Battery and electric device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380078601.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-15
AI Technical Summary
When the battery is subjected to a collision, it is easily squeezed and deformed, and may even explode, affecting the safety of use.
Design a battery structure in which the battery packs are connected through reinforcements to form a higher rigidity whole, absorb external extrusion forces, reduce the probability of deformation, and improve vibration resistance and safety through buffers and heat exchange chambers.
It effectively improves the safety and reliability of the battery in a collision, reduces the probability of deformation and damage, while reducing the need for additional components and reducing costs.
Smart Images

Figure CN120322897A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Batteries and electrical devices
Technical field
[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery and an electrical device. [Background Technology]
[0002] Batteries, as the core power supply for electrical devices, have a significant impact on their reliability and safety. When impact strikes a device, batteries can be squeezed and deformed, potentially damaging the cells within and causing an explosion, impacting the user's safety. Therefore, improving the safety and reliability of batteries during impact is an urgent issue.
[0003] [Summary of the invention]
[0004] The main technical problem solved by this application is to provide a battery and an electrical device that can solve the problem that the battery is easily damaged during a collision.
[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a battery comprising a battery pack and a reinforcement member, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells stacked along a first direction, the reinforcement member extending along the first direction, the reinforcement member being disposed on at least one side of the battery pack along the first direction, and the reinforcement member being connected to the battery pack. By stacking the plurality of battery cells into a group and connecting the arranged battery pack to the same reinforcement member, the rigidity of the battery equipped with this structure can be enhanced, making it less susceptible to deformation when subjected to collision or compression, and the vibration resistance of the battery can also be improved, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of the battery.
[0006] In some embodiments, two adjacent battery cells along the first direction among the plurality of battery cells are connected by gluing. This design can keep the relative positions of the two adjacent battery cells fixed, reduce the probability of separation between adjacent battery cells within the battery pack, and facilitate assembly.
[0007] In some embodiments, the maximum dimension of the reinforcement along the first direction is greater than the maximum dimension of the battery pack along the first direction. When the battery is subjected to an external impact in the first direction, the reinforcement absorbs the external compressive force, while the battery pack, which retracts inward relative to the reinforcement in the first direction, does not absorb the external compressive force, reducing the probability of the battery pack being deformed by compression. Furthermore, the reinforcement can transmit external impacts on one end of the reinforcement to the other end, further cushioning the impact and improving battery safety.
[0008] In some embodiments, both ends of the reinforcement member along the first direction extend beyond the battery pack. When the battery is subjected to an external impact in the first direction, the impact force first contacts the reinforcement member, which absorbs the external extrusion force and reduces the probability of the battery pack being deformed by compression.
[0009] In some embodiments, there are multiple reinforcement members, at least two of which are located on either side of the battery pack along a first direction, and the reinforcement members located on both sides of the battery pack along the first direction are both connected to the battery pack. This design approach can enhance the structural stability between the battery pack and the reinforcement members.
[0010] In some embodiments, the reinforcement is configured to be connected to the largest surface of the battery cell. This design can increase the connection area between the reinforcement and the battery cell, thereby increasing the stability of the battery structure.
[0011] In some embodiments, the reinforcement includes a heat exchange cavity for accommodating a heat exchange medium. While absorbing external compressive forces to reduce the likelihood of deformation of the battery pack, the reinforcement also provides heat exchange, eliminating the need for an additional heat exchange component and reducing costs.
[0012] In some embodiments, the reinforcement is bonded to the battery cell. This design allows the relative position between the reinforcement and the battery cell to remain fixed, reduces the probability of separation between the reinforcement and the battery cell, and facilitates assembly.
[0013] In some embodiments, the battery pack includes multiple groups and multiple reinforcement members. The multiple battery packs are arranged side by side along a second direction that intersects the first direction. One of the multiple reinforcement members is located between and connected to two adjacent battery packs. This design approach can enhance the structural stability between the battery packs and the reinforcement members.
[0014] In some embodiments, the battery further includes an end plate, which is located at an end of the reinforcement along the first direction, and the reinforcement is connected to the end plate. Providing the end plate at the end of the reinforcement in the first direction further absorbs external impact forces in the first direction when the battery is squeezed and deformed in the first direction, thereby reducing the probability of the impact force damaging the battery pack.
[0015] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a base plate and a cover plate, the base plate and the cover plate being located on two sides of the battery pack that are parallel to the first direction, and the base plate and the cover plate being disposed opposite each other, with the reinforcement member being connected to at least one of the base plate and the cover plate. This design can improve battery safety.
[0016] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a frame that encloses a central space, in which the battery pack is located. The battery further includes a buffer member positioned between the battery pack and the inner surface of the frame along a first direction. This design maintains the battery's shape, positions the battery pack within the frame, and reduces the likelihood of the battery pack becoming dispersed. When the end plate is squeezed and deformed in the first direction, the buffer member absorbs external impact force, reducing damage to the battery pack.
