A battery module and a box connecting structure and a connecting method

Abstract

The application provides a battery module and a box connecting structure and a connecting method, wherein the battery module and the box connecting structure comprises a box and a battery module, the box comprises a liquid cooling plate and a plurality of cross beams and longitudinal beams, the plurality of cross beams and longitudinal beams are fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate to form at least one frame for accommodating the battery module, two ends of the battery module are fixedly connected to the cross beams at two ends of the corresponding frame through a lug structure, the lug structure comprises a fixedly connected end plate and a lug plate, the end plate is located at an end of the battery module, a gap is formed between a lower end surface of the lug plate and an upper end surface of the cross beam through a first limiting strip, and the lug plate is bonded to the cross beam through filling of a first heat insulation structure adhesive.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive power battery technology, and in particular relates to a connection structure and connection method between a battery module and a housing. Background Technology

[0002] In the development of electric vehicle structures, a battery pack enclosure structure is generally included. The connection between the battery and the enclosure primarily involves assembling the battery pack into rigid battery modules. Each battery module has end plates with mounting through holes. Rivet nuts are installed on the frame beams inside the enclosure. Bolts are then passed through the end plates and rivet nuts on the frame beams to install the battery modules onto the enclosure frame beams. This connection structure suffers from uneven locking force distribution. Furthermore, due to height tolerances between mounting surfaces, stress concentration can easily occur after battery module installation, negatively impacting overall strength. Additionally, the hard metal-to-metal contact between mounting points is detrimental to battery insulation. Moreover, the relatively thick end plates of the modules hinder efficient use of battery pack space. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a connection structure between a battery module and a housing, including a housing and a battery module. The housing includes a liquid cooling plate and a plurality of crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The plurality of crossbeams and longitudinal beams are fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate to form at least one frame for accommodating the battery module.

[0004] The two ends of the battery module are respectively fixedly connected to the crossbeams at both ends of the corresponding frame by means of a hanging ear structure: the hanging ear structure includes a fixedly connected end plate and a hanging ear plate, the end plate being located at the end of the battery module; a gap is created between the lower end face of the hanging ear plate and the upper end face of the crossbeam by a first limiting strip, and the gap is filled with a first heat-insulating structural adhesive to make the hanging ear plate adhere to the crossbeam.

[0005] Preferably, the ear plate and the end plate are integrally formed.

[0006] Preferably, the ear plate and the crossbeam are positioned and connected by a positioning pin.

[0007] Preferably, the ear plate is provided with at least one circular positioning pin hole and at least one oblong hole, the oblong hole being arranged along the length direction of the ear plate, and at least two conical positioning pins are provided on the crossbeam accordingly. When the ear plate is assembled with the crossbeam, the two conical positioning pins are respectively engaged with the circular positioning pin hole and the oblong hole.

[0008] Preferably, the first limiting strip is pre-fixed to the lower end face of the ear plate or the upper end face of the crossbeam by means of adhesive backing. Two first limiting strips are provided between the lower end face of the ear plate and the upper end face of the crossbeam. The two first limiting strips are spaced apart along the width direction of the crossbeam, and the distance between the two first limiting strips is less than the length of the end plate of the battery module.

[0009] Preferably, a gap is created between the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate and the lower end face of the battery module by providing a second limiting strip, and the battery module is bonded to the liquid cooling plate by filling the gap with thermally conductive structural adhesive.

[0010] Preferably, within the frame, several second limiting strips are pre-fixed to the liquid cooling plate by adhesive backing, forming a closed or open rectangular frame.

[0011] Preferably, within the frame, there are gaps between the battery module and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. These gaps are filled with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the battery module to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively.

[0012] Preferably, the frame is a closed rectangular frame structure formed by two parallel horizontal beams and two parallel vertical beams, and the inner area of ​​the rectangular frame structure is larger than the projected area of ​​the battery module in the height direction within the frame.

[0013] Preferably, the longitudinal beam has an L-shaped cross-section, with its inner side corresponding to the frame being a vertical plane, and the height of the longitudinal beam is lower than the height of the cross beam.

