Battery cell testing device with thermal runaway safety feature

Abstract

A battery cell testing device with thermal runaway safety features is provided. A cell test device for testing one or more cells, the cell test device comprising a cell test housing, the housing comprising at least one internal vent. The cell testing device also includes an outer housing that accommodates the cell testing enclosure and includes at least one vent vent that vents to the outside of the outer housing. During testing, the cell test enclosure is located within the outer housing so as to define at least one explosive gas path from the at least one internal vent to the at least one exhaust vent. In some embodiments, the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to the ventilation axis of the exhaust vent. In some embodiments, the vents each include one or more perforated plates. In some embodiments, the cell test enclosure is a drawer-type enclosure that includes a cabinet and a drawer designed and configured to receive a battery cell for testing.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 537,010, filed on September 7, 2023, entitled “Battery-Cell Testing Apparatuses Having Thermal-Runaway Safety Features,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention generally relates to the field of testing battery cells. In particular, the present invention relates to a battery cell testing device having a thermal runaway safety feature. background

[0005] Battery cells, such as individual soft-pack cells and multiple cells contained in a battery module or battery pack, need to be tested during the design phase and during the manufacturing phase (such as for quality control purposes). During testing, battery cells may experience thermal runaway, such as combustion or explosion due to internal short circuits. Combustion and explosion during testing are more common for certain cell chemistries than for other cell chemistries. For example, battery cells with electroplated stripping lithium metal anodes are prone to forming dendrites during charging, and the resulting dendrites can penetrate the separator and contact the cathode during cycle testing, causing an electrical short circuit. Depending on the type of electrolyte in the cell, the electrical short circuit may cause the cell to catch fire and / or explode. When testing battery cells that may catch fire and / or explode, safety during testing is always the most important consideration, and improvements are constantly being made to the test equipment to improve its safety.

[0006] Overview of the Disclosure

[0007] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a battery cell testing device for testing one or more battery cells, the battery cell testing device comprising: a battery cell testing housing, the battery cell testing housing comprising an internal space, the internal space being configured to accommodate one or more battery cells during testing, the battery cell testing housing comprising an internal vent having a ventilation axis, wherein, during testing, the battery cell testing housing is sealed except for the internal vent that vents to a position outside the battery cell testing housing; and an external shell that accommodates the battery cell testing housing and comprises at least one exhaust vent, each exhaust vent venting to the outside of the external shell along a corresponding exhaust axis, wherein, during testing, the external shell is sealed except for the at least one exhaust vent; wherein, during testing, the battery cell testing housing is located within the external shell: so as to define at least one explosion gas path from the explosion vent to at least one exhaust vent; and such that: the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent; or the ventilation axis of the internal vent is parallel to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

[0008] In some embodiments, the ventilation axis of the interior vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

[0009] In some embodiments, the battery cell test housing has a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other, and the internal vent is located between the first end and the second end; the external shell has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from each other, and has a first side and a second side extending between the third end and the fourth end and spaced apart from each other; and the at least one exhaust vent includes a first exhaust vent and a second exhaust vent located at the first side and the second side, respectively.

[0010] In some embodiments, the interior vent includes a first perforated plate having a first opening configuration.

[0011] In some embodiments, the interior vent includes a second perforated plate overlapping the first perforated plate, the second perforated plate having a second opening configuration different from the first opening configuration.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first perforated sheet and the second perforated sheet are secured to each other to provide a first multi-layer pressure relief panel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one exhaust vent comprises a third perforated plate having a third opening configuration.

[0014] In some embodiments, the at least one exhaust vent includes a fourth perforated plate overlapping the third perforated plate, the fourth perforated plate having a fourth opening configuration different from the third opening configuration.

[0015] In some embodiments, the third perforated sheet and the fourth perforated sheet are secured to each other to provide a second multi-layer pressure relief panel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the battery cell testing housing is a drawer-type housing.

[0017] In some embodiments, the battery cell testing enclosure includes a cabinet and a drawer movably engaged with the cabinet.

[0018] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive a battery module for testing.

[0019] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive a single battery cell for testing.

[0020] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive the single battery cell when the single battery cell is positioned within the pressure applying fixture.

[0021] In some embodiments, the drawer is secured in a closed position by a plurality of spring-type latches.

[0022] In some embodiments, the drawer includes an enclosure including a first explosion-proof window.

