Battery housing for receiving battery cell body or battery cell

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery housing (10) for receiving a battery cell body or for receiving at least one battery cell, comprising a closed surrounding frame-shaped peripheral wall (12) made of a flat material. The peripheral wall (12) is designed in one piece and has an overlapping section (22), in which an initial section (24) of the peripheral wall (12) overlaps an end section (26) of the peripheral wall (12). The starting section (24) and the end section (26) are fastened against each other. A rupture element (28) is provided in the starting section (24) or in the end section (26), and a recess (32) opposite the rupture element (28) is provided in the other of the two sections (24, 26).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a battery housing for receiving a battery cell body or for receiving at least one battery cell, a battery having the battery housing and a method for producing the battery housing. Background Art

[0002] Battery cells, also called accumulator cells, are used for the chemical storage of supplied electrical energy. One of the best-known battery cells is the lithium-ion battery cell.

[0003] Typically, a battery cell includes at least one battery cell body in the form of an electrode coil or an electrode stack, which in turn is composed of at least one positive electrode, at least one negative electrode, and at least one separator arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. In addition, the battery cell body may also have an insulating foil that is wrapped around the electrode coil or the electrode stack. In order to form a battery cell, the battery cell body is placed in a housing. Depending on the structural form of the housing, the battery cell is designed as a round battery, a pouch battery, or a prismatic battery.

[0004] The battery is usually a battery module, which is composed of a plurality of individual battery cells, that is, a battery cell body with a housing, and the battery cell bodies are accommodated together in the housing.

[0005] Lithium-ion cells or batteries can, under certain circumstances, such as malfunctions or improper operation, lead to gas formation and overpressure in the cells or batteries. Therefore, it is known to provide an overpressure valve or a rupture diaphragm in the battery housing of the cells or batteries in order to discharge the generated gas in a targeted direction and prevent thermal breakdown of the cells.

[0006] If a rupture element is introduced into the battery housing, the wall thickness of the side where the rupture element is introduced may need to be increased so that the rigidity of this side remains unchanged despite the introduction of the rupture element. For this purpose, the wall thickness of the entire battery housing is usually increased due to production conditions, which, however, results in a large consumption of material, a larger space requirement or a lower capacity of the battery cell body of the battery. Summary of the invention

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved battery housing, an improved battery having a battery housing and a method for manufacturing a battery housing.

[0008] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a battery housing for receiving a battery cell body or for receiving at least one battery cell, which has a closed surrounding frame-shaped peripheral wall. The peripheral wall is constructed in one piece and has an overlapping section, in which the starting section of the peripheral wall overlaps with the terminal section of the peripheral wall and is tightly abutted against each other. A rupture element is provided in the starting section or the terminal section of the peripheral wall, and a recess opposite to the rupture element is provided in the other of the two sections.

[0009] The basic idea of ​​the present invention is based on the fact that in a metal battery housing that is made by bending, extrusion, welding or roll forming and has a rupture element as a safety element, it is not necessary to increase the wall thickness of the entire battery housing, but to reinforce one side of the battery housing by introducing an overlapping section, which reinforcement gives the battery housing sufficient stability. Therefore, the overlapping section has the effect of reinforcing one side. As a result, material can be saved when making the battery housing, and the battery housing is still sufficiently stable despite the rupture element. If the battery housing is configured to surround a plurality of battery cells, it can accommodate more battery cells in total with the same external dimensions.

[0010] According to the present invention, the battery cell body constitutes the internal structure of the battery cell and is composed of at least one pair of oppositely arranged positive and negative electrodes, which are separated from each other by a separator. Preferably, the battery cell body is composed of multiple layers of positive electrodes, separators and negative electrodes, which are either made by stacking technology or by winding technology. The battery cell body may additionally contain an insulating foil that completely surrounds the electrode stack to prevent the electrode stack from directly contacting the battery housing and thus preventing a short circuit between the electrode and the metal shell.

[0011] The battery cell comprises a battery cell body, a shell surrounding it, which is welded together with the cover and bottom materials by fusion, and then filled with electrolyte. In this case, the shell forms a battery housing and completely surrounds the battery cell body in a frame-like manner with its own closed peripheral wall.

