Drain valve, battery and electric appliance

Abstract

This application discloses a drain valve, a battery, and an electrical device, belonging to the field of battery technology. The drain valve includes a valve body, a valve core, a gas-generating agent, and a check valve. The valve body has an inlet and an outlet. The valve core is movably coupled to the valve body and closes the outlet. The gas-generating agent is at least partially disposed within the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to produce gas, thereby pushing the valve core to open the outlet. The check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the inlet and restrict the flow of gas out of the valve body from the inlet. The gas-generating agent reacts with the liquid water to produce gas, and the check valve restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet. As the amount of gas increases, the pressure within the valve body gradually increases, thereby pushing the valve core to move and open the outlet, allowing liquid water to be discharged from the battery through the outlet. This reduces the risk of short circuits in individual battery cells due to leaked liquid water, which could lead to increased battery temperature and fire, thus improving the reliability of the battery during use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a drain valve, a battery, and an electrical device. Background Technology

[0002] Batteries are widely used in electronic devices such as electric vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric ships, and power tools.

[0003] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving battery performance, the reliability of batteries during use is also an issue that needs to be considered.

[0004] Therefore, improving the reliability of batteries during use is an urgent problem to be solved in battery technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, this application provides a drain valve, a battery, and an electrical device that can improve the reliability of the battery during use.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a drain valve, comprising a valve body, a valve core, a gas-generating agent, and a check valve. The valve body has an inlet and an outlet. The valve core is movably coupled to the valve body and closes the outlet. The gas-generating agent is at least partially disposed within the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby actuating the valve core to open the outlet. The check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the inlet and restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet.

[0007] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the drain valve includes a valve body, a valve core, a gas-generating agent, and a check valve. The valve body has an inlet and an outlet. The valve core is movably coupled to the valve body and closes the outlet. The gas-generating agent is at least partially disposed within the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core to open the outlet. The check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the inlet and restrict the gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet. Taking the drain valve applied to a battery as an example, the gas-generating agent reacts with liquid water to generate gas, and the check valve restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet. As the amount of gas generated by the gas-generating agent gradually increases, the pressure inside the valve body gradually increases, thereby pushing the valve core to move and open the outlet, allowing liquid water to be discharged from the battery through the outlet. This reduces the risk of short circuits in individual battery cells caused by leaked liquid water, leading to increased battery temperature and potential battery fire, and improves the reliability of the battery during use.

[0008] In some embodiments, a check valve is disposed on the path between the liquid inlet and the gas-producing material.

[0009] In some embodiments, the drain valve further includes an elastic element connected to the valve core and the valve body, which applies an elastic force to the valve core to keep it in the closed outlet position. Taking the drain valve as an example in a battery, when there is no liquid water leakage inside the battery, the elastic element can keep the valve core in the closed outlet position, reducing the risk of foreign objects or liquids from outside the battery casing entering the battery casing, causing short circuits in individual battery cells, leading to increased battery temperature and potential battery fire.

[0010] In some embodiments, the valve body defines a first chamber communicating with the inlet, and the valve core and valve body together define a second chamber. The valve body is provided with a communication port for connecting the first and second chambers, and the gas-producing material is disposed in the second chamber. This design ensures that liquid water must flow through the first chamber before entering the second chamber through the communication port to react with the gas-producing material. This lengthens the path of liquid water within the drain valve when it is opened, reducing the risk of accidental opening of the drain valve.

[0011] In some embodiments, a check valve is disposed in the path between the first chamber and the second chamber; the check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and restrict gas flow out of the second chamber. Taking a drain valve applied to a battery as an example, this design prevents gas generated by the gas-producing material from flowing out of the second chamber, causing the pressure inside the second chamber to increase rapidly over a period of time, thus shortening the time required for the drain valve to open.

[0012] In some embodiments, the check valve is disposed at the connection port. This design allows the connection port to be used as a reference during the assembly of the check valve, reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0013] In some embodiments, the check valve is a one-way membrane covering the connection port. This design allows the one-way membrane to adhere near and cover the connection port, thus allowing liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and restricting gas flow out of the second chamber. No additional mounting grooves need to be machined on the walls of the valve body or valve core, reducing assembly difficulty.

[0014] In some embodiments, the valve body includes a top wall and a side wall surrounding the top wall, with an inlet disposed on the side wall and / or the top wall, and an outlet formed by the end of the side wall away from the top wall. This design allows the inlet to be disposed at any position circumferentially on the side wall and / or the top wall, and the opening direction of the inlet can be flexibly arranged according to different products.

[0015] In some embodiments, the valve body further includes a partition wall and a connecting portion. The partition wall is located within the space enclosed by the top wall and the side wall, and the partition wall is spaced apart from the top wall. The connecting portion connects the top wall and the partition wall, forming a first chamber between the partition wall and the top wall. The valve core and the partition wall enclose a second chamber, and a communication port is located on the partition wall. With this design, since the inlet is located on the side wall and / or the top wall, and the communication port is located on the partition wall, liquid must pass through the inlet and the communication port sequentially to enter the second chamber. This further lengthens the flow path required for the liquid to contact the gas-producing material within the valve body, reducing the risk that a small amount of liquid in the tank can cause the drain valve to open, leading to a short service life of the drain valve.

[0016] In some embodiments, the valve core includes a sleeve portion and a piston portion. The sleeve portion is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall, and the piston portion is connected to the end of the sleeve portion away from the top wall. The piston portion is used to close or open the liquid outlet. The sleeve portion, partition wall, and piston portion form a second chamber. This design makes the space of the second chamber smaller than that of the first chamber, reducing the time required for gas to fill the second chamber and drive the valve core to move, thus allowing the valve core to move faster and open the liquid outlet. Taking the application of the drain valve in a battery as an example, reducing the opening time of the drain valve reduces the risk of liquid accumulating in the battery case due to excessively long opening time during the drain valve opening process, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit in the battery cells.

[0017] In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall. A guide port is provided on the sleeve, and a liquid inlet is provided on the sidewall. The liquid inlet communicates with the first chamber through the gap and the guide port. This design ensures that liquid water must flow through at least the liquid inlet, the gap, the guide port, and the communication port before entering the second chamber. This further lengthens the flow path required for the liquid water to react with the gas-producing material within the valve body, reducing the risk that the presence of a small amount of liquid water in the tank can cause the drain valve to open, resulting in a short service life of the drain valve.

