Multi-layer battery pack structure, battery and production and assembly method of battery pack structure

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-layer battery pack structure and a battery. The multi-layer battery pack structure comprises a hinging mechanism and at least three layers of overlapped battery cell groups, each layer comprises a plurality of battery cell groups; the hinging mechanism adopts a non-soft connecting structure; any two adjacent battery cell group layers are respectively hinged with two ends of one hinging mechanism in a one-to-one manner; wherein when each hinging mechanism is only hinged with one of the two battery cell group layers connected with the hinging mechanism, the battery cell group layer can be overturned by 0-270 degrees by taking the hinged mechanism connected with the battery cell group layer as a rotating shaft; when all the battery cell group layers are located at the overlapped positions, the vertical projections of the mounting and connecting positions of every two adjacent hinging mechanisms are not overlapped, so that all the battery cell group layers can be overturned by taking the connected hinging mechanisms as rotating axes; and therefore, all the battery cell group layers can be overturned and changed between two position states, namely an overlapping position and a tiled and unfolded position. The invention further discloses a production and assembly method of the battery pack structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a multi-layer battery pack structure, a battery, and a production and assembly method of the battery pack structure. Background Art

[0002] Electric vehicles, outdoor power supplies or other large power-consuming products all require long power supply life. Batteries, as an important energy storage carrier, have been continuously developed and innovated in various fields in recent years in an attempt to continuously improve power supply life and stability.

[0003] There are various battery pack (or battery) design structures in various application fields on the market. They are all assembled from several single cells. Different module brackets and different connection circuits can accommodate different numbers of single cells, and the power that the battery pack can output as a whole is also different; the production and assembly processes, procedures and costs are also very different. At present, some power batteries adopt a single-layer flat structure (such as the conventional paving method of electric vehicle batteries), and some are directly stacked vertically by multi-layer battery groups (such as the battery inside some electric bicycles or a part of the battery pack area of ​​some electric vehicles). The connection circuit design of these current battery pack structures is relatively complex, the operation process is relatively cumbersome, and there are many front and back processes that must be operated in sequence. Therefore, how to make good use of limited space and design a clever and compact assembly structure to achieve the largest possible energy storage of the battery pack and facilitate production and assembly, thereby controlling costs while improving the battery pack and battery product endurance, this is the research and development direction that power batteries have been continuously innovating and improving in recent years. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a multi-layer battery pack structure, a battery, and a method for producing and installing a battery, aiming to innovate and improve a battery pack structure and a battery including multi-layer cells that are easy to produce and assemble. The method provided by the present invention can be used to produce and assemble the battery pack structure and the battery of the present invention, and can simultaneously assemble and uniformly weld the output electrodes of the cells at multiple stations, as well as a design suitable for highly intelligent automated production lines, which can greatly improve the production and assembly efficiency, thereby adapting to the large market demand for power batteries.

[0005] A first aspect of the present invention provides a multi-layer battery pack structure, comprising: At least three layers of overlapping battery cell groups, each layer including a plurality of battery cell groups; The hinge mechanism adopts a non-soft connection structure; any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups are hinged to the two ends of the hinge mechanism one by one; Wherein, when each of the hinged mechanisms is hinged to only one of the two connected layers of the battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly of this layer can be flipped by 0° to 270° with the connected hinged mechanism as the rotation axis; When all the battery cell layers are in an overlapping position, the vertical projections of the installation connection positions of two adjacent hinge mechanisms do not overlap, so that all the battery cell layers can be flipped with the connected hinge mechanisms as the rotation axis, so that all the battery cell layers can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flatly spread position.

