Batteries, spacers and electrical devices

Abstract

This application provides a battery, a spacer, and an electrical device. The battery includes: a housing (21); an electrode assembly (22); and a spacer (24) disposed between the housing (21) and the electrode assembly (22). The spacer (24) includes a first spacer plate (241) and a second spacer plate (242). The first spacer plate (241) is disposed facing the electrode assembly (22), and one end of the second spacer plate (242) is connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate (241), while the other end extends in the direction facing the first surface. This technical solution provides a spacer between the battery housing and the electrode assembly. This spacer reduces the possibility of direct hard contact between the housing and the electrode assembly, and also provides support and buffering between the housing and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the impact of external forces on the internal electrode assembly when applied to the battery housing and improving the reliability of the battery.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of the times, electric vehicles, due to their advantages such as high environmental friendliness, low noise, and low operating costs, have a huge market prospect and can effectively promote energy conservation and emission reduction, which is beneficial to social development and progress. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0003] In the development of battery technology, in addition to focusing on the electrical performance of batteries such as charging and discharging, it is also necessary to pay attention to abnormal situations that may occur during battery operation, such as the impact and influence of external forces that the battery may be subjected to in electrical devices. Therefore, how to reduce the impact of external forces on batteries and improve their reliability is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a battery, a spacer, and an electrical device that can improve the reliability of battery use.

[0005] In a first aspect, a battery is provided, comprising: a housing; an electrode assembly housed in the housing; and a spacer disposed between the housing and the electrode assembly, the spacer including a first spacer plate and a second spacer plate, the first spacer plate being disposed toward the electrode assembly, one end of the second spacer plate being connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate, and the other end of the second spacer plate extending toward the first surface in the direction of orientation.

[0006] The technical solution of this application embodiment provides a spacer between the battery casing and the electrode assembly. The first spacer plate and the second spacer plate in the spacer are connected to and intersect each other. On the one hand, they can reduce the possibility of direct hard contact between the casing and the electrode assembly. On the other hand, they can also provide support and buffer between the casing and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the impact of external forces on the internal electrode assembly when applied to the battery casing and improving the reliability of the battery.

[0007] In some possible implementations, the first surface is the side of the first spacer that faces away from the electrode assembly.

[0008] Through this embodiment, on the one hand, the first spacer can be easily attached to the electrode assembly to provide comprehensive support for it; on the other hand, the second spacer provides a buffer space between the first spacer and the battery casing, thereby effectively buffering external stress. In this embodiment, the spacers provide superior support and buffering for the electrode assembly, thus significantly improving the reliability of the battery.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the spacer includes a plurality of second spacers arranged and distributed on the first spacer.

[0010] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, multiple second spacers can provide more comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the battery casing and the electrode assembly, thereby further improving the reliability of the battery.

[0011] In some possible implementations, a plurality of second spacers are arranged at equal intervals on the first spacer.

[0012] In this embodiment, the distance between any two adjacent second spacers can be a fixed value. These multiple second spacers can provide more uniform support and buffering between the battery casing and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the possibility of stress concentration in local areas of the electrode assembly and further improving the reliability of the battery.

[0013] In some possible implementations, multiple second spacers are arranged in parallel to each other.

[0014] With this embodiment, the arrangement of the multiple second spacers on the first spacer is relatively regular, and the overall shape of the spacers is also relatively regular, making it easy to install in the battery without wasting extra space. Furthermore, the multiple second spacers are parallel to each other, providing uniform support and cushioning for the electrode components in the battery, which helps to further improve the reliability of the battery.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the distance P between two adjacent second spacers in a plurality of second spacers satisfies 0.5mm ≤ P ≤ 50mm.

[0016] By designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers within a suitable threshold range, the support and buffering effects of the spacers can be comprehensively improved. Specifically, designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers to be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm allows for a certain deformation space, facilitating buffering for the electrode assembly. Conversely, designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers to be less than or equal to 50 mm allows for a relatively compact arrangement, providing better support for the electrode assembly.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the angle α between one surface of the second spacer and the first surface of the first spacer satisfies 120°≤α≤170°.

[0018] By designing the included angle α between the second spacer and the first spacer within a suitable threshold range, the buffering effect of the spacer can be further improved while reducing the space occupied by the spacer in the battery. Specifically, designing the included angle α between the second spacer and the first spacer to be less than or equal to 170° helps to increase the buffer space between the spacer and the electrode assembly, thereby improving the buffering effect of the spacer. In addition, designing the included angle α between the second spacer and the first spacer to be greater than or equal to 120° increases the contact area between the second spacer, the first spacer, and the housing when the battery is subjected to stress, thereby improving the structural stability of the second spacer and reducing the space occupied by the second spacer in the battery.

[0019] In some possible implementations, 135°≤α≤150°.

[0020] With the technical solution of this embodiment, the spacer has better overall performance when 135°≤α≤150°, which can greatly improve the buffering effect of the spacer and reduce the space occupied by the spacer in the battery.

[0021] In some possible implementations, the spacer is disposed in a first direction of the electrode assembly, and the dimension H of the spacer in the first direction satisfies 1mm≤H≤L / 10, where L is the dimension of the battery in the first direction.

[0022] By employing the technical solution of this embodiment, when the spacer is disposed in the first direction of the electrode assembly, designing the dimension H of the spacer in the first direction within a suitable threshold range can further enhance the buffering effect of the spacer and reduce the space occupied by the spacer in the battery. Specifically, designing the dimension H of the spacer in the first direction to be less than or equal to L / 10 can reduce the space occupied by the spacer in the battery, thereby increasing the battery capacity and energy density. Furthermore, designing the dimension H of the spacer in the first direction to be greater than or equal to 1 mm allows the spacer to provide a suitable buffer space between the housing and the electrode assembly, thus improving the buffering effect of the spacer.

[0023] In some possible implementations, at least one of the first spacer and the second spacer includes an insulating plate.

[0024] By providing a first spacer plate and / or a second spacer plate, including an insulating plate, between the battery casing and the electrode assembly, the metal ion transport between the electrode assembly and the metal casing can be reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of corrosion of the metal casing by the electrode assembly and further improving the reliability and service life of the battery.

[0025] In some possible implementations, at least one of the first and second spacers is made of an elastic material.

[0026] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the elastic first spacer and / or second spacer can provide good elastic buffering inside the battery.

[0027] In some possible implementations, the stiffness of the first spacer is less than that of the second spacer, and the toughness of the first spacer is greater than that of the second spacer.

[0028] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the first spacer is relatively soft, can be attached to the electrode assembly, and shrinks along with the electrode assembly, thus having a smaller impact on the electrode assembly. Furthermore, the first spacer has high toughness, making it less prone to breakage, thereby improving its reliability and service life. In addition, the second spacer is relatively rigid, thus providing good support for both the first spacer and the electrode assembly, resulting in a more stable overall structure.

[0029] In some possible implementations, the stiffness of the first spacer is greater than that of the second spacer, and the toughness of the first spacer is less than that of the second spacer.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first spacer is relatively rigid, providing good support for the electrode assembly. The second spacer is relatively soft and resilient, which enhances its buffering effect and provides greater shrinkage space for the electrode assembly within the battery casing.

[0031] In some possible implementations, the spacer further includes a third spacer plate, one end of which is connected to a second surface of the first spacer plate opposite to the first surface, and the other end of which extends toward the second surface.

