Battery pack for vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack for a vehicle and a vehicle including the same. The battery pack includes a housing including a side wall provided with a cavity, an outer connector disposed on an outer side of the side wall and connecting the housing to an underbody structure, and an inner support disposed on an inner side of the side wall and connecting the side wall to a module. In the height direction, the top face of the outer connecting piece is lower than the top wall of the cavity and higher than the top face of the inner supporting piece, and the bottom wall of the cavity is lower than the top face of the inner supporting piece. The side wall comprises a first rib plate and a second rib plate which are arranged in the cavity, in the height direction, the first rib plate is located between the top face of the outer connecting piece and the top wall of the cavity, and the second rib plate is located between the top face of the outer connecting piece and the top face of the inner supporting piece. According to the battery pack, the risks of deformation and fracture of the side wall of the shell can be reduced, and the battery pack is simple in structure and convenient to manufacture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of vehicle components, and more particularly, to a battery pack for a vehicle, and to a vehicle including the battery pack. Background Art

[0002] The power battery pack of a vehicle is generally installed at the bottom of the vehicle. The battery pack includes a housing, external connectors and internal support components installed outside and inside the housing, and a battery module installed inside the housing. The side wall of the housing is prone to deformation and fracture when hit.

[0003] The existing technology usually increases the thickness of the side wall or sets a plurality of reinforcing ribs in the cavity of the side wall to improve the strength of the side wall. However, this method will lead to uneven stress distribution of the side wall. Since both sides of the lower part of the side wall are supported by the external connector and the internal support at the same time, the strength is too large compared to the upper part of the side wall, which makes it easy for the connection between the upper part of the side wall and the lower part of the side wall to deform and break, thereby damaging the battery core and other components inside the battery pack. In addition, this method will increase the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the side wall. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack for a vehicle to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned defects of the prior art. That is, the battery pack according to the present invention can reduce the risk of deformation and breakage of the side wall of the shell, and has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0005] To this end, the first aspect of the present invention provides a battery pack for a vehicle, comprising: a housing, the housing comprising a bottom plate and a side wall connected to the bottom plate, the bottom plate and the side wall defining a receiving cavity for arranging a battery module, wherein the housing has a height direction perpendicular to the bottom plate; an external connector, the external connector being arranged outside the side wall and being suitable for connecting the housing to the vehicle body bottom structure; and an internal support member, the internal support member being arranged inside the side wall and connecting the side wall to the battery module. The side wall is provided with a cavity, the battery pack is configured such that: in the height direction, the top surface of the external connector is lower than the top wall of the cavity and higher than the top surface of the internal support member, and the bottom wall of the cavity is lower than the top surface of the internal support member, the side wall comprises a first rib plate and a second rib plate arranged in the cavity, and in the height direction, the first rib plate is positioned between the top surface of the external connector and the top wall of the cavity, and the second rib plate is positioned between the top surface of the external connector and the top surface of the internal support member.

[0006] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, each of the first ribs and the second ribs extends perpendicular to the height direction.

[0007] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the first ribs and the second ribs evenly divide the cavity in the height direction.

[0008] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the first rib and the top wall of the cavity is smaller than the distance between the second rib and the bottom wall of the cavity.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first rib is between 2 mm and 5 mm, and / or the thickness of the second rib is between 2 mm and 5 mm.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first rib is between 3 mm and 4 mm, and / or the thickness of the second rib is between 3 mm and 4 mm.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the side wall is an integral piece made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0012] A second aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle comprising an underbody structure and a battery pack according to the first aspect of the present invention connected to the underbody structure.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the battery pack according to the present invention has multiple advantages, especially: by providing the first rib plate and the second rib plate in the side wall cavity, and the height difference between the inner support member and the outer connector, the plastic strain of the side wall is improved, and the risk of the side wall breaking and invading the interior of the shell is reduced. In addition, the battery pack has a simple structure and low cost, and can be widely used in various types of vehicles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood through the following preferred embodiments described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or similar components.

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle showing the underbody structure;

[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3a is along Figure 2 Partial cross-section taken from mid-plane AA;

[0018] Figure 3b The battery pack was hit by the rear edge Figure 2 Partial cross-section taken from mid-plane AA;

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the side wall of the shell of the battery pack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The implementation and use of specific embodiments are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to implement and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0021] In this specification, when describing the structural position of each component, directional expressions such as "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom" are not absolute, but relative. When the components are arranged as shown in the figure, these directional expressions are appropriate, but when the position of the components in the figure changes, these directional expressions should also change accordingly. In addition, "inside" and "outside" are defined with reference to the inside-outside direction relative to the vehicle, for example, "outside" refers to the side facing the outside of the vehicle.