[0006] Furthermore, each of the hinge mechanisms is arranged to be connected to the side surfaces of two adjacent battery cell groups.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge mechanism includes a structural connection plate and two sets of rotational assemblies; each set of the rotational assemblies is used to independently and flipably hinge the structural connection plate to one of two adjacent layers of the battery cell assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the two sets of rotational combinations are symmetrically arranged.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, each set of the rotating assembly includes an adaptive rotating shaft and a limiting ring; for each set of the rotating shaft and the limiting ring, one is arranged on the structural connecting plate, and the other is arranged on the side of the battery cell layer.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, a spacing protrusion is further provided between two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups, including: (1) provided between two surfaces of any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups that are overlapped and close to each other in the overlapping position, so as to form a spacing layer distance; and / or, (2) provided between two surfaces of any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups that are side by side and close to each other in the flattened position, so as to form a spacing width.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge mechanism includes a structural hinge and a conductor hinge; the structural hinge includes a structural connecting plate and two sets of rotating assemblies; each set of the rotating assemblies is used to independently and flipably hinge the structural connecting plate to one of two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups; the conductor hinge is used to electrically connect the output electrodes between two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups across layers; and the conductor hinge can achieve the same flipping angle as the structural hinge.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the conductor hinge comprises a conductor connecting plate and two electrode connecting parts; the two electrode connecting parts are respectively connected to the two ends of the conductor connecting plate through a section of an easily bendable part; and the conductor hinge is provided with avoidance gaps at the ends of both sides of the easily bendable part.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention provides a battery, comprising a housing and a battery pack structure as described in any one of the above, wherein the battery pack structure is inserted into the housing.

[0014] A third aspect of the present invention discloses a method for producing and assembling a battery, by which a battery pack structure as described in any one of the above and / or a battery as described in the above paragraph can be produced and assembled; The method comprises the following steps: When all the battery cell layers are in the flattened position, the output electrodes on the top surfaces of all the battery cell layers are uniformly welded first according to a preset circuit connection scheme; Then, the output electrodes on the bottom surfaces of all the battery cell layers are uniformly welded, so as to weld all the output electrodes of all the battery cell layers to form an internal circuit of the battery pack structure; The hinge mechanism is used to flip the battery cell groups in each layer accordingly, so that all the battery cell groups are flipped from the flattened position to the overlapping position to form the battery pack structure.

[0015] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application may have the following beneficial effects: Compared with the existing multi-layer battery pack structure, the present invention sets a non-soft hinge mechanism between any two adjacent layers of battery cell groups, uses a single hinge mechanism as a rotating shaft, and the hinge mechanism can be flipped at a large angle relative to any of the two adjacent layers of battery cell groups connected by the hinge mechanism, so that the two adjacent layers of battery cell groups can be flipped between the two position states of side-by-side position and overlapping position. When multiple battery cell groups are included, when all battery cell groups are in an overlapping position, any two adjacent layers realize the hinge function through a hinge mechanism, and the vertical projections of the installation connection positions of the two adjacent hinge mechanisms do not overlap, so that the entire battery pack structure can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flattened position.

[0016] Moreover, during the service of the battery pack structure, the non-soft hinge mechanism provides a rigid limiting tension for the two adjacent layers of battery cell groups connected by the hinge mechanism when they are misaligned under force (the tension response rate is faster), and the two ends of the hinge mechanism are hinged to the two layers of battery cell groups one by one, so that the three have both more flexible hinge rotation performance and stable limiting effect. This effectively solves the problem that the connecting fixings between adjacent layers in the existing multi-layer battery pack structure are easy to deform or break; it also overcomes the technical defect that the soft connector fails to provide effective and stable limiting tension between the two layers of battery cell groups.