[0032] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, the spacer can simultaneously include: a first spacer plate, a second spacer plate and a third spacer plate. The spacer can be similar to a "fishbone" shape. The "fishbone" shaped spacer can have better support and buffering effects, thereby helping to further improve the overall performance of the battery.

[0033] In some possible implementations, the spacer includes a plurality of third spacers arranged and distributed on the first spacer.

[0034] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, multiple third spacers can provide more comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the battery casing and the electrode assembly, thereby further improving the reliability of the battery.

[0035] In some possible implementations, the arrangement of the plurality of third spacers on the first spacer is the same as the arrangement of the plurality of second spacers on the first spacer.

[0036] With the technical solution of this embodiment, the second and third partition plates disposed on both sides of the first partition plate have the same arrangement, so the stress on both sides of the first partition plate is more uniform, which can reduce the stress concentration on a certain side of the first partition plate and improve the overall reliability of the partition.

[0037] In some possible implementations, the third spacer and the second spacer are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first spacer.

[0038] The technical solution of this embodiment uses an axisymmetric "fishbone" shaped component as the spacer. This spacer can provide a more symmetrical and uniform support and buffering effect between the battery's electrode assembly and the casing, thereby helping to further improve the overall performance of the battery.

[0039] In some possible implementations, the third spacer includes an insulating plate.

[0040] By providing a third spacer, including an insulating plate, between the battery casing and the electrode assembly, the transmission of metal ions between the electrode assembly and the metal casing can be reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of corrosion of the metal casing by the electrode assembly and further improving the reliability and service life of the battery.

[0041] In some possible implementations, the spacer is positioned in the direction of gravity of the electrode assembly.

[0042] In this embodiment, when the battery is susceptible to stress from the direction of gravity, the spacer can effectively resist and buffer this stress, reducing its impact on the electrode assembly. For example, when the battery is mounted on the chassis of a vehicle, the spacer can effectively resist and buffer the stress caused to the battery by foreign objects such as flying stones from below the vehicle, improving the reliability and lifespan of the battery in the vehicle.

[0043] In some possible implementations, the battery includes a plurality of spacers, which are respectively disposed in the direction of gravity and the direction of anti-gravity of the electrode assembly.

[0044] The technical solution of this embodiment involves incorporating multiple spacers within the battery. These spacers protect the electrode components in multiple directions, thereby further improving the battery's reliability and lifespan. Furthermore, when the battery is used in electrical devices, such as vehicles, it is susceptible to vibration in both the gravitational and anti-gravity directions, making it prone to stress in these directions. By placing multiple spacers along the gravitational and anti-gravity directions of the electrode components, respectively, it helps to further resist and buffer the impact of stress on the electrode components in these directions, thus improving the battery's reliability and lifespan in vehicles.

[0045] In some possible implementations, the electrode assembly is a stacked electrode assembly, with the first spacer in the spacer disposed toward the stacking surface of the stacked electrode assembly.

[0046] The spacer, applied in this embodiment, provides a good gap and buffer between the stacked surface of the stacked electrode assembly and the battery casing, preventing hard contact between the stacked surface and the casing. This spacer reduces the impact of external stress on the stacked surface of the stacked electrode assembly, thereby reducing the possibility of overlap between the positive and negative electrodes on the stacked surface due to external forces and improving the reliability of the battery.

[0047] In a second aspect, a spacer is provided, comprising: a first spacer plate and a second spacer plate, one end of the second spacer plate being connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate, and the other end of the second spacer plate extending toward the orientation of the first surface.

[0048] In some possible implementations, the spacer includes a plurality of second spacers arranged and distributed on the first spacer.

[0049] In some possible implementations, a plurality of second spacers are arranged at equal intervals on the first spacer.

[0050] In some possible implementations, multiple second spacers are arranged in parallel to each other.

[0051] In some possible implementations, the distance P between two adjacent second spacers in a plurality of second spacers satisfies 0.5mm ≤ P ≤ 50mm.

[0052] In some possible implementations, the angle α between one surface of the second spacer and the first surface of the first spacer satisfies 120°≤α≤170°.

[0053] In some possible implementations, at least one of the first spacer and the second spacer includes an insulating plate.

[0054] In some possible implementations, at least one of the first and second spacers is made of an elastic material.

[0055] In some possible implementations, the spacer further includes a third spacer plate, one end of which is connected to a second surface of the first spacer plate opposite to the first surface, and the other end of which extends toward the second surface.

[0056] In some possible implementations, the spacer includes a plurality of third spacers arranged and distributed on the first spacer.

[0057] In some possible implementations, the arrangement of the plurality of third spacers on the first spacer is the same as the arrangement of the plurality of second spacers on the first spacer.

[0058] In some possible implementations, the third spacer and the second spacer are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first spacer.

[0059] Thirdly, an electrical device is provided, comprising: a battery as described in the first aspect or any possible embodiment of the first aspect, the battery being used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0060] The technical solution of this application embodiment provides a spacer between the battery casing and the electrode assembly. The first spacer plate and the second spacer plate in the spacer are connected to and intersect each other. On the one hand, they can reduce the possibility of direct hard contact between the casing and the electrode assembly. On the other hand, they can also provide support and buffer between the casing and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the impact of external forces on the internal electrode assembly when applied to the battery casing and improving the reliability of the battery. Attached Figure Description

[0061] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative effort.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery structure provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 3This is another structural schematic diagram of a battery provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a spacer provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 5 This is a schematic side view of a spacer provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of a battery provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 7 This is another structural schematic diagram of the spacer provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 8 This is another structural schematic diagram of a battery provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0070] The accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this application by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application, that is, this application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0072] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not vertical in the strict sense, but within the allowable tolerance range. "Parallel" is not parallel in the strict sense, but within the allowable tolerance range.

[0073] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0074] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three possibilities: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0075] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application 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 description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy.

[0076] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific 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 mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0077] In the field of new energy, batteries are the primary power source for electrical devices such as electric vehicles, ships, or spacecraft, and their importance is self-evident. In this application, the battery may include lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries, etc., and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these. In some related technologies, the battery may also be referred to as a battery cell or a battery cell. In specific implementations, one or more batteries may be combined to form a battery module or battery pack to provide higher voltage and capacity to the electrical device. Optionally, the battery pack may include a housing for encapsulating one or more batteries. The housing can reduce the impact of liquids or other foreign matter on the charging or discharging of the battery.

[0078] In this application, the battery may be cylindrical, flat, cuboid, or other shapes, and the embodiments of this application are not limited in this respect. In addition, batteries are generally divided into three types according to their packaging method: cylindrical batteries, cuboid batteries, and pouch batteries, and the embodiments of this application are not limited in this respect either.

[0079] The development of battery technology must consider multiple design factors simultaneously. For example, to improve battery charge and discharge performance, various performance parameters such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, and charge / discharge rate must be considered. In addition, attention must be paid to potential abnormal situations that may occur during battery operation, such as the impacts and influences that the battery may experience within the electrical device. In some applications, batteries are installed in vehicles, for example, in the chassis. During vehicle operation, the chassis may be subjected to external stresses from objects such as flying stones, which could impact and affect the battery mounted on the chassis.

[0080] In related designs, a battery generally includes a casing, electrode assembly, and electrolyte. The casing houses the electrode assembly and electrolyte. The electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. The electrolyte, acting as the electrolyte solution, conducts ions between the positive and negative electrodes, enabling the battery to function normally. For lithium batteries, the electrolyte may include lithium salts and organic solvents.