[0014] Preferably, a gap is created between the crossbeams and longitudinal beams of the frame and the liquid cooling plate by providing a third limiting strip, and the crossbeams and longitudinal beams are bonded to the liquid cooling plate by filling the gap with a third heat-insulating structural adhesive.

[0015] Preferably, the third limiting strip between the crossbeam and the liquid cooling plate is provided along the length direction of the crossbeam, and the outer side of the third limiting strip is flush with the outer side of the crossbeam, and the width of the third limiting strip is smaller than the width of the crossbeam.

[0016] The third limiting strip between the longitudinal beam and the liquid cooling plate of the frame is provided along the length direction of the longitudinal beam, and the outer side of the third limiting strip is flush with the outer side of the longitudinal beam. The width of the third limiting strip is smaller than the width of the longitudinal beam.

[0017] Preferably, the liquid cooling plate is fastened to the horizontal and vertical beams respectively by fasteners.

[0018] The present invention also provides a method for connecting a battery module to a housing, comprising the following steps:

[0019] S1: Constructing the box

[0020] By setting a third limiting strip on the lower end face of several crossbeams and longitudinal beams or on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate, a gap is created between the liquid cooling plate and the crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The gap is filled with a third heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the liquid cooling plate to the bottom of several crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The liquid cooling plate is fastened to the crossbeams and longitudinal beams respectively by fasteners to form a box. The box has at least one frame for accommodating the battery module, which is formed by several crossbeams and longitudinal beams fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate.

[0021] S2: Install battery module

[0022] By setting a second limiting strip on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate of the frame or the bottom of the battery module, a gap is created between the liquid cooling plate and the battery module. The gap is filled with thermally conductive structural adhesive to make the battery module adhere to the liquid cooling plate.

[0023] By setting a first limiting strip on the lower end face of the hanging ear plate at both ends of the frame or on the upper end face of the crossbeam at both ends of the frame, a gap is created between the hanging ear plate and the crossbeam. The gap is filled with a first heat-insulating structural adhesive to make the hanging ear plate adhere to the crossbeam.

[0024] Within the frame, there are gaps between the battery module and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. These gaps are filled with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the battery module to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical advantages:

[0026] 1. The end plates at both ends of the battery module form a hanging structure by setting hanging plates. The hanging plates are bonded to the crossbeam of the housing with heat-insulating structural adhesive, and the thickness of the heat-insulating structural adhesive is controlled by limiting strips, eliminating the need for traditional bolt connections. This results in more uniform connection force and no stress concentration in the battery module structure. At the same time, the end plate thickness is thin (in the original bolt connection structure, the bolt hole diameter is at least 12mm and the wall thickness is 4mm, so the end plate wall thickness is at least 20mm. The end plate thickness in this invention can be designed to be 10mm or less), which can achieve a lightweight battery system and allow more cells to be arranged within a limited battery envelope space, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery system and the driving range of the vehicle.

[0027] 2. The bottom of the battery module is connected to the liquid cooling plate with thermally conductive structural adhesive, which increases the connection strength between the battery module and the housing; and the frame-shaped limiting strip ensures the thickness and distribution area of ​​the thermally conductive structural adhesive, making the heat transfer between the battery module and the liquid cooling plate more uniform and reliable.

[0028] 3. The four sides of the battery module are connected to the inner sidewall of the frame composed of crossbeams and longitudinal beams by heat-insulating structural adhesive, which not only further enhances the connection strength between the battery module and the box, but also reduces the heat conduction between the liquid cooling plate and the crossbeams and longitudinal beams, thus achieving better heat insulation performance of the battery system; and the limiting strips around the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate enable more reliable control of the overflow direction of the heat-insulating structural adhesive.

[0029] 4. In addition to fastener connections, the liquid cooling plate is also connected to the bottom of the crossbeams and longitudinal beams via thermal insulation structural adhesive, with the adhesive thickness controlled by limiting strips. This not only further ensures the connection strength between the liquid cooling plate and the crossbeams and longitudinal beams but also reduces heat conduction between them, achieving better thermal insulation performance of the battery system.