[0017] By adopting the innovative and improved structure of the present invention, when producing and assembling a multi-layer overlapping battery pack structure, the output electrodes located on the top surface of all the battery cell groups in the flat-laying position can be uniformly welded first according to the preset connection circuit of the battery cell group, and then the output electrodes located on the bottom surface of all the battery cell groups can be welded; finally, various hinge mechanisms are used to realize that all the battery cell groups are flipped from the flat-laying position to the overlapping position in sequence. The assembly process of the entire battery pack structure can not only assemble various layers of battery cell groups at the same time in the flat-laying position, but also all output electrodes can be separated into two batches to complete the welding uniformly; the same time operation effectively improves the space utilization rate of the production line and shortens the working hours, especially the introduction of intelligent and automated production lines, which can increase production capacity at a higher speed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the disassembly of the structure of an embodiment of a battery of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack in the embodiment structure in the process of flipping; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the battery pack in the embodiment structure in the flat-laying and unfolding position; Figure 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of another embodiment of the flat-laying position from a top view; Figure 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of another embodiment of the flat-laying position from a top view; Figure 6 is a simplified schematic diagram of another embodiment of the overlapping position; Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of two states of an embodiment of a conductor hinge according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structural decomposition of an embodiment of the structural hinge of the present invention; Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structural combination of the structural hinge parts shown; in, 10 Shell, 20 battery cell layer, 21 module bracket, 22 single battery cell, 30 hinge mechanism, 31 structural hinge, 311 structural connecting plate, 312 rotating assembly, 3121 rotating shaft, 3122 limiting ring, 32 conductor hinge, 321 conductor connecting plate, 322 electrode connecting part, 323 easy bending part, 324 avoidance gap, 40 interval protrusions, 50 insulation panels. Implementation

[0020] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0022] Some embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0023] A first aspect of the present invention provides a multi-layer battery pack structure, which includes: an articulation mechanism 30 and at least three layers of overlapping battery cell groups 20; each layer of battery cell group 20 includes a plurality of battery cell groups; the articulation mechanism 30 adopts a non-soft connection structure; any two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20 are respectively articulated one-to-one with the two ends of an articulation mechanism 30; wherein, when each articulation mechanism 30 is only articulated with one of the two connected layers of battery cell groups 20, the layer of battery cell group 20 can be flipped 0°~270° with the connected articulation mechanism 30 as the rotation axis 3121; and when all battery cell groups 20 are in an overlapping position, the vertical projections of the installation connection positions of the two adjacent articulation mechanisms 30 do not overlap, so that all battery cell groups 20 can be flipped with the connected articulation mechanism 30 as the rotation axis, so as to realize that all battery cell groups 20 can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flatly spread position.

[0024] Compared with the existing battery pack structure including multiple layers of overlapping battery cell groups 20, the present invention sets a non-soft hinge mechanism 30 to connect any two adjacent battery cell groups 20 (because the soft hinge needs to almost reach the tensile limit of the soft body to play a tightening and limiting role on the objects connected at both ends, and the elastic tension is not easy to control; and if the non-soft connector is not designed reasonably, the deflection angle will be limited, and due to the problem of processing accuracy, there will also be problems. Therefore, the structure of the present invention is designed after a large number of experiments and summaries), and when each hinge mechanism 30 is only hinged to one of the two connected battery cell groups 20, the two adjacent battery cell groups 20 can be flipped 0°~270° independently relative to the hinge mechanism 30 to ensure that when the hinge mechanism 30 and the two adjacent battery cell groups 20 are installed and connected, one of the battery cell groups 20 can use the connected hinge mechanism 30 as the rotation axis 3121 to flip about 180° back and forth relative to the other connected battery cell group 20 without hindrance. That is, a single hinge mechanism 30 is used as the rotating shaft 3121, and the hinge mechanism 30 can be flipped at a large angle relative to any one of the two adjacent layers of the battery cell group 20 connected by the hinge mechanism 30, so that the two adjacent layers of the battery cell group 20 can be flipped between the two positions of the side-by-side position and the overlapping position. When multiple layers of battery cell groups 20 are included, the battery pack structure in the overlapping position can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flattened position by realizing the hinge function of any two adjacent layers through a hinge mechanism 30. In addition, during the service of the battery pack structure, the non-soft hinge mechanism 30 provides a rigid limiting tension (faster response rate of tension) for the two adjacent layers of the battery cell group 20 connected by the hinge mechanism 30 when the force is misaligned, and the two ends of the hinge mechanism 30 are hinged to the two layers of the battery cell group 20 one by one, so that the three have both more flexible hinge rotation performance and stable limiting effect. The problem that the connecting fixings between adjacent layers in the existing multi-layer battery pack structure are easily deformed or broken is effectively solved; the technical defect that the soft connecting parts cannot provide effective and stable limiting tension between the two layers of battery cell groups 20 is also overcome.