[0022] In addition, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, the X direction represents the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V (i.e., the driving direction of the vehicle V), the Y direction represents the lateral direction of the vehicle V (i.e., the direction forming an angle of 90 degrees relative to the driving direction), and the Z direction represents the vertical direction of the vehicle V (i.e., the up and down direction).

[0023] Below with the help of Figures 1 to 4 A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 3a As shown, the vehicle V includes a vehicle body bottom structure B and a battery pack 100 connected to the vehicle body bottom structure B. The battery pack 100 includes a shell 10, an external connector 2 and an internal support 3. The shell 10 includes a bottom plate 11 and a side wall 12 connected to the bottom plate 11, and the bottom plate 11 and the side wall 12 define a receiving cavity 14 in which a module 13 is arranged. The shell 10 has a height direction perpendicular to the bottom plate 11 (i.e., a vertical direction Z direction). The external connector 2 is arranged on the outside of the side wall 12 and connects the shell 10 to the vehicle body bottom structure B. The internal support 3 is arranged on the inside of the side wall 12 and connects the side wall 12 to the module 13.

[0025] The outer connector 2 and the inner support 3 are respectively fixedly connected to the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the side wall 12, for example, by welding. The outer connector 2 and the vehicle body bottom structure B, and the inner support and the internal structure of the shell 10 (for example, the module 13) are connected by screws and / or welding.

[0026] like Figures 3a to 4As shown, the side wall 12 defines a cavity 15, and the arrangement of the cavity 15 can reduce the mass of the side wall 12 and improve the overall performance of the vehicle V. In the Z direction, the top surface 21 of the outer connecting member 2 is lower than the top wall 151 of the cavity 15 and higher than the top surface 31 of the inner supporting member 3, and the bottom wall 152 of the cavity 15 is lower than the top surface 31 of the inner supporting member 3. In the case of a lateral external force, the arrangement of the height difference between the inner supporting member 3 and the outer connecting member 2 can make the force have a gradual trend along the Z direction in the side wall 12, so that the external force is not concentrated on the side wall 12, thereby reducing the risk of the side wall 12 breaking.

[0027] The side wall 12 includes a first rib 16 and a second rib 17 disposed in the cavity 15, and in the Z direction, the first rib 16 is positioned between the top surface 21 of the outer connecting member 2 and the top wall 151 of the cavity 15, and the second rib 17 is positioned between the top surface 21 of the outer connecting member 2 and the top surface 31 of the inner support member 3. The second rib 17 is disposed at a relatively weak position in the side wall 12, mainly to provide support for the lower portion of the side wall 12.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, according to this embodiment, each of the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 extends substantially perpendicular to the Z direction. More specifically, the first rib 16 is substantially parallel to the second rib 17 and divides the cavity 15 into three sub-cavities: upper, middle, and lower. According to other variations, the first rib 16 and / or the second rib 17 may be arranged to be inclined relative to the Z direction.

[0029] According to one embodiment, when the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 are arranged in parallel, the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 evenly divide the cavity 15 in the Z direction, that is, the distance D1 between the first rib 16 and the top wall 151 of the cavity 15, the distance D2 between the second rib 17 and the bottom wall 152 of the cavity 15, and the distance D3 between the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 are all equal. According to another embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the distance D1 may be smaller than the distance D2. For example, the distance D1 is set to 14.5 mm, the distance D2 is set to 29 mm, and the distance D3 between the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 is set to 39.5 mm.

[0030] The thickness T1 of the first rib 16 is, for example, between 2 mm and 5 mm, and / or the thickness T2 of the second rib 17 is, for example, between 2 mm and 5 mm. Preferably, the thickness T1 of the first rib 16 is between 3 mm and 4 mm, and / or the thickness T2 of the second rib 17 is between 3 mm and 4 mm. More preferably, the thickness T1 of the first rib 16 is between 3.5 mm and 4 mm, and / or the thickness T2 of the second rib 17 is between 3.5 mm and 4 mm. The "thickness" here is understood to be the average thickness of the first rib 16 and the second rib 17.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the thickness T1 of the first rib 16 is substantially the same as the thickness T2 of the second rib 17. For example, the thickness T1 of the first rib 16 and the thickness T2 of the second rib 17 are both set to about 4 mm. According to another embodiment, the thickness T1 of the first rib 16 may also be different from the thickness T2 of the second rib 17, for example, the thickness T1 is set to about 4 mm, and the thickness T2 is set to about 2 mm.

