Battery, device using battery, method for preparing battery, and preparation equipment

Abstract

A battery (1), a device using the battery (1), a method for preparing the battery (1), and a preparation device, wherein the battery (1) comprises: a plurality of battery cells (10); a support member (20), the support member (20) being used to support the plurality of battery cells (10), wherein the support member (20) is provided with a recessed portion (21), and a portion of the battery cells (10) extends into and is supported in the recessed portion (21). The battery (1) has a high safety factor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery, a device using a battery, a method for preparing a battery, and a preparation device. Background Art

[0002] Devices such as automobiles, electric bicycles, ships, and energy storage cabinets include batteries, which provide electrical energy for the devices.

[0003] The battery includes multiple battery cells and a box body. The multiple battery cells are arranged in sequence. The box body is arranged outside the multiple battery cells and protects the multiple battery cells. The box body is provided with positive and negative electrodes, and each battery cell is connected to the positive and negative electrodes. When the battery is working, the load is electrically connected to the positive and negative electrodes, so that the battery provides electrical energy to the load.

[0004] However, when the battery is working, the battery cells will expand. The expanded battery cells will squeeze the adjacent battery cells. The squeezing between multiple battery cells can easily cause problems such as battery cell displacement and box deformation, and the battery safety factor is low. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a battery, a device using the battery, a method for preparing the battery, and a preparation device, wherein the battery has a high safety factor.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a battery, comprising a plurality of battery cells; and a support member, the support member being used to support the plurality of battery cells, wherein a recessed portion is provided on the support member, and some of the battery cells extend into and are supported in the recessed portion.

[0008] In some optional embodiments, the battery cell includes a bottom wall and a side wall, the side wall is connected to the bottom wall, and the recessed portion is attached to the bottom wall and the side wall of the battery cell to support the battery cell.

[0009] In some optional embodiments, the centers of at least two of the battery cells are staggered.

[0010] In some optional embodiments, the support member has a hollow inner cavity.

[0011] In some optional embodiments, an elastic member is provided on the support member, and the elastic member is connected to the support member to support the battery cell.

[0012] In some optional embodiments, a receiving groove is provided in the supporting member, and the elastic member is arranged in the receiving groove.

[0013] In some optional embodiments, a flow channel is provided in the support member, and the flow channel is used to contain a fluid to adjust the temperature of the plurality of battery cells.

[0014] Compared with the related art, the battery provided by the embodiment of the present application has the following advantages: the battery includes a plurality of battery cells and a support member. By providing a recessed portion on the support member, part of the battery cells can be supported in the recessed portion. In this way, the plurality of battery cells include at least two battery cells with offset centers. When the battery is working, the battery cell expands, and the expansion deformation of the center of the battery cell is the largest. By providing at least two battery cells with offset centers, the embodiment of the present application reduces the cumulative expansion deformation of the battery in the same direction, and the internal stress of each battery cell can be released in multiple directions instead of being concentrated in the same direction, so that the safety factor of the battery is higher.

[0015] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a device using a battery, which includes the battery described in the first aspect above, and the battery provides electrical energy for the device.

[0016] The third aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a method for preparing a battery, which is used to prepare the battery described in the first aspect above, comprising providing a plurality of battery cells; providing a support member and forming a recessed portion on the support member; supporting the plurality of battery cells on the support member, and supporting part of the plurality of battery cells in the recessed portion.

[0017] The fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a battery preparation device for preparing the battery described in the first aspect above, comprising a battery cell preparation module for preparing the multiple battery cells; a support member preparation module for preparing the support member and forming a recessed portion on the support member; and an assembly module for supporting the multiple battery cells on the support member and supporting some of the battery cells in the recessed portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, 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 the drawings without paying creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the expansion and deformation of a battery cell in the related art;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a device using a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 3 The structure of the battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 1 ;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell;

[0024] Figure 6 The structure of multiple battery cells and support members disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is schematically shown. Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A side view schematic diagram of the structure;

[0026] Figure 8 The structure of multiple battery cells and support members disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is schematically shown. Figure 2 ;

[0027] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of multiple battery cells in the battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application expanding and deforming;

[0028] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0029] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0030] In the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0031] Marking Description:

[0032] 1: Battery;

[0033] 10: battery cell; 11: bottom wall; 12: side wall; 101: first battery cell; 102: second battery cell; D1: center of first battery cell; D2: center of second battery cell; 13: electrode assembly; 131: positive electrode tab; 132: negative electrode tab; 14: positive electrode terminal; 15: negative electrode terminal; 16: housing;

[0034] 20: support member; 21: recessed portion; 22: hollow inner cavity; 23: protruding portion;

[0035] 30: elastic member;

[0036] 40: protective box; 41: side panel;

[0037] 50: vehicle; 51: drive mechanism; 52: control mechanism

[0038] X: arrangement direction; Y: width direction; Z: height direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following detailed description and drawings of the embodiments of the present application are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0040] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing the present 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 the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.