[0023] In some embodiments, the outer housing includes a second explosion-proof window that is aligned with the first explosion-proof window when the battery cell testing enclosure is operably located within the outer housing.

[0024] In some embodiments, the battery cell testing housing includes an external first electrical connection for connecting the one or more battery cells to a testing instrument.

[0025] In some embodiments, the outer housing includes a door having an internal second electrical connector and an external second electrical connector for electrically connecting to the test instrument, wherein when the door is closed, the internal second electrical connector is aligned with the external first electrical connector of the battery cell test housing.

[0026] In some embodiments, an electrical connector electrically connects the internal second electrical connector to the external first electrical connector of the battery cell testing enclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] For the purpose of illustration, the accompanying drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an example battery cell testing apparatus made according to aspects of the present disclosure, the example battery cell testing apparatus including a ventilated battery cell testing enclosure positioned within a ventilated outer housing;

[0030] Figure 2A Made according to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 A simplified representative cross-section of an example cell test apparatus showing a cell test enclosure within an outer housing;

[0031] Figure 2B is with Figure 2A Same simplified representative cross section, but with the DUT exploded inside the cell test enclosure;

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A zoomed out exploded isometric view of a cell test housing of a cell test apparatus;

[0033] Figure 4 is an enlarged isometric view of an example alternative drawer of a cell test enclosure configured to hold a single pouch-type cell when the cell is clamped within a pressure applying fixture;

[0034] Figure 5A yes Figure 1 A reduced isometric view of an outer housing of a battery cell testing apparatus showing a door of the outer housing in a closed and secured state and showing a first lateral side of the outer housing having an exhaust vent;

[0035] Figure 5B is with Figure 5A a different isometric view of the same outer housing, but showing the door in an open and unsecured state and showing a second lateral side of the outer housing also having an exhaust vent;

[0036] Fig. 6A yes Figure 1 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B a reduced isometric fragmentary view of a corner of an outer shell of showing one of the exhaust ventilating panels partially engaged with a pair of vertically extending channels formed by corresponding respective L-shaped members secured to the outer shell;

[0037] Figure 6B is with Fig. 6A a partial view of the same outer casing, but without one of the exhaust vent panels;

[0038] Fig. 7A is an isometric view of an example perforated plate made according to aspects of the present disclosure and that may be used to form the vent panel of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 7B is an isometric view of another example perforated plate made according to aspects of the present disclosure and that may be used to form the vent panel of the present disclosure; and

[0040] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A partial isometric view of the front end of the outer housing of the battery test apparatus showing the door in a closed and secured position with the four latches fully engaged. Detailed Description

[0042] The entire content of the appended claims is incorporated into this Detailed Description section as if originally presented herein.

[0043] In some aspects, the present disclosure relates to battery cell testing devices (or simply referred to as "cell testing devices" hereinafter), each of which includes safety features for minimizing the impact on the environment surrounding the cell testing device when one or more battery cells being tested catch fire and / or explode. As mentioned in the background section above, each cell testing device can be configured to test a single cell (e.g., a lithium metal cell or other type of cell that may experience an electrical short circuit and / or other catastrophic failure mechanism) or a group of cells (such as those present in a battery module or battery pack), as well as other alternatives.

[0044] At a high level and in some embodiments, the disclosed cell testing apparatus includes a ventilated cell test enclosure and a surrounding ventilated outer housing, wherein the ventilated cell test enclosure is located within the ventilated outer housing, and various vents are positioned so as to provide one or more circuitous paths from the vents of the ventilated cell test enclosure to the vents of the ventilated outer housing so as to inhibit any flames emanating from the interior of the cell test enclosure from exiting the outer housing into the surrounding environment, and to dissipate energy in the shock wave front of an explosion within the cell test enclosure. Example embodiments including these and other safety features are described in detail below and shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Figure 1An example cell testing device 100 is shown that includes a ventilated cell testing housing 104 located inside a ventilated housing 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the cell testing device 100 includes a pair of handles 112 that are configured for one or more human users (not shown) to grasp and use them to lift and / or move the cell testing device. Each of the ventilated cell testing housing 104 and the ventilated outer housing 108 is described in detail below. However, before moving on to these details, Figure 2A and Figure 2B The relationship between the cell test enclosure 104 and the external housing 108 is shown to provide the above-described circuitous path within the external housing.