[0017] In some embodiments, the battery pack includes multiple groups and multiple reinforcements, and the reinforcements and battery packs are arranged alternately, with the buffer member sandwiched between two adjacent reinforcements. This design can better protect the battery pack.
[0018] In some embodiments, the reinforcement includes a heat exchange cavity for accommodating a heat exchange medium. The battery further includes a manifold connected to an end of the reinforcement along a first direction for communication with the heat exchange cavity. The buffer includes a relief groove corresponding to the position of the manifold. The reinforcements are connected to each other via the manifold to form a loop, facilitating the flow of the heat exchange medium. A buffer is provided on the exterior of the manifold to reduce damage to the manifold caused by extrusion forces.
[0019] In some embodiments, the avoidance groove is located on the surface of the buffer member away from the battery cell along the first direction. This design can prevent the surface of the buffer member provided with the avoidance groove from directly contacting the battery cell, thereby preventing stress concentration on the battery cell.
[0020] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a base plate connected to the frame, and a guide structure is provided on the end of the buffer member facing the base plate. The guide structure facilitates the operator to correctly place the buffer member into the central space. Alternatively, the buffer member can be fixedly connected to the battery pack first to serve as a guide when the battery pack is placed into the central space.
[0021] In one embodiment, the battery further includes a separator positioned within the frame. The separator extends along a first direction and is connected to the inner surface of the frame to divide the central space into at least two subspaces. At least one of the at least two subspaces is used to accommodate the battery pack and the reinforcement. This design can mitigate battery pack expansion while increasing the rigidity of the battery.
[0022] In a second aspect, the present application provides an electrical device, which includes the battery in the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.
[0023] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative work.
[0025] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of the present application;
[0026] FIG2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a battery;
[0027] FIG3 is a top view of the battery shown in FIG2 with the cover removed;
[0028] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment along the AA section line in FIG3 ;
[0029] FIG5 is a partial enlarged view of an embodiment of B in FIG3;
[0030] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer member according to some embodiments of the present application;
[0031] FIG7 is a right side view of a buffer member according to some embodiments of the present application;
[0032] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a frame and a separator according to some embodiments of the present application.
[0033] In the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to scale.
[0034] Description of symbols: vehicle 1000; battery 100; controller 200; motor 300;
[0035] First direction X; second direction Y; third direction Z;
[0036] Frame 10; end plate 11; side plate 12;
[0037] Battery pack 20; battery cell 21; second surface 211; tab 22; output terminal base 23;
[0038] Reinforcement member 31; first assembly gap 311; buffer member 32; first spacer 321; first surface 322; third surface 323; guide surface 3231; top surface 3232; avoidance groove 324;
[0039] Base plate 40; cover plate 50; manifold 60;
[0040] A first partition 70 ; a second partition 80 ; and a notch 81 . [Specific implementation method]
[0041] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.
[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly perpendicular, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.
[0043] The directional words appearing in the following description are all directions shown in the figures, and do not limit the specific structure of this application. In the description of this application, it should also 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 directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0044] Currently, from a market perspective and application trends, batteries are widely used in a variety of fields due to their advantages, including high energy density, high power density, high cycle life, and long storage life. These include applications in various energy storage power systems, such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants. They also power high-power devices, such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as military equipment and aerospace applications. As battery applications continue to expand, market demands for batteries are also increasing.
[0045] Currently, it is common to use batteries composed of multiple battery cells connected in series and parallel as power sources. When using batteries as power sources for electric vehicles, the inventors of this application have noted that when an electric vehicle collides in the width direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the length or travel direction of the electric vehicle), the battery will be squeezed and deformed. The battery cells inside the battery are squeezed and easily damaged, causing leakage of the electrolyte inside, which may cause multiple components in the battery to become charged, thereby affecting the safety of the vehicle.
[0046] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems caused by damage to battery cells due to vehicle collisions, the inventors have discovered that a reinforcement can be designed, with the reinforcements spaced between the battery packs, and the ends of the reinforcements close to the frame relative to the battery packs; after the battery frame is deformed by extrusion, the frame contacts the reinforcement, and the reinforcement transmits the extrusion force to the opposite frame, further alleviating the extrusion force on the battery caused by vehicle collisions and reducing the probability of battery cell damage.
[0047] After further research, the inventors also designed a buffer. Specifically, the buffer fills the gap between the outermost edge of the battery pack and the battery frame. When the vehicle body is involved in a collision, the buffer mitigates the stress generated by the battery frame.