[0041] The directional words appearing in the following description are all directions shown in the figures, and do not limit the specific structure of this application. In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the expansion and deformation of the battery cell in the related technology. Figure 1In the related art, the battery includes a plurality of battery cells 10'. When the battery cells 10' are working, when the SOC (State Of Charge, the percentage of the remaining capacity of the battery cell to the rated capacity) value of the battery cell 10' reaches a preset range, illustratively, 20%-80%, each battery cell 10' will expand due to gas production of the battery cell 10', change in the thickness of the pole piece, and contraction of the graphite negative electrode lattice. The central part of the battery cell 10' has the largest expansion deformation. Specifically, the battery cell 10' has two side surfaces along the thickness direction, and the central parts of the two side surfaces bulge out to both sides respectively, and the farther away from the center of the side surface, the smaller the bulge, that is, the smaller the expansion deformation of the battery cell 10'. In this way, after multiple battery cells 10′ are arranged side by side, two adjacent battery cells 10′ are arranged along the thickness direction, and the parts with the largest expansion and deformation between the two battery cells 10′ squeeze each other, which can easily cause the battery cells 10′ to shift, and along the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells 10′ (i.e., the thickness direction), the expansion and deformation of each battery cell 10′ are superimposed on each other, and the cumulative deformation of the battery is large, which can easily lead to problems such as battery box deformation, and the safety factor of the battery is low.

[0043] In view of this, the battery provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a support member supporting multiple battery cells, and a recessed portion is provided on the support member, and some battery cells can be extended into and supported in the recessed portion, and the remaining battery cells are directly supported on the support member. In this way, the parts of the two parts of the battery cells with the largest expansion deformation are staggered, and the cumulative deformation of the battery along the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells is small, and the safety factor of the battery is high; on the other hand, during the aging process of the battery cells, when the volume expansion is limited by force and cannot be further expanded, the squeezed interface will affect the electrolyte reflux and lithium insertion rate, resulting in the battery cell life attenuation or lithium deposition, affecting the safety performance of the battery. The staggered setting can alleviate the uneven electrolyte reflux caused by stress concentration and reduce the risk of lithium deposition.

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a device using a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a device using a battery 1. Among them, the device can be a mobile device such as a vehicle, a ship, a small aircraft, or a non-mobile device that can provide electrical energy, such as an energy storage cabinet. Taking a vehicle as an example, it can be a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or an extended-range vehicle. The vehicle 50 may include a drive mechanism 51, a control mechanism 52, and a battery 1. The control mechanism 52 is electrically connected to the drive mechanism 51, and is used to control the start and stop of the drive mechanism 51 as needed to drive the vehicle 50 to move or park. The battery 1 is electrically connected to the control mechanism 52 to provide electrical energy to the control mechanism 52. Among them, the power-consuming components in the vehicle 50 may also include audio, etc.

[0045] Figure 3 The structure of the battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 1 . Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure. Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of a battery cell. Figure 6 The structure of multiple battery cells and support members disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is schematically shown. Figure 1 . Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the side structure. Figure 8 The structure of multiple battery cells and support members disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is schematically shown. Figure 2 . Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of expansion and deformation of multiple battery cells in the battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application.

[0046] See also Figures 3 to 9 In some optional embodiments, the battery 1 includes a plurality of battery cells 10; a support member 20, the support member 20 is used to support the plurality of battery cells 10, wherein a recessed portion 21 is provided on the support member 20, and some of the battery cells 10 extend into and are supported in the recessed portion 21.