[0046] Figure 2A A cross-section of a cell test apparatus 100 is shown, the cross-section showing a cell test housing 104 within an outer housing 108, wherein a flame 200 represents the combustion of a device under test (DUT), which, as described above, may be a single cell or a group of cells (e.g., a battery module, a battery pack, etc.). Figure 2A , the cell test housing 104 includes an internal vent 204 in / on an upper wall 208 of the cell test housing, and the flame 200 and combustion products 212 are shown exiting the cell test housing through the internal vent. Figure 2A As shown, the outer housing 108 includes a pair of exhaust vents 216 in / on the sidewalls 220 of the outer housing. As can be readily appreciated, any flame 200 that exits the interior vents 204 of the cell test enclosure 104 must meander through the space between the cell test enclosure and the outer housing 108 before reaching the exhaust vents 216, which greatly reduces the likelihood of any flame reaching the exterior of the outer housing.

[0047] Figure 2B Shows the Figure 2A Same cross section, but explosion 224 of the DUT has occurred within the cell test enclosure 104. Figure 2B As seen in FIG. 1 and as indicated by the arrows, the explosion has caused a shock wave front (i.e., high pressure gas) 228 to propagate through the space between the cell test enclosure 104 and the outer housing 108 before reaching the exhaust vent 216 and being vented to the exterior of the outer housing. As the shock wave front 228 propagates through the space, the positions of the interior vents 204 and the exhaust vents 216 relative to each other cause the airflow to strike the upper wall 232 of the outer housing 108, deflecting from it to the left and right, and then exiting the outer housing through the exhaust vents 216 on the side walls 220 of the outer housing. As can be seen from FIG. 1 , the shock wave front 228 propagates through the space between the cell test enclosure 104 and the outer housing 108, Figure 2BAs can be readily appreciated, the locations of the interior vents 204 and exhaust vents 216 are coordinated with the positioning of the cell test enclosure 104 within the outer housing 108 and optionally with specially designed vents (see, e.g., Fig. 7A and Figure 7B ) are combined with each other to dissipate energy from the shock wave front 228 so that when the gases from the explosion 224 exit the exhaust vents in the outer housing to the surrounding environment, the gases have such little energy (e.g., velocity) that they are unlikely to damage any devices that may be located near the battery cell testing device 100 (e.g., other battery cell testing devices, instruments, structures, etc.).

[0048] exist Figure 2A and Figure 2B In the example of , it can be seen that the ventilation axis 236 of the internal vent 204 of the battery cell test housing 104 is perpendicular to the two exhaust axes 240 of the exhaust vent 216 in the external shell 108. As used herein and in the appended claims, the "ventilation axis" and "exhaust axis" of the internal vent 204 and the exhaust vent 216, as the case may be, are axes that are perpendicular to the plane of the ventilation opening or vent panel, respectively. This relationship between the relevant ventilation axis and exhaust axis forces the explosion gases to change direction within the external shell, thereby helping to reduce the amount of energy in the explosion gases. Note that the orientation of the battery cell test apparatus 100 does not need to be as shown. Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the orientation of the battery cell testing device 100 implies that the direction of entering and leaving the page containing these figures is horizontal. For example, the direction can be vertical or at any oblique angle. In addition, those skilled in the art will readily understand that Figure 2A and Figure 2B Each cross section in can be rotated to any angle between 0° and 360° from the orientation shown.

[0049] Although each of the internal vents 204 and the exhaust vents 216 are depicted as relatively large openings in the corresponding structures, as described above and exemplified below, each of these vents will typically include a plurality of smaller openings that further inhibit the combustion flame 200 from reaching the environment surrounding the battery cell test device 100 and / or further dissipate the energy in the shock wave front 228. It should also be noted that the number of vents provided may be different from the vents shown, and the positions of the vents may also be different. For example, and using the general configuration of the battery cell test housing 104 and the external housing 108 shown in the accompanying drawings, the internal vents 204 of the battery cell test housing 104 can remain in their positions, while the external housing 108 can include a single exhaust vent in its rear wall (not shown). In this example, the ventilation axis and the exhaust axis are perpendicular to each other. As another example, the battery cell test housing 104 can have an internal vent on its rear wall (not shown), and the external housing can include one or more exhaust vents on any one or more of its side walls, top walls, and bottom walls (not shown). Here, the ventilation axis of the internal vent will also be perpendicular to the ventilation axis of each exhaust vent provided. In such an embodiment, each exhaust vent 216 provided to the external shell 108 can be positioned only toward the opposite end of the external shell relative to the position of the internal exhaust vent 204 of the battery cell test housing 104. This will maximize the distance that the flame 200 or shock wave front 228 must travel from the internal vent 204 to the interior of the exhaust vent 216 within the external shell 108. In another example, the battery cell test housing 104 can include an internal vent (not shown) on each of its lateral sides, and the external shell 108 can include at least one exhaust vent on one or both of the top wall and the bottom wall (not shown). In this case, the ventilation axis of the internal vent and the exhaust axis are perpendicular to the ventilation axis of each exhaust vent provided on the external shell 108.