[0018] In some embodiments, the piston portion protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion along its radial direction. This design, in embodiments where part of the valve core is located within the valve body, allows liquid to enter the drain valve from the inlet and exit from the outlet. During normal draining, this shortens the opening time of the drain valve and improves draining efficiency.

[0019] In some embodiments, a seal is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the piston and the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall. This design only requires controlling the cylindricity of the piston without controlling its flatness, resulting in a smaller machining area and lower machining difficulty.

[0020] In some embodiments, the drain valve includes a protective element disposed on the side of the piston portion away from the top wall. This reduces the risk of damage to the piston portion caused by foreign objects, which could obstruct the movement of the valve core.

[0021] In some embodiments, the valve core includes a first guide portion, and the valve body includes a second guide portion. The second guide portion is located on the inner surface of the sidewall, and the first guide portion is slidably engaged with the second guide portion. The arrangement of the first guide portion and the second guide portion can guide the movement of the valve core, reducing the risk that the valve core may deviate when switching between the first position and the second position, causing obstruction of the valve core movement and resulting in the inlet and outlet failing to connect.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first guide portion is a protrusion on the piston portion facing the top wall, and the second guide portion is a groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall, with the protrusion located between the side wall and the sleeve portion. The protrusion on the piston portion facing the top wall can be machined together with the piston portion, and the groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall can also be machined together with the valve body, making the machining relatively easy.

[0023] In some embodiments, the drain valve further includes a nut, which is fitted onto the valve body and threaded to the side wall. A flange is formed at the end of the side wall away from the top wall. The distance between the nut and the flange can be adjusted by tightening the nut to adapt the drain valve to installation interfaces of different thicknesses. The drain valve can also be installed by tightening the nut, making the installation process simple and convenient.

[0024] In some embodiments, the nut has multiple notches that communicate with the inlet. This design allows leaked liquid water to pass through the notches and enter the valve body through the inlet to contact the water-soluble components, reducing the risk that the inlet may be blocked by the nut after tightening, causing the drain valve to malfunction.

[0025] In some embodiments, multiple liquid inlets are provided, spaced circumferentially along the sidewall. This design allows leaked liquid water to enter the valve body from multiple different directions and come into contact with the gas-producing material, enabling the drain valve to adapt to different liquid leakage conditions.

[0026] In some embodiments, the gas-producing material is one of calcium peroxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

[0027] Secondly, this application provides a battery including a housing and a drain valve as described in the above embodiments. The drain valve is installed on the wall of the housing and is used to drain liquid from the housing.

[0028] Thirdly, the application provides an electrical device that includes the battery described in the above embodiments, the battery being used to provide electrical energy.

[0029] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure according to some embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 Exploded views of batteries from some embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the drain valve of some embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core in the second position;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core in a first position;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to other embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a check valve according to some embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 9 This is an isometric view of the valve core of some embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core in the second position;

[0041] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core in a first position;

[0042] Figure 12This is an isometric view of the valve core according to some embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 13 This is an isometric view of the valve body of some embodiments of this application;

[0044] Figure 14 This is an isometric view of a nut according to some embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application, showing the position of the valve core in the second position;

[0046] Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application, showing the position of the valve core in a first position.

[0047] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0048] 1000 - Vehicle; 300 - Motor; 200 - Controller; 100 - Battery; 11 - Housing; 111 - First Part; 112 - Second Part; 1121 - Peripheral Wall; 1122 - Bottom Wall; 12 - Battery Cell; 13 - Drain Valve; 131 - Valve Body; 1311 - Inlet; 1312 - Outlet; 1314 - Top Wall; 1315 - Side Wall; 13151 - Flange; 13152 - Slide Groove; 1316 - Partition Wall; 13161 - Connecting Port; 13162 - First Protrusion; 1317 - Second Guide Part; 1318 - Nut; 13181 - Notch; 1319 - Seal; 13110 - Connection part; 1320 - Sealing ring; 132 - Valve core; 1321 - Piston part; 13211 - Second protrusion; 1322 - First guide part; 1323 - Sleeve part; 13221 - Protrusion; 13231 - Flow guide; 13232 - Guide groove; 133 - Gas-producing material; 134 - Elastic element; 135 - Check valve; 1351 - Mounting hole; 13511 - Clearance part; 13512 - Rotating mating part; 1352 - Rotating part; 1353 - Body part; 136 - Protective element; 137 - First chamber; 138 - Second chamber; 139 - Clearance. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0051] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0052] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0053] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0055] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] In this application, the battery cell may include, but is not limited to, lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries. The shape of the battery cell may include, but is not limited to, cylinders, flat bodies, cuboids, or other shapes. Battery cells can generally be classified according to their packaging method, including but not limited to: cylindrical battery cells, cuboid / square battery cells, and pouch battery cells.

[0057] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module comprising one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. A battery generally includes a casing for encapsulating one or more battery cells. The casing prevents liquids or other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0058] To improve the reliability and stability of battery operation, thermal management components are typically installed inside the casing. In some cases, the thermal management components are located at the bottom of the casing and fixedly mounted to the side wall. In other cases, the thermal management components are located between adjacent battery cells, in close contact with the large surface area of ​​the battery cells. The battery cells are generally connected to the thermal management components using thermally conductive adhesive to allow heat exchange between the battery cells and the thermal management components. When the temperature of the thermal management components changes, the temperature of the battery cells in contact with them also changes.

[0059] Typically, thermal management components contain a fluid that can regulate the temperature of multiple battery cells. This fluid can be a liquid or a gas, and temperature regulation refers to heating or cooling the multiple battery cells. When cooling or dissipating heat from the battery cells, this thermal management component can be called a cooling component, cooling system, or cooling plate, and the fluid it contains can be called a cooling medium or cooling fluid; more specifically, it can be called a coolant or cooling gas. Alternatively, the thermal management component can also be used to heat the multiple battery cells. Optionally, the fluid can be circulating to achieve better temperature regulation. Optionally, the fluid can be water, a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, or air, etc.

[0060] The development of battery technology must consider multiple design factors simultaneously, such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, and charge / discharge rate. Furthermore, improving battery reliability during use is also a crucial consideration.