[0047] For details, please refer to Figures 3 to 5 The battery 1 includes a plurality of battery cells 10, and the structure of the battery cell 10 may be a structure well known to those skilled in the art. The battery cell 10 may include a lithium-ion secondary battery, a lithium-ion primary battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery or a magnesium-ion battery, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The battery cell 10 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular or in other shapes, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The battery cell 10 is generally divided into three types according to the packaging method: cylindrical battery cells, square battery cells and soft-pack battery cells, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0048] The battery cell 10 generally includes an electrode assembly 13 and an electrolyte (not shown). The electrode assembly 13 is composed of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet. The battery cell 10 mainly relies on the movement of metal ions between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet to work. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode collector. The current collector not coated with the positive electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the positive electrode active material layer. The current collector not coated with the positive electrode active material layer serves as a positive electrode tab 131. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive electrode collector can be aluminum, and the positive electrode active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium or lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer, the negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector, the current collector not coated with the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the negative electrode active material layer, and the current collector not coated with the negative electrode active material layer serves as the negative electrode tab 132. The material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon or silicon, etc. In order to ensure that a large current passes without melting, the number of positive electrode tabs 131 is multiple and stacked together, and the number of negative electrode tabs 132 is multiple and stacked together. The material of the diaphragm may be polypropylene (referred to as PP) or polyethylene (referred to as PE), etc. In addition, the electrode assembly 13 may be a winding structure or a laminated structure, and the number of electrode assemblies 13 may be one or more, and the embodiment of the present application does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0049] The battery cell 10 further includes a housing 16, in which the electrode assembly 13 and the electrolyte are both encapsulated. The housing 16 may be a hollow cuboid, cube or cylinder, and the material of the housing 16 may be aluminum or steel and its alloy, or a plastic material or an aluminum-plastic film. The housing 16 is also provided with a positive electrode terminal 14 and a negative electrode terminal 15, and a positive electrode tab 131 is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal 14, and a negative electrode tab 132 is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal 15, so as to output electrical energy.

[0050] like Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, a plurality of battery cells 10 are arranged side by side along an arrangement direction X. The battery also has a width direction Y and a height direction Z. The arrangement direction X, the width direction Y and the height direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0051] Among them, multiple battery cells 10 can be divided into multiple groups, and each group of battery cells 10 is packaged to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules are packaged again to form the above-mentioned battery 1. Optionally, multiple battery cells 10 can also be directly packaged to form the above-mentioned battery 1. This embodiment does not limit the shape and size of the battery 1 after packaging, as long as the battery 1 can fit into the space reserved for the battery 1 in the vehicle.

[0052] See also Figure 4 Taking the battery cell 10 as a square battery cell as an example, multiple square battery cells can be directly packaged through the protection box 40 to form a square battery 1. At this time, the protection box 40 includes six side panels 41, and the six side panels 41 are connected and surround the outer sides of the multiple battery cells 10. The material of the protection box 40 can be metal, plastic, etc.

[0053] It can be understood that the thickness direction of the battery cell 10 is the arrangement direction X, and the side surface of the battery cell 10 along the thickness direction is the large surface of the battery cell 10 along the arrangement direction X. When the battery cell 10 expands and deforms, the center parts of the two large surfaces of the battery cell 10 bulge out to both sides respectively, and the closer to the center part of the large surface, the greater the bulge.

[0054] In order to reduce the cumulative expansion of the battery 1 along the arrangement direction X, it is necessary to stagger the position of the largest expansion deformation of any battery cell 10 relative to other battery cells 10 along a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction X (such as the width direction Y or the height direction Z). Then, the battery cell 10 is protruded relative to other battery cells 10 in the staggered direction. Figures 7 to 11 The battery 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application has a support member 20 , on which a recessed portion 21 is arranged. The protruding battery cell 10 can extend into and be supported in the recessed portion 21 , and other battery cells 10 can be directly supported on the support member 20 .

[0055] For the convenience of description, a portion of the battery cells 10 located in the recessed portion 21 may be referred to as a first battery cell 101 , and another portion of the battery cells 10 directly supported on the support member 20 may be referred to as a second battery cell 102 .

[0056] In this way, the first battery cell 101 is located in the recessed portion 21, and the second battery cell 102 is directly supported on the support member 20. The central parts of the large surfaces of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are staggered in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. The central parts of the large surfaces of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are not distributed on the same straight line, or the line connecting the central parts of the large surfaces of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 is arranged at an angle to the arrangement direction X, thereby reducing the cumulative expansion deformation of the multiple battery cells 10 in the arrangement direction X, reducing the degree of extrusion between the multiple battery cells 10 along the arrangement direction X, and increasing the safety factor of the battery 1.