[0030] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a connection structure between a battery module and a housing, provided for a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the connection structure between a single battery module and its corresponding frame provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 An exploded view of the layout structure of the box provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 A partial bottom view of the housing provided for a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 An exploded view showing the connection between a single battery module and its corresponding grid in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6This is a top view showing the connection between a single battery module and its corresponding frame, provided as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 This embodiment provides a connection structure between a battery module and a housing, including a housing 1 and a battery module 2. The housing 1 includes a liquid cooling plate 104 and a plurality of crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103. The plurality of crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103 are fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate 104 to form at least one frame 101 for accommodating the battery module 2. This embodiment does not limit the number of frames 101 in the housing 1, and can set it according to actual usage requirements. In this embodiment, the plurality of crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103 can be connected sequentially to form the frame 101, or the plurality of crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103 can intersect to form a plurality of frames 101.

[0041] In this embodiment, the housing 1 is an open-top structure that is closed on the front, back, left, right, and bottom. Existing battery modules consist of stacked individual battery cells 201, with end plates 203 on the outermost cells at both ends, and side plates 202 on both sides connected to the end plates 203, thus constraining and connecting the individual battery cells 201 into a single structure. This embodiment adds a hanging ear structure to the existing battery module; that is, hanging ear structures are provided at both ends of the battery module 2. To ensure universality, these two hanging ear structures are identical, both including the aforementioned end plates 203 and hanging ear plates 204. The end plates 203 are flat, and the hanging ear plates 204 are fixedly connected to the upper end of the end plates 203 and face outwards, forming an inverted L-shaped hanging ear structure with the end plates 203. The battery modules 2 are placed within the frame 101. After installation, the battery modules 2 are fixedly connected within the frame 101, achieving the connection between the battery modules 2 and the housing 1.

[0042] To clearly describe the connection between the battery module 2 and the housing 1, this embodiment focuses on one battery module 2 and one frame 101 on the housing 1 for illustration. The connection method of the housing 1 for other battery modules 2 is the same.

[0043] In this embodiment, the frame 101 is a closed rectangular frame structure formed by two parallel horizontal beams 102 and two parallel vertical beams 103. The two horizontal beams 102 have the same height and are of equal width at the top and bottom. The two vertical beams 103 have the same height and are L-shaped at the interface. The height of the vertical beams 103 is lower than that of the horizontal beams 102, mainly for structural weight reduction. The inner surface of the corresponding frame 101 is a vertical plane. The horizontal beams 102 and vertical beams 103 are connected to form a closed rectangular frame structure, and the inner area of ​​the rectangular frame is slightly larger than the projected area of ​​the battery module 2 in the height direction. This ensures that after the battery module 2 is correctly placed in the rectangular frame 101, there is a certain gap between the four sides of the battery module 2 and the inner side of the rectangular frame. The horizontal beams 102 and vertical beams 103 are welded together, and after the connection is completed, the lower ends of the horizontal beams 102 and vertical beams 103 are flush for mounting the liquid cooling plate 104.

[0044] In this embodiment, both the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103 are made of aluminum alloy extrusion or steel plate roll forming process, and the liquid cooling plate 104 is an integral liquid cooling plate.

[0045] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 A third limiting strip is provided between the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103 and the liquid cooling plate 104, creating gaps between them. Since the crossbeam 102, longitudinal beam 103, and liquid cooling plate 104 are all made of metal, the purpose is to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact. The size of the gap is controlled by the height of the third limiting strip. Simultaneously, a third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4 is applied to the gaps between the crossbeam 102 and the liquid cooling plate 104, and between the longitudinal beam 103 and the liquid cooling plate 104. The purpose is to bond the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103 to the liquid cooling plate 104 by filling the gaps with the third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4.