[0061] Taking the application of drain valves in batteries as an example, during long-term battery use, factors such as poor coolant circulation, aging and failure of seals in thermal management components, and damage to the piping of thermal management components may cause the heat exchange medium, such as coolant, to leak into the battery housing. If the coolant accumulates in the housing and cannot drain, it increases the risk of short circuits in individual battery cells. Once a battery cell short circuits, the battery temperature will rise, potentially leading to a battery fire, resulting in low reliability during battery use.

[0062] In view of this, this application provides a drain valve, which includes a valve body, a valve core, a gas-generating agent, and a check valve. The valve body has an inlet and an outlet. The valve core is movably coupled to the valve body and closes the outlet. The gas-generating agent is at least partially disposed within the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core to open the outlet. The check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the inlet and restrict the flow of gas out of the valve body from the inlet. The gas-generating agent reacts with the liquid water to generate gas, and the check valve restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet. As the amount of gas increases, the pressure within the valve body gradually increases, thereby pushing the valve core to move and open the outlet, allowing liquid water to be discharged from the battery through the outlet. This reduces the risk of short circuits in individual battery cells caused by leaked liquid water, leading to increased battery temperature and potential fires, and improves the reliability of the battery during use.

[0063] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application are applicable to various battery-powered devices, such as electric vehicles, power tools, electric vehicles, ships, and spacecraft. For example, spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft.

[0064] The following explanation will primarily focus on the example of a drain valve used in batteries to drain liquid coolant leaking from the battery casing.

[0065] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The vehicle 1000 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. The vehicle 1000 can internally house a motor 300, a controller 200, and a battery 100. The controller 200 controls the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300. For example, the battery 100 can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000; for example, it can serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000's electrical system, such as meeting the power requirements for starting, navigation, and operation. In another embodiment of this application, the battery 1000 can not only serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000 but also as the driving power source, replacing or partially replacing gasoline or natural gas to provide driving power to the vehicle 1000.

[0066] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 To meet different power demands, the battery 100 may include multiple battery cells 12. These battery cells 12 can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof. The battery 100 may also be referred to as a battery pack. The battery 100 may further include a housing 11, which has a hollow interior and houses the multiple battery cells 12. The housing 11 may include two parts, referred to here as a first part 111 and a second part 112, which are fastened together. The shapes of the first part 111 and the second part 112 can be determined based on the combined shape of the multiple battery cells 12. Both the first part 111 and the second part 112 may have an open surface. For example, both the first part 111 and the second part 112 may be hollow cuboids with only one open surface each. The open surfaces of the first part 111 and the second part 112 are opposite to each other, and the first part 111 and the second part 112 are fastened together to form a housing 11 with a closed cavity. Multiple battery cells 12 are connected in parallel, series, or mixed and placed inside the housing 11 formed by the first part 111 and the second part 112.

[0067] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The battery 100 may also include a drain valve 13. Taking the drain valve 13 being located in the second part 112 as an example, the second part 112 may include a bottom wall 1122, the edge of which is surrounded by a peripheral wall 1121. The end face of the peripheral wall 1121 away from the bottom wall 1122 is an open face. The first part 111 covers the open face to form a housing 11 with a closed chamber. The drain valve 13 may be located in the bottom wall 1122 or in the peripheral wall 1121. The number of drain valves 13 may be one or more. Multiple drain valves 13 may be located in the bottom wall 1122 and the peripheral wall 1121 respectively, or they may all be located in the bottom wall 1122 or all in the peripheral wall 1121.

[0068] According to some embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 - Figure 6This application provides a drain valve 13 including a valve body 131, a valve core 132, a gas-generating component 133, and a check valve 135. The valve body 131 has a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is movably coupled to the valve body 131 and closes the liquid outlet 1312. The gas-generating component 133 is at least partially disposed within the valve body 131 and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core 132 to open the liquid outlet 1312. The check valve 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311 and restrict the flow of gas from the liquid inlet 1311 out of the valve body 131.

[0069] For ease of explanation, when the drain valve 13 is in the open state, that is, when the gas-producing material 133 reacts with the liquid water to generate gas, it pushes the valve core 132 to open the outlet 1312. At this time, the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 are connected, and the position of the valve core 132 is the first position. When the drain valve 13 is in the closed state, the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 are cut off, and the position of the valve core 132 is the second position.

[0070] The materials of valve body 131 include, but are not limited to, plastic, martensitic stainless steel, iron, etc.

[0071] The materials of valve core 132 include, but are not limited to, plastic, martensitic stainless steel, iron, etc.

[0072] The number of gas-generating substances 133 can be one, such as a gas-generating substance 133 with a sleeve structure. The number of gas-generating substances 133 can also be multiple columnar solids, with multiple gas-generating substances 133 filling the valve body 131.

[0073] The gas-producing substance 133 can be a powdery solid or a solid with a regular shape.

[0074] The check valve 135 may be made of a material that allows liquid to pass through but restricts gas from passing through. The check valve 135 may include, but is not limited to, a polyvinyl alcohol film with low water solubility.

[0075] There can be multiple liquid inlets 1311.

[0076] In the first position, the connection between the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 means that leaked liquid water inside the casing 11 of the battery 100 can be discharged to the outside of the casing 11 through the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 in sequence. In the second position, the disconnection between the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 means that water or foreign objects outside the casing 11 cannot enter the casing 11 through the outlet 1312 and the inlet 1311.

[0077] The gas-producing substance 133 is made of a substance that can produce gas by reacting with liquid water. The material of the gas-producing substance 133 may include, but is not limited to, calcium oxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

[0078] The gas-generating substance 133 reacts with liquid water to produce gas, which increases the pressure inside the valve body 131. When the pressure inside the valve body 131 is greater than the pressure outside the valve body 131, the gas pushes the valve core 132 to the first position. Compared with the traditional method of opening the drain valve 13, the gas-generating method of opening the drain valve 13 upon contact with liquid is faster, which can reduce the risk of short circuit of the battery cell 12 due to excessive accumulation of liquid water in the battery casing 11 of the battery 100.

[0079] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. An inlet 1311 is disposed on the top wall 1314, and the end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314 forms an outlet 1312. A gas-producing substance 133 is contained within the valve body 131. A valve core 132 is used to close the outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is disc-shaped. The drain valve 13 also includes an elastic element 134, one end of which is connected to the valve core 132, and the other end of which is connected to the valve body 131. An annular wall is provided inside the orifice wall of the outlet 1312. In a second position, under the action of the elastic element 134, the valve core 132 abuts against the annular wall, closing the outlet 1312. The drain valve 13 also includes a check valve 135 located between the top wall 1314 and the valve core 132. The check valve 135 is configured to allow liquid to enter the valve body 131 from the inlet 1311 and restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body 131.

