Battery box, battery, battery management method and power-using device

Abstract

The present application provides a battery case, a battery, a battery management method and an electrical device, which belong to the field of batteries. The battery case includes a case body, an expansion beam and a detection component. The expansion beam is connected to the case body and defines a storage space for accommodating battery cells together with the case body. The detection component includes at least one detection probe, which is located on the side of the expansion beam away from the storage space and connected to the case body. The detection component is used to detect the deformation of the expansion beam. By setting the detection component to detect the deformation of the expansion amount in the battery case, the degree of expansion deformation of the battery can be detected in time, which is conducive to accurately evaluating the remaining service life of the battery, reducing the failure risk of battery structural parts, and improving the reliability of battery operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery box, a battery, a battery management method and an electrical device. Background Art

[0002] Energy conservation and emission reduction are the key to the sustainable development of the automobile industry. Electric vehicles have become an important part of the sustainable development of the automobile industry due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. For electric vehicles, battery technology is an important factor in their development.

[0003] During the charging and discharging process of the battery, the battery cell will swell and cause the battery case containing the battery to deform accordingly. This will have an adverse effect on the performance of the battery and may even cause damage and failure of the battery structure. It is necessary and important to detect the degree of battery expansion in a timely and accurate manner. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the background technology. To this end, one purpose of the present application is to provide a battery box, a battery, a battery management method and an electrical device to improve the reliability of battery operation.

[0005] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a battery case, which includes a case body, an expansion beam and a detection component, wherein the expansion beam is connected to the case body and together with the case body defines a storage space for accommodating a battery cell; the detection component includes at least one detection probe, which is located on a side of the expansion beam away from the storage space and connected to the case body, and the detection component is used to detect the deformation of the expansion beam.

[0006] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, by detecting the deformation of the expansion beam through the detection component, the degree of expansion deformation inside the battery can be detected in time, which is conducive to accurately evaluating the remaining service life of the battery, reducing the failure risk of battery structural parts, and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0007] In some embodiments, the detection probe is spaced apart from the expansion beam; the detection assembly further includes a detection circuit electrically connected to the detection probe, and the detection circuit is configured to obtain different detection results when the detection probe is in contact with the expansion beam and when it is separated from the expansion beam. Designing the detection probe as a contact probe spaced apart from the expansion beam can reduce the detection frequency and power consumption, and increase the service life of the detection assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the expansion beam is made of a conductive material; the detection probe includes two connection terminals arranged at intervals, and the detection circuit is electrically connected to the two connection terminals respectively to detect the resistance between the two connection terminals. By detecting the change in the resistance between the two connection terminals, the deformation of the expansion beam can be simply and reliably detected, thereby reducing the detection cost.

[0009] In some embodiments, the connection terminal is configured to move or shrink in a direction away from the expansion beam under the action of the expansion beam, so as to avoid damage to the expansion beam and the connection terminal due to excessive force during contact, thereby improving the service life of the detection component and the reliability of detection.

[0010] In some embodiments, the detection probe further includes a mounting bracket and an elastic member, wherein the mounting bracket is fixedly connected to the surface of the box body facing the expansion beam; and the two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the connection terminal and the mounting bracket. This can simplify the connection structure, facilitate assembly and reduce manufacturing costs, and improve the reliability and stability of the detection.

[0011] In some embodiments, the detection assembly includes a plurality of detection probes arranged at intervals, and the plurality of detection probes are configured to detect different deformation amounts of the expansion beam. The reliability and accuracy of the detection can be improved by providing a plurality of detection probes, and the plurality of detection probes can realize multi-level detection, thereby facilitating graded warning and being more conducive to the management of battery life.

[0012] The second aspect of the present application provides a battery, which includes the battery case and a battery cell contained in the battery case. The battery of this embodiment uses the battery case of the above embodiment, which can more accurately detect the expansion and deformation of the internal battery, thereby accurately evaluating the battery life and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a battery management system, which is connected to the detection component signal of the battery box, and the battery management system is used to perform one or more of the following according to the detection result of the detection component: (i) issuing an alarm prompt message; (ii) reducing the output power of the battery; (iii) terminating the operation of the battery. The battery management system can perform targeted processing on the battery according to the detection result of the detection component, which is conducive to timely adjusting the state of the battery and improving the reliability of the battery operation.