[0081] In some batteries, the electrode assembly is in direct, hard contact with the battery casing. When the battery casing is subjected to external stress, the electrode assembly housed inside the casing is also susceptible to stress, potentially causing the positive and negative electrode plates to overlap. Furthermore, the negative electrode plate in the electrode assembly is also prone to corrosion through direct (direct contact) or indirect (through electrolyte transfer) contact with the metal battery casing. This corrosion reduces the strength of the battery's metal casing, decreasing the battery's reliability, lifespan, and safety.

[0082] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a battery, including a casing, an electrode assembly, and a spacer. The electrode assembly is housed within the casing, and the spacer is disposed between the casing and the electrode assembly. The spacer includes a first spacer plate and a second spacer plate. The first spacer plate faces the electrode assembly, one end of the second spacer plate is connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate, and the other end of the second spacer plate extends in the direction facing the first surface. Through the technical solution of this application embodiment, a spacer is provided between the battery casing and the electrode assembly. The first and second spacer plates in the spacer are interconnected and intersect. On the one hand, this reduces the possibility of direct hard contact between the casing and the electrode assembly; on the other hand, it provides support and buffering between the casing and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the impact of external forces acting on the battery casing on the internal electrode assembly and improving the reliability of the battery.

[0083] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application are applicable to various battery-powered devices, such as electric vehicles, electric cars, power tools, ships, and spacecraft, where spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft.

[0084] It should be understood that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application are not limited to the devices described above, but can also be applied to all devices that use batteries. However, for the sake of brevity, the following embodiments are all illustrated using electric vehicles as examples.

[0085] For example, such as Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of this application. Vehicle 1 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. A motor 11, a controller 12, and a battery pack 10 can be installed inside vehicle 1. The controller 12 controls the battery pack 10 to supply power to the motor 11. For example, the battery pack 10 can be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of vehicle 1. The battery pack 10 can be used to power vehicle 1. For example, the battery pack 10 can serve as the operating power source for vehicle 1, for example, to meet the electrical system requirements of vehicle 1, such as for starting, navigation, and operation. In another embodiment of this application, the battery pack 10 can not only serve as the operating power source for vehicle 1, but also as the driving power source for vehicle 1, replacing or partially replacing gasoline or natural gas to provide driving power for vehicle 1.

[0086] To meet different power demands, the battery pack 10 can include multiple batteries, which can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof. A battery can also be referred to as a single battery cell. Optionally, multiple battery cells can first be connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof to form a battery module, and then multiple battery modules can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof to form a battery pack. In other words, multiple battery cells can directly form a battery pack, or they can first be formed into battery modules, and then the battery modules can be assembled into a battery pack.

[0087] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a battery 20 provided in one embodiment of this application is shown.

[0088] like Figure 2 As shown, the battery 20 includes an electrode assembly 22 and a housing 21, which may include a main housing 211 and a cover plate 212. The walls of the main housing 211 and the cover plate 212 are both referred to as the walls of the battery 20.

[0089] The electrode assembly 22 consists of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer. The positive active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive current collector. The current collector without the positive active material layer protrudes beyond the current collector with the positive active material layer, and serves as the positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive current collector can be aluminum, and the positive active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative current collector and a negative active material layer. The negative active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative current collector. The current collector without the negative active material layer protrudes beyond the current collector with the negative active material layer, and serves as the negative electrode tab. The material of the negative current collector can be copper, and the negative active material can be carbon or silicon, etc. To ensure that a large current can pass through without melting, there are multiple positive electrode tabs stacked together, and there are multiple negative electrode tabs stacked together. The diaphragm can be made of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), etc. Furthermore, the electrode assembly 22 can be a wound structure or a stacked structure; the embodiments of this application are not limited to these.

[0090] The main housing 211 is shaped according to the combined shape of the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator in the electrode assembly 22. For example, the main housing 211 can be a hollow cuboid, cube, or cylinder, and at least one face of the main housing 211 has an opening so that the electrode assembly 22 can be placed inside the main housing 211. For example, as Figure 2 As shown, when the main housing 211 is a hollow cuboid or cube, two opposite faces of the main housing 211 are open faces, meaning these faces do not have walls, allowing communication between the inside and outside of the main housing 211. Two cover plates 212 respectively cover the two openings on the main housing 211 and are connected to the main housing 211 to form a closed cavity for placing the electrode assembly 22. The housing 21 is filled with an electrolyte, such as an electrolyte solution.

[0091] The battery 20 may also include two electrode terminals 214, as an example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the two electrode terminals 214 can be respectively disposed on the two cover plates 212. The cover plate 212 is usually flat, and the two electrode terminals 214 are fixed on the flat surface of the cover plate 212. The two electrode terminals 214 are respectively the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal. Each electrode terminal 214 is provided with a corresponding connecting member, or can also be called a current collector, which is located between the cover plate 212 and the electrode assembly 22, and is used to electrically connect the electrode assembly 22 and the electrode terminal 214.

[0092] See also Figure 2 As shown, the electrode assembly 22 has a first tab 221 and a second tab ( Figure 2 (Not shown in the image), the first tab 221 and the second tab can be located on opposite sides of the electrode assembly 22. The first tab 221 and the second tab have opposite polarities. For example, when the first tab 221 is the positive tab, the second tab is the negative tab. The first tab 221 of the electrode assembly 22 is connected to an electrode terminal 214 via a connecting member, and the second tab of the electrode assembly 22 is connected to another electrode terminal 214 via another connecting member 3.

[0093] Figure 3 Another structural schematic diagram of the battery 20 provided in one embodiment of this application is shown.

[0094] like Figure 3 As shown, the battery 20 includes a housing 21, an electrode assembly 22, and a spacer 24. The electrode assembly 22 is housed in the housing 21, and the spacer 24 is disposed between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22. The spacer 24 includes a first spacer plate 241 and a second spacer plate 242. The first spacer plate 241 is disposed facing the electrode assembly 22, one end of the second spacer plate 242 is connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate 241, and the other end of the second spacer plate 242 extends in the direction of the first surface.

[0095] Specifically, in the embodiments of this application, the relevant technical solutions for the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22 can be found above. Figure 2 The relevant description of the illustrated embodiment. In some specific implementations, in order to improve the strength of the battery 20 and thus enhance its stability in use, the material of the casing 21 includes, but is not limited to, a metallic material.

[0096] The spacer 24 is disposed inside the housing 21 and located between the wall of the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22. Optionally, the spacer 24 may abut between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21 to achieve installation of the spacer 24 inside the housing 21. Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the spacer 24 may also be disposed inside the housing 21 by other installation means.

[0097] Specifically, the spacer 24 includes a first spacer plate 241 disposed toward the electrode assembly 22. Optionally, in some examples, the first spacer plate 241 may be attached to the electrode assembly 22. The shape and size of the first spacer plate 241 may be designed accordingly based on the electrode assembly 22. For example, when one surface of the first spacer plate 241 is disposed toward a target surface in the electrode assembly 22, the shape of the first spacer plate 241 may be the same as the contour shape of the target surface of the electrode assembly 22, and the area of ​​the first spacer plate 241 may be comparable to, or for example, slightly larger than, the area of ​​the target surface of the electrode assembly 22.

[0098] Optionally, the first partition 241 can be a planar plate structure or a curved plate structure. In the case where the first partition 241 is a curved plate structure, by way of example and not limitation, the first partition 241 can be a corrugated plate, an arc plate, etc.