[0046] The third limiting strip is a component with a low coefficient of performance and a certain mechanical strength, such as an epoxy resin sheet. For ease of description, the third limiting strip between the crossbeam 102 and the liquid cooling plate 104 is referred to as the third limiting strip one 3, and the third limiting strip between the longitudinal beam 103 and the liquid cooling plate 104 is referred to as the third limiting strip two 3'. The third limiting strip one 3 can be pre-attached to the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 or the lower end face of the crossbeam 102 using adhesive. The third limiting strip one 3 is set along the length direction of the crossbeam 102, and the width of the third limiting strip two 3' is less than the width of the crossbeam 102. The purpose is to ensure that there is a gap between the crossbeam 102 and the liquid cooling plate 104 for applying the third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4. In this embodiment, the outer side of the third limiting strip one 3 is flush with the outer surface of the crossbeam 102. The third limiting strip 2 3' can be pre-attached to the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 or the lower end face of the longitudinal beam 103 using adhesive. The third limiting strip 2 3' is set along the length direction of the longitudinal beam 103, and the width of the third limiting strip 2 3' is less than the width of the longitudinal beam 103. The purpose is to ensure that there is a gap between the longitudinal beam 103 and the liquid cooling plate 104 for applying the third heat insulation structural adhesive 4. In this embodiment, the outer side of the third limiting strip 2 3' is flush with the outer side of the longitudinal beam 103. The two third limiting strips 1 3 and the two third limiting strips 2 3' form a closed frame or an open frame shape. This frame shape can be formed by bending a single third limiting strip (i.e., the third limiting strip 1 3 and the third limiting strip 2 3' are an integral structure), or it can be formed by connecting four separate limiting strips (two separate third limiting strips 1 3 and two separate third limiting strips 2 3') end to end.

[0047] In this embodiment, in order to further ensure the connection strength between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, the liquid cooling plate 104 is fastened to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam 103 respectively by fasteners 5.

[0048] After the liquid cooling plate 104 is installed, the third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4 is laid flat and evenly distributed between the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 and the lower end face of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, and has a uniform thickness.

[0049] After the liquid cooling plate 104 is installed, it, together with the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, forms a rectangular frame 101 with high strength and rigidity. The top of the frame 101 is open, while the rest (top, bottom, left, right, and bottom) are closed to accommodate the battery module 2. The advantages of this housing structure are that, on the one hand, the connection strength between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103 is improved by the third thermal insulation adhesive 4; on the other hand, there is no direct contact between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, which reduces heat conduction and weakens the heat transfer efficiency between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, thus benefiting the battery's thermal insulation and heat preservation performance.

[0050] In this embodiment, the two ends of the battery module 2 are fixedly connected to the frame 101 through the ear structure.

[0051] For details, please refer to Figure 5 The battery module 2 has a hanging ear structure at both ends. To ensure universality, the two hanging ear structures are identical in structure, both including an end plate 203 and a hanging ear plate 204. The end plate 203 is a flat plate structure, and the hanging ear plate 204 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the end plate 203 and faces outward, forming an inverted L-shaped hanging ear structure with the end plate 203.

[0052] The lower end face of the ear plate 204 is flat, used to mate with the upper end face of the crossbeam 102 of the frame 101 during battery module 2 installation. The ear plate 204 and the crossbeam 102 are connected by positioning pins. In this embodiment, the number of positioning pins is not limited. Positioning pins 6 can be provided on the crossbeam 102 and pin holes can be provided on the ear plate 204, or vice versa. That is, pin holes can be provided on the crossbeam 102 and positioning pins 6 can be provided on the ear plate 204. Preferably, the ear plate 204 is provided with two positioning pin holes 2041, one of which is circular and the other is oblong, with the oblong shape arranged along the length of the ear plate 204. Two conical positioning pins 6 are provided on the crossbeam 102, which are used to cooperate with the positioning pin holes 2041 on the hanging plate 204 when the battery module 2 is assembled, so as to realize the horizontal and vertical positioning of the battery module 2 and the housing 1, and ensure that the battery module 2 is located in the middle position of the frame 101 of the housing 1. There is a certain gap between the four sides of the battery module 2 and the inner surface of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103.

[0053] Meanwhile, a first limiting strip 7 is provided between the upper end face of the crossbeam 102 and the lower end face of the mounting plate 204 of the battery module 2. During assembly, the first limiting strip 7 positions the battery module 2 in the height direction. Additionally, the first limiting strip 7 creates a gap between the crossbeam 102 and the mounting plate 204. Since both the crossbeam 102 and the mounting plate 204 are made of metal, this prevents direct metal-to-metal contact. The size of the gap is controlled by the height of the first limiting strip 7. Furthermore, a first heat-insulating structural adhesive 8 is arranged in the gap between the mounting plate 204 of the battery module 2 and the crossbeam 102. The mounting plate 204 of the battery module 2 is connected to the crossbeam 102 via the first heat-insulating structural adhesive 8. This ensures uniformity of the connection force, avoiding stress concentration on the end plate 203 that might occur with traditional bolt connections, and also ensures heat insulation between the battery module 2 and the crossbeam 102 of the housing 1.