[0014] The third aspect of the present application provides a battery management method, including: obtaining the detection result of the detection component in the battery box; executing a preset processing flow according to the detection result. The battery management method of this embodiment can realize the execution of the corresponding processing flow on the battery based on the detection result of the detection component, improve the automation program of battery management, and facilitate timely discovery and effective prevention of battery life changes.

[0015] In some embodiments, the preset processing flow includes one or more of the following: (i) issuing an alarm prompt message; (ii) reducing the output power of the battery; (iii) terminating the operation of the battery. By setting different processing flows, targeted processing can be performed when the detection component detects different detection results, thereby improving processing efficiency and taking into account both the performance and reliability of the battery.

[0016] In some embodiments, the detection component includes a first detection probe, a second detection probe, and a third detection probe, and the first detection probe, the second detection probe, and the third detection probe are configured to increase the deformation of the corresponding expansion beam in sequence when the detection signal is triggered; and wherein, executing a preset processing flow according to the detection result includes: in response to the detection signal of the first detection probe being triggered, issuing an alarm prompt message; in response to the detection signal of the second detection probe being triggered, reducing the output power of the battery; in response to the detection signal of the third detection probe being triggered, terminating the battery operation. By setting multiple detection probes and executing corresponding processing flows according to the detection results of the detection probes, the user can be effectively reminded of the battery life status, and the reliability of the battery operation can be improved while maximizing the use of the remaining battery life.

[0017] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides an electrical device, which includes the battery in the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0018] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery box before expansion in some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery box after expansion in some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery in some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the expansion beam of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when it is in the first deformation state;

[0026] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the expansion beam of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when it is in the second deformation state;

[0027] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the expansion beam of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when it is in the third deformation state;

[0028] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart of a battery management method according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0029] Description of reference numerals:

[0030] Vehicles 1000;

[0031] Battery 100, controller 200, motor 300;

[0032] Box body 10, first part 11, second part 12; box body 111, expansion beam 112, detection assembly 13, detection probe 131, connection terminal 1311, mounting bracket 1312, elastic member 1313, first detection probe 131A, second detection probe 131B, third detection probe 131C, detection circuit 132, first detection circuit 132A, second detection circuit 132B, third detection circuit 132C; battery cell 20, battery management system 30. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application are described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, and are therefore only used as examples, and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0036] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there may be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0039] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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 a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] At present, judging from the development of the market situation, the application of batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars, as well as military equipment and aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application field of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0042] Batteries swell during the charge and discharge process. There are usually two types of battery expansion: one is hard expansion caused by changes in the structure of lithium intercalation and deintercalation of positive and negative electrode materials; the other is soft expansion caused by the gas production reaction inside the battery. Hard expansion has always been accompanied by the battery's cyclic charge and discharge process, and as the number of cycles increases, there will also be some irreversible expansion. For batteries that have been used for a long time, the degree of battery expansion will be a major hidden danger that restricts their continued normal use. In particular, for batteries that have reached the end of their design life, if they continue to be used, the battery's expansion force will continue to increase, which will not only affect the performance of the battery itself, but may also cause irreversible damage to the battery's structural components, or even structural failure.

[0043] In order to solve the above problems and timely discover and determine the expansion degree of the battery, the embodiment of the present application proposes a battery box, which includes a box body, an expansion beam and a detection component. The expansion beam is connected to the box body and defines a storage space for accommodating battery cells together with the box body; the detection component includes at least one detection probe, which is located on the side of the expansion beam away from the storage space and connected to the box body. The detection component is used to detect the deformation of the expansion beam. By setting the detection component to detect the deformation of the expansion amount in the battery box, the expansion deformation degree of the battery can be detected in time, which is conducive to accurately evaluating the remaining service life of the battery, reducing the failure risk of battery structural parts, and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0044] The battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application can be used in, but not limited to, energy storage devices, vehicles, ships, aircraft and other electrical devices. A power supply system comprising the battery box and battery disclosed in the present application can be used to form the electrical device, which is conducive to timely detection of structural abnormalities of the battery and improves the reliability of the battery.

[0045] The embodiment of the present application provides an electric device using a battery as a power source, and the electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, an energy storage device, etc. Among them, the electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, for example, a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc., the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc., and the energy storage device may be a household energy storage device, an industrial and commercial energy storage device, etc.