[0057] Of course, this embodiment does not limit the type of battery cells 10, and the types of the battery cells 10 can be the same, and the "same" mentioned here can mean that the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are basically consistent in terms of chemical system, shape, size, volume, mass, energy density, etc. The types of the battery cells 10 can also be different, and the "different" mentioned here means that at least one of the chemical system, shape, size, volume, mass, energy density, etc. is significantly different.

[0058] In some optional embodiments, the first battery cell 101 can be a ternary lithium battery cell, for example, a lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNiMnCoO2, NCM) battery cell or a lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (LiNiCoAlO2, NCA) battery cell, and the second battery cell 102 can be a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) battery cell or a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery cell.

[0059] In some optional embodiments, the battery cell 10 includes a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12, the side wall 12 is connected to the bottom wall 11, and the recessed portion 21 is attached to the bottom wall 11 and the side wall 12 of the battery cell 10 to support the battery cell 10. The side wall 12 is the large surface of the battery cell 10, and the large surface of the battery cell 10 refers to the surface with the largest area among the outer surfaces of the battery cell 10.

[0060] In this way, the first battery cell 101 has an insertion end, and the bottom wall 11 of the insertion end of the first battery cell 101 contacts the bottom wall surface of the recessed portion 21, the two opposite side walls of the recessed portion 21 form an extrusion on the insertion end of the first battery cell 101, and the inner wall surface of the recessed portion 21 forms a limit on the insertion end of the first battery cell 101. Even if the first battery cell 101 is squeezed by the second battery cell 102, at this time, only the part of the first battery cell 101 that extends out of the recessed portion 21 will be offset, and the insertion end of the first battery cell 101 is still engaged with the recessed portion 21, that is, the fastening effect of the first battery cell 101 is better. As a whole, the stability of the battery 1 is also better.

[0061] The bottom wall 11 may refer to the side wall of the battery cell 10 along the width direction Y, the side wall along the height direction Z, or the side wall along both the width direction Y and the height direction Z. Meanwhile, the support member 20 may refer to the side plate 41 of the protective box 40 along the width direction Y, the side plate 41 along the height direction Z, or the side plate 41 along both the width direction Y and the height direction Z.

[0062] In some optional implementations, this embodiment does not limit the number of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102. For example, the number of the first battery cell 101 is one and the number of the second battery cell 102 is one. The number of the first battery cell 101 is one and the number of the second battery cell 102 is multiple. Of course, the number of the first battery cell 101 and the number of the second battery cell 102 can also be multiple. That is to say, among the multiple battery cells 10, the centers of at least two battery cells 10 are staggered.

[0063] That is, the plurality of battery cells 10 at least have a first battery cell 101 and a second battery cell 102, and the central parts of the large surfaces of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are staggered. In this way, after the plurality of battery cells 10 are arranged side by side along the arrangement direction X, the central parts of the large surfaces of at least two of the battery cells 10 are staggered along a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction X, and the cumulative expansion amount of the battery 1 along the arrangement direction X becomes smaller, and the safety factor of the battery 1 becomes higher.

[0064] It is understandable that when both the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are provided in plurality, the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 may be arranged alternately in an arrangement of n first battery cells 101 and m second battery cells 102, wherein n≥1, m≥1, and n and m are both integers. Exemplarily, the arrangement may be 3 first battery cells 101, 2 second battery cells 102, and 4 first battery cells 101 arranged in sequence.

[0065] At this time, one or more recessed portions 21 may be provided on the support member 20 according to the number of the first battery cells 101. That is, when the support member 20 is provided with one recessed portion 21, multiple first battery cells 101 may be provided in the recessed portion 21 at the same time. When multiple recessed portions 21 are provided on the support member 20, one or more first battery cells 101 may be provided in each recessed portion 21, and this embodiment does not limit this. Of course, when multiple recessed portions 21 are provided on the support member 20, the recessed depth of each recessed portion 21 may be the same or different.

[0066] In order to reduce the cumulative expansion of the battery 1 along the arrangement direction X, the central parts of the large surfaces of any two adjacent battery cells 10 in this embodiment can be staggered, so that the expansion deformation along the arrangement direction X between any two adjacent battery cells 10 can be reduced.

[0067] At this time, no matter the two adjacent battery cells 10 are two adjacent first battery cells 101 , two adjacent second battery cells 102 , or one adjacent first battery cell 101 and one battery cell 102 , the central parts of their large surfaces may be staggered.