[0080] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the drain valve 13 includes a valve body 131, a valve core 132, and a gas-generating substance 133. The valve body 131 has a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is used to close the liquid outlet 1312. The gas-generating substance 133 is at least partially disposed within the valve body 131, and the gas-generating substance 133 is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core 132 to open the liquid outlet 1312. Taking the drain valve 13 applied to the battery 100 as an example, the gas-producing substance 133 reacts with liquid water to produce gas. The check valve 135 restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body 131 from the inlet 1311. As the amount of gas increases, the pressure inside the valve body 131 gradually increases, thereby pushing the valve core 132 to move and open the outlet 1312, so that liquid water can be discharged from the battery 100 through the outlet 1312. This reduces the risk of short circuit of the battery cell 12 caused by leaked liquid water in the battery 100, which could lead to an increase in the temperature of the battery 100 and cause the battery 100 to catch fire. This improves the reliability of the battery 100 during use.

[0081] According to some embodiments of this application, a check valve 135 is disposed on the path between the liquid inlet 1311 and the gas-producing material 133.

[0082] The check valve 135 is located on the path between the liquid inlet 1311 and the gas-producing material 133, which means that the liquid water will only come into contact with the gas-producing material 133 after flowing through the check valve 135 during the flow process.

[0083] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 - Figure 6 The drain valve 13 also includes an elastic element 134, which connects the valve core 132 and the valve body 131 and is used to apply an elastic force to the valve core 132 so that the valve core 132 is held in the position of closing the outlet 1312.

[0084] The elastic element 134 can be made of metal spring or non-metal spring.

[0085] In the second position, the elastic element 134 allows the battery 100 housing 11 to be in a relatively sealed state, reducing the possibility of water or foreign objects from outside the housing 11 entering the housing 11.

[0086] In the second position, the elastic element 134 has a certain initial tension, and the restoring force of the elastic element 134 itself can hold the valve core 132 in the second position.

[0087] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. An inlet 1311 is disposed on the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, and an outlet 1312 is formed by the end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314. The valve body 131 also includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, and the partition wall 1316 is spaced apart from the top wall 1314. The connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, and a first chamber 137 is formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316 form a second chamber 138, and a communication port 13161 is disposed on the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. A first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing the piston portion 1321, and a second protrusion 13211 is provided on the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the partition wall 1316. One end of an elastic member 134 is connected to the first protrusion 13162, and the other end of the elastic member 134 is connected to the second protrusion 13211. One end of the elastic member 134 can be welded to the partition wall 1316, and the other end of the elastic member 134 can be welded to the piston portion 1321. In other embodiments, one end of the elastic member 134 can be attached to the first protrusion 13162, and the other end of the elastic member 134 can be attached to the second protrusion 13211. In some embodiments, both the elastic member 134 and the gas-generating material 133 are located within the valve body 131, with the elastic member 134 located between the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321. The gas-generating material 133 is a sleeve-shaped gas-generating material 133, and the elastic member 134 passes through the gas-generating material 133.

[0088] Taking the drain valve 13 applied to the battery 100 as an example, when there is no liquid water leakage inside the battery 100, the elastic element 134 can keep the valve core 132 in the closed outlet 1312 position, reducing the risk that foreign objects or liquids outside the battery 100 casing 11 will enter the battery 100 casing 11 and cause the battery cell 12 to short circuit, resulting in the battery 100 temperature rising and causing the battery 100 to catch fire.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 - Figure 6The valve body 131 defines a first chamber 137 that communicates with the liquid inlet 1311. The valve core 132 and the valve body 131 together define a second chamber 138. The valve body 131 is provided with a communication port 13161 for communicating the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138. The gas-producing material 133 is disposed in the second chamber 138.

[0090] The valve body 131 is provided with a communication port 13161 for connecting the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138, which means that liquid can enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137.

[0091] This design ensures that liquid water must flow through the first chamber 137 before entering the second chamber 138 through the connection port 13161 to react with the gas-producing material 133. This lengthens the path of liquid water flowing inside the drain valve 13 when it is opened, reducing the risk of the drain valve 13 being opened accidentally.

[0092] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 - Figure 6 A check valve 135 is disposed in the path between the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138; the check valve 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 and restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138.

[0093] The check valve 135 can be configured to deform or flip as the liquid enters the second chamber 138 through the inlet 1311, so that the liquid enters the second chamber 138 and comes into contact with the gas-producing material 133. When the gas produced by the gas-producing material 133 encounters the liquid and flows toward the first chamber 137, the reaction force of the gas acts on the check valve 135, causing the check valve 135 to close the second chamber 138, thereby restricting the gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138.

[0094] The check valve 135 restricts the flow of gas out of the second chamber 138, meaning that in some cases only a small portion of the gas generated by the gas-producing material 133 may flow out of the chamber through the check valve 135. During the continuous generation of gas by the gas-producing material 133, most of the gas will continue to fill the second chamber 138 so that the pressure inside the second chamber 138 is greater than the pressure outside the second chamber 138 and pushes the valve core 132 toward the first position.

[0095] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 7The check valve 135 is made of a flexible material, such as rubber, which is easily deformed under external force. The middle of the check valve 135 is connected to the valve body 131, while the edge of the check valve 135 is separated from the valve body 131. As the liquid sequentially enters the second chamber 138 through the inlet 1311 and the connecting port 13161, the liquid's own gravity causes the edge of the check valve 135 to move closer to the gas-producing material 133, thus allowing the liquid to flow into the second chamber 138 between the check valve 135 and the valve body 131. After the gas-producing material 133 reacts with the liquid to produce gas, the gas tends to move upwards and out of the second chamber 138. At this time, the gas causes the edge of the gas-producing material 133 to move away from the gas-producing material 133, causing the check valve 135 to close the connecting port 13161, thereby closing the second chamber 138 and restricting the outflow of gas produced by the gas-producing material 133.