[0046] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided for some embodiments of the present application. Vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000, for example, the battery 100 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300, and the controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can not only serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also serve as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery provided for some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a box 10 and a battery cell 20, and the battery cell 20 is contained in the box 10. Among them, the box 10 is used to provide a storage space for the battery cell 20, and the box 10 can adopt a variety of structures. In some embodiments, the box 10 may include a first part 11 and a second part 12, the first part 11 and the second part 12 cover each other, and the first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define a storage space for accommodating the battery cell 20. The second part 12 can be a hollow structure with one end open, the first part 11 can be a plate-like structure, and the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12, so that the first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define a storage space; the first part 11 and the second part 12 can also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12. Of course, the box 10 formed by the first part 11 and the second part 12 can be in a variety of shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0050] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 20, and the multiple battery cells 20 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection. A mixed connection means that the multiple battery cells 20 are both connected in series and in parallel. The multiple battery cells 20 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the whole formed by the multiple battery cells 20 is accommodated in the box 10; of course, the battery 100 may also be a battery module formed by connecting multiple battery cells 20 in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the multiple battery modules are connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection to form a whole, and accommodated in the box 10. The battery 100 may also include other structures, for example, the battery 100 may also include a busbar component for realizing electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0051] Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery or a primary battery; the positive electrode of the battery cell 20 may include some elements or combinations of elements of lithium, sodium, magnesium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, and sulfur, such as ternary lithium, lithium iron phosphate, lithium manganese iron phosphate, transition metal oxides, Prussian blue / white compounds, polyanion compounds, etc., but not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or in other shapes.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery box before expansion provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the expanded structure of the battery box provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0053] An embodiment of the present application provides a battery case 10, which includes a case body 111, an expansion beam 112 and a detection component 13. The expansion beam 112 is connected to the case body 111 and together with the case body 111 defines a storage space for accommodating a battery cell 20. The detection component 13 includes at least one detection probe 131. The detection probe 131 is located on a side of the expansion beam 112 away from the storage space and connected to the case body 111. The detection component 13 is used to detect the deformation of the expansion beam 112.

[0054] The box body 111 may be the first part 11 or the second part 12. In some embodiments, the box body 111 may be the first part 11 that mainly forms the accommodating cavity, which includes a bottom plate and side walls connected to each other.

[0055] The expansion beam 112 is a beam-like structure spanning between two opposite side walls of the box body 111. The expansion beam 112 can define a storage space for accommodating battery cells together with the side walls and bottom plate of the box body 111, and the storage space can be arranged with multiple battery cells. The expansion beam 112 can be made of a plate or an extruded profile. The expansion beam 112 can be located on one side of the battery cell 20 along a direction perpendicular to its large surface, and is configured to bend and deform as the battery cell 20 in the storage space expands. Taking a square shell battery cell as an example, when the battery cell 20 expands, the large surface of the battery cell 20 has a larger area, and the deformation that can be allowed to occur is also greater. In this way, the deformation of multiple battery cells 20 is superimposed, which will cause the battery box 10 accommodating the battery cell 20 to expand and deform outward, and the expansion beam 112, as a relatively weak structural member forming the storage space, will bend and deform directly under the action of the battery cell, and because the battery expansion amount increases with the increase of its cycle number, the deformation of the expansion beam 112 also increases with the increase of the battery expansion amount. Therefore, the expansion amount of the battery can be evaluated by detecting the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112, and then the remaining service life of the battery can be evaluated.

[0056] Generally speaking, batteries will be retired after reaching their design lifespan. However, in some cases, batteries that have reached their design lifespan may still be capable of continued use. However, since these batteries have been used for a certain period of time, the internal battery cells may have expanded to a certain extent. In the subsequent use process, as the number of battery cycles increases, the expansion and deformation will continue to increase, which may cause structural failure.

[0057] The detection component 13 detects the deformation of the expansion beam 112 through at least one detection probe 131 arranged inside the battery box 10, so that the remaining service life of the battery can be evaluated based on the deformation of the expansion beam 112, so as to provide early warning. In some embodiments, the deformation of the expansion beam 112 under different numbers of cycles can be estimated in advance by simulation calculation, so that the deformation of the expansion beam 112 can be matched with the remaining service life of the battery. The detection probe 131 in the detection component 13 can be any distance detection probe, such as an optical distance sensor, an infrared distance sensor, and an ultrasonic distance sensor, which determines the deformation of the expansion beam 112 by detecting the change in the distance between the sensor and the expansion beam 112. The detection component 13 can also be other sensors or detection devices that generate different detection signals based on the deformation of the expansion beam 112.