[0048] The battery disclosed in the embodiment of the present application can be used, but is not limited to, to buffer damage to battery cells caused by collisions in the width direction of the vehicle body, and is also suitable for buffering damage to battery cells caused by collisions in the length direction of the vehicle body.
[0049] The battery disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be used in electrical devices that use the battery as a power source or various energy storage systems that use the battery as an energy storage element. The electrical device can be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, and the like. Among them, the electric toy can include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, and the like, and the spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, and the like.
[0050] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking the electric device of one embodiment of the present application as a vehicle 1000 as an example.
[0051] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The vehicle 1000 can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 can be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 can serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000.
[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can serve not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.
[0053] In this application, battery 100 refers to a physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide electrical energy. Battery 100 generally includes a housing that encloses one or more battery cells. The housing prevents liquids or other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.
[0054] Optionally, the battery cell can be a secondary battery or a primary battery, or a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, etc., which is not limited in the present embodiment. The battery cell can be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shapes, which are not limited here.
[0055] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a battery 100 of the present application. Figure 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the battery 100 shown in Figure 2 with the cover plate 50 removed. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment along the AA section line in Figure 3. For ease of description, the width direction of the vehicle 1000 is defined as the first direction X of the battery 100, the driving direction or length direction of the vehicle 1000 is defined as the second direction Y of the battery 100, and the height direction of the vehicle 1000 is defined as the third direction Z of the battery 100. An embodiment of the present application provides a battery 100. The battery 100 includes a battery pack 20 and a reinforcement 31. The battery pack 20 includes a plurality of battery cells 21 stacked along a first direction X. The reinforcement 31 extends along the first direction X. The reinforcement 31 is provided on at least one side of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X and is connected to the battery pack 20.
[0056] Optionally, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG2 , the number of battery packs 20 may be one or more, and when there are multiple battery packs 20, the multiple battery packs 20 may be arranged sequentially along the second direction Y. In this embodiment, the electrodes of the multiple battery packs 20 may be connected using methods known in the art, such as welding the electrode sheets of the battery packs 20 together via tabs 22, so that the multiple battery packs 20 form a series-parallel energy block. In the second direction Y, the outermost tabs 22 of the outermost battery pack 20 may be bent, and the bent tabs 22 may be connected to the output electrode base 23 to form an external output interface, thereby enabling the battery 100 to power the vehicle 1000.
[0057] Alternatively, as shown in FIG2 , the aforementioned at least one side of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X can be understood as being located in the second direction Y of the battery pack 20 ; further, the location of the reinforcement member 31 can be understood as the reinforcement member 31 being located on one side of the battery pack 20 in the second direction Y, or the reinforcement member 31 being located on the other side of the battery pack 20 in the second direction Y, or, as shown in FIG2 and FIG3 , the reinforcement member 31 being located on both sides of the battery pack 20 in the second direction Y. Furthermore, the reinforcement member 31 can be fixedly connected to the adjacent battery pack 20 by welding, FDS (Flow Drill Screw, hot melt self-tapping technology), gluing, or the like.
[0058] In summary, in the above technical solution, by stacking multiple battery cells 21 into groups and connecting the arranged battery pack 20 to the same reinforcement 31, the rigidity of the battery 100 equipped with this structure can be enhanced, and it is not easy to deform when subjected to collision or extrusion. In addition, the vibration resistance of the battery 100 can be improved, and the reliability and safety of the battery 100 can be enhanced.
[0059] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , two battery cells 21 adjacent to each other along the first direction X among the plurality of battery cells 21 are connected by gluing.
[0060] Optionally, the structure of the battery cell 21 can be a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, etc., which is not limited here. And when the structure of the battery cell 21 is a rectangular parallelepiped, the adhesive layer between two adjacent battery cells 21 along the first direction X can completely cover the surface of the adjacent battery cells 21. In addition, the two adjacent battery cells 21 can be bonded together by thermally conductive structural adhesive or by double-sided adhesive, which is not limited here. In the first direction X, the adjacent end faces of the battery cells 21 of the same battery pack 20 are fixed by gluing. It can be bonded by thermally conductive structural adhesive or by double-sided adhesive, which is not limited here.
[0061] This design can keep the relative positions of two adjacent battery cells 21 fixed, reduce the probability of separation between adjacent battery cells 21 inside the battery pack 20, and facilitate assembly.
[0062] According to some embodiments of the present application, a maximum dimension of the reinforcement member 31 along the first direction X is greater than a maximum dimension of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X.
[0063] Specifically, the maximum dimension of the reinforcement 31 along the first direction X being greater than the maximum dimension of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X may mean that the maximum length of the reinforcement 31 along the first direction X is greater than the maximum length of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X.