[0050] Each of the aforementioned examples has a ventilation axis of each internal vent perpendicular to the exhaust axis of each exhaust vent. However, in some embodiments, this does not need to be so. On the contrary, in some embodiments, the ventilation axis and exhaust axis of the internal vent and the exhaust vent can be parallel to each other (not shown). In this case, each internal vent is laterally offset from each proximal exhaust vent located on the same side (e.g., left side, right side, upper side, lower side) of the corresponding battery test housing and the external housing, so that there can be no direct linear flow from any internal vent to any exhaust vent. For example, the battery test housing 104 can have an internal vent located on each lateral side, close to its front end (not shown), and the external housing 108 can have an exhaust vent located on each lateral side, but close to its rear end (not shown). In this configuration, any shock wave front leaving the internal vent will first impact the side wall of the external housing 108, deflect toward the opposite end of the external housing, and then change direction again to leave the external housing through the exhaust vent. Many other arrangements of internal vents and exhaust vents are possible.

[0051] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Exploded view of a cell test housing 104 of a cell test apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 . In this example, the cell test housing 104 is a drawer-type housing having a drawer 300 that slidably engages a corresponding cabinet 304. In the example shown, the drawer 300 is configured to hold a battery module 308 during testing. The drawer 300 includes a base 312 and a closure 316 that seals the cell test housing 104 when the drawer is fully engaged with the cabinet 304. In this example, the closure 316 includes a transparent window 320 made of a suitable explosion-proof material (such as explosion-proof glass or quartz, etc.) to allow a user (not shown) to see the interior of the cell test housing 104 when the drawer 300 is closed. The window 320 can be engaged with the closure 316 in any suitable manner, such as sliding into a channel and / or mechanically fastened to the closure. The closure 316 in the example also includes an electrical connector 324 for electrically connecting the battery module to a cycler (not shown) and / or other test instrument, and a handle 328 that a user can easily grasp to open and close the drawer 300. When the drawer 300 is in the cabinet 304 and closed, a set of latches 332 (here four spring-type latches, two on each side) securely secure the drawer in the cabinet. In this example, the spring-type latches 332 provide a measure of energy dissipation to reduce the possibility of the drawer 300 being blown out of the cabinet 304 by a violent explosion inside the battery cell test housing 104.

[0052] In this example, the cabinet 304 includes a pair of side walls 336 extending between a pair of ends 340, one of which has an opening 344 for receiving the drawer 300, and the other end (not shown) has an end wall. The cabinet 304 can have a bottom wall 348. Alternatively, when the cabinet 304 is secured to the bottom wall of the external housing using a pair of brackets located at the lower edges of the side walls of the battery cell test enclosure (not shown), the external housing 108 ( Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 8 ) can also serve as the bottom wall of the cell test housing 104. In the example shown, the upper side of the cabinet 304 has four internal vent panels 352, each of which can be, but not necessarily is, as shown in FIG. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B In the example, the upper ends of the side walls can be tied together with tie members 356, and the tie members 356 can be located at the positions where there are no ventilation openings in the four inner vent panels 352. Figure 3 , such tie members 356 may be present at three such locations shown therein.

[0053] In some embodiments, each internal vent panel 352 is slidably engaged with a transversely extending channel, which may correspond to and / or provide a tie member (not shown). In other embodiments, four internal vent panels 352 may be slidably engaged with a longitudinally extending sidewall channel, which is formed by an L-shaped hold-down portion 360 located near the upper end of the sidewall 336 and the (rear) end wall (not shown). In such an embodiment, the four internal vent panels 352 will be installed in sequence, wherein the rightmost internal vent panel is first installed from the drawer end of the cabinet 304 and slides all the way to the right, and the leftmost internal vent panel is installed last. In such an embodiment, when the drawer 300 is closed, the upper end of the closure 316 can be configured to extend upward so as to keep the four internal vent panels 352 in the sidewall channel. In the illustrated embodiment, in addition to the tie member 356 and / or the hold-down portion 360, the entire upper side of the cabinet 304 includes an internal vent. In other embodiments, the cabinet 304 may include a smaller range of internal vents, such as approximately 30%, approximately 40%, approximately 50%, approximately 60%, or approximately 75% of the total area of ​​the upper side of the cabinet, with the remainder being closed by solid walls and / or one or more tie members 356 and / or other structures.