[0058] Since the expansion beam 112 has a certain space on the side away from the battery cell 20, it can not only allow the expansion beam 112 to deform, but also facilitate the arrangement of the detection component 13, reduce the volume limit of the detection component 13, thereby increasing the optional range of the detection component 13 and saving costs. In addition, the deformation of the expansion beam 112 is formed based on the overall deformation of the multiple battery cells 20 in the accommodating cavity, which can comprehensively reflect the overall deformation inside the battery. Taking this as the detection object, the deformation degree inside the battery 10 and the deformation degree of the box structure can be more accurately understood. Compared with setting the sensor in the accommodating cavity where the battery cell 20 is located, for example, compared with setting the strain gauge on the surface of the battery cell 20, the detection result of the deformation of the expansion beam 112 is more real and reliable, and will not be distorted due to the abnormal deformation of individual battery cells 20, nor will it fluctuate greatly due to different arrangement positions.

[0059] The deformation of the expansion beam 112 can be characterized by measuring the displacement between the position of any point on the surface of the expansion beam 112 in the initial state (non-deformed state) and the position after expansion along the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the expansion beam 112 .

[0060] The space inside the box body 111 can be divided into two parts by the expansion beam 112, one part is used to form a receiving space for arranging the battery monomer, and the other part can be used to arrange the detection probe 131 or other accessories of the detection assembly 13. The detection probe 131 can be connected to the box body 111 in a detachable or non-detachable manner, and the detachable connection manner can be a threaded connection, a clamping connection, or an interference connection, etc.; the non-detachable connection manner can be a riveting, welding, or bonding, etc.

[0061] By setting a detection component 13 for detecting the deformation of the expansion beam 112 in the battery box 10, the deformation degree of the expansion beam 112 can be detected in time, which is conducive to accurately evaluating the remaining service life of the battery, reducing the failure risk of battery structural parts, and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present application, the detection probe 131 is spaced apart from the expansion beam 112; the detection component 13 also includes a detection circuit 132 electrically connected to the detection probe 131, and the detection circuit 132 is constructed so that the detection results are different when the detection probe 131 is in contact with and separated from the expansion beam 112.

[0063] The detection probe 131 may be a contact sensor, the detection circuit 132 is electrically connected to the detection probe 131 , and the detection result when the detection probe 131 and the expansion beam 112 are in contact is different from the detection result when the detection probe 131 and the expansion beam 112 are in a separated state.

[0064] In the initial state, the detection probe 131 and the expansion beam 112 are spaced apart and the two are in a separated state. As the battery continues to be used, the expansion beam 112 in the battery box 10 will bend and deform, thereby making the distance between the expansion beam 112 and the detection probe 131 smaller and smaller, and eventually contact will occur. At this time, the detection circuit 132 will obtain a detection result different from the previous one. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the detection probe 131 is in contact based on the different detection results of the detection circuit 132, and then the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 can be determined.

[0065] The detection probe 131 is designed as a contact probe spaced apart from the expansion beam 112 , so that the detection signal of the detection probe 131 can be triggered when the deformation of the expansion beam 112 reaches a certain level, which can reduce the detection frequency and power consumption and increase the service life of the detection component 13 .

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present application, the expansion beam 112 is made of a conductive material; the detection probe 131 includes two connection terminals 1311 spaced apart, and the detection circuit 132 is electrically connected to the two connection terminals 1311 , respectively, to detect the resistance between the two connection terminals 1311 .

[0067] The expansion beam 112 can be made of a conductive material, such as a metallic conductive material (such as aluminum) or other conductive non-metallic materials. The detection circuit 132 can be a resistance detection circuit, and the detection circuit 132 is respectively connected to the two connection terminals 1311 to measure the size of the resistance between the two. In this way, when the expansion beam 112 is not in contact with the connection terminal 1311 of the detection probe 131, the two connection terminals 1311 are in a non-conductive state, and the resistance detected by the detection circuit 132 at this time is infinite; when the expansion beam 112 is deformed to contact the two connection terminals 1311 at the same time, due to the conductivity of the expansion beam 112, the two connection terminals 1311 are conductive, and the resistance detected by the detection circuit 132 at this time is zero or less than a preset threshold. In this way, the detection signal triggered by the detection probe 131 is actually the change in resistance detected by the corresponding detection circuit 132.

[0068] In this embodiment, the detection circuit 132 has a simple functional structure and can simply and reliably detect the deformation of the expansion beam 112 by detecting the change in resistance between the two connection terminals 1311, thereby reducing the detection cost.