[0099] Based on the first spacer 241, the spacer 24 also includes a second spacer 242, which intersects the large surface of the first spacer 241. For example, the second spacer 242 may intersect the side of the first spacer 241 away from the electrode assembly 22, or the second spacer 242 may intersect the side of the first spacer 241 facing the electrode assembly 22.

[0100] In this embodiment, the second spacer 242 intersects the first surface of the first spacer 241. This first surface can be either the side of the first spacer 241 facing away from the electrode assembly 22 or the side facing the electrode assembly 22. Specifically, one end of the second spacer 242 is connected to the first surface of the first spacer 241, and the other end of the second spacer 242 extends in the direction facing the first surface of the first spacer 241. The two opposing large surfaces of the second spacer 242 have a predetermined angle with the first surface of the first spacer 241, and the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 are not parallel to each other.

[0101] Optionally, if one end of the second spacer 242 is connected to the side of the first spacer 241 facing away from the electrode assembly 22, the other end of the second spacer 242 may abut against the housing 21 of the battery 20. The second spacer 242 can provide a buffer space between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21, and provide a certain supporting force for the electrode assembly 22.

[0102] Optionally, the shape of the second spacer 242 can be designed according to actual needs. As an example, the second spacer 242 can be a rectangular plate, which has high stability and can stably abut against the first spacer 241 and the housing 21 or against the first spacer 241 and the electrode assembly 22. In other examples, the second spacer 242 can also be a regular or irregular shape such as a triangle, ellipse, or rhombus. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0103] Alternatively, similar to the first spacer 241, the second spacer 242 can also be a planar plate structure or a curved plate structure. In the case where the second spacer 242 is a curved plate structure, by way of example and not limitation, the second spacer 242 can be a corrugated plate, an arc plate, etc.

[0104] Optionally, the first spacer 241 and / or the second spacer 242 can be a plate structure of equal thickness or a plate structure of unequal thickness.

[0105] Through the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, a spacer 24 is provided between the casing 21 and the electrode assembly 22 of the battery 20. The first spacer plate 241 and the second spacer plate 242 in the spacer 24 are connected to each other and intersect. On the one hand, they can reduce the possibility of direct hard contact between the casing 21 and the electrode assembly 22. On the other hand, they can also provide support and buffer between the casing 21 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby reducing the impact of external forces on the internal electrode assembly 22 when they act on the casing 21 of the battery, and improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0106] In some related technologies, the spacer between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22 is only a planar or corrugated plate. In this case, the planar spacer cannot provide a buffering effect between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22. When an external force is applied to the housing 21, the external force may still act on the electrode assembly 22 through the planar spacer, causing a certain impact on the electrode assembly 22. In addition, the corrugated spacer has poor support and is easily flattened by the electrode assembly 22, thus losing its buffering effect. Moreover, the corrugated spacer occupies more space inside the battery 20, resulting in a reduction in the capacity of the battery 20.

[0107] Therefore, the spacer 24 provided in this embodiment, including a first spacer 241 and a second spacer 242, is superior to the aforementioned planar or corrugated spacers. This spacer 24 provides more stable and reliable support and buffering between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby reliably improving the overall performance of the battery 20. Furthermore, the first spacer 241 in this spacer 24 can be attached to the electrode assembly 22, and the spacer 24 and the electrode assembly 22 do not cause any waste of internal space in the battery 20, which is beneficial for increasing the capacity of the battery 20.

[0108] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 As shown, the second spacer 242 is disposed on the side of the first spacer 241 that faces away from the electrode assembly 22. In other words, the first surface of the first spacer 241 is the side of the first spacer 241 that faces away from the electrode assembly 22.

[0109] Specifically, in this embodiment, on the one hand, the first spacer 241 can be easily attached to the electrode assembly 22 to provide comprehensive support for the electrode assembly 22; on the other hand, the second spacer 242 provides a buffer space between the first spacer 241 and the casing 21 of the battery 20, thereby effectively buffering external stress. In this embodiment, the spacer 24 provides superior support and buffering for the electrode assembly 22, thereby significantly improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0110] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a spacer 24 provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0111] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the spacer 24 may include a plurality of second spacers 242, which may be arranged and distributed on the first spacer 241.

[0112] Specifically, when the battery 20 has a large size, a single second spacer 242 may not be able to provide comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21. Therefore, the spacer 24 may include a plurality of second spacers 242, which may be arranged in any direction on the first spacer 241.

[0113] As an example, the first partition 241 can be a rectangular partition, and the plurality of second partitions 242 can be arranged along the length of the first partition 241. Alternatively, the plurality of second partitions 242 can be arranged along the width of the first partition 241. Or, the plurality of second partitions 242 can be arranged along other directions of the first partition 241.

[0114] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, multiple second spacers 242 can provide more comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the casing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0115] Optionally, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 4 As shown, multiple second spacers 242 can be arranged at equal intervals on the first spacer 241.

[0116] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of second spacers 242 may be arranged and distributed on the first spacer 241 along a first target direction. This first target direction may be any direction parallel to the first spacer 241. The second spacers 242 form connecting regions within the first spacer 241, and the distance between two adjacent second spacers 242 may be the minimum distance between the two connecting regions formed by the two second spacers 242 within the first spacer 241 in the first target direction.

[0117] As an example, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the second partition 242 is a rectangular partition, the connection area formed between the second partition 242 and the first partition 241 is a straight strip area, and the distance between two adjacent second partitions 242 can be the minimum distance between the two straight strip areas formed by the two second partitions 242 in the first partition 241 in the first target direction.

[0118] In this embodiment, the distance between any two adjacent second spacers 242 can be a fixed value. The multiple second spacers 242 can provide more uniform support and buffering between the casing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby reducing the possibility of stress concentration in local areas of the electrode assembly 22 and further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0119] In some alternative embodiments, the distance between any two adjacent second spacers 242 can also be a variable value, meaning the multiple second spacers 242 can be arranged at non-equidistant intervals on the first spacer 241. This embodiment can be applied to batteries 20 with certain requirements. For example, if a local area in the battery 20 needs stronger protection, the arrangement density of the second spacers 242 corresponding to that local area can be greater than the arrangement density of the second spacers 242 corresponding to other areas. That is, the distance between two adjacent second spacers 242 corresponding to that local area can be smaller than the distance between two adjacent second spacers 242 corresponding to other areas.

[0120] Optionally, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 4As shown, multiple second spacers 242 can be arranged in parallel to each other.

[0121] In this embodiment, a plurality of second spacers 242 may be arranged parallel to each other along the first target direction on the first spacer 241. Optionally, the plurality of parallel second spacers 242 may be arranged at equal intervals or at non-equal intervals.

[0122] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the arrangement of the multiple second spacers 242 on the first spacer 241 is relatively regular, and the overall shape of the spacer 24 is also relatively regular, thus facilitating its installation in the battery 20 without causing additional space waste in the battery 20. Furthermore, the multiple second spacers 242 are parallel to each other, and these multiple second spacers 242 can provide relatively uniform support and buffering for the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20, which is beneficial to further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0123] See also Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 in the plurality of second spacers 242 can satisfy 0.5mm≤P≤50mm. As an example, P can take values ​​between 0.5mm and 50mm, such as 0.8mm, 1mm, 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.

[0124] Specifically, in this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of second spacers 242 may be arranged and distributed on the first spacer 241 along the first target direction. The distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 may be the minimum distance between the two connecting regions formed by the two second spacers 242 in the first spacer 241 in the first target direction.