[0096] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 - Figure 11The valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. An inlet 1311 is located on the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314. One end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314 forms an outlet 1312. The valve body 131 also includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, and is spaced apart from the top wall 1314. The connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316. A first chamber 137 is formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316 form a second chamber 138. A communication port 13161 is located on the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. The check element 135 includes a body portion 1353 and rotating portions 1352 disposed at opposite ends of the body portion 1353. The outer diameter of the body portion 1353 is the same as the inner diameter of the sleeve portion 1323, and the outer edge of the body portion 1353 is tangent to the inner wall of the sleeve portion 1323. A guide groove 13232 is provided on the piston portion 1321 facing the second chamber 138. The check valve 135 is mounted on the valve core 132 through the engagement of the rotating portion 1352 with the guide groove 13232. A mounting hole 1351 is provided at the center of the body portion 1353. The mounting hole 1351 includes a clearance portion 13511 and a rotating engagement portion 13512. The rotating engagement portion 13512 is closer to the gas-producing material 133 than the clearance portion 13511. A first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing away from the top wall 1314. At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first protrusion 13162 is a spherical surface tangent to the rotating engagement portion 13512. Please refer to... Figure 9 and Figure 10 After the liquid enters the second chamber 138 sequentially through the inlet 1311 and the connecting port 13161, it acts on one end of the check valve 135 in the Z direction under the influence of its own gravity. One end of the check valve 135 rotates in the X direction, and the other end rotates in the Y direction, allowing the liquid to flow along the surface of the check valve 135 into the second chamber 138 and come into contact with the gas-producing substance 133. The gas-producing substance 133 reacts with the liquid to produce gas, which tends to flow out of the chamber through the connecting port 13161. At this point, please refer to... Figure 7 and Figure 11The gas will push the check valve 135 along the guide groove 13232 toward the partition wall 1316. The rotating mating part 13512 of the check valve 135 moves toward the partition wall 1316 while disengaging from the spherical surface of the first protrusion 13162 and keeping in contact with the circumferential surface of the first protrusion 13162. When the check valve 135 is in contact with the surface of the partition wall 1316 toward the piston part 1321, the check valve 135 can close the communication port 13161 to restrict the gas from flowing out of the chamber. As the gas generated by the gas product 133 increases, it pushes the valve core 132 toward the first position and opens the drain valve 13.

[0097] Taking the drain valve 13 applied to the battery 100 as an example, the gas generated by the gas-producing material 133 cannot flow out of the second chamber 138, causing the pressure in the second chamber 138 to increase rapidly within a certain period of time, thus shortening the time required for the drain valve 13 to open.

[0098] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 - Figure 6 The check valve 135 is located at the connection port 13161.

[0099] The connecting port 13161 can be a through hole that penetrates a certain wall of the valve body 131. The through hole can be a stepped hole, a smooth hole, etc.

[0100] There can be multiple 13161 connection ports.

[0101] The check valve 135 is located at the connection port 13161, which means that in the first position, the check valve 135 closes the connection port 13161 to restrict the flow of gas out of the second chamber 138.

[0102] In some embodiments, the check valve 135 is a one-way diaphragm, which is adhered to the valve body 131 and then covers the communication port 13161.

[0103] This design allows the connection port 13161 to be used as a reference during the assembly of the check valve 135, reducing the assembly difficulty of the check valve 135.

[0104] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The check valve 135 is a one-way membrane covering the communication port 13161.

[0105] One-way films may include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol films with low water solubility.

[0106] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. An inlet 1311 is disposed on the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, and an outlet 1312 is formed by the end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314. The valve body 131 also includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, and the partition wall 1316 is spaced apart from the top wall 1314. The connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, and a first chamber 137 is formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316 form a second chamber 138, and a communication port 13161 is disposed on the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. A one-way diaphragm can be disposed on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing or away from the top wall 1314, and the one-way diaphragm covers the communication port 13161. In other embodiments, the partition wall 1316 has a first protrusion 13162 on the side away from the top wall 1314, and the one-way diaphragm has a mounting hole 1351 in the middle that mates with the first protrusion 13162. The one-way diaphragm can be positioned through the mounting hole 1351 and then assembled onto the first protrusion 13162.

[0107] This design allows the one-way membrane to be adhered to and cover the connection port 13161, thus enabling liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 while restricting gas flow out of the second chamber 138. No additional mounting grooves need to be machined on the walls of the valve body 131 or valve core 132, resulting in lower assembly difficulty.

[0108] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to 4- Figure 6 The valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. The liquid inlet 1311 is provided on the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314. The end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314 forms the liquid outlet 1312.

[0109] The liquid inlet 1311 can be located at any part of the side wall 1315. Considering that setting the liquid inlet 1311 at a low position of the tank 11 can facilitate the discharge of leaked liquid water, the liquid inlet 1311 can be located at the end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314.

[0110] The liquid inlet 1311 can be a through hole, stepped hole, opening, etc. that penetrates the side wall 1315.

[0111] There can be multiple liquid inlets 1311, and the opening areas of the multiple liquid inlets 1311 can be the same or different.

[0112] The liquid inlet 1311 can be located at any part of the top wall 1314, and the liquid inlet 1311 can also be provided on both the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315.

[0113] This design allows the liquid inlet 1311 to be located at any position in the circumference of the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, so that the opening direction of the liquid inlet 1311 can be flexibly arranged according to different products.

[0114] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to 4- Figure 6 The valve body 131 also includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting part 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located in the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315. The partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314 are spaced apart. The connecting part 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316. A first chamber 137 is formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316 enclose a second chamber 138. The communication port 13161 is provided in the partition wall 1316.

[0115] The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315. The partition wall 1316 is spaced apart from the top wall 1314. The connecting part 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, forming a first chamber 137 between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316 enclose a second chamber 138. The communication port 13161 is provided on the partition wall 1316. This means that the volume of the second chamber 138 is smaller than the volume of the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315.

[0116] With this design, since the liquid inlet 1311 is located on the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, and the connecting port 13161 is located on the partition wall 1316, the liquid must pass through the liquid inlet 1311 and the connecting port 13161 in sequence before entering the second chamber 138. This further lengthens the flow path required for the liquid to come into contact with the gas-generating material 133 in the valve body 131, reducing the risk that the drain valve 13 will open when there is only a small amount of liquid in the housing 11, resulting in a short service life of the drain valve 13.

[0117] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is sleeved on the partition wall 1316 and slides in cooperation with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138.