[0012] However, the battery housing of the invention can also accommodate one or more finished battery cells (together with their individual housings). The battery housing has different sizes depending on what it is to contain. However, the battery housing is preferably used only to accommodate a single battery cell body with one or more positive electrodes, a negative electrode and a separator and, if necessary, a layer of insulating foil.

[0013] In order to prevent the battery cell or battery from exploding uncontrolled in the event of a rupture when the internal pressure of the battery housing exceeds a previously determined limit value and to direct the pressure in a targeted direction, the peripheral wall of the battery housing has a rupture element, which serves as a safety element in the event of an increase in internal pressure. Here, the rupture element constitutes a predetermined rupture point in the otherwise closed battery housing. Here, the rupture element is designed so that it only bursts when the expected internal cell pressure is reached, rather than bursting when the internal cell pressure is too low or bursting when the internal cell pressure is too high.

[0014] The recess in the overlapping section opposite the rupture element serves to weaken the reinforced cell housing in the overlapping section only in the region of the rupture element and to eliminate the reinforcement there, so that in the event of a rupture the rupture element can burst and pressure compensation can take place.

[0015] The recess is preferably at least as large as the rupture element itself, so that the rupture element is always arranged completely in the recess. This prevents the battery housing around the rupture element from being damaged in the event of a rupture and, in the worst case, from breaking apart.

[0016] According to the invention, the overlapping start and end sections in the overlapping sections are connected to each other by material fusion. Joining methods such as laser welding or friction stir welding or soldering methods are particularly suitable for this purpose. The two sections can be fastened to each other by penetration welding starting from the side of the battery housing that rests on the sections or by fillet welds. The battery housing is reinforced in this edge region by a double or multiple wall in the edge region of the recess, which improves the targeted opening process.

[0017] According to the invention, the battery housing is formed by a flat material with a constant wall thickness, for example formed from aluminum or steel. Therefore, the wall thickness of the peripheral wall is also substantially constant, except for possible weakened areas in the area of ​​the rupture element and the recess. There, the wall thickness can be locally smaller than the wall thickness of the flat material and therefore also smaller than the wall thickness of the peripheral wall. The wall thickness of the peripheral wall is in particular between 0.2 mm and 3 mm. Wall thicknesses within this range make it possible to have a stable battery housing that withstands high internal pressures without consuming too much material during production.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, the battery housing has a wall thickness in the overlapping section outside the recess, which is greater than the wall thickness of the peripheral wall outside the overlapping section. The wall thickness in these areas of the overlapping section is reduced by the recess and, if necessary, by the rupture element. In the remaining areas of the overlapping section, that is, in places where neither the rupture element nor the recess is introduced, the wall thickness of the battery housing is greater than the wall thickness of the single peripheral wall, because the peripheral wall is doubled there. It is of course also possible for the peripheral wall to overlap multiple times in the overlapping section. The overlap forms a reinforcement of one side of the peripheral wall in the overlapping section. In this way, the weakening of the battery housing caused by the addition of the rupture element and the recess can be compensated. In particular, the wall thickness in the overlapping section where neither the rupture element nor the recess is introduced is twice or multiple times the wall thickness of the single peripheral wall. This is because the wall thickness in the starting and end sections corresponds to the wall thickness of the peripheral wall, and the overlap of the starting and end sections results in a doubling of the wall thickness in the overlapping section region where no bursting elements and recesses are located, or in the case of multiple overlaps, a multiple increase in the wall thickness in the overlapping section region where no bursting elements and recesses are located. Thus, in these regions, the wall thickness in the case of doubling is between 0.4 mm and 6 mm, and in the case of multiple overlaps it is correspondingly a multiple of this.

[0019] According to the invention, the peripheral wall of the battery housing has a polygonal cross section, in particular a rectangular cross section, having two short sides and two long sides.

[0020] The overlapping sections are preferably arranged only on one short side or on one long side. In particular, due to the rectangular cross section of the battery housing, the battery housing is particularly suitable for receiving prismatic battery cell bodies. However, in principle, it is possible for the battery housing to also have different polygonal cross sections in order to be able to receive battery cell bodies of different shapes. However, a rectangular cross section is preferred because prismatic battery cell bodies or battery cells received therein have better heat dissipation compared to cylindrical battery cells, for example.