[0054] The first limiting strip 7 is pre-fixed to the lower end face of the hanging ear plate 204 or the upper end face of the crossbeam 102 by adhesive backing. Two first limiting strips 7 are provided between the lower end face of the hanging ear plate 204 and the upper end face of the crossbeam 102. The two first limiting strips 7 are spaced apart along the width direction of the crossbeam 102, and the distance between the two first limiting strips 7 is less than the length of the end plate 203 of the battery module 2. After the battery module 2 is installed, the first heat insulation structural adhesive 8 is flattened and evenly distributed between the upper end face of the crossbeam 102 of the housing 1 and the lower end face of the hanging ear plate 204 of the battery module 2, and has a uniform thickness.

[0055] Preferably, the end plate 203 and the lug plate 204 are integrally formed, and can be manufactured using die-casting aluminum alloy or injection molding. Compared with the traditional structure where the end plate 203 is bolted to the housing 1, this invention can reduce the overall thickness of the end plate 203 and can be made of aluminum alloy or plastic. This not only helps to achieve a lightweight battery system but also allows for the arrangement of more battery cells within a limited battery envelope space, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery system and the driving range of the vehicle.

[0056] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 A second limiting strip 9 is provided between the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 of the housing 1 and the lower end face of the battery module 2, creating a gap between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the battery module 2. The size of the gap is determined by the height of the second limiting strip 9. Simultaneously, thermally conductive structural adhesive 10 is provided between the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 and the lower end face of the battery module 2. This structure not only ensures uniform contact between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the lower end face of the battery module 2, achieving reliable heat conduction, but also guarantees a strong connection between the battery module 2 and the liquid cooling plate 104.

[0057] In this embodiment, a second heat-insulating structural adhesive 11 is provided in the gap between the four sides of the battery module 2 and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103. This ensures the connection strength between the four sides of the battery module 2 and the housing 1, and also ensures that there is no direct contact between the four sides of the battery module 2 and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, reducing heat conduction and weakening the heat transfer efficiency between the battery module 2 and the housing 1, which is beneficial to the heat insulation and heat preservation performance of the battery.

[0058] For battery module 2, the individual cells 201 are pre-locked together using end plate 203 + side plate 202 / rolled strip. If the side plate 202 or rolled strip is positioned relatively high in the height direction of the individual cell 201, the side of the individual cell 201 needs to be directly fixed to the inner side of the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103 of the frame 101 with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive 11; if the side plate 202 or rolled strip is positioned at an appropriate height, the side of the side plate 202 or rolled strip can be fixed to the inner side of the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103 of the frame 101 with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive 11.

[0059] The second limiting strip 9 is pre-placed on the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate 104 of the housing 1 and can be pre-fixed using adhesive. The second limiting strip 9 forms a closed rectangular frame or a near-closed rectangular frame shape. This rectangular frame can be formed by bending a single second limiting strip 9 or by connecting four separate second limiting strips 9 end to end. The four sides of the frame shape are parallel to the length direction of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, and the four sides of the frame shape are at a certain distance from the inner surface of the corresponding crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103. That is, the second limiting strip 9 includes four limiting strip segments, which are pre-adheded to the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate 104, and the four limiting strip segments are parallel to the length direction of the corresponding crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103 and at a certain distance. The rectangular frame area formed by the second limiting strip 9 is the area of ​​the thermally conductive structural adhesive 10.