[0064] The aforementioned design dimensions allow at least one end of the reinforcement 31 to extend beyond the battery pack 20 along the first direction X. When the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact in the first direction X, the reinforcement 31 absorbs the external compressive force, while the battery pack 20 retracts inward relative to the reinforcement 31 in the first direction X. Therefore, the battery pack 20 does not absorb the external compressive force, reducing the probability of the battery pack 20 being deformed by compression. Furthermore, the reinforcement 31 can transfer external impacts received at one end to the other end of the reinforcement 31, further cushioning the impact and improving the safety of the battery 100.
[0065] Preferably, referring to Figures 3 and 5 , Figure 5 is a partial enlarged view of an embodiment of section B in Figure 3 . The reinforcement member 31 extends beyond the battery pack 20 at both ends along the first direction X. When the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact in the first direction X, the impact force first contacts the reinforcement member 31 , which absorbs the external compressive force and reduces the probability of compression and deformation of the battery pack 20.
[0066] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, there are multiple reinforcement members 31, at least two of the multiple reinforcement members 31 are respectively located on both sides of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X (that is, in the second direction Y of the battery pack 20), and the reinforcement members 31 located on both sides of the battery pack 20 along the first direction X are both connected to the battery pack 20.
[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 , in the second direction Y, reinforcement members 31 can be provided on both sides of any battery pack 20. The reinforcement members 31 can be fixedly connected to adjacent battery packs 20, either by bonding with a thermally conductive structural adhesive or by bonding with double-sided tape. This design ensures greater structural stability between the battery pack 20 and the reinforcement members 31.
[0068] According to some embodiments of the present application, the reinforcement 31 is configured to be connected to the largest surface of the battery cell 21. This design can increase the connection area between the reinforcement 31 and the battery cell 21, thereby increasing the stability of the battery 100 structure.
[0069] According to some embodiments of the present application, the reinforcement member 31 includes a heat exchange cavity (not shown in the figure), which is used to accommodate a heat exchange medium.
[0070] Specifically, a heat exchange cavity is provided within the reinforcement member 31. The number of heat exchange cavities may be one or more, without limitation. For example, when cooling the battery pack 20, the heat exchange medium may be a cold fluid. After passing through the heat exchange cavity, the cold fluid can reduce heat conduction between two adjacent battery packs 20, preventing a chain reaction caused by thermal runaway of a single battery cell 21, thereby improving the safety of the battery 100.
[0071] In summary, the reinforcement 31 absorbs external extrusion force to reduce the probability of the battery pack 20 being squeezed and deformed, and at the same time performs heat exchange, so that the battery 100 does not need to be equipped with additional heat exchange components, thereby reducing costs.
[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, the reinforcement 31 is bonded to the battery cell 21 .
[0073] Specifically, the reinforcement 31 is bonded and fixed to the adjacent side surfaces of the adjacent battery cells 21. In other words, the side surfaces of the battery cells 21 in the second direction Y are bonded and fixed to the reinforcement 31. This design maintains a fixed relative position between the reinforcement 31 and the battery cells 21, reduces the likelihood of separation between the reinforcement 31 and the battery cells 21, and facilitates assembly.
[0074] The bonding method may be bonding through thermal conductive structural adhesive or bonding through double-sided adhesive, which is not limited here.
[0075] According to some embodiments of the present application, the battery pack 20 includes multiple groups, there are multiple reinforcement members 31, the multiple battery packs 20 are arranged side by side along the second direction Y, the second direction Y intersects with the first direction X, and one of the multiple reinforcement members 31 is located between two adjacent battery packs 20 and connected to the two adjacent battery packs 20.
[0076] Specifically, referring to Figures 2 and 3 , a reinforcement member 31 can be provided between any two adjacent battery packs 20 in the second direction Y. The reinforcement member 31 can be fixedly connected to the adjacent battery packs 20, either by bonding with a thermally conductive structural adhesive or by bonding with double-sided tape. This design ensures greater structural stability between the battery packs 20 and the reinforcement member 31.
[0077] According to some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 further includes an end plate 11 . The end plate 11 is located at an end of the reinforcement 31 along the first direction X, and the reinforcement 31 is connected to the end plate 11 .
[0078] End plates 11 are provided at the ends of the reinforcement member 31 in the first direction X. The end plates 11 may be provided at both ends of the reinforcement member 31 in the first direction X, or at only one of the two ends of the reinforcement member 31 in the first direction X. The reinforcement member 31 can be connected to the end plates 11 in the first direction X by welding, bonding, abutting, etc., which are not limited here.
[0079] Taking abutment as an example, when the end plate 11, battery pack 20, and reinforcement 31 are assembled to form the battery 100, the reinforcement 31 and the end plate 11 are not in contact; after the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact in the first direction X, the reinforcement 31 and the end plate 11 come into contact and form an abutment, and the reinforcement 