[0021] In the case of a rectangular cross-section, the peripheral wall has a total of at least four bent edges. Here, each bent edge has a bending radius between 0.2 mm and 10 mm. Depending on the bending radius, the peripheral wall is subjected to more or less load in the bending area. Here, compared with a smaller bending radius, a large bending radius leads to a smaller material stress in the peripheral wall in the bending area. On the contrary, the internal volume of the battery housing that can accommodate a battery cell body or a battery cell is reduced due to the large bending radius. If the peripheral wall has more than four bent edges, the battery housing either no longer has a polygonal cross-section, or the overlapping sections extend beyond both sides of the battery housing. Due to more than four bent edges, multiple overlaps of the peripheral wall in the overlapping sections can also be achieved.

[0022] Regardless of the number of bent edges of the battery housing, when the cross section of the battery housing is rectangular, the short side and the adjacent long side form a bending angle α of substantially 90°. Due to the 90° bending angle, a rectangular cross section of the battery housing is formed that is particularly suitable for receiving a prismatic battery cell body.

[0023] According to the present invention, the overlapping sections of the battery housing constitute at least 90% of the area of ​​the side surface, and / or the recesses are away from the edges of the overlapping sections on all sides. Therefore, in order to achieve sufficient support and reinforcement of the battery housing, either the side surface of the battery housing with the overlapping sections is almost completely composed of overlapping sections and almost completely has double or multiple wall thicknesses, or the recesses are spaced apart from the edges of the overlapping sections. Both solutions ensure a sufficient degree of reinforcement of the side surface. If the highest possible reinforcement of the side surface is to be achieved, a particularly large overlapping section can also be combined with a recess that does not contact the edge of the overlapping section. This also ensures that the recess is fully supported by the overlapping section, so that the side surface has a particularly high rigidity, and the recess does not constitute an additional weak point or even a predetermined rupture point.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the rupture element is an additional component mounted on the peripheral wall. In particular, the rupture element is mounted on the peripheral wall in a material-fused manner, for example by laser welding. By mounting the rupture element on the peripheral wall in a material-fused manner, it is ensured that the mounting position of the rupture element in contact with the peripheral wall does not constitute an additional predetermined rupture point that would burst in the event of a rupture and the gas in the battery cell body could escape uncontrolled. If the rupture element is designed as a separate component, it can be, for example, a rupture diaphragm or a rupture disk.

[0025] As an alternative, the rupture element can also be designed as a section of the peripheral wall and gradually merge into the rest of the peripheral wall and have a weakened area. In this case, the rupture element is part of the peripheral wall and is introduced directly into the material of the peripheral wall, for example by milling. In this case, the rupture element has a weakened area in which the material of the peripheral wall is additionally thinned, for example by milling. In the event of rupture, the peripheral wall then bursts apart precisely in the weakened area, so that the gas can escape in a targeted manner.

[0026] The weakened area can extend adjacent to the edge of the recess, or it can extend across the recess. The direction of the weakened area depends on a number of factors. Firstly, it is decisive how large the weakened area must be overall in order to provide an opening in the event of a rupture that is large enough to allow the pressure generated in the battery housing to be discharged as quickly as possible without, for example, the battery cell body being able to pass through the opening. Secondly, the direction of the weakened area also depends on the size of the battery housing and the maximum possible size of the recess.

[0027] The recess should be larger than the rupture element. In other words, the weakened area should always be completely located in the recess to ensure successful bursting without damaging other unintended locations of the battery housing.

[0028] According to the invention, the weakened area of ​​the rupture element is a groove located on the inside and / or outside relative to the battery housing. In particular, the groove has a wedge-shaped or trapezoidal cross section and optionally has a chamfer. Here, the weakened area can be located on the inside or outside relative to the battery housing. It is also possible to design the weakened area on both sides.

[0029] In the event of a rupture, the rupture element has an opening area of ​​20 to 5,000 mm2. The opening pressure, i.e. the pressure that must be reached inside the battery housing in order to cause the rupture element to burst, is between 2 and 30 bar. The size of the opening area depends on the size of the rupture element. The opening pressure can be adjusted and adapted, for example, by the size of the recess of the rupture element or by providing a specific rupture element.