[0069] According to some embodiments of the present application, the connection terminal 1311 is configured to move or shrink in a direction away from the expansion beam 112 under the action of the expansion beam 112 .

[0070] The two ends of the expansion beam 112 along the extension direction are respectively fixedly connected to the box body 111. When deforming, the two ends will be constrained by the box body 111, so they will roughly present an arc shape that bulges away from the battery cell 20. In this way, the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 at different positions along its extension direction is different. When the two connection terminals 1311 are arranged at intervals, the contact positions with the expansion beam 112 are different. For example, the two connection terminals 1311 are respectively the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, and the two are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the expansion beam 112. Then, due to the deformation characteristics of the expansion beam 112, when the first connection terminal contacts the expansion beam 112, there is still a gap between the second connection terminal and the expansion beam 112, that is, they are still in a separated state. Only when the expansion beam 112 continues to deform, it will contact the second connection terminal, thereby triggering a change in the detection signal between the two connection terminals 1311, such as a change in resistance. However, during this process, since the first connection terminal is always in contact with the expansion beam 112, the force between the first connection terminal and the expansion beam 112 will continue to increase as the expansion beam 112 continues to deform, which may cause damage to the expansion beam 112 or the first connection terminal.

[0071] In some embodiments, the connection terminal 1311 can be installed in a movable connection manner, and can then move under the action of external force to alleviate the damage to the structure caused by the external force. In other embodiments, the connection terminal 1311 can be set as a retractable structure, so that when the external force increases, it can retract backward to alleviate the damage to the structure caused by the external force.

[0072] In this embodiment, the connecting terminal 1311 is constructed to be able to move or shrink in a direction away from the expansion beam 112 under the action of the expansion beam 112. In this way, the increase in the force between the expansion beam 112 and the connecting terminal 1311 can cause the connecting terminal 1311 to move or shrink in a direction away from the expansion beam 112. In this way, damage to the expansion beam 112 and the connecting terminal 1311 due to excessive force during the contact process can be avoided, thereby improving the service life of the detection component and the reliability of the detection.

[0073] According to some embodiments of the present application, the detection probe 131 also includes a mounting bracket 1312 and an elastic member 1313. The mounting bracket 1312 is fixedly connected to the surface of the box body 111 facing the expansion beam 112; the two ends of the elastic member 1313 are respectively connected to the connection terminal 1311 and the mounting bracket 1312.

[0074] The mounting bracket 1312 can be connected to the box body 111 in any connection manner, and the structural form of the mounting bracket 1312 can be arbitrary, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0075] The elastic member 1313 is a structural member that can be elastically deformed in a certain direction. The two ends of the elastic member 1313 are respectively connected to the connection terminal 1311 and the mounting bracket 1312, so that when the connection terminal 1311 contacts the expansion beam 112 and the applied force increases, the elastic member 1313 can be elastically deformed to move away from the expansion beam 112. The elastic member 1313 can be a helical compression spring, an air spring, a rubber spring or other similar components that can be elastically compressed in a specified direction.

[0076] By providing the elastic member 1313, an elastic and movable connection between the connecting terminal 1311 and the mounting bracket 1312 can be achieved. This can simplify the connecting structure, facilitate assembly and reduce manufacturing costs, and can also improve the reliability and stability of detection.

[0077] See also Figure 5-Figure 8 , Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the expansion beam of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when it is in the first deformation state; Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the expansion beam of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when it is in the second deformation state; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the battery box of some embodiments of the present application when the expansion beam is in the third deformation state.

[0078] According to some embodiments of the present application, Figure 5 As shown, the detection assembly 13 includes a plurality of detection probes 131 disposed at intervals, and the plurality of detection probes 131 are configured to detect different deformation amounts of the expansion beam 112 .

[0079] Multiple detection probes 131 can be arranged in sequence along a specified direction, for example, along the extension direction of the expansion beam 112, or along the vertical direction. The gap between each detection probe 131 and the expansion beam 112 can be set according to the corresponding relationship between the number of cycles and the deformation of the expansion beam obtained by simulation calculation, so that multiple detection probes 131 can be used to detect deformations of different degrees. Multiple detection probes 131 work independently of each other, so that even if some detection probes 131 fail, other detection probes 131 can still obtain the deformation inside the battery box, thereby improving the reliability of the detection results. The detection results between multiple detection probes 131 can verify each other. If the detection result of one of the detection probes 131 is abnormal, it can be compared and verified through the detection results of other detection probes 131, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0080] In some embodiments, the multiple detection probes 131 are non-contact distance detection sensors, which do not need to contact the expansion beam 112, but directly measure the change in the distance between the detection probe and the expansion beam relative to the initial state before deformation, so as to obtain the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112. In some embodiments, the multiple detection probes 131 can be the same type of detection probes or different types of detection probes. For example, one part is a contact sensor, and the other part is a non-contact distance detection sensor, such as an infrared distance sensor.