[0060] When assembling battery module 2, thermally conductive structural adhesive 10 is applied to the central area of ​​the rectangular frame formed by the second limiting strip 9, and a second thermally insulating structural adhesive 11 is applied to the area between the outer side of the rectangular frame formed by the second limiting strip 9 and the inner side of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103. After battery module 2 is placed into the frame 101 of housing 1, under the action of gravity, the thermally conductive structural adhesive 10 will spread evenly on the liquid cooling plate 104, the bottom of battery module 2, and the area formed by the second limiting strip 9. The second thermally insulating structural adhesive 11 will fill the gap between the outer side of the second limiting strip 9 and the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103, but will not fill the inner area of ​​the rectangular frame inside the second limiting strip 9. Under the action of compression, the second thermally insulating structural adhesive 11 will also extend upwards, filling the gap between the battery module 2 and the inner side of the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103.

[0061] After the battery module 2 is connected to the housing 1, most of the weight of the battery module 2 is borne by the crossbeam 102 and the longitudinal beam 103. The battery module 2 and the housing 1 are connected to form a reliable structural whole with high structural strength and rigidity. The bottom of the battery module 2 is in uniform contact with the liquid cooling plate 104 and the heat conduction is uniform. At the same time, the battery module 2 and the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103 of the housing 1 have very good heat insulation performance.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] Based on Embodiment 1 above, this embodiment provides a method for connecting a battery module and a housing, including the following steps:

[0064] Step 1: Making the box body 1

[0065] The third limiting strip is placed at the bottom of the crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103 of the frame 101. Simultaneously, a third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4 is applied to the bottom of the crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103, forming an approximately enclosed area. The liquid cooling plate 104 is installed at the bottom of the crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103 and connected by fasteners 5. After connection, the third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4 is evenly distributed between the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate 104 and the bottom surface of the crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103. After the third thermal insulation structural adhesive 4 cures, the liquid cooling plate 104, the crossbeams 102, and the longitudinal beams 103 form a box structure 1 with strength and rigidity, while achieving thermal insulation between the liquid cooling plate 104 and the crossbeams 102 and longitudinal beams 103.

[0066] Step 2: Install battery module 2

[0067] Preferably, the cylindrical positioning pin 6 is installed on the crossbeam 102, while the first limiting strip 7 is arranged on the upper end face of the crossbeam 102, and the second limiting strip 9 is arranged on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104 within the frame 101. Then, the first thermal insulation structural adhesive 8 is applied to the area formed by the first limiting strip 7 on the upper end face of the crossbeam 102. At the same time, the thermally conductive structural adhesive 10 is applied to the outer area of ​​the closed frame formed by the second limiting strip 9 on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate 104.

[0068] The battery module 2 is placed inside the frame 101 of the housing 1. The positioning pins 2041 on the mounting ears 204 of the battery module 2 engage with the positioning pins 6 on the crossbeam 102 to achieve horizontal and vertical positioning of the battery module 2. Simultaneously, the lower end face of the mounting ears 204 engages with the upper end face of the crossbeam 102 to achieve vertical positioning of the battery module 2. Under gravity, the first thermal insulation adhesive 8 is evenly distributed between the mounting ears 204 of the battery module 2 and the upper end face of the crossbeam 102. Simultaneously, the second thermal insulation adhesive 11 fills the gaps between the outer sides of the second limiting strip 9 and the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103. Under pressure, the second thermal insulation adhesive 11 extends upwards, filling the gaps between the perimeter of the battery module 2 and the inner sides of the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103. Additionally, the thermally conductive adhesive 10 is evenly distributed within the space formed by the liquid cooling plate 104, the bottom of the battery module 2, and the second limiting strip 9. After the second thermal insulation structural adhesive 11 and the thermally conductive structural adhesive 10 are cured, the battery module 2 and the housing 1 are connected to form a rigid whole, and the battery module 2 and the crossbeam 102 and longitudinal beam 103 of the housing 1 have very good thermal insulation performance.