[0125] As an example, Figure 4 The plurality of second spacers 242 shown are parallel to each other. The distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 can be the distance between two parallel straight strip regions formed by the two second spacers 242 in the first spacer 241.

[0126] By designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 within a suitable threshold range using the technical solution of this embodiment, the support and buffering effects of the spacer 24 can be comprehensively improved. Specifically, designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 to be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm allows for a certain deformation space between them, facilitating the buffering function for the electrode assembly 22. Furthermore, designing the distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 to be less than or equal to 50 mm allows for a relatively compact arrangement between them, facilitating good support for the electrode assembly 22.

[0127] Figure 5 A schematic side view of the spacer 24 provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0128] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the angle α between one surface of the second spacer 242 and the first surface of the first spacer 241 satisfies 120°≤α≤170°.

[0129] As an example, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the angle α between the first surface of the second spacer 242 and the first surface of the first spacer 241 is an obtuse angle, and the angle β between the second surface of the second spacer 242 and the first surface of the first spacer 241 is an acute angle. The first and second surfaces of the second spacer 242 are two large, opposite surfaces of the second spacer 242.

[0130] Alternatively, in some implementations, such as Figure 5 As shown, when the second spacer 242 is a plate of equal thickness, that is, when the first surface and the second surface of the second spacer 242 are parallel to each other, the sum of the included angle α and the included angle β can be 180°.

[0131] Alternatively, in some other embodiments, when the second spacer 242 is a plate of unequal thickness, that is, when the first surface and the second surface of the second spacer 242 are not parallel to each other, the sum of the included angle α and the included angle β may not be equal to 180°.

[0132] Through the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, the two surfaces of the second spacer 242 are inclined to the same side relative to the first spacer 241. The second spacer 242 can play a better buffering role while playing a certain supporting role, thereby effectively buffering the external stress of the battery 20.

[0133] Optionally, the included angle α can satisfy 120°≤α<180°. Further, 120°≤α≤170°, and even further, 135°≤α≤150°. As an example, α can take values ​​of 120°, 130°, 135°, 140°, 150°, 160°, etc., between 120° and 180°.

[0134] Optionally, when the spacer 24 includes a plurality of second spacers 242, the included angle α between any one of the second spacers 242 and the first spacer 241 can satisfy 120°≤α<180°, and further, the included angle α can satisfy 135°≤α≤150°.

[0135] By designing the included angle α between the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 in the spacer 24 within a suitable threshold range, the buffering effect of the spacer 24 can be further improved and the space occupied by the spacer 24 in the battery 20 can be reduced. Specifically, designing the included angle α between the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 to be less than or equal to 170° is beneficial to increasing the buffering space of the spacer 24 between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby improving the buffering effect of the spacer 24. In addition, designing the included angle α between the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 to be greater than or equal to 120° is beneficial to increasing the contact area between the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 and the housing 21 when the battery 20 is subjected to stress, thereby improving the structural stability of the second spacer 242 and reducing the space occupied by the second spacer 242 in the battery 20.

[0136] When the angle is 135°≤α≤150°, the spacer 24 has better overall performance, which can significantly improve the buffering effect of the spacer 24 and reduce the space occupied by the spacer 24 in the battery 20.

[0137] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the surfaces of the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 can be curved surfaces. In this case, the angle between the surface of the first spacer 241 and the surface of the second spacer 242 can be the angle between the tangents of the two surfaces at the connection point.

[0138] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, optionally, the spacer 24 is disposed in a first direction of the electrode assembly 22, and the dimension H of the spacer 24 in the first direction satisfies 1mm≤H≤L / 10, where L is the dimension of the battery 20 in the first direction. As an example, H can take values ​​between 1mm and L / 10, such as 2mm, 5mm, 10mm, L / 15, L / 20, etc.

[0139] Specifically, in this embodiment, the size design of the spacer 24 affects the performance parameters of the battery 20, such as capacity and energy density. Therefore, the size of the spacer 24 can be designed according to the size of the battery 20. That is, when the spacer 24 is disposed in the first direction of the electrode assembly 22, the size H of the spacer 24 in the first direction can be designed to be less than or equal to one-tenth of the size of the battery 20 in the first direction.

[0140] Optionally, the first direction described above can be any direction of the electrode assembly 22. As an example, combined with... Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the spacer 24 can be disposed in the height direction of the electrode assembly 22, where L is the dimension of the battery 20 in the height direction, and the dimension H of the spacer 24 in the height direction is ≤ L / 10.

[0141] In addition, the dimension H of the spacer 24 in the first direction must be greater than or equal to a certain threshold, that is, greater than 1 mm, so that the spacer 24 can provide a relatively certain buffer space in the first direction, thereby playing a more reliable buffering function.

[0142] Optionally, in some designs, the dimension H of the spacer 24 in the first direction can be a variable value. For example, if the first spacer plate 241 in the spacer 24 is a curved plate structure, the dimension H of the spacer 24 in the first direction can be a variable value. In this embodiment, the variable dimension H of the spacer 24 in the first direction can satisfy 1mm ≤ H ≤ L / 10.

[0143] By designing the height H of the second spacer 242 relative to the first spacer 241 within a suitable threshold range, the buffering effect of the spacer 24 can be further improved and the space occupied by the spacer 24 in the battery 20 can be reduced. Specifically, designing the height H of the second spacer 242 relative to the first spacer 241 to be less than or equal to L / 10 can reduce the space occupied by the second spacer 242 in the battery 20. In addition, designing the height H of the second spacer 242 relative to the first spacer 241 to be greater than or equal to 1 mm can enable the second spacer 242 to provide a suitable buffer space between the housing 21 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby improving the buffering effect of the spacer 24.

[0144] Optionally, in the above-described embodiments, at least one of the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 includes an insulating plate.

[0145] Specifically, when the casing 21 is made of metal, if the electrodes in the electrode assembly 22 directly contact the metal casing or come into contact with the metal casing through the electrolyte, the metal casing may experience a reduction in strength due to corrosion. Therefore, by providing a first spacer 241 and / or a second spacer 242, including an insulating plate, between the casing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22, the metal ion transport between the electrode assembly 22 and the metal casing 21 can be reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of corrosion of the metal casing 21 by the electrode assembly 22 and further improving the reliability and service life of the battery 20.

[0146] Optionally, the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 may be insulating boards made of the same material. For example, the material of the insulating board may include, but is not limited to, polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 may be made of different materials.

[0147] Optionally, in the above-described embodiments, at least one of the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 is made of an elastic material. For example, the aforementioned PC, PE, PVC, etc., can have a certain degree of elasticity while possessing insulation properties. This elastic first spacer 241 and / or second spacer 242 can provide good elastic cushioning within the battery 20.

[0148] In some embodiments, the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 may be integrally formed. Alternatively, the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 may be separate structures.

[0149] When the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 are separate structures, they can be connected to each other using connection processes in related technologies. For example, the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 can be connected to each other by adhesive bonding, melting, or mechanical fasteners.

[0150] Optionally, the design of the first spacer 241 may differ from that of the second spacer 242 to accommodate the different requirements of the battery 20. For example, the stiffness of the first spacer 241 may differ from that of the second spacer 242, and / or the toughness of the first spacer 241 may differ from that of the second spacer 242.