[0068] The first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are arranged adjacent to each other in sequence, and the center D1 of the first battery cell and the center D2 of the second battery cell are staggered along the height direction Z (such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown in the figure, at this time, both sides of the first battery cell 101 are arranged adjacent to the second battery cell 102, and both sides of the second battery cell 102 are arranged adjacent to the first battery cell 101, which is easy to assemble, and the shape of the battery 1 formed by the package is relatively regular. Each first battery cell 101 is accommodated in the recessed portion 21, and the support member 20 forms a concave and convex support surface.

[0069] Since the center D1 of the first battery cell is flush with the center of the large surface of the first battery cell 101, and the center D2 of the second battery cell is flush with the center of the large surface of the second battery cell 102, in this way, the center of the large surfaces of any adjacent first battery cells 101 and second battery cells 102 are staggered, the expansion deformation between any adjacent first battery cells 101 and second battery cells 102 becomes smaller, the cumulative expansion deformation of the battery 1 along the arrangement direction X becomes smaller, and the safety factor of the battery 1 is higher.

[0070] At this time, according to the difference in size of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102, the top ends of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 along the height direction Z may be staggered, while the bottom ends of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 along the height direction Z are flush with each other (not shown); or, the bottom ends of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 along the height direction Z are staggered, while the top ends of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 along the height direction Z are flush with each other (as shown in FIG. 1 ). Figure 7 Alternatively, the top and bottom ends of the first battery cell 101 and the second battery cell 102 are staggered along the height direction Z (as shown in FIG. Figure 8 shown).

[0071] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application. Figure 1 . Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member disclosed in the embodiment of this application. Figure 2 . See Fig.10 and Fig.11 In some optional embodiments, the support member 20 has a hollow inner cavity 22. In this way, the weight of the support member 20 is small, and the manufacturing costs of the support member 20 and the battery 1 are low.

[0072] The hollow inner cavity 22 may include a plurality of cavities (such as Fig.11 As shown), it may also include only one cavity (as shown Fig.10 shown).

[0073] See also Fig.10 A plurality of connection structures are arranged in the hollow inner cavity 22 , and the connection structures are connected to the inner wall surface of the hollow inner cavity 22 , so that the hollow inner cavity 22 will not reduce the strength of the support member 20 too much.

[0074] The extension length of the hollow inner cavity 22 along the arrangement direction X may be the same as the size of the plurality of battery cells 10 along the arrangement direction X.

[0075] The hollow inner cavities 22 may also be multiple and spaced apart along the arrangement direction X. Exemplarily, each of the hollow inner cavities 22 is arranged one-to-one with each battery cell 10. In this way, the partition between two adjacent hollow inner cavities 22 can form a support to prevent the support strength of the support member 20 from being too low. Optionally, the number of the hollow inner cavities 22 may be less than the number of the battery cells 10, so as to prevent the hollow inner cavities 22 from excessively reducing the strength of the support member 20.

[0076] In some optional embodiments, since a recessed portion 21 is provided on the support member 20, a protrusion 23 is also formed on the support member 20 accordingly. For example, a protrusion 23 can be formed between two adjacent recessed portions 21, wherein the second battery cell 102 can be supported on the protrusion 23. At this time, a hollow inner cavity 22 can be formed on the protrusion 23.

[0077] In some optional embodiments, an elastic member 30 is provided on the support member 20, and the elastic member 30 is connected to the support member 20 to support the battery cell 10. In this way, the shock absorption and impact resistance of the battery cell 10 and the battery can be improved. The elastic member 30 can be a spring, elastic rubber, etc., which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0078] Wherein, each battery cell 10 may be provided with an elastic member 30 correspondingly to buffer and reduce shock for each battery cell 10 .

[0079] In order to fix the elastic member 30, in some optional embodiments, a receiving groove is provided in the support member 20, and the elastic member 30 is arranged in the receiving groove. In this way, when the battery 1 is impacted and the battery cell 10 is offset relative to the support member 20, the elastic member 30 can be elastically deformed in the receiving groove. At this time, the receiving groove can play a guiding role to prevent the elastic member 30 from being skewed during the deformation process, causing the battery cell 10 to be skewed.

[0080] The number of the accommodating grooves may be less than the number of the battery cells 10 to avoid reducing the strength of the supporting member 20 due to too many accommodating grooves.