[0081] In some embodiments, the plurality of detection probes 131 are respectively a first detection probe 131A, a second detection probe 131B, and a third detection probe 131C, wherein the first detection probe 131A is electrically connected to the first detection circuit 132A, the second detection probe 131B is electrically connected to the second detection circuit 132B, and the third detection probe 131C is electrically connected to the third detection circuit 132C. In other embodiments, the first detection probe 131A, the second detection probe 131B, and the third detection probe 131C can be electrically connected to the same detection circuit 132 at the same time. When the expansion beam 112 reaches the first deformation state, the first detection probe 131A will be triggered to send a detection signal. At this time, the first deformation amount corresponding to the first deformation state is S1. When the expansion beam 112 reaches the second deformation state, it will contact the first detection probe 131A and the second detection probe 131B at the same time. At this time, the second deformation amount corresponding to the second deformation state is S2. When the expansion beam 112 reaches the third deformation state, the first detection probe 131A, the second detection probe 131B and the third detection probe 131C will be triggered at the same time. At this time, the third deformation amount corresponding to the third deformation state is S3. In this way, multi-level detection can be achieved to facilitate graded early warning and take corresponding countermeasures according to different degrees of deformation results.

[0082] The reliability and accuracy of detection can be improved by providing multiple detection probes 131 . Multiple detection probes can implement multi-level detection, thereby facilitating graded warning and being more conducive to the management of battery life.

[0083] The present application embodiment provides a battery 100, such as Figure 5 As shown, the battery 100 includes the battery case 10 in the above embodiment, and a battery cell 20 accommodated in the battery case 10 .

[0084] A plurality of battery cells 20 are arranged in an array in a receiving space defined by the box body 111 and the expansion beam 112 , and a side of the battery cell 20 close to the expansion beam may be in direct or indirect contact with the expansion beam.

[0085] The battery 100 of this embodiment adopts the battery case 10 in the above embodiment, which can more accurately detect the expansion and deformation of the internal battery, thereby accurately evaluating the battery life and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0086] According to some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 also includes a battery management system 30, which is signal-connected to the detection component 13 of the battery case 10, and the battery management system 30 is used to perform one or more of the following according to the detection results of the detection component 13: (i) issuing an alarm; (ii) reducing the output power of the battery; (iii) terminating the battery operation.

[0087] The battery management system 30 can be located locally, for example, arranged on the outer surface of the battery box, or can be located in the cloud, and connected to the detection component 13 inside the battery box 10 by wireless transmission to achieve data interaction.

[0088] The battery management system 30 processes the detection results of the detection component 13 to determine the battery life and issues corresponding control instructions in a targeted manner, such as issuing an alarm prompt message to remind the user to pay attention to the battery status or replace the battery. It can also adjust the battery operating status, such as reducing the battery's external output power or terminating the battery operation, to suppress the battery's expansion tendency or facilitate battery replacement.

[0089] The battery management system 30 can perform targeted processing on the battery 100 according to the detection result of the detection component 13, so as to help adjust the battery status in time and improve the reliability of battery operation.

[0090] See also Fig. 9 , Fig. 9 This is a flowchart of a battery management method according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0091] The present application embodiment provides a battery management method 200, including:

[0092] Step S210: obtaining the detection result of the detection component in the battery box;

[0093] Step S220: Execute a preset processing method according to the detection result.

[0094] The battery management method 200 may be stored in a memory of a battery management system, and may be executed by a processor of the battery management system to control or adjust an operating state or operating parameter of a battery.

[0095] The battery case in step S210 may be the battery case 10 in the above embodiment, and the detection result may be the resistance between two connection terminals of the detection probe 131. In some embodiments, an interval may be set to regularly read the detection result of the detection component 13.

[0096] In step S220, programs for processing methods corresponding to different detection results may be pre-stored in the memory, so that the corresponding program can be directly called for execution according to the detection results to achieve automatic adjustment or control.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present application, the battery management method 200 can implement a corresponding processing flow for the battery based on the detection results of the detection component, thereby improving the automation process of battery management, and facilitating timely detection and effective prevention of changes in battery life.