[0118] The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316, and the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a chamber. In some embodiments, please refer to... Figure 6 As the valve core 132 moves toward the first position, the chamber formed by the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 remains sealed. In the first position, the pressure in the second chamber 138 is balanced with the restoring force of the elastic element 134, and the valve core 132 stops moving in the first position.

[0119] The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto the partition wall 1316 and slides with the partition wall 1316. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. In some embodiments, in the second position, the sleeve portion 1323 abuts against the top wall 1314 or the outer peripheral surface of the piston portion 1321 protrudes outward and abuts against the side wall 1315 to limit the position of the valve core 132.

[0120] The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. This means that the volume of the second chamber 138 is smaller than the volume of the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315.

[0121] This design makes the space of the second chamber 138 smaller than that of the first chamber 137, reducing the time required for gas to fill the second chamber 138 and drive the valve core 132 to move. This allows the valve core 132 to move more quickly and open the liquid outlet 1312. Taking the drain valve 13 applied to the battery 100 as an example, reducing the opening time of the drain valve 13 reduces the risk of liquid accumulating in the battery casing 11 due to excessively long opening time during the opening process of the drain valve 13, which could cause a short circuit in the battery cell 12.

[0122] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 A gap 139 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 1315. A guide port 13231 is provided on the sleeve portion 1323, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided on the side wall 1315. The liquid inlet 1311 communicates with the first chamber 137 through the gap 139 and the guide port 13231.

[0123] After liquid water enters the valve body 131 through the inlet 1311, it must flow a certain distance along the gap 139 and pass through the guide port 13231 before entering the second chamber 138 through the connecting port 13161.

[0124] This design ensures that liquid water must flow through at least the inlet 1311, gap 139, guide port 13231, and connecting port 13161 before entering the second chamber 138. This further lengthens the flow path required for the liquid water to react with the gas-producing substance 133 within the valve body 131, reducing the risk that the presence of a small amount of liquid water in the housing 11 could cause the drain valve 13 to open, resulting in a short service life for the drain valve 13.

[0125] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 Along the radial direction of the sleeve portion 1323, the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323.

[0126] The fact that the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323 means that, in embodiments where part of the valve core 132 is located within the valve body 131, liquid can enter the drain valve 13 from the inlet 1311 and be discharged from the outlet 1312. In other words, if the piston does not protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323, for example, if the outer peripheral surface of the piston portion 1321 is coplanar with the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323, after the piston portion 1321 closes the outlet 1312, even if the piston portion 1321 moves away from the top wall 1314, the outlet 1312 will still be closed by the sleeve portion 1323. The inlet 1311 can only communicate with the outlet 1312 when the valve core 132 has completely moved to the outside of the valve body 131.

[0127] In embodiments where part of the valve core 132 is located within the valve body 131, liquid can enter the drain valve 13 from the inlet 1311 and be discharged from the outlet 1312, thus shortening the opening time of the drain valve 13.

[0128] In embodiments where part of the valve core 132 is located within the valve body 131, this design allows liquid to enter the drain valve 13 from the inlet 1311 and exit from the outlet 1312. During normal draining, this shortens the opening time of the drain valve 13 and improves draining efficiency.

[0129] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 A seal 1319 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the piston part 1321 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 1315.

[0130] The material of seal 1319 may include, but is not limited to, rubber.

[0131] The sealing method of seal 1319 is radial sealing.

[0132] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. An inlet 1311 is disposed on the side wall 1315, and an outlet 1312 is formed at one end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314. The valve body 131 includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315. The partition wall 1316 is disposed opposite to the top wall 1314. The connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316. A communication port 13161 is disposed on the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a piston portion 1321 and a sleeve portion 1323. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a chamber. An annular wall is provided on the inner side of the outlet 1312. To achieve the sealing of the drain valve 13, the entire side of the annular wall facing the piston portion 1321 needs to have a high degree of flatness. In the second position, the entire surface of the piston portion 1321 in contact with the annular wall also needs to have a high degree of flatness. In some embodiments, referring to the figure, a sealing element 1319 may be provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315 to seal the gap between the inner surface of the side wall 1315 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston portion 1321. The radial sealing method described above only requires machining a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall 1315 and a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the piston 1321. This means that the cylindricity of the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall 1315 and the cylindricity of the outer circumferential surface of the piston 1321 needs to be controlled. The machining area is small, and high-precision machining is relatively easy to achieve.

[0133] This design only requires controlling the cylindricity of the piston part 1321 without controlling its flatness, resulting in a smaller machining area and lower machining difficulty.

[0134] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 The drain valve 13 includes a protective member 136, which is disposed on the side of the piston portion 1321 away from the top wall 1314.

[0135] In some embodiments, the protective member 136 may be adhered to the side of the piston portion 1321 opposite to the top wall 1314.

[0136] The material of protective component 136 can be metal, including but not limited to stainless steel, aluminum, iron, etc.

[0137] In embodiments where the valve core 132 is made of plastic and the protective element 136 is made of metal, the protective element 136 is less susceptible to damage from impacts or scratches by foreign objects compared to the valve core 132. Taking the drain valve 13 applied to the battery 100 as an example, the end of the battery 100 with the drain valve 13 is generally located outside the vehicle 1000. During vehicle 1000 operation, foreign objects splashed from the road, such as metal fragments, can easily impact the exposed drain valve 13. These objects may even penetrate the plastic drain valve 13. In some cases, there is a risk that the valve core 132 of the drain valve 13 may have a metal fragment embedded within it, hindering the movement of the valve core 132.

[0138] Multiple through holes may be provided at intervals along the edge of the protective component 136. The through holes penetrate the protective component 136. In the first position, after the liquid flows out from the outlet 1312, it can be discharged through the through holes. At the same time, the through holes serve as gripping positions for fingers when installing the protective component 136 by hand.

[0139] This reduces the risk of damage to the piston part 1321 caused by foreign objects, which could lead to obstruction of the movement of the valve core 132.

[0140] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 The valve core 132 includes a first guide portion 1322, and the valve body 131 includes a second guide portion 1317. The second guide portion 1317 is located on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, and the first guide portion 1322 is slidably fitted to the second guide portion 1317.

[0141] The extending directions of the first guide portion 1322 and the second guide portion 1317 can be consistent with the movement direction of the valve core 132 when switching between the first position and the second position.