[0081] In some optional embodiments, the accommodating groove may be formed on the protruding portion 23, in which case the hollow inner cavity 22 may constitute the accommodating groove, and the elastic member 30 may be accommodated in the hollow inner cavity 22. The protruding portion 23 may be a thin-walled elastic shell-like structure, so that when the second battery cell 102 is supported on the protruding portion 23, the impact on the second battery cell 102 may be mitigated by the elastic deformation of the protruding portion 23 and the elastic member 30.

[0082] The protrusion 23 can be bonded and fixed to the support member 20 or integrally formed (such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 At this time, the support member 20 can be a plate-like structure, the protrusion 23 is connected to the support member 20, and the protrusion 23 and the support member 20 together form a concave-convex support surface, and the strength of the support member 20 is relatively high. And the outer side surface of the support member 20 is a complete plane, which is convenient for assembling the battery 1 and the device.

[0083] In some optional embodiments, a flow channel is provided in the support member 20 , and the flow channel is used to contain a fluid to adjust the temperature of the plurality of battery cells 10 .

[0084] The flow channel may be a serpentine flow channel, a parallel flow channel or other flow channel structures known to those skilled in the art. In this way, the flow channel is longer, and the fluid can fully exchange heat with each battery cell 10 during the flow channel. The fluid may be a gas or a liquid, and for example, the fluid may be water, air, etc.

[0085] The support member 20 may be made of a material that is easy to conduct heat, such as iron, aluminum, etc. In this way, when the battery is working, the heat generated by the battery cell 10 can be promptly transferred to the fluid in the support member 20 through the support member 20, the temperature of the fluid increases, and the temperature of the battery cell 10 decreases, thereby achieving cooling of the battery cell 10. In other words, while the support member 20 protects multiple battery cells 10, it can also adjust the temperature of each battery cell 10 so that each battery cell 10 can work normally.

[0086] The support member 20 is plate-shaped and attached to the side wall of each battery cell 10 . The heat exchange area between the support member 20 and each battery cell 10 is large, and the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 10 is good.

[0087] Since the support member 20 is provided with the recessed portion 21 , the side surface of the support member 20 facing the plurality of battery cells 10 is a concave-convex support surface. In this case, the flow channel can be distributed along the concave-convex support surface.

[0088] At this time, the first battery cell 101 extends into the recessed portion 21, and the bottom wall and side wall of the first battery cell 101 respectively exchange heat with the inner wall surface of the recessed portion 21. The second battery cell 102 is supported on the protruding portion 23, and only the bottom wall of the second battery cell 102 exchanges heat with the protruding portion 23. The heat exchange area between the first battery cell 101 and the support member 20 is larger than the heat exchange area between the second battery cell 102 and the support member 20, and the heat dissipation effect of the first battery cell 101 is better than that of the second battery cell 102. Therefore, the battery cell 10 that generates more heat or dissipates heat more slowly can be used as the first battery cell 101 and accommodated in the recessed portion 21, and the battery cell 10 that generates less heat or dissipates heat more quickly can be used as the second battery cell 102 and directly supported on the protruding portion 23.

[0089] In some optional embodiments, the flow channel may include a first flow channel and a second flow channel, the first flow channel and the second flow channel are isolated from each other, and the fluid flows in the first flow channel and the second flow channel respectively. At this time, the fluid flowing in the first flow channel will not exchange heat with the second battery cell 102, but will only exchange heat with the first battery cell 101; the fluid flowing in the second flow channel will not exchange heat with the first battery cell 101, but will only exchange heat with the second battery cell 102. In this way, the heat exchange efficiency between the fluid and each battery cell 10 is high, and the temperature regulation effect of the battery cell 10 is good.

[0090] Since the first flow channel and the second flow channel are isolated from each other, compared with the implementation method in which multiple battery cells 10 correspond to one flow channel at the same time, the lengths of the first flow channel and the second flow channel in this embodiment are relatively small. In this way, the fluid after heat exchange can be discharged in time to avoid excessive heat absorption of the fluid due to the excessive length of the flow channel, resulting in the inability of some battery cells 10 located at one end of the flow channel outlet to fully perform heat exchange.

[0091] Taking into account the different costs of fluids with different thermal conductivities, in some optional embodiments, the fluid includes a first fluid and a second fluid, the first fluid flows in a first flow channel, the second fluid flows in a second flow channel, and the thermal conductivity of the first fluid is greater than the thermal conductivity of the second fluid.