[0054] In some embodiments, the drawer 300 can slideably engage the guide rail 364 in the corresponding cabinet 304. The drawer 300 can be inserted into the cabinet 304 along the insertion axis IA.

[0055] Figure 4An alternative drawer 400 is shown that is configured to hold a single pouch-type battery cell 404 while the cell is clamped within a press fixture 408 . Figure 4 The drawer 400 is generally similar to the Figure 3 Drawer 300. Drawer 400 has rails 412 that can slidably engage a cabinet (not shown). Figure 3 Drawers 300, Figure 4 The drawer 400 includes a closure 416 and a base 420. The closure 416 of the drawer 400 also includes an explosion-proof window 424, a handle 428, and an electrical connector 432 suitable for testing the tested battery cell 404. In this example, Figure 4 The base 420 of the drawer 400 includes an electrical contact 436 for electrically contacting a tab 440 of the battery cell 404 . Figure 4 Also shown is an electrical connector 444 that connects the electrical connector 432 on the closure 416 of the drawer 400 and the electrical connector on the door of the outer housing 108 (see Figure 8 ) provide the necessary electrical connections. As can be appreciated, when the drawer 400 is fully closed, the electrical connector 432 on the closure 416 is aligned with the electrical connector on the door of the outer housing 108 (see Figure 8 ) so that the action of closing the door completes the connection between the electrical connector on the door and the electrical connector on the closure through the electrical connector 444.

[0056] Figure 5A and Figure 5B are different views of the outer housing 108, wherein Figure 5A The door 500 of the outer housing 108 is shown in a closed and secured state and the first lateral side 504 of the outer housing having an exhaust vent 508, and Figure 5B The door 500 is shown in an open and unsecured state and a second lateral side 512 of the external housing that also has an exhaust vent 508. In this example, the external housing 108 includes a solid bottom wall 516, a solid rear end wall (not shown), and a solid top wall 520. The front end 524 of the external housing 108 includes a structural door frame 528 that supports the door 500 and the latch mechanism 532 and provides rigidity to the external housing. Each of the lateral sides 504, 512 of the external housing 108 includes a vertical support 536 that ties the top wall 520 and the bottom wall 516 together and provides rigidity to the external housing. In this example, these vertical supports 536 are located between adjacent ones of the four exhaust vent panels 508 on each of the lateral sides 504, 512 of the external housing 108. In some embodiments, each exhaust vent panel 508 can be Fig. 7Aand Figure 7B The double-layer vent panel depicted in .

[0057] In some embodiments, each exhaust vent panel 508 can be slidably engaged with a vertically extending channel that can correspond to and / or provide a vertical support 536. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical support 536 is an L-shaped member. Specifically, Fig. 6A The exhaust vent panel 508 is shown partially engaged with a pair of vertically extending channels formed by corresponding respective L-shaped members 536 secured to the outer housing 108. A third L-shaped member 536 is located at the bottom of the opening that receives the exhaust vent panel 508 to capture a lower edge 540 of the exhaust vent panel. Figure 6B The opening in the lateral side 504 of the outer housing 108 is shown without the exhaust vent panel 508 installed.

[0058] In other embodiments, the four exhaust vent panels on each lateral side of the outer shell can be slidably engaged with a longitudinally extending channel formed by an L-shaped clamping portion located near the upper and lower ends of the corresponding side wall and near the front end of the outer shell near the door frame. In such an embodiment, the four exhaust vent panels must be installed in sequence, for example, and relative to Figure 5B , where the rightmost vent panel is installed first from the rear end of the outer shell and slides all the way to the right, and the leftmost exhaust vent panel is installed last. In the illustrated embodiment, each entire lateral side 504, 512 of the outer shell 108 includes an exhaust vent panel, in addition to the vertical support members 536. In other embodiments, each lateral side 504, 512 may include a smaller range of exhaust vents, such as about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60% or about 75% of the total area of ​​the lateral side, and the remainder is closed by a solid wall and / or one or more vertical supports and / or other structures. In some embodiments, the percentages of exhaust vents on the two lateral sides may be equal to or different from each other.