[0032] Since the density of aluminum or aluminum alloy is relatively small compared to other materials, the side wall 12 can preferably be configured as an integral piece made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, that is, the wall surface 18 of the side wall 12 and the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 are preferably integrally formed.

[0033] When the side wall 12 is subjected to external force, the first rib 16 can improve the structural strength of the protruding portion of the side wall 12 relative to the external connection member 2, improve the deformation of the side wall 12, reduce the risk of the side wall 12 breaking, and prevent the deformed side wall 12 from invading the accommodating cavity 14 and contacting the module 13 and other components inside the housing 10 to damage these components, thereby meeting the SDF (Functional Safety) criteria of the vehicle V. The second rib 17 can adjust the force transmission path in the side wall 12, so that the overall force of the side wall 12 is more uniform.

[0034] The position, thickness and material of the first rib 16 and the second rib 17 can be flexibly set according to the structural strength requirements of the side wall 12. On the one hand, this can improve the plastic strain of the side wall 12, meet the overall structural strength requirements of the side wall 12, and reduce the risk of deformation and fracture of the side wall 12. On the other hand, it can optimize the overall structure of the side wall 12, avoid redundant supporting structures, and reduce the overall weight of the side wall 12.

[0035] In addition, the top of the side wall 12 also forms a connecting portion 121 (connected to other parts of the battery pack housing), and the top surface of the side wall 12 is covered with a connecting strip 4 including a connecting hole 42, so that the connecting strip 4 is connected to the top surface of the side wall 12 by a screw 41 passing through the connecting hole 42. At least one second cavity 19 can be provided in the connecting portion 121 to further reduce the weight of the side wall 12.

[0036] The technical content and technical features of the present invention have been disclosed above. However, it can be understood that under the creative ideas of the present invention, technicians in this field can make various changes and improvements to the above-disclosed concepts, but all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0037] The description of the above embodiments is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The protection scope of the present invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack (100) for a vehicle (V), comprising: A housing (10), the housing (10) comprising a bottom plate (11) and a side wall (12) connected to the bottom plate (11), the bottom plate (11) and the side wall (12) defining a receiving cavity (14) for arranging a battery module (13), wherein the housing (10) has a height direction (Z) perpendicular to the bottom plate (11); an outer connecting member (2) disposed outside the side wall (12) and adapted to connect the housing (10) to an underbody structure (B) of the vehicle (V); and An inner support member (3), the inner support member (3) being arranged inside the side wall (12) and connecting the side wall (12) to the battery module (13); The invention is characterized in that the side wall (12) is provided with a cavity (15). The battery pack (100) is configured such that: in the height direction (Z), the top surface (21) of the external connector (2) is lower than the top wall (151) of the cavity (15) and higher than the top surface (31) of the inner support (3), and the bottom wall (152) of the cavity (15) is lower than the top surface (31) of the inner support (3); and The side wall (12) includes a first rib (16) and a second rib (17) arranged in the cavity (15), and in the height direction (Z), the first rib (16) is positioned between the top surface (21) of the external connecting member (2) and the top wall (151) of the cavity (15), and the second rib (17) is positioned between the top surface (21) of the external connecting member (2) and the top surface (31) of the internal support member (3).

2. The battery pack (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the first rib (16) and the second rib (17) extends perpendicular to the height direction (Z).

3. The battery pack (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first rib (16) and the second rib (17) evenly divide the cavity (15) in the height direction (Z).

4. The battery pack (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: A distance (D1) between the first rib (16) and the top wall (151) of the cavity (15) is smaller than a distance (D2) between the second rib (17) and the bottom wall (152) of the cavity (15).

5. The battery pack (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness (T1) of the first rib (16) is between 2 mm and 5 mm, and / or the thickness (T2) of the second rib (17) is between 2 mm and 5 mm.

6. The battery pack (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The thickness (T1) of the first rib (16) is between 3 mm and 4 mm, and / or the thickness (T2) of the second rib (17) is between 3 mm and 4 mm.

7. The battery pack (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The side wall (12) is an integral piece made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

8. A vehicle (V), comprising a vehicle bottom structure (B) and a battery pack (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 connected to the vehicle bottom structure (B).

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