[0025] At the same time, in the present invention, when all the battery cell layers 20 are in an overlapping position, the vertical projections of the installation and connection positions of two adjacent hinge mechanisms 30 do not overlap (that is, the battery cell layers 20 are stacked layer by layer, and the two hinge mechanisms 30 installed between each three adjacent layers of battery cell layers 20 are two adjacent hinge mechanisms 30), and the non-overlapping range also needs to be able to achieve: all battery cell layers 20 can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flattened position (that is, when the battery cell layers 20 are in an overlapping position, the two adjacent hinge mechanisms 30 need to have at least a certain offset, so that all battery cell layers 20 can be flipped to be side by side with another adjacent and connected battery cell layer 20 and will not have any overlapping area with any other battery cell layer 20 after flipping and flattening, otherwise flattening cannot be achieved). It can be understood that different overall layout schemes can be designed for the installation positions of all hinge mechanisms 30 according to factors such as the design requirements of the structure or the design requirements of the production line, so that all battery cell layers 20 can achieve the structural functions described in the present invention and adapt to customized products or schemes. For this purpose, please refer to Figures 1 to 6 Of course, in order to achieve that all the battery cell layers 20 in the final assembled battery pack structure are in an overlapping position, each battery cell layer 20 is installed with at most two hinge mechanisms 30 connected to the adjacent upper and lower battery cell layers 20 for hinge connection.

[0026] By adopting the innovative and improved structure of the present invention, when producing and assembling a multi-layer overlapping battery pack structure, the output electrodes located on the top surface of all the battery cell groups 20 in the flat-laying position can be uniformly welded first according to the preset connection circuit of the battery cell group, and then the output electrodes located on the bottom surface of all the battery cell groups 20 can be welded; finally, the various hinge mechanisms 30 are used to realize the sequential flipping of all the battery cell groups 20 from the flat-laying position to the overlapping position. The assembly process of the entire battery pack structure can not only assemble the various layers of battery cell groups 20 at the same time in the flat-laying position, but also all the output electrodes can be welded twice separately, and the same time is operated simultaneously, which effectively improves the space utilization rate of the production line and shortens the working hours. In particular, the introduction of intelligent and automated production lines can increase production capacity at a higher speed.

[0027] Of course, it is understandable that other specific assembly structures of the battery pack structure can refer to existing or future related products or products, which will not be elaborated here.

[0028] Furthermore, the number and position of the cell groups installed in each cell group layer 20, as well as the number and specifications of the single cells 22 included in each cell group, can be designed according to the customized product and are not limited here. In addition, cylindrical single cells 22 can be preferably used in the cell group layer 20, and of course other shapes of cells can also be adapted.

[0029] In order not to occupy the effective accommodation space between two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20, in some embodiments of the present invention, each hinge mechanism 30 is arranged to be connected to the side of two adjacent battery cell groups 20. When the hinge mechanism 30 is arranged on the side, it is not necessary to reserve an accommodation space for the hinge mechanism 30 to rotate when designing the module support 21 of the battery cell group 20, so it will not affect the flipping process of the battery cell group 20 and the flatness of the overlap. Figure 1 , 2 In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 8 and 9, the hinge mechanism 30 is arranged and installed on the side edges of the two overlapping battery cell layers 20, so that the hinge mechanism 30 has a larger turning space.

[0030] In order to optimize the connection circuit of the battery cell group of the entire battery pack structure, in some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge mechanism 30 includes a structural hinge 31 and a conductor hinge 32; wherein the structural hinge 31 includes a structural connecting plate 311 and two sets of rotating assemblies 312; each set of rotating assemblies 312 is used to realize a separately flippable hinge connection between the structural connecting plate 311 and one of the two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20; the conductor hinge 32 is used to electrically connect the output electrodes between the two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20 across layers; and the conductor hinge 32 can achieve the same flipping angle as the structural hinge 31.