[0059] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B A first perforated plate 700 and a second perforated plate 704 are shown, respectively, which, when overlapped with each other, provide a vent panel of the present disclosure, such as any of the interior vent panel 352 and the exhaust vent panel 508. The first perforated plate 700 has openings 708 (only three are labeled to avoid clutter), and the second perforated plate 704 has openings 712 (only three are labeled to avoid clutter). In this example, Fig. 7A The first perforated plate 700 has a Figure 7BThe second perforated plate 704 has more but smaller openings. In some embodiments, the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 can be fastened to each other to provide an integral vent panel, and in some embodiments, the first perforated plate and the second perforated plate can remain separated from each other even when deployed in the battery test device of the present disclosure (such as the battery test device 100 of the present figure). When fastened together, the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 can be fixed to each other using any one or more fastening methods (such as but not limited to mechanical fastening, welding, adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, brazing, mechanical interlocking, etc.). In some embodiments, the first perforated plate 700 with a larger number of small openings 708 can be positioned so as to face the interior of the component (i.e., the battery test housing 104 or the external housing 108) to which it is engaged, wherein the second perforated plate 704 with a smaller number of large openings 712 is located downstream of the first perforated plate 700 relative to the flow direction of the explosion gas.

[0060] In some embodiments, the two layers of the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 buffer and / or absorb any flame 200 and / or impact force. The opening 708 (e.g., hole and / or groove) in the first perforated plate 700 and the opening 712 in the second perforated plate 704 can be staggered relative to each other so that when the flame 200 and / or pressure wave passes through the first plate, the second plate can absorb the remaining flame and / or pressure wave that has passed through the first plate. If the size of the opening 708, 712 is too large, the absorption capacity may be too small. On the other hand, if the size of the opening 708, 712 is too small, the pressure may not be released fast enough, and this may cause other damage. In some embodiments, a single perforated plate can be used. In some embodiments, three or more perforated plates overlapping each other can be used. It should be noted that the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 can also or alternatively be referred to as "pressure release plate" due to its function, and similarly, the vent panel can be referred to as "pressure release panel".

[0061] Figure 8 The door 500 is shown in a closed and secured state at the front end 524 of the outer housing 108, with the four latches 532 fully engaged. In this example, the door 500 is hingedly connected to the door frame 528 at one of its lateral sides 512 via a pair of hinges 800. One of the four latches 532 is located between the pair of hinges 800. In this example, the latch 532 is provided to provide a hinge 800 relative to resist the battery test housing 104 ( Figure 8The latch 532 is of a spring type, which provides a measure of energy dissipation to reduce the possibility of the door 500 being flipped from the outer shell 108 in the event of a violent explosion inside the battery cell test enclosure 104. In this example, the door 500 also includes an external electrical connector 804, which is used to connect the battery cell test device 100 to a cycler and / or other test equipment (not shown). Figure 8 The door 500 is also shown to include a transparent window 808 made of a suitable explosion-proof material (such as explosion-proof glass or quartz, etc.) to allow a user to see the interior of the outer housing 108 when the door 500 is closed. The window 808 can be engaged with the door 500 in any suitable manner, such as sliding into a channel and / or mechanically fastened to the door.

[0062] Return to reference Figure 1 as well as Figure 3 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B In the example shown, the battery cell testing device 100 includes a plurality of (here three) displacement gauges 116 to measure the height change of the internal measurement object. Each displacement gauge 116 in this embodiment includes a head 120 located outside the external shell 108 and a shaft 124, and the shaft 124 extends from the head 120 to the inside of the battery cell testing housing 104 so as to contact the test sample or the pressure applying fixture 408 when the battery cell testing housing is present in the external shell and the test sample / pressure applying fixture is present in the battery cell testing housing. The shaft 124 of each displacement gauge 116 extends through a corresponding first hole (not shown) in the external shell and a second hole 368 in three tie members 356 on the upper wall of the battery cell testing housing 104 (see Figure 3 ). In this example, the displacement meter 116 is installed after the battery cell test housing 104 has been properly installed into the outer housing 108 so that the second hole 368 of the battery cell test housing is properly aligned with the first hole of the outer housing. The function of the displacement meter 116 is to monitor the expansion (e.g., increased size) of the test sample. When the test sample is a lithium metal battery cell or battery pack that is being charged or discharged, the thickness of the battery cell or battery pack will change. The displacement meter 116 measures and monitors the increased size. In some embodiments, the displacement meter 116 or other displacement sensor can be connected to a computer (not shown) and the results displayed on a computer screen. In some embodiments, the external displacement meter 116 shown can be replaced by a displacement sensor that is completely located inside the battery cell test housing.