[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention, the battery housing is closed at the end by a bottom connected to the peripheral wall and an opposite cover. Here, the connection between the bottom or the cover and the housing wall is a material fusion connection, so that neither the electrolyte solution injected into the housing can leak through the weld seam nor other substances can enter the battery cell through the weld seam.

[0031] Both the bottom and the cover can have the two poles required for the battery. Here, either the cover can have two poles, or one pole is arranged in the cover, and the second pole is arranged in the bottom.

[0032] The above object is also achieved by a battery having a battery housing as described above and one or more battery cells arranged therein or one or more battery cells arranged therein and each equipped with its own housing. The battery cells are preferably prismatic battery cells. In addition to the battery housing and the battery cells or the battery cells, the battery additionally has the above bottom, a cover and an electrolyte solution.

[0033] According to the present invention, a four-step method for manufacturing a battery housing is also provided.

[0034] In a first step, a plate made of a flat material is provided. Here, this plate can be made of any metal material, but it is particularly made of aluminum or steel plate.

[0035] In a second step, the rupture element is arranged on the starting section or the end section of the plate, in particular, it is installed if it is a separate component, or it is introduced if it is designed as part of the plate. A recess is then formed in the other of the two sections, which is opposite to the rupture element in the assembled state.

[0036] In a third step, the flat plate is formed into a closed, frame-like peripheral wall. To this end, the flat plate is formed at at least four points, so that at least four bent edges are formed. Here, the starting section and the terminal section of the peripheral wall overlap at least partially and together form an overlapping section. The flat plate can be either bent, roll-formed, flow-punched or laminated. However, it is particularly bent or formed into a circulation tube, because in this method, the subsequent installation of the rupture element is simpler.

[0037] In a fourth step, the start section and the end section are at least partially connected to each other by material fusion in the overlapping section by a joining method. Possible joining methods are laser welding or friction stir welding, thereby forming a fillet weld. If the start section and the end section overlap to such an extent that one of the two sections is in contact with the second side wall, this section can be fastened to the abutting housing side by penetration welding. It is also possible to carry out the connection in the entire overlapping area, for example by brazing.

[0038] Of course, the rupture element and the recess opposite the rupture element may also be added after the battery housing is formed and the start section is connected to the end section.

[0039] It is advantageous for the rupture element to be located completely within the recess. The rupture element can be introduced directly into the material or can be attached to the peripheral wall as a separate rupture element, for example by laser welding of the material. The rupture element can be arranged on the inner layer or on the outer layer of the peripheral wall. Depending on which layer the rupture element is formed, the other layer of the peripheral wall has an opposite recess in the overlapping region.

[0040] To produce a finished battery, after the battery housing has been manufactured, the battery cell body is placed in the battery housing. The bottom and the cover are sealed, for example, by laser welding or ultrasonic welding. Then or before, the electrolyte solution is introduced. However, it is also possible to place one or more finished battery cells in the battery housing. Then the bottom and the cover are mounted on the peripheral wall, and finally the battery is completed and the battery housing is sealed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further features and advantages of the present invention are obtained from the following description and the accompanying drawings with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0042] - Figure 1is a schematic cross section of a battery housing of the present invention before the introduction of a rupture element and a recess;

[0043] - Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section of a portion of a battery housing of the present invention before adding a rupture element and a recess, with a plurality of bent edges;

[0044] - Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a battery housing with a rupture element and a recessed portion according to the present invention;

[0045] - Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic cross-section of the upper portion of the battery housing is shown;

[0046] - Figure 5 Is manufacturing Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the method of the present invention for a battery housing is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Figures 1 to 4 A battery housing 10 is shown, or more precisely a section of a battery housing 10 , which is suitable for receiving a single battery cell body ( 6 ) or for receiving a plurality of battery cells ( 8 ).

[0048] The battery housing 10, or more precisely the illustrated circumferential wall 12 of the battery housing 10, consists of a shaped flat material. In principle, all common metallic materials can be used as flat materials, for example aluminum or steel.