[0098] According to some embodiments of the present application, the preset processing flow includes one or more of the following: (i) issuing an alarm prompt message; (ii) reducing the output power of the battery; (iii) terminating the battery operation.

[0099] The alarm prompt information can be a buzzer alarm, a pop-up alarm message on the display device, or any other alarm message. Reducing the output power of the battery can be achieved by adjusting the discharge parameters of the battery through the battery management system, such as reducing the discharge current or adjusting the discharge voltage range, thereby directly controlling the output power of the battery. This can not only retain a certain ability to supply power to the outside, but also slow down the growth rate of the number of battery cycles, thereby slowing down the rate of battery expansion. Terminating battery operation means completely stopping the battery from continuing to charge or discharge externally. It can be by disconnecting all connections and functions of the battery, or by controlling the battery to enter sleep mode. In this way, the number of battery cycles no longer increases, and expansion and deformation can be curbed.

[0100] By setting different processing flows, targeted processing can be performed when the detection component detects different detection results, thereby improving processing efficiency and taking into account both battery performance and reliability.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present application, the detection assembly includes a first detection probe, a second detection probe and a third detection probe, and the first detection probe, the second detection probe and the third detection probe are constructed so that the deformation of the corresponding expansion beam increases sequentially when the detection signal is triggered.

[0102] Step S220 includes: in response to the detection signal of the first detection probe being triggered, issuing an alarm prompt message; in response to the detection signal of the second detection probe being triggered, reducing the output power of the battery; in response to the detection signal of the third detection probe being triggered, terminating the battery operation.

[0103] like Figure 6-Figure 8As shown, the first detection probe 131A, the second detection probe 131B and the third detection probe 131C are spaced apart in the vertical direction, the distance between the first detection probe 131A and the expansion beam 112 in the initial state (undeformed state) is S1, the distance between the second detection probe 131B and the expansion beam 112 in the initial state is S2, and the distance between the third detection probe 131C and the expansion beam 112 in the initial state is S3, and S1, S2, and S3 increase successively. The specific spacing can be determined by the relationship between the number of battery cycles and the deformation amount of the expansion amount obtained by simulation calculation.

[0104] The first detection probe 131A, the second detection probe 131B and the third detection probe 131C may include two connection terminals respectively, and the detection signal may be a sudden change in resistance between the two connection terminals, for example, a sudden drop from infinity to 0 or a minimum value less than a preset threshold.

[0105] In this way, when the expansion beam 112 is in the first deformation state, when the deformation of the expansion beam 112 reaches S1, the two connection terminals of the first detection probe 131A contact the expansion beam 112, and the resistance between the two connection terminals drops to 0. At this time, this resistance mutation is regarded as triggering the detection signal of the first detection probe 131A, and the battery management system is controlled to issue an alarm prompt message to remind the staff or battery users to pay attention. When the battery continues to be used and the expansion beam 112 reaches the second deformation state, when the deformation of the expansion beam 112 reaches S2, the two connection terminals of the second detection probe 131B contact the expansion beam 112, and the resistance between the two connection terminals drops to 0, triggering the detection signal of the second detection probe 131B. At this time, the expansion deformation of the battery has reached a relatively dangerous situation, and the output power of the battery needs to be reduced to slow down the expansion rate of the battery. When the battery continues to be used until the expansion beam 112 reaches the third deformation state, when the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 reaches S3, the two connecting terminals of the third detection probe 131C contact the expansion beam 112, and the resistance between the two connecting terminals drops to 0, triggering the detection signal of the third detection probe 131C. At this time, it indicates that the expansion of the battery has reached a very dangerous situation. The operation of the battery must be terminated and the battery must be replaced to reduce the probability of danger as much as possible.

[0106] By setting up multiple detection probes and executing corresponding processing flows according to the detection results of the detection probes, the user can be effectively reminded of the battery life status, thereby maximizing the use of the remaining battery life and improving the reliability of battery operation.

[0107] An embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, including a battery 100 as in the above embodiment, and the battery 100 is used to provide electrical energy.

[0108] The technical solution of the present application is further described below in conjunction with a specific implementation manner.

[0109] like Figure 3-Figure 9 As shown, the battery includes a battery box 10, a battery cell 20 and a battery management system 30. The battery box 10 includes a box body 111, an expansion beam 112 and a detection component 13.