[0063] Various modifications and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The features of each of the various embodiments described above may be appropriately combined with the features of the other described embodiments so as to provide a variety of feature combinations in associated new embodiments. In addition, although the foregoing describes a plurality of separate embodiments, the content described herein merely illustrates the application of the principles of the present invention. In addition, although the specific methods herein may be illustrated and / or described as being performed in a particular order, it is within the technical scope of the art that the sequencing is highly variable to implement aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this description is meant to be taken only as an example and does not otherwise limit the scope of the present invention.

[0064] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and shown in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, omissions and additions may be made to the specific disclosure herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery cell testing device for testing one or more battery cells, the battery cell testing device comprising: a cell testing enclosure including an interior space configured to house the one or more battery cells during testing, the cell testing enclosure including an interior vent having a vent axis, wherein during testing, the cell testing enclosure is sealed except for the interior vent that vents to a location outside the cell testing enclosure; and an outer housing that houses the cell test enclosure and includes at least one exhaust vent, each exhaust vent venting to an exterior of the outer housing along a corresponding exhaust axis, wherein during testing, the outer housing is sealed except for the at least one exhaust vent; Wherein, during the test, the cell test housing is located within the outer housing: so as to define at least one explosion gas path from the explosion vent to the at least one exhaust vent; and So that: The ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent; or The ventilation axis of the interior vent is parallel to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

2. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The ventilation axis of the interior vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

3. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell test housing has a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other, the internal vent being located between the first end and the second end; The outer housing has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from each other, and has a first side and a second side extending between the third end and the fourth end and spaced apart from each other; and The at least one exhaust vent includes a first exhaust vent and a second exhaust vent located at the first side and the second side, respectively.

4. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The interior vent includes a first perforated plate having a first opening configuration.

5. The battery cell testing device according to claim 4, wherein: The interior vent includes a second perforated plate overlapping the first perforated plate, the second perforated plate having a second opening configuration different from the first opening configuration.

6. The battery cell testing device according to claim 5, wherein: The first perforated sheet and the second perforated sheet are secured to one another to provide a first multi-layer pressure relief panel.

7. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one exhaust vent includes a third perforated plate having a third opening configuration.

8. The battery cell testing device according to claim 7, wherein: The at least one exhaust vent includes a fourth perforated plate overlapping the third perforated plate, the fourth perforated plate having a fourth opening configuration different from the third opening configuration.

9. The battery cell testing device according to claim 8, wherein: The third perforated sheet and the fourth perforated sheet are secured to each other to provide a second multi-layer pressure relief panel.

10. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell testing housing is a drawer-type housing.

11. The battery cell testing device according to claim 10, wherein: The battery cell testing housing includes a cabinet and a drawer movably engaged with the cabinet.

12. The battery cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein: The drawer is designed and configured to receive a battery module for testing.

13. The battery cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein: The drawer is designed and configured to receive a single battery cell for testing.

14. The battery cell testing device according to claim 13, wherein: The drawer is designed and configured to receive the single battery cell when the single battery cell is positioned within the pressure applying fixture.

15. The battery cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein: The drawer is secured in a closed position by a plurality of spring-type latches.

16. The battery cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein: The drawer includes a closure including a first explosion-proof window.

17. The battery cell testing device according to claim 16, wherein: The outer housing includes a second explosion-proof window that is aligned with the first explosion-proof window when the battery cell test enclosure is operably located within the outer housing.

18. The battery cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell testing housing includes an external first electrical connection for connecting the one or more battery cells to a testing instrument.

19. The battery cell testing device according to claim 18, wherein: The outer housing includes a door having an inner second electrical connector and an outer second electrical connector for making an electrical connection with the test instrument, wherein the inner second electrical connector aligns with the outer first electrical connector of the cell test enclosure when the door is closed.

20. The battery cell testing device according to claim 19, wherein: An electrical connector electrically connects the internal second electrical connector to the external first electrical connector of the battery cell test housing.

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