[0049] The peripheral wall 12 is produced in one piece from a flat material by forming, in particular by bending or rolling.

[0050] The peripheral wall is closed in the circumference and is designed in a frame-like manner, so that it delimits a cavity 14. A battery cell body 6 or a plurality of battery cells 8 can later be introduced into this cavity 14.

[0051] The battery housing 10 has a rectangular cross section with two opposite short sides 16 and two opposite long sides 18 extending parallel to each other. The two sides 16 and 18 can have any length as long as the two short sides 16 and the two long sides 18 are substantially the same length.

[0052] Between two adjacent side surfaces 16, 18 there is a bend 20, the bend radius r of which is between 0.2 mm and 10 mm. The bend 20 is not a sharp edge but a blunt edge in order to avoid unnecessarily large material stresses.

[0053] The short side surface 16 forms a bending angle α of substantially 90° with the adjacent long side surface 18 in the rectangular cross section.

[0054] Parts of the peripheral wall 12 overlap at one of the two short sides 16 and form a region in which the peripheral wall is reinforced on one side. This region forms an overlap section 22 .

[0055] To be more precise, the overlapping section 22 is formed by a starting section 24 and an end section 26 of the peripheral wall 12 .

[0056] Here, the starting section 24 is arranged on the side of the battery housing 10 facing away from the cavity 14 and forms an outer layer, while the end section is located on the side of the battery housing 10 facing the cavity 14 and forms an inner layer.

[0057] Here, the entire overlapping section 22 accounts for more than 90% of the area of ​​the short side 16 . Therefore, almost the entire short side 16 is reinforced by the overlapping section 22 .

[0058] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated battery housing 10 , the terminal section 26 even extends beyond the short side surface 16 and contacts the adjacent long side surface 18 .

[0059] In order to give the battery housing 10 the necessary stability, the starting section 24 and the terminal section 26 are connected to each other by material fusion at at least two fastening points (27). To this end, the two sections 24 and 26 are welded together, for example, by laser welding or friction stir welding. The weld seam formed at the same time is configured as a fillet weld, for example. If the terminal section 26 is longer than the short side 16 or the long side 18 and contacts the adjacent side 16, 18, the terminal section 26 can also be fastened to the short side 16 or the long side 18, for example, by continuous welding. Figure 2 shown.

[0060] The peripheral wall 12 is made of a flat material with a constant wall thickness w1. Since the peripheral wall is made of a flat material in one piece, the battery housing 10 also has a constant wall thickness w1 in most areas. The battery housing 10 has different wall thicknesses w2 only in the overlapping section 22. Figure 1 and 2 The starting section 24 and the terminal section 26 of the middle battery housing overlap, so the wall thickness w2 in the overlapping section 22 is twice the wall thickness w1. This results in a one-sided reinforcement and strengthening of the battery housing 10.

[0061] This reinforcement is necessary because for safety reasons, e.g. Figure 3 and 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , a rupture element 28 is provided in the overlapping section 22 of the battery housing 10 , either in the starting section 24 or in the end section 26 , which ruptures in the event of a rupture so that an overpressure occurring inside the battery housing 10 can be compensated.

[0062] The breaking element 28 can be designed either as a section of the circumferential wall and gradually merge into the rest of the circumferential wall 12 or as a separate element which is fastened to the circumferential wall 12 by material fusion.

[0063] Figure 3 and 4 The rupture element 28 shown in FIG. 1 is designed as part of the peripheral wall 12 . The rupture element 28 has a weakened region 30 which constitutes the predetermined rupture point of the rupture element 28 .

[0064] When the pressure inside the battery housing 10 exceeds a predetermined limit value, the weakened area 30 will cause the rupture element 28 to rupture. The opening pressure required to cause the rupture element 28 to rupture at the weakened area 30 is between 2 and 30 bar. In this rupture situation, the battery housing 10 has an opening area between 20 and 5,000 mm2, depending on the size of the rupture element 28 and the weakened area 30.

[0065] exist Figure 4 , a weakened area 30 is shown which is designed as a notch and has a wedge-shaped cross section. The weakened area 30 is located in the end section 26 of the peripheral wall 12 , on the side of the end section 26 facing away from the cavity 14 .