[0092] In this way, the first fluid with a larger thermal conductivity corresponds to the first battery cell 101 that generates more heat or dissipates heat more slowly, and flows in the first flow channel, and the heat exchange speed between the first fluid and the first battery cell 101 is faster and the amount of heat exchange is larger. The second fluid with a smaller thermal conductivity corresponds to the second battery cell 102 that generates less heat or dissipates heat more quickly, and flows in the second flow channel, and the amount of heat exchange between the second fluid and the second battery cell 102 is smaller.

[0093] That is to say, this embodiment uses different fluids for different battery cells 10 , which can not only make the temperature between the battery cells 10 more uniform, but also reduce the cost.

[0094] The present application also provides a method for preparing a battery, which is used to prepare the above-mentioned battery 1, and comprises the following steps:

[0095] S100 , providing a plurality of battery cells 10 , and arranging the plurality of battery cells 10 side by side along an arrangement direction X. At this time, the large surfaces of the battery cells 10 are arranged in parallel.

[0096] S200 , providing a support member 20 , and forming a recessed portion 21 on the support member 20 .

[0097] The support member 20 constitutes part of the side plate 41 of the protection box 40. For example, the support member 20 may be disposed on the side of the battery cell 10 along the width direction Y or along the height direction Z.

[0098] S300 , supporting a plurality of battery cells 10 on the support member 20 , and supporting a portion of the plurality of battery cells 10 in the recessed portion 21 .

[0099] During the battery assembly process, each battery cell 10 is supported by the support member 20. Part of the battery cells 10 extend into and are supported in the recessed portion 21, and the remaining battery cells 10 are directly supported on the support member 20. In this way, the centers of the two battery cells 10 are staggered.

[0100] When the battery 1 is working, the parts of the two battery cells 10 with the largest expansion deformation are staggered, the degree of compression of two adjacent battery cells 10 in the battery 1 is reduced, and the deformation of the battery 1 is reduced, so the safety factor of the battery 1 is higher.

[0101] The embodiment of the present application also provides a battery preparation device for preparing the above-mentioned battery 1, which includes a battery cell preparation module for preparing multiple battery cells 10; a support member preparation module for preparing a support member 20 and forming a recessed portion 21 on the support member 20; and an assembly module for supporting multiple battery cells 10 on the support member 20 and supporting some of the battery cells 10 in the recessed portion 21.

[0102] Among them, the battery cell preparation module, the support member preparation module, and the assembly module may be independent of each other, or may be components of the preparation equipment, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0103] Specifically, when preparing the battery, first prepare each battery cell 10 and the support 20, and form a recessed portion 21 on the support 20. During or before assembling the battery, the battery cells 10 can be arranged side by side, so that the assembly module can attach the multiple battery cells 10 arranged side by side to the support 20. At this time, some of the battery cells 10 extend into the recessed portion 21, and some of the battery cells 10 are directly supported on the support 20, so that the centers of the two parts of the battery cells 10 are staggered.

[0104] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and parts thereof may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery comprising: Multiple battery cells; A support member, the support member is used to support the plurality of battery cells, wherein the support member is provided with a recessed portion, and some of the battery cells extend into and are supported in the recessed portion; A protrusion is formed on the support member, and a hollow inner cavity is formed in the protrusion; An elastic member is disposed on the support member, the elastic member is connected to the support member, and the elastic member is accommodated in the hollow inner cavity to support another part of the battery cells among the plurality of battery cells.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein The battery cell includes a bottom wall and a side wall, the side wall is connected to the bottom wall, and the recessed portion is attached to the bottom wall and the side wall of the battery cell to support the battery cell.

3. The battery according to claim 1, wherein At least two of the battery cells are arranged with their centers staggered.

4. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A flow channel is provided in the support member, and the flow channel is used to contain a fluid to adjust the temperature of the plurality of battery cells.

5. A device using a battery, comprising the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery provides electrical energy for the device.

6. A method for preparing a battery, for preparing the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: Providing a plurality of battery cells; Providing a support member, and forming a recessed portion on the support member; The plurality of battery cells are supported on the support member, and some of the plurality of battery cells are supported in the recessed portions.

7. A battery preparation device, used for preparing the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: A battery cell preparation module, used for preparing the plurality of battery cells; A support member preparation module, used for preparing the support member and forming a recessed portion on the support member; The assembly module is used to support the plurality of battery cells on the support member and to support part of the battery cells in the recessed portion.

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