[0069] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A connection structure between a battery module and a housing, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and a battery module. The housing includes a liquid cooling plate and several crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The crossbeams and longitudinal beams are fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate to form at least one frame for accommodating the battery module. The two ends of the battery module are respectively fixedly connected to the crossbeams at both ends of the corresponding frame by means of a hanging ear structure: the hanging ear structure includes a fixedly connected end plate and a hanging ear plate, the end plate being located at the end of the battery module; a gap is created between the lower end face of the hanging ear plate and the upper end face of the crossbeam by means of a first limiting strip, and the gap is filled with a first heat-insulating structural adhesive to make the hanging ear plate adhere to the crossbeam; Within the frame, there are gaps between the battery module and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. These gaps are filled with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the battery module to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. A gap is created between the crossbeams and longitudinal beams of the frame and the liquid cooling plate by setting a third limiting strip. The gap is filled with a third heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the crossbeams and longitudinal beams to the liquid cooling plate.

2. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ear plate and the end plate are integrally formed.

3. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ear plate and the crossbeam are connected by a positioning pin.

4. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ear plate is provided with at least one circular positioning pin hole and at least one waist-shaped hole. The waist-shaped hole is arranged along the length direction of the ear plate. The crossbeam is provided with at least two conical positioning pins. When the ear plate is assembled with the crossbeam, the two conical positioning pins are respectively engaged with the circular positioning pin hole and the waist-shaped hole.

5. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first limiting strip is pre-fixed to the lower end face of the ear plate or the upper end face of the crossbeam by means of adhesive backing. Two first limiting strips are provided between the lower end face of the ear plate and the upper end face of the crossbeam. The two first limiting strips are spaced apart along the width direction of the crossbeam, and the distance between the two first limiting strips is less than the length of the end plate of the battery module.

6. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A gap is created between the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate and the lower end face of the battery module by setting a second limiting strip. The battery module is bonded to the liquid cooling plate by filling the gap with thermally conductive structural adhesive.

7. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 6, characterized in that, Within the frame, several second limiting strips are pre-fixed to the liquid cooling plate by adhesive backing, forming a closed or open rectangular frame.

8. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame is a closed rectangular frame structure formed by two parallel horizontal beams and two parallel vertical beams, and the inner area of ​​the rectangular frame structure is larger than the projected area of ​​the battery module in the height direction within the frame.

9. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The longitudinal beam has an L-shaped cross-section, and its inner side corresponding to the frame is a vertical plane. The height of the longitudinal beam is lower than the height of the cross beam.

10. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third limiting strip between the crossbeam and the liquid cooling plate is provided along the length direction of the crossbeam, and the outer side of the third limiting strip is flush with the outer side of the crossbeam. The width of the third limiting strip is smaller than the width of the crossbeam. The third limiting strip between the longitudinal beam and the liquid cooling plate of the frame is provided along the length direction of the longitudinal beam, and the outer side of the third limiting strip is flush with the outer side of the longitudinal beam. The width of the third limiting strip is smaller than the width of the longitudinal beam.

11. The connection structure between the battery module and the housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate is fastened to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam respectively by fasteners.

12. A method for connecting a battery module to a housing, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Constructing the box By setting a third limiting strip on the lower end face of several crossbeams and longitudinal beams or on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate, a gap is created between the liquid cooling plate and the crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The gap is filled with a third heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the liquid cooling plate to the bottom of several crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The liquid cooling plate is fastened to the crossbeams and longitudinal beams respectively by fasteners to form a box. The box has at least one frame for accommodating the battery module, which is formed by several crossbeams and longitudinal beams fixedly connected to the liquid cooling plate. S2: Install battery module By setting a second limiting strip on the upper end face of the liquid cooling plate of the frame or the bottom of the battery module, a gap is created between the liquid cooling plate and the battery module. The gap is filled with thermally conductive structural adhesive to make the battery module adhere to the liquid cooling plate. By setting a first limiting strip on the lower end face of the hanging ear plate at both ends of the frame or on the upper end face of the crossbeam at both ends of the frame, a gap is created between the hanging ear plate and the crossbeam. The gap is filled with a first heat-insulating structural adhesive to make the hanging ear plate adhere to the crossbeam. Within the frame, there are gaps between the battery module and the inner surfaces of the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. These gaps are filled with a second heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the battery module to the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, respectively. A gap is created between the crossbeams and longitudinal beams of the frame and the liquid cooling plate by setting a third limiting strip. The gap is filled with a third heat-insulating structural adhesive to bond the crossbeams and longitudinal beams to the liquid cooling plate.

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