[0151] The aforementioned stiffness can be used to characterize the ability of a structural component to resist elastic deformation. The smaller the stiffness of a structural component, the easier it is to undergo elastic deformation; conversely, the larger the stiffness of a structural component, the less likely it is to undergo elastic deformation. The stiffness of the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 can be measured using stiffness measurement methods from related technologies. As an example, specialized stiffness testing equipment can be used, employing methods such as the three-point bending method or the four-point bending method, to place the object under test (i.e., the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242) between two support points and apply a force between the two support points to measure the bending deformation of the object, thereby measuring the stiffness of the object.

[0152] The aforementioned toughness can be used to characterize the ability of a structural component to resist fracture. The stronger the toughness of the structural component, the less likely it is to fracture; conversely, the weaker the toughness of the structural component, the more likely it is to fracture. The toughness of the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 can be measured using toughness measurement methods from related technologies. As an example, specialized toughness testing equipment can be used to measure the work consumed in breaking a test object of a certain shape (i.e., the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242) using an impact test, thereby measuring the toughness of the object.

[0153] Specifically, in some examples, the stiffness of the first spacer 241 can be less than that of the second spacer 242, and the toughness of the first spacer 241 can be greater than that of the second spacer 242. In this case, the first spacer 241 is relatively soft and can be attached to the electrode assembly 22, contracting along with it, thus having less impact on the electrode assembly 22. Furthermore, the first spacer 241 is more tough, making it less prone to breakage, thereby improving its reliability and service life. Conversely, the second spacer 242 is relatively rigid, thus providing good support for both the first spacer 241 and the electrode assembly 22, resulting in a more stable overall structure.

[0154] Alternatively, in other examples, the stiffness of the first spacer 241 may be greater than that of the second spacer 242, and the toughness of the first spacer 241 may be less than that of the second spacer 242. In this case, the first spacer 241 is stiffer and can provide good support for the electrode assembly 22. The second spacer 242 is softer and more flexible, which helps to improve the buffering effect of the second spacer 242 and provides greater shrinkage space for the electrode assembly 22 inside the casing 21 of the battery 20.

[0155] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the stiffness of the first spacer 241 is different from that of the second spacer 242, and / or the toughness of the first spacer 241 is different from that of the second spacer 242, which can enable the first spacer 241 and the second spacer 242 to have different characteristics to adapt to the needs of different batteries 20, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the spacer 24 in the battery 20.

[0156] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of another battery 20 provided in one embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 7 It shows Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one structure of the spacer 24 in the battery 20 shown.

[0157] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the spacer 24 further includes a third spacer 243, one end of which is connected to the second surface of the first spacer 241 opposite to the first surface, and the other end of which extends toward the orientation direction of the second surface of the first spacer 241.

[0158] In this embodiment, the spacer 24 includes a first spacer 241, a second spacer 242, and a third spacer 243. The first spacer 241 is disposed facing the electrode assembly 22 of the battery 20, and the second spacer 242 and the third spacer 243 are respectively disposed on two sides of the first spacer 241, and both the second spacer 242 and the third spacer 243 intersect with the first spacer 241.

[0159] Specifically, the third spacer 243 has a preset angle with the first spacer 241, and the third spacer 243 and the first spacer 241 are not arranged parallel to each other. As an example, when the second spacer 242 is connected to the side of the first spacer 241 facing away from the electrode assembly 22, and the third spacer 243 is connected to the side of the first spacer 241 facing the electrode assembly 22, one end of the third spacer 243 is connected to the first spacer 241, and the other end can abut against the electrode assembly 22. The third spacer 243 can provide a larger buffer space between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21, and provide a certain supporting force for the electrode assembly 22.

[0160] Optionally, the shape of the third spacer 243 can be designed according to actual needs. In some embodiments, the third spacer 243 can be the same as the second spacer 242 in the above embodiments. As an example, the third spacer 243 can be a rectangular plate, which has high stability. In other examples, the third spacer 243 can also be a regular or irregular shape such as a triangle or an ellipse. This application does not specifically limit this aspect.

[0161] According to the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, the spacer 24 may simultaneously include: a first spacer plate 241, a second spacer plate 242 and a third spacer plate 243. The spacer 24 may be similar to a "fishbone" shape. The "fishbone" shaped spacer 24 may have better support and buffering effects, thereby helping to further improve the overall performance of the battery 20.

[0162] In some implementations, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the spacer 24 may include a plurality of third spacers 243, which may be arranged and distributed on the first spacer 241.

[0163] Specifically, when the battery 20 has a large size, a single third spacer 243 may not be able to provide comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21. Therefore, the spacer 24 may include a plurality of third spacers 243, which may be arranged in any direction on the first spacer 241.

[0164] Optionally, the arrangement direction of the plurality of third spacers 243 on the first spacer 241 can be the same as the arrangement direction of the plurality of second spacers 242 on the first spacer 241. As an example, the first spacer 241 can be a rectangular spacer, and the plurality of second spacers 242 and the plurality of third spacers 243 can be arranged along the length of the first spacer 241 on two surfaces of the first spacer 241.

[0165] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the arrangement direction of the plurality of third spacers 243 on the first spacer 241 may be different from the arrangement direction of the plurality of second spacers 242 on the first spacer 241. As an example, the first spacer 241 may be a rectangular spacer, the plurality of second spacers 242 may be arranged along the length direction of the first spacer 241 on one surface of the first spacer 241, and the plurality of third spacers 243 may be arranged along the width direction of the first spacer 241 on the other surface of the first spacer 241.

[0166] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the multiple third spacers 243 can further provide more comprehensive and stable support and buffering between the casing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0167] Optionally, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, multiple third spacers 243 can be arranged at equal intervals on the first spacer 241.

[0168] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of third spacers 243 may be arranged and distributed along a second target direction on a first spacer 241. This second target direction may be any direction parallel to the first spacer 241. The third spacers 243 form connecting regions within the first spacer 241, and the distance between two adjacent third spacers 243 may be the minimum distance between the two connecting regions formed by the two third spacers 243 within the first spacer 241 in the second target direction.

[0169] As an example, such as Figure 7 As shown, when the third partition 243 is a rectangular partition, the connection area formed between the third partition 243 and the first partition 241 is a straight strip area, and the distance between two adjacent third partitions 243 can be the minimum distance between the two straight strip areas formed by the two third partitions 243 in the first partition 241 in the second target direction.

[0170] In this embodiment, the distance between any two adjacent third spacers 243 can be a fixed value. The multiple third spacers 243 can provide more uniform support and buffering between the battery casing 21 and the electrode assembly 22, thereby reducing the possibility of stress concentration in local areas of the electrode assembly 22 and further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0171] Optionally, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, multiple third spacers 243 can be arranged in parallel to each other.

[0172] In this embodiment, a plurality of third spacers 243 may be arranged parallel to each other along the second target direction on the first spacer 241. Optionally, the plurality of parallel third spacers 243 may be arranged at equal intervals or at non-equal intervals.

[0173] Through the technical solution of this embodiment, the arrangement of the multiple third spacers 243 on the first spacer 241 is relatively regular, and the overall shape of the spacer 24 is also relatively regular, thus facilitating its installation in the battery 20 without causing additional space waste in the battery 20. Furthermore, the multiple third spacers 243 are parallel to each other, and these multiple third spacers 243 can provide relatively uniform support and buffering for the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20, which is beneficial to further improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0174] Optionally, in the above-described embodiments, the design of the third spacer 243 can be found above. Figures 3 to 5The illustrated embodiment shows the arrangement of the second spacer 242. In other words, the arrangement of the plurality of third spacers 243 on the first spacer 241 can be the same as the arrangement of the plurality of second spacers 242 on the first spacer 241 in the previous embodiment. For example, the distance between two adjacent third spacers 243 can be the same as the distance P between two adjacent second spacers 242 in the previous embodiment. The angle between the third spacer 243 and the first spacer 241 can be the same as the angle α between the second spacer 242 and the first spacer 241 in the previous embodiment. The height of the third spacer 243 relative to the first spacer 241 can also be the same as the height of the second spacer 242 relative to the first spacer 241 in the previous embodiment.