[0066] Of course, the weakened area 30 can also be arranged on the side of the terminal section 26 facing the cavity 14. There can also be two weakened areas 30, one of which can be arranged on the side of the terminal section 26 facing away from the cavity 14, and the second weakened area 30 can be arranged on the side of the terminal section 26 facing the cavity 14. There can also be a weakened area 30, which is part of the starting section 24.

[0067] If the rupture element 28 is designed as a separate component, it is fastened by material fusion to the peripheral wall 12. The material fusion fastening can be achieved, for example, by laser welding. The rupture element 28 can be, for example, a rupture membrane or a rupture disk.

[0068] The sections 24 , 26 which do not have the rupture element 28 have a recess 32 which is opposite the rupture element 28 , so that the battery housing is not reinforced in the region of the rupture element 28 and can be opened.

[0069] In this case, the recess 32 is shaped such that the bursting element 28 is located completely within the recess 32 , so that the recess 32 completely surrounds the bursting element 28 .

[0070] As in Figure 3 and 4As shown in FIG. 3 , the recess 32 has an oval outer edge 34 . However, the outer edge 34 of the recess 32 can have any geometric shape as long as it completely surrounds the rupture element 28 .

[0071] Furthermore, the recess 32 is remote from the edge 36 of the peripheral wall 12 on all sides. The recess 32 is therefore completely surrounded by the starting section 24 and thus by the peripheral wall 12 .

[0072] The entire outer edge 34 of the recess 32 and the rest of the starting section 24 are in contact with the lower end section 26 of the peripheral wall 12 which carries the rupture element 28 , so that all parts of the starting section 24 starting from the outer edge 34 of the recess 32 are supported all around by the end section 26 .

[0073] The weakened region 30 of the bursting element 28 may extend adjacent to an outer edge 34 of the recess 32 , or the weakened region 30 may extend across the recess 32 .

[0074] exist Figure 3 , a weakened region 30 of the bursting element 28 is shown, which extends in the center of the recess 32 .

[0075] Here, the weakened area 30 of the bursting element 28 and the recess 32 only constitute a small part of the overlapping section, so that the side surface does not lose much rigidity due to the bursting element 28 and the recess 32, and the recess 32 is still well supported all around.

[0076] By adding the recess 32 and the rupture element 28 in the overlapping section 22, the battery housing 10 has a wall thickness w2 in this region that is smaller than in the remaining overlapping section 22. If the rupture element 28 is a notch, the wall thickness w2 in this region is even smaller than the wall thickness w1. It is more important that the side where the recess 32 and the rupture element 28 are located is reinforced by the overlapping section 22.

[0077] Figure 5 A four-step method is shown for producing a battery housing 10. Here, in a first step S1 a plate made of a flat material is provided.

[0078] In a second step S2, provision is made for the rupture element 28 to be introduced into or mounted on the starting section 24 or the end section 26. A recess 32 is formed on the other of the two sections 24, 26, which is opposite the rupture element in the assembled battery housing, so that the rupture element 28 is arranged in the recess 32 in the assembled state - viewed in a top view.

[0079] In the third step S3, the flat plate is shaped to form a closed frame-shaped peripheral wall 12. The peripheral wall 12 is composed of a flat plate. In order to shape the flat plate, various methods of mechanical forming of metal can be used, such as flow stamping, extrusion molding, bending or roll forming. Here, the bending angle α when the flat plate is bent is basically 90°. The flat plate is bent at least four times in total, thereby forming four or more bent edges 20. Here, the bending radius r of each bent edge 20 is between 0.2mm and 10mm. The flat plate is bent in the following manner, that is, the starting section 24 and the terminal section 26 of the peripheral wall 12 overlap in the overlapping section 22, and thus one side of the battery housing 10 is reinforced. In this way, the wall thickness w2 in the overlapping section 22 is achieved, which is twice the wall thickness w1 of the remaining battery housing 10.