[0031] Conductor hinges 32 are used to complete the electrical connection between layers, replacing the complex lead schemes or post-installed connection conductors in the existing multi-layer overlapping battery pack structure. After the present invention assembles each layer of the battery cell group 20, including installing and connecting the structural hinges 31 and the conductor hinges 32, all the battery cell groups 20 are flipped and moved from the flat-laying position to the overlapping position, and the conductor hinges 32 will also adapt to the structural changes as the structural hinges 31 are stressed, and the electrical connection circuit always remains connected, without the need to wire and connect the battery cell electrodes, which not only simplifies and optimizes the circuit design of the battery pack structure and improves the circuit stability; without the protruding connection circuit, it also saves the volume occupied by the battery pack structure in the application product or scenario. And the battery cell group 20 is flat and spread out, and the operating space for unified processing and connection of the connection circuit is better, making the processing operation of the welding circuit more flexible and faster.

[0032] It can be understood that the connection circuit of the battery cell groups between layers, which specifically adopts series connection, parallel connection, series-parallel connection and circuit trend, can be designed according to the customized battery pack structure; and the specific hinge structure or shape of the conductor hinge 32 can also be personalized according to different battery pack structure schemes, which can adapt to different product customization requirements.

[0033] The conductor hinge 32 is for example but not limited to Figure 2 , 3 7, specifically: the conductor hinge 32 includes a conductor connecting plate 321 and two electrode connecting parts 322; the two electrode connecting parts 322 are connected to the two ends of the conductor connecting plate 321 through a section of an easy-bend part 323; and the conductor hinge 32 is provided with avoidance gaps 324 at the ends of the two sides of the easy-bend part 323. When connecting the circuit, one of the electrode connecting parts 322 is welded to the cell electrode to be connected in one layer of the cell group 20, and the other connected electrode connecting part 322 is welded to the cell electrode to be connected in the adjacent cross-layer cell group 20; in the process of flipping the cell group 20, the easy-bend part 323 of the conductor hinge 32 will deform and bend adaptively; the avoidance gap 324 also provides a rotation avoidance space for the electrode connecting part 322 and the conductor connecting plate 321.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, further, the structural hinge 31 and the conductor hinge 32 are adapted and connected in position and structure, so as to facilitate positioning and installation and prevent them from shifting during the flipping process.

[0035] Of course, it is understandable that, according to design requirements or processing requirements, an articulated mechanism 30 that is only used to achieve structural flip connection (i.e., only the structural hinge 31 introduced above is used to achieve flip hinge between layers), and the connection circuit of the battery cell group is matched with other technical solutions according to specific requirements. Therefore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the articulated mechanism 30 includes a structural connection plate 311 and two sets of rotating assemblies 312; each set of rotating assemblies 312 is used to realize a separate flip hinge connection between the structural connection plate 311 and one of the two adjacent battery cell group layers 20.

[0036] It can be understood that the contents introduced below are all adapted to the two technical solutions of the structural hinge 31 in the present invention and the hinge mechanism 30 which is only used to realize the structural flip connection but does not include the conductor hinge 32. However, for the sake of ease of reading, they are collectively referred to as the structural hinge 31 below.

[0037] In order to ensure that the structural hinge 31 is evenly stressed during the flipping of the battery cell layer 20, and to ensure that the two adjacent layers of battery cell layers 20 have the same flipping angle relative to the structural connecting plate 311, in some embodiments of the present invention, the two sets of rotating assemblies 312 are symmetrically arranged, which is also more convenient for processing, production and installation of the connector.

[0038] Further, in some embodiments of the present invention, each set of rotating assembly 312 includes an adaptive rotating shaft 3121 and a limiting ring 3122; and each set of rotating shaft 3121 and limiting ring 3122, one of which is arranged on the structural connecting plate 311, and the other is arranged on the side of the battery core layer 20. For example but not limited to Figure 8 and 9 In the embodiment shown in the figure, the limiting ring 3122 is arranged at the edge of the module support 21 of the battery core layer 20 (so that it can be integrally formed with the module support 21, reducing costs and reducing spare parts), and the rotating shaft 3121 is arranged on the structural connecting plate 311 (for example, Figure 8 As shown in the figure, a perforation is provided on the structural connecting plate 311, so that the two sides form a symmetrical cylindrical shape as the rotating shaft 3121, which also reduces the material used for the structural connecting plate 311, and the perforation also provides an escape space for rotation). In order to facilitate the installation of the rotating assembly 312, further, the limit ring 3122 adopts the following Figure 8 The open limit ring 3122 shown is also one of the features of the lightweight design of this product. While reducing the number of assembly parts, quick installation can be achieved by simply aligning the structural connecting plate 311 at a few positions and pressing.