[0110] The expansion beam 112 is connected to the box body 111 , and together with the box body 111 defines an accommodation space for accommodating the battery cell 20 . The expansion beam 112 is made of a conductive material.

[0111] The detection assembly 13 includes a detection probe 131 and a detection circuit 132 electrically connected to the detection probe. Each detection probe 131 is located at a side of the expansion beam 112 away from the accommodation space and connected to the box body 111 .

[0112] The detection probe 131 includes two connection terminals 1311 disposed at an interval, and the detection circuit 132 is electrically connected to the two connection terminals 1311 respectively to detect the resistance between the two connection terminals 1311 .

[0113] The detection probe 131 also includes a mounting bracket 1312 and an elastic member 1313 . The mounting bracket 1312 is fixedly connected to the surface of the box body 111 facing the expansion beam 112 . The two ends of the elastic member 1313 are respectively connected to the connection terminal 1311 and the mounting bracket 1312 .

[0114] The detection probe 131 includes a first detection probe 131A, a second detection probe 131B, and a third detection probe 131C which are arranged at intervals.

[0115] The battery management system 30 is connected to the detection component 13 by signal, and executes a preset processing flow according to the detection result of the detection component 13:

[0116] When the expansion beam 112 is in the first deformation state, the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 reaches S1, the two connecting terminals of the first detection probe 131A contact the expansion beam 112, the resistance between the two connecting terminals drops to 0, and the battery management system 30 issues an alarm prompt message.

[0117] When the battery continues to be used and the expansion beam 112 reaches the second deformation state, the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 reaches S2, the two connecting terminals of the second detection probe 131B contact the expansion beam 112, and the resistance between the two connecting terminals drops to 0, triggering the detection signal of the second detection probe 131B, and the battery management system 30 reduces the output power of the battery.

[0118] When the battery continues to be used until the expansion beam 112 reaches the third deformation state, the deformation amount of the expansion beam 112 reaches S3, the two connecting terminals of the third detection probe 131C contact the expansion beam 112, and the resistance between the two connecting terminals drops to 0, triggering the detection signal of the third detection probe 131C, and the battery management system 30 terminates the operation of the battery.

[0119] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery box, characterized in that: include: Box body, An expansion beam connected to the box body and defining a storage space for accommodating a battery cell together with the box body, wherein the expansion beam is made of a conductive material; A detection assembly, comprising at least one detection probe, the detection probe is located on a side of the expansion beam away from the accommodation space and connected to the box body, the detection probe is spaced apart from the expansion beam; the detection probe comprises two connection terminals spaced apart; The detection component further includes a detection circuit electrically connected to the detection probe, the detection circuit is electrically connected to the two connection terminals respectively to detect the resistance between the two connection terminals, and the detection circuit is configured to obtain different detection results when the detection probe is in contact with and separated from the expansion beam; the connection terminal is configured to move or shrink in a direction away from the expansion beam under the action of the expansion beam, and the detection component is used to detect the deformation of the expansion beam; Among them, the detection component includes a first detection probe, a second detection probe and a third detection probe. The first detection probe, the second detection probe and the third detection probe are constructed so that the corresponding deformation of the expansion beam increases successively when the detection signal is triggered, and the deformation of the expansion beam is used to evaluate the remaining service life of the battery.

2. The battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection probe further includes a mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket is fixedly connected to a surface of the box body facing the expansion beam; and An elastic member, two ends of which are respectively connected to the connecting terminal and the mounting bracket.

3. A battery, characterized in that: include The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 2, and A battery cell is accommodated in the battery case.

4. The battery according to claim 3, characterized in that Also includes: A battery management system is connected to the detection component signal of the battery box, and the battery management system is used to perform one or more of the following according to the detection result of the detection component: (i) Sending an alarm message; (ii) reducing the output power of the battery; (iii) terminating the operation of the battery.

5. A battery management method, characterized in that: The battery comprises a battery case as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 2, and the method comprises: Obtaining a detection result of a detection component in the battery box; Execute a preset processing flow according to the detection result.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The step of executing a preset processing flow according to the detection result includes: In response to the detection signal of the first detection probe being triggered, issuing an alarm prompt message; In response to the detection signal of the second detection probe being triggered, reducing the output power of the battery; In response to the detection signal of the third detection probe being triggered, the battery operation is terminated.

7. An electrical device, characterized in that: The electrical device comprises the battery as claimed in claim 3 or 4, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

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