[0080] In the fourth step S4, the starting section 24 and the terminal section 26 are connected to each other in a material fusion at least partially in the overlapping section 22 to establish the stability of the battery housing 10. In particular, laser welding, friction stir welding or similar welding methods or soldering methods are suitable for this purpose. The area where the starting section 24 and the terminal section 26 are connected to each other constitutes a fastening point, which is either achieved by penetration welding from the side in contact or is configured as a fillet weld. The welding position can be configured as a point or a plane.

[0081] After the battery housing 10 is manufactured, it can accommodate the battery unit body 6 or one or more finished battery cells 8 in its cavity 14 to form a battery.

[0082] To produce a battery cell, after the bottom is mounted on the battery housing 10, the battery cell body 6 consisting of the electrode stack and the insulating foil is inserted into the battery housing 10, and the cover is welded to the battery housing, and then the bottom and the cover are connected to the peripheral wall 12 in a form-fitting manner. Then, an electrolyte solution is introduced.

[0083] In order to produce a battery with a higher power, a plurality of battery cells 8 with their own housings can also be installed in a battery housing 10. The battery formed then consists of a plurality of individual battery cells 8, which are all installed in a battery housing 10 and connected to one another. In this case, the battery cells are preferably prismatic battery cells 8, which have improved heat dissipation.

[0084] The battery housing 10 is therefore used to accommodate both individual battery cells and complete battery cells in order to form a battery consisting of only one battery cell with the battery housing 10 or a plurality of battery cells with housings.

Claims

1. A battery housing (10) for accommodating a battery cell body (6) or for accommodating at least one battery cell (8), comprising a closed surrounding frame-like peripheral wall (12) made of a flat material, wherein the peripheral wall (12) is constructed in one piece and has an overlapping section (22), in which a starting section (24) of the peripheral wall (12) and an end section (26) of the peripheral wall (12) overlap and are tightly fixed to each other, and wherein a rupture element (28) is provided in the starting section (24) or in the end section (26), and a recess (32) opposite to the rupture element (28) is provided in the other of the two sections (24, 26).

2. The battery housing (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery housing (10) is composed of a shaped flat material with a constant wall thickness w1.

3. The battery housing (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The battery housing (10) has a wall thickness w2 in an overlapping section (22) outside the recess (32), which is greater than a wall thickness w1 of the circumferential wall (12) outside the overlapping section (22).

4. The battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The peripheral wall (12) has a polygonal cross section, in particular a rectangular cross section, with two short sides (16) and two long sides (18), wherein the overlapping section (22) is preferably arranged only on one short side (16) or one long side (18).

5. The battery housing (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The short side surface (16) forms a bending angle α of substantially 90° with the adjacent long side surface (18).

6. The battery housing (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The overlapping section (22) forms at least 90% of the area of ​​a side surface (16, 18), and / or the recess (32) is remote from an edge (36) of the overlapping section (22) on all sides.

7. The battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The bursting element (28) constitutes an additional component and is mounted on the peripheral wall (12), in particular by means of material fusion.

8. The battery housing (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The rupture element (28) forms a section of the peripheral wall (12) and gradually merges with the rest of the peripheral wall (12) and has a weakened area (30).

9. The battery housing (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The weakened area (30) extends adjacent to an outer edge (34) of the recess (32) or extends across the recess (32).

10. The battery housing (10) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The weakened area (30) is a groove located inside and / or outside the battery housing (10).

11. The battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The rupture element (28) has a diameter of 20 to 5000 mm in the burst state. 2 An opening area of ​​2 and / or an opening pressure of between 2 and 30 bar.

12. The battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The battery housing (10) is closed at the end by a bottom connected to the peripheral wall (12) and an opposite cover.

13. A battery having a battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims and one or more battery cell bodies accommodated therein or one or more battery cells accommodated therein and each provided with its own housing.

14. A method for producing a battery housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) Provide a flat panel; b) a rupture element (28) is arranged on either the starting section (24) or the end section (26), and a recess (32) opposite the rupture element (28) is formed in the other of the two sections (24, 26); c) forming the flat plate into a closed, surrounding frame-like peripheral wall (12), wherein the starting section (24) and the terminal section (26) of the peripheral wall (12) at least partially overlap and form an overlapping section (22); and d) at least partially connecting the start section (24) and the end section (26) in the overlapping section (22) by means of a joining method in the form of material fusion.

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