[0175] With the technical solution of this embodiment, the second partition plate 242 and the third partition plate 243 disposed on both sides of the first partition plate 241 have the same arrangement, so the stress on both sides of the first partition plate 241 is more uniform, which can reduce the stress concentration on a certain side of the first partition plate 241 and improve the overall reliability of the spacer 24.

[0176] In some specific implementations, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the third spacer 243 and the second spacer 242 can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the first spacer 241.

[0177] In this implementation, the shape and size of the third spacer 243 are the same as those of the second spacer 242. When the spacer 24 includes a plurality of third spacers 243 and a plurality of second spacers 242, the arrangement of the plurality of third spacers 243 on one surface of the first spacer 241 is the same as the arrangement of the plurality of second spacers 242 on the other surface of the first spacer 241.

[0178] With the technical solution of this embodiment, the spacer 24 is an axisymmetric "fishbone" shaped component. The spacer 24 can play a more symmetrical and uniform support and buffering role between the electrode assembly 22 and the housing 21 of the battery 20, thereby helping to further improve the overall performance of the battery 20.

[0179] Optionally, in the above-described embodiments, the third spacer 243 may include an insulating plate.

[0180] By providing a third spacer 243, including an insulating plate, between the casing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22, the metal ion transport between the electrode assembly 22 and the metal casing 21 can be reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of corrosion of the metal casing 21 by the electrode assembly 22 and further improving the reliability and service life of the battery 20.

[0181] Optionally, in the above-described embodiments, the material of the third spacer 243 may include an elastic material.

[0182] In some embodiments, the first spacer 241, the second spacer 242, and the third spacer 243 may be integrally formed. Alternatively, the first spacer 241, the second spacer 242, and the third spacer 243 may be separate structures.

[0183] Optionally, the first partition 241, the second partition 242, and the third partition 243 may be made of the same material. Alternatively, the first partition 241, the second partition 242, and the third partition 243 may be made of different materials.

[0184] In the embodiments described above, the battery 20 may include a single spacer 24, which may be disposed corresponding to other walls in the housing 21 except the wall where the electrode terminals 214 are located.

[0185] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the spacer 24 can be disposed in the direction of gravity of the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20. In an embodiment, the electrode terminals 214 of the battery 20 can be disposed on the side wall and / or top wall of the battery 20.

[0186] In this embodiment, when the battery 20 is susceptible to stress from the direction of gravity, the spacer 24 can effectively resist and buffer this stress, reducing its impact on the electrode assembly 22. As an example, when the battery 20 is mounted on the chassis of a vehicle, the spacer 24 can effectively resist and buffer the stress caused to the battery 20 by foreign objects such as flying stones from below the vehicle, improving the reliability and lifespan of the battery 20 in the vehicle.

[0187] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of another battery 20 provided in one embodiment of this application is shown.

[0188] like Figure 8 As shown, the battery 20 may include a plurality of spacers 24, which are respectively disposed in the gravity direction and the anti-gravity direction of the electrode assembly 22.

[0189] As an example, Figure 8Two spacers 24 are shown, which can be located in the direction of gravity and the direction of anti-gravity of the electrode assembly 22, respectively. That is, the two spacers 24 can be respectively set to correspond to the top wall and the bottom wall of the housing 21.

[0190] Optionally, the two spacers 24 can be the same two spacers 24, or the designs of the first spacer plate 241 and the second spacer plate 242 in the two spacers 24 can be different. For example, the number of second spacer plates 242 in the two spacers 24 can be different, and / or the included angle between the second spacer plate 242 and the first spacer plate 241 in the two spacers 24 can also be different. It is understood that each spacer 24 in the battery 20 can be designed according to actual needs, and the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the structural differences of different spacers 24.

[0191] By employing the technical solution of this embodiment, multiple spacers 24 are provided in the battery 20. These spacers 24 can protect the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20 in multiple directions, thereby further improving the reliability and service life of the battery 20. Furthermore, when the battery 20 is used in an electrical device, such as a vehicle, it is prone to vibration in both the gravitational and anti-gravity directions, making it susceptible to stress in these directions. By placing multiple spacers 24 in the gravitational and anti-gravity directions of the electrode assembly 22 within the battery 20, it is beneficial to further resist and buffer the impact of stress in these directions on the electrode assembly 22, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the battery 20 in the vehicle.

[0192] Optionally, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the spacers 24 can be respectively disposed in the gravity direction and / or anti-gravity direction of the electrode assembly 22, that is, multiple spacers 24 can be respectively disposed corresponding to the top wall and bottom wall of the housing 21, and the electrode terminals 214 of the battery 20 can be respectively disposed on the two side walls of the housing 21.

[0193] Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, when the electrode terminals 214 of the battery 20 are located in the direction of gravity and / or the direction of anti-gravity of the electrode assembly 22, that is, when the electrode terminals 214 are respectively disposed corresponding to the top wall and / or bottom wall of the housing 21, the spacer 24 may also be disposed correspondingly on the side wall of the housing 21, that is, the spacer 24 is disposed on the side of the electrode assembly 22.

[0194] Optionally, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the spacer 24 is mainly applicable to the stacked electrode assembly, that is, the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20 is a stacked electrode assembly, and the first spacer plate 241 in the spacer 24 is disposed facing the stacking surface of the stacked electrode assembly.

[0195] Specifically, in this stacked electrode assembly, the positive electrode, the separator, and the negative electrode are stacked sequentially along the stacking direction. The stacking surface in the stacked electrode assembly is the surface formed by the sides of the positive electrode, the separator, and the negative electrode, and this stacking surface is parallel to the stacking direction.

[0196] As an example, in the above text Figure 2 In the case where the electrode assembly 22 in the battery 20 shown is a stacked electrode assembly, the stacking surfaces of the stacked electrode assembly are the four sides other than the two large surfaces of the electrode assembly 22. One or more spacers 24 provided in this application embodiment can be disposed facing any one or more sides of the electrode assembly 22. In some specific implementations, two spacers 24 can be disposed facing the upper and lower surfaces of the electrode assembly 22, respectively, with the left and right surfaces of the electrode assembly 22 corresponding to the end cap 214 of the battery 20.

[0197] Through the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, the spacer 24 is applied in the battery 20 including the stacked electrode assembly. The spacer 24 can play a good role in spacing and buffering between the stacked surface of the stacked electrode assembly and the housing 21 of the battery 20. There will be no hard contact between the stacked surface and the housing 21. The spacer 24 can reduce the impact of external stress on the stacked surface of the stacked electrode assembly, thereby reducing the possibility of the positive electrode and negative electrode on the stacked surface overlapping each other due to the influence of external force, and improving the reliability of the battery 20.

[0198] It should be noted that, as an example, Figure 8 The two spacers 24 shown can be used with the above. Figures 3 to 5 The spacers 24 in the illustrated embodiment are identical, i.e., each spacer 24 includes a first spacer plate 241 and a second spacer plate 242. In some alternative embodiments, the two spacers 24 may also be the same as described above. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The spacers 24 in the illustrated embodiments are identical, and each spacer 24 includes a first spacer plate 241, a second spacer plate 242, and a third spacer plate 243.