[0142] In some embodiments, the first guide portion 1322 may be a groove disposed on the outer surface of the valve core 132, and the second guide portion 1317 may be a guide block disposed on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, with the guide block slidingly engaging with the guide groove 13232.

[0143] The number of first guide portions 1322 can be multiple, and the number of second guide portions 1317 can be multiple. The second guide portions 1317 correspond one-to-one with the first guide portions 1322 and slide together.

[0144] In some embodiments, the second guide portion 1317 may be welded to the inner surface of the sidewall 1315 or fastened to the inner surface of the sidewall 1315 by fasteners, and the first guide portion 1322 may be welded to the piston portion 1321 or fastened to the valve core 132 body by fasteners.

[0145] In some embodiments, the first guide portion 1322 may be integrally formed with the valve core 132, and the second guide portion 1317 may be integrally formed with the valve body 131.

[0146] The first guide portion 1322 and the second guide portion 1317 can guide the movement of the valve core 132, reducing the risk that the valve core 132 will deviate when switching between the first position and the second position, and that the movement of the valve core 132 will be blocked, resulting in the inlet 1311 and the outlet 1312 being unable to connect.

[0147] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 - Figure 6 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 The first guide portion 1322 is a protrusion 13221 protruding from the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314, and the second guide portion 1317 is a groove 13152 provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315. The protrusion 13221 is located between the side wall 1315 and the sleeve portion 1323.

[0148] In some embodiments, the outlet 1312 is a hole with a circular cross-section, and the piston portion 1321 is a disc-shaped plug. In the second position, the plug is at least partially located inside the hole, and the outer peripheral surface of the disc-shaped plug is in contact with the hole wall.

[0149] In some embodiments, when the valve core 132 switches between the second position and the first position, at least a portion of the liquid inlet 1311 is not covered by the protrusion 13221, so that when the valve core 132 switches between the second position and the first position, the leaked liquid water can still be discharged.

[0150] The protrusion 13221 on the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314 can be machined together with the piston portion 1321, and the groove 13152 on the inner surface of the side wall 1315 can also be machined together with the valve body 131, which is relatively easy to machine.

[0151] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 14 - Figure 16 The drain valve 13 also includes a nut 1318, which is sleeved on the valve body 131 and threaded to the side wall 1315. The side wall 1315 has a flange 13151 at the end away from the top wall 1314.

[0152] The distance between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151 can be adjusted by turning the nut 1318, thereby clamping the drain valve 13 to one of the walls of the housing 11, with the wall of the housing 11 located between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151.

[0153] The outer surface of the sidewall 1315 is at least partially provided with threads that mate with the nut 1318.

[0154] Normally, the wall of the housing 11 has a through hole, the liquid inlet 1311 is located inside the housing 11, and the flange 13151 is located outside the housing 11. When installing the drain valve 13, first, part of the side wall 1315 is placed inside the housing 11 through the through hole, and the flange 13151 overlaps the wall. Then, using a tool or by hand, the nut 1318 is held and inserted into the housing 11 from the opening on the side of the housing 11 away from the aforementioned wall, and the nut 1318 is screwed onto the side wall 1315. Finally, after tightening the nut 1318, the drain valve 13 can be installed on the wall of the housing 11.

[0155] Please refer to Figure 15 A recess may be provided on the side of the flange 13151 facing the top wall 1314, and a sealing ring 1320 is accommodated in the recess. The sealing ring 1320 is used to seal the flange 13151 and the wall of the housing 11 to reduce the risk of water or foreign objects from outside the housing 11 entering the housing 11 and causing a short circuit in the battery cell 12.

[0156] The distance between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151 can be adjusted by tightening the nut 1318 so that the drain valve 13 can be adapted to the installation interface of different thicknesses. The drain valve 13 can also be installed by tightening the nut 1318. The installation process is simple and convenient.

[0157] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 14 - Figure 16 The nut 1318 has multiple notches 13181, which are connected to the liquid inlet 1311.

[0158] In some embodiments, one end of the notch 13181 extends to the end of the nut 1318 near the flange 13151.

[0159] In some embodiments, a notch 13181 may also be provided on the peripheral wall 1121 of the nut 1318 and extend through the nut 1318.

[0160] The notch 13181 is connected to the inlet 1311, which means that after the drain valve 13 is assembled, liquid water can pass through the notch 13181 and the inlet 1311 to enter the valve body 131 so that the liquid water can come into contact with the water-soluble components.

[0161] This design allows leaked liquid water to pass through the notch 13181 and enter the valve body 131 through the inlet 1311 to contact the water-soluble components. This reduces the risk that the inlet 1311 will be blocked by the nut 1318 after the nut is tightened, which would cause the inlet 1311 to be sealed and the drain valve 13 to fail.

[0162] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 Multiple liquid inlets 1311 are provided, and the multiple liquid inlets 1311 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the side wall 1315.

[0163] Multiple liquid inlets 1311 are provided, and the multiple liquid inlets 1311 are arranged circumferentially along the side wall 1315. This means that the liquid water leaking from the side wall 1315 in the tank 11 can flow a shorter distance to enter the chamber through the liquid inlet 1311, making the drainage of the drain valve 13 smoother.

[0164] This design allows leaked liquid water to enter the valve body 131 from multiple different directions and come into contact with the gas-producing material 133, making the drain valve 13 adaptable to different liquid leakage conditions.

[0165] According to some embodiments of this application, the gas-producing material 133 is one of calcium peroxide, organic acid and carbonate mixture and sodium azide.

[0166] According to some embodiments of this application, this application also provides a battery 100, including a housing 11 and a drain valve 13 as described in any of the above embodiments. The drain valve 13 is installed on the wall of the housing 11 and is used to drain liquid from the housing 11.

[0167] According to some embodiments of this application, this application also provides an electrical device including the battery 100 described in any of the above embodiments, and the battery 100 is used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0168] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 12 - Figure 16 This application provides a drain valve 13, which includes a valve body 131, a valve core 132, and a gas-producing substance 133. The valve body 131 has a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is used to close the liquid outlet 1312.