[0039] Secondly, in some embodiments of the present invention, a spacing protrusion 40 is further provided between two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20, including: (1) when arranged in an overlapping position, between two adjacent overlapping surfaces of any two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20, so as to form a spacing layer distance, separate the adjacent and close surfaces, better dissipate heat, and form a safe distance between the cross-layer battery cell electrodes to prevent short circuits. For example, Figure 2 and 9 There are several different designs shown. In addition to being used to space the layers, some of them are also used as end stoppers to limit the maximum depth of the single cell 22 when it is inserted into the module bracket 21, so that the entire layer of cell groups 20 are assembled flat; further, some also play a positioning role when flipping and overlapping; some are designed as protruding through tubes for bolts to pass through and cooperate with the nuts at the end to lock all the cell groups 20 along the length direction of the bolts. (Of course, if Figure 1 , 29, by setting the additional positioning and through-tube type spacing protrusions 40 higher, the height of the additional spacing protrusions 40 for end face limiting can be simplified, saving materials and forming a larger ventilation space. ) and / or, (2) set between the two sides of any two adjacent layers of battery cell groups 20 that are close to each other when laid flat, to form a spacing width, better prevent excessive collisions, form a certain spacing and better assemble operations. It can be understood that these spacing protrusions 40 can be as follows Figure 8 and 9 As shown, the module support 21 is integrally formed with the battery cell assembly layer 20, but other arrangements may also be used.

[0040] In order to prevent short circuit, in some embodiments of the present invention, when the battery pack structure is in an overlapping position, an insulating plate 50 is sandwiched between the layers to prevent short circuit across the layers.

[0041] It should be noted that the present application is mainly to protect the connection structure of the multi-layer battery pack structure that can realize the overall flipping change between the overlapping position and the flat unfolded position, which has been described in detail above. The other structures and principles of the battery pack structure can refer to existing technical products or future innovative and adapted technical products of the present invention, and will not be fully described here.

[0042] The second aspect of the present invention provides a battery, including a housing 10 and any one of the battery pack structures described above, wherein the battery pack structure is inserted into the housing 10 to form a battery product, such as a power battery for an electric vehicle, an outdoor mobile power supply battery, and the like.

[0043] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing and assembling a battery, by which the battery pack structure and the battery described above can be produced and assembled; the method comprises the following steps: When all the cell layers 20 described above are in the flattened and unfolded position described above, the output electrodes on the top surfaces of all the cell layers 20 are uniformly welded first according to the preset circuit connection scheme; Then, the output electrodes on the bottom surfaces of all the battery cell layers 20 are uniformly welded, so as to weld all the output electrodes of all the battery cell layers 20 to form an internal circuit of the battery pack structure; Finally, the hinge mechanism 30 described above is used to flip each layer of the battery cell assembly 20 accordingly, so that all the battery cell assembly 20 are flipped from the flat-laying position to the overlapping position described above, so as to form a battery pack structure.

[0044] Furthermore, after the overlapping battery pack structures are reinforced and assembled, they are inserted into the battery housing 10, and the structural parts and circuit parts are adapted and connected to assemble the battery introduced above.

[0045] It is understandable that before welding the cell electrodes, the required cell layers 20, circuit connection components and other assembly parts and tools need to be prepared. Each layer of the cell layer 20 needs to be installed with various structures, for example, Figure 2 and 3 In the illustrated embodiment structure, each single cell 22 is first inserted between two module brackets 21, and the module brackets 21 are used to position and fix all single cells 22 in the same layer, so as to form a required number of cell groups 20 with a stable structure, which will not become loose when flipped.

