuracy of temperature monitoring of the battery cell 40.

[0052] The embodiments of the present application have been described above. The above description is illustrative and not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A temperature sensing structure of a battery cell, characterized in that: include: A housing (100) and a temperature sensing element (200) disposed in the housing (100); The housing (100) is fixed to the upper end of the battery core (40); a heat conducting portion (300) is provided on a side opposite to the housing (100) and the battery core (40); the temperature sensing element (200) contacts the side of the battery core (40) through the heat conducting portion (300) to sense the temperature of the battery core (40); The housing (100) comprises a loading portion (110) for mounting the temperature sensing element (200) and a connecting portion (120) provided on the loading portion (110), the loading portion (110) being provided on a side of the battery core (40), and the heat conducting portion (300) being provided on a side of the loading portion (110) opposite to the battery core (40); The connecting portion (120) is provided on the upper side of the loading portion (110) and is fixed to the upper end of the battery cell (40); The positive electrode (41) and the negative electrode (42) of the battery cell (40) are arranged at the same end, wherein the positive electrode (41) is arranged at the center of the end, and the negative electrode (42) is arranged around the positive electrode.

2. The temperature sensing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat conducting portion (300) includes an opening (310) opened on the loading portion (110), and the opening (310) is opposite to the side of the battery core (40); the temperature sensing element (200) is heat-conductively connected to the side of the battery core (40) from the opening (310).

3. The temperature sensing structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The heat-conducting portion (300) further includes a heat-conducting material (320) disposed between the temperature-sensing element (200) and the battery core (40). The heat-conducting material (320) is disposed at the opening (310). The temperature-sensing element (200) is heat-conductingly connected to the side of the battery core (40) via the heat-conducting material (320).

4. The temperature sensing structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The temperature sensing element (200) has an electrical connection pin (210); The electrical connection pin (210) is provided on the upper side of the temperature sensing element (200), and the electrical connection pin (210) extends from the loading portion (110) and faces the outer surface of the upper end of the battery core (40).

5. The temperature sensing structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting portion (120) comprises a planar connecting structure connected to the loading portion (110), and the planar connecting structure is opposite to and fixedly connected to the outer surface of the upper end of the battery core (40).

6. The temperature sensing structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: An opening for the electrical connection pin (210) to extend out is provided on the upper side of the loading portion (110), and the planar connection structure is provided on at least one side of the opening.

7. The temperature sensing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The battery cell (40) is a cylindrical battery cell, and a plurality of the cylindrical battery cells are mounted on the battery module along a vertical direction.

8. A battery module, characterized in that: A temperature sensing structure comprising the battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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