[0169] The valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. Multiple inlets 1311 are located on the side wall 1315 and top wall 1314, spaced circumferentially along the side wall 1315. An outlet 1312 is formed at the end of the side wall 1315 away from the top wall 1314. The valve body 131 also includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110. The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, and is spaced apart from the top wall 1314. The connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, forming a first chamber 137 between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto and slidably engages with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to the end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to close or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 form a second chamber 138. A communication port 13161 is provided on the partition wall 1316. A gap 139 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 1315. A guide port 13231 is provided on the sleeve portion 1323. A liquid inlet 1311 is provided on the side wall 1315. The liquid inlet 1311 communicates with the first chamber 137 through the gap 139 and the guide port 13231. Along the radial direction of the sleeve portion 1323, the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 1323.

[0170] The gas-generating material 133 is disposed in the second chamber 138. The gas-generating material 133 is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core 132 to open the liquid outlet 1312.

[0171] The drain valve 13 also includes an elastic element 134. A first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing the piston portion 1321, and a second protrusion 13211 is provided on the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the partition wall 1316. One end of the elastic element 134 is attached to the first protrusion 13162, and the other end of the elastic element 134 is attached to the second protrusion 13211.

[0172] Used to apply elastic force to valve core 132 so that valve core 132 is held in the position of closing the liquid outlet 1312.

[0173] The drain valve 13 also includes a check valve 135, which is disposed on the partition wall 1316 and located within the second chamber 138. The check valve 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138. The check valve 135 is a one-way membrane covering the communication port 13161.

[0174] A seal 1319 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the piston part 1321 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 1315.

[0175] The drain valve 13 includes a protective element 136, which is disposed on the side of the piston portion 1321 away from the top wall 1314.

[0176] The valve core 132 includes a first guide portion 1322, and the valve body 131 includes a second guide portion 1317. The second guide portion 1317 is located on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, and the first guide portion 1322 is slidably fitted to the second guide portion 1317. The first guide portion 1322 is a protrusion 13221 protruding from the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314, and the second guide portion 1317 is a groove 13152 provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315. The protrusion 13221 is located between the side wall 1315 and the sleeve portion 1323.

[0177] The drain valve 13 also includes a nut 1318, which is sleeved on the valve body 131 and threaded to the side wall 1315. The side wall 1315 has a flange 13151 at the end away from the top wall 1314. The nut 1318 is provided with multiple notches 13181, which communicate with the inlet 1311.

[0178] Please refer to Figure 15 In the second position, if a certain amount of liquid water leaks from inside the casing 11 of the battery 100, the liquid water will sequentially pass through the inlet 1311, gap 139, guide port 13231, and connecting port 13161 along path a, and pass through the check valve 135 into the chamber. At this time, the gas-generating material 133 reacts with the liquid to generate gas, increasing the gas pressure in the chamber and thus pushing the valve core 132 to move towards the first position, that is, driving the piston part 1321 to move in the direction away from the top wall 1314, i.e., the left side of the figure. Please refer to... Figure 16 When the pressure in the chamber is balanced with the elastic force of the elastic element 134, the valve core 132 is in the first position. At this time, liquid water will be discharged from the casing 11 of the battery 100 along path b, sequentially from the inlet 1311, the gap 139 and the outlet 1312, thus realizing the external discharge of liquid water.

[0179] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A drain valve, characterized in that, include: The valve body has an inlet and an outlet. The valve core is movable and cooperates with the valve body to close the liquid outlet; A gas-producing substance, at least partially disposed within the valve body, is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, thereby actuating the valve core to open the liquid outlet. A check valve, configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the inlet and restrict the gas from flowing out of the valve body from the inlet; The valve body defines a first chamber that communicates with the liquid inlet, the valve core and the valve body together define a second chamber, the valve body is provided with a communication port for communicating with the first chamber and the second chamber, and the gas produced is disposed in the second chamber; The check valve is disposed in the path between the first chamber and the second chamber; the check valve is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber.

2. The drain valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drain valve also includes: An elastic element, connecting the valve core and the valve body, is used to apply an elastic force to the valve core so that the valve core remains in the position of closing the liquid outlet.

3. The drain valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The check valve is located at the connection port.

4. The drain valve according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The check valve is a one-way membrane covering the communication port.

5. The drain valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body includes a top wall and a side wall surrounding the top wall. The liquid inlet is disposed on the side wall and / or the top wall, and the end of the side wall away from the top wall forms the liquid outlet.

6. The drain valve according to claim 5, characterized in that, The valve body further includes a partition wall and a connecting part. The partition wall is located in the space enclosed by the top wall and the side wall. The partition wall is spaced apart from the top wall. The connecting part connects the top wall and the partition wall. A first chamber is formed between the partition wall and the top wall. The valve core and the partition wall enclose a second chamber. The communication port is provided on the partition wall.

7. The drain valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The valve core includes a sleeve portion and a piston portion. The sleeve portion is fitted onto the partition wall and slides with the partition wall. The piston portion is connected to the end of the sleeve portion away from the top wall. The piston portion is used to close or open the liquid outlet. The sleeve portion, the partition wall, and the piston portion form the second chamber.

8. The drain valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, A gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall. A guide port is provided on the sleeve, and the liquid inlet is provided on the side wall. The liquid inlet communicates with the first chamber through the gap and the guide port.

9. The drain valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, Along the radial direction of the sleeve portion, the piston portion protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve portion.

10. The drain valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, A seal is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the piston and the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall.

11. The drain valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drain valve includes a protective component, which is disposed on the side of the piston portion away from the top wall.

12. The drain valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, The valve core includes a first guide portion, and the valve body includes a second guide portion. The second guide portion is located on the inner surface of the side wall, and the first guide portion is slidably fitted onto the second guide portion.

13. The drain valve according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first guide portion is a protrusion on the side of the piston portion facing the top wall, and the second guide portion is a groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall. The protrusion is located between the side wall and the sleeve portion.

14. The drain valve according to any one of claims 5-13, characterized in that, The drain valve also includes a nut, which is sleeved on the valve body and threaded to the side wall. A flange is formed on the side wall at the end away from the top wall.

15. The drain valve according to claim 14, characterized in that, The nut has multiple notches, which are connected to the liquid inlet.

16. The drain valve according to any one of claims 5-13, characterized in that, The liquid inlet is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple liquid inlets are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sidewall.

17. The drain valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas-producing substances include at least one of calcium peroxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

18. A battery, characterized in that, include: Box; The drain valve as described in any one of claims 1-17 is installed on the wall of the housing and is used to drain liquid from the housing.

19. An electrical appliance, characterized in that, The electrical device includes the battery as described in claim 18, the battery being used to provide electrical energy.

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