[0046] When producing and assembling a multi-layer overlapping battery pack structure, this method can divide all the battery cell electrodes in all the battery cell layers 20 into two batches for unified welding. If an intelligent device is used, only two welding actions are required and a flipping is performed once using a clamp between the two weldings, which is extremely efficient. Even for manual or semi-manual production lines, when in the flat-laying position, there is sufficient space and workers are assigned to the workstations where each battery cell layer 20 is located. Each layer of the battery cell layer 20 can be assembled and welded at the same time, and the operation is performed at the same time, which effectively improves the space utilization of the production line and shortens the working hours. Then, each hinge mechanism 30 is used to realize the sequential flipping of all the battery cell layers 20 from the flat-laying position to the overlapping position.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0049] The disclosure above provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and settings of specific examples are described above. Of course, they are merely examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numerals and / or reference letters in different examples, and this repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides various specific examples of processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0050] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0051] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-layer battery pack structure, characterized in that: include: At least three layers of overlapping battery cell groups, each layer including a plurality of battery cell groups; The hinge mechanism adopts a non-soft connection structure; any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups are hinged to the two ends of the hinge mechanism one by one; Wherein, when each of the hinged mechanisms is hinged to only one of the two connected layers of the battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly of this layer can be flipped by 0° to 270° with the connected hinged mechanism as the rotation axis; When all the battery cell layers are in an overlapping position, the vertical projections of the installation connection positions of two adjacent hinge mechanisms do not overlap, so that all the battery cell layers can be flipped with the connected hinge mechanisms as the rotation axis, so that all the battery cell layers can be flipped between the overlapping position and the flatly spread position.

2. A multi-layer battery pack structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the hinge mechanisms is arranged to be connected to the side surfaces of two adjacent battery cell groups.

3. A multi-layer battery pack structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism includes a structural connecting plate and two sets of rotating assemblies; Each set of the rotating assembly is used to realize independent flippable hinge connection between the structural connecting plate and one of the two adjacent layers of the battery core assembly.

4. A multi-layer battery pack structure as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The two sets of rotational combinations are symmetrically arranged.

5. A multi-layer battery pack structure as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: Each set of the rotating assembly includes an adapted rotating shaft and a limiting ring; In each set of the rotating shaft and the limiting ring, one is arranged on the structural connecting plate, and the other is arranged on the side of the battery core layer.

6. A multi-layer battery pack structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A spacing protrusion is also provided between two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups, including: It is arranged between two surfaces of any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups when in the overlapping position, so as to form a spacing between the layers; and / or, It is arranged between two sides of any two adjacent layers of the battery cell groups that are arranged side by side and close to each other in the flattened and unfolded position to form a spacing width.

7. A multi-layer battery pack structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism comprises a structural hinge and a conductor hinge; The structural hinge comprises a structural connection plate and two sets of rotating assemblies; each set of the rotating assemblies is used to realize independent flippable hinge connection between the structural connection plate and one of the two adjacent layers of the battery cell assembly; The conductor hinge is used to electrically connect the output electrodes between two adjacent layers of the battery core group across the layers; and the conductor hinge can achieve the same flipping angle as the structural hinge.

8. A multi-layer battery pack structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The conductor hinge comprises a conductor connecting plate and two electrode connecting parts; the two electrode connecting parts are respectively connected to the two ends of the conductor connecting plate through a section of an easy-to-bend part; and the conductor hinge is provided with avoidance notches at the ends of both sides of the easy-to-bend part.

9. A battery, characterized in that: It comprises a shell and a battery pack structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the battery pack structure is inserted into the shell.

10. A method for producing and assembling a multi-layer battery pack structure, characterized in that: This method can be used to produce and assemble a battery pack structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 and / or a battery as described in claim 9; The method comprises the following steps: When all the battery cell layers are in the flattened position, the output electrodes on the top surfaces of all the battery cell layers are uniformly welded first according to a preset circuit connection scheme; Then, the output electrodes on the bottom surfaces of all the battery cell layers are uniformly welded, so as to weld all the output electrodes of all the battery cell layers to form an internal circuit of the battery pack structure; The hinge mechanism is used to flip the battery cell groups in each layer accordingly, so that all the battery cell groups are flipped from the flattened position to the overlapping position to form the battery pack structure.

Images