[0199] Optionally, when the battery 20 includes a stacked electrode assembly and the spacer 24 includes a plurality of third spacers 243, the arrangement direction of the plurality of third spacers 243 may be parallel to the stacking direction of the positive electrode, separator, and negative electrode in the stacked electrode assembly. In this embodiment, the third spacers 243 only contact a small number of electrodes in the stacked electrode assembly, and the third spacers 243 have a relatively small impact on the electrode assembly. Alternatively, in some alternative embodiments, the arrangement direction of the plurality of third spacers 243 may also be perpendicular to the stacking direction of the positive electrode, separator, and negative electrode in the stacked electrode assembly. In this embodiment, each third spacer 243 can simultaneously contact all the electrodes in the stacked electrode assembly to provide good support for the stacked electrode assembly. Or, in other alternative embodiments, the arrangement direction of the plurality of third spacers 243 may also be parallel to any other direction of the stacking surface; this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0200] This application also provides a spacer whose structure can be the same as that of the spacer 24 in the foregoing embodiments.

[0201] Specifically, the spacer may include a first spacer plate 241 and a second spacer plate 242, wherein one end of the second spacer plate 242 is connected to a first surface of the first spacer plate 241, and the other end of the second spacer plate 242 extends toward the orientation of the first surface.

[0202] In some embodiments, the spacer can be applied in the battery 20, as shown in spacer 24 above, and disposed between the housing 21 of the battery 20 and the electrode assembly 22 to provide cushioning and support. In other embodiments, the spacer can also be applied to other structural applications, such as battery packs, vehicles, etc., to reduce the impact and influence of external stress on the product structure.

[0203] The specific structure of the spacer provided in this application embodiment can be found in the relevant description of any of the above embodiments. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0204] This application also provides an electrical device, which may include the battery 20 in the foregoing embodiments, the battery 20 being used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device. Optionally, the electrical device may be a vehicle 1, a ship, or a spacecraft.

[0205] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. 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 battery, characterized by, The application relates to a battery, comprising: a shell (21); an electrode assembly (22) accommodated in the shell (21); a spacer (24) arranged between the shell (21) and the electrode assembly (22), the spacer (24) comprising a first spacer plate (241) arranged towards the electrode assembly (22) and a second spacer plate (242) connected at one end to a first surface of the first spacer plate (241) and extending at the other end towards the direction of the first surface. The first surface is a surface of the first spacer plate (241) facing away from the electrode assembly (22).

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The spacer (24) comprises a plurality of second spacer plates (242) arranged on the first spacer plate (241).

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein, The plurality of second spacer plates (242) are arranged at equal intervals on the first spacer plate (241).

4. The battery of claim 2, wherein, The plurality of second spacer plates (242) are arranged in parallel with each other.

5. The battery of claim 2, wherein, The distance P between any two adjacent second spacer plates (242) in the plurality of second spacer plates (242) satisfies 0.5mm<=P<=50mm.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The included angle alpha between one surface of the second spacer plate (242) and the first surface of the first spacer plate (241) satisfies 120<=alpha<=170.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein, 135°≤α≤150°。 8. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The spacer (24) is arranged in a first direction of the electrode assembly (22), and the size H of the spacer (24) in the first direction satisfies 1mm<=H<=L / 10, wherein L is the size of the battery in the first direction.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein, At least one of the first spacer plate (241) and the second spacer plate (242) comprises an insulating plate.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The material of at least one of the first spacer plate (241) and the second spacer plate (242) comprises an elastic material.

11. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The rigidity of the first spacer plate (241) is smaller than that of the second spacer plate (242), and the toughness of the first spacer plate (241) is greater than that of the second spacer plate (242).

12. The battery of claim 1, wherein, The rigidity of the first spacer plate (241) is greater than that of the second spacer plate (242), and the toughness of the first spacer plate (241) is smaller than that of the second spacer plate (242).

13. The battery of any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The spacer (24) further comprises a third spacer plate (243) connected at one end to a second surface of the first spacer plate (241) opposite to the first surface and extending at the other end towards the direction of the second surface.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein, The spacer (24) comprises a plurality of third spacer plates (243) arranged on the first spacer plate (241).

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein, The arrangement mode of the plurality of third spacer plates (243) on the first spacer plate (241) is the same as that of the plurality of second spacer plates (242) on the first spacer plate (241).

16. The battery of claim 13, wherein, The third spacer plate (243) is symmetrically arranged relative to the second spacer plate (242) with respect to the first spacer plate (241).

17. The battery of claim 13, wherein, The third spacer plate (243) comprises an insulating plate.

18. The battery of any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The spacer (24) is arranged in the gravity direction of the electrode assembly (22).

19. The battery of any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The battery comprises a plurality of the spacer (24), and the plurality of the spacer (24) is arranged in the gravity direction and the anti-gravity direction of the electrode assembly (22) respectively.

20. The battery of any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The electrode assembly (22) is a laminated electrode assembly, and the first spacer plate (241) in the spacer (24) is arranged towards the stacking surface of the laminated electrode assembly.

21. A spacer, characterized in that The spacer is arranged between the housing (21) and the electrode assembly (22) of the battery, and the spacer comprises: The first spacer plate (241) is arranged towards the electrode assembly (22), and one end of the second spacer plate (242) is connected to the first surface of the first spacer plate (241), and the other end of the second spacer plate (242) extends towards the first surface. The first surface is the surface of the first spacer plate (241) away from the electrode assembly (22).

22. The spacer of claim 21, wherein The spacer comprises a plurality of the second spacer plate (242), and the plurality of the second spacer plate (242) is arranged on the first spacer plate (241).

23. The spacer of claim 22, wherein The plurality of the second spacer plate (242) is equidistantly arranged on the first spacer plate (241).

24. The spacer of claim 22, wherein The plurality of the second spacer plate (242) is arranged in parallel.

25. The spacer of claim 22, wherein The distance P between two adjacent second spacer plates (242) in the plurality of the second spacer plate (242) satisfies 0.5mm≤P≤50mm.

26. The spacer of claim 21, wherein The included angle a between one surface of the second spacer plate (242) and the first surface of the first spacer plate (241) satisfies 120°≤a≤170°.

27. The spacer of claim 21, wherein At least one of the first spacer plate (241) and the second spacer plate (242) comprises an insulating plate.

28. The spacer of claim 21, wherein The material of at least one of the first spacer plate (241) and the second spacer plate (242) comprises an elastic material.

29. The spacer of any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein, The spacer further comprises a third spacer plate (243), one end of the third spacer plate (243) is connected to the second surface of the first spacer plate (241) opposite to the first surface, and the other end of the third spacer plate (243) extends towards the second surface.

30. The spacer of claim 29, wherein, The spacer comprises a plurality of the third spacer plate (243), and the plurality of the third spacer plate (243) is arranged on the first spacer plate (241).

31. The spacer of claim 30, wherein, The arrangement mode of the plurality of the third spacer plate (243) on the first spacer plate (241) is the same as the arrangement mode of the plurality of the second spacer plate (242) on the first spacer plate (241).

32. The spacer of claim 29, wherein The third partition plate (243) is symmetrically arranged with the second partition plate (242) relative to the first partition plate (241).

33. An electrical device, comprising: Comprising: The battery of any one of claims 1 to 20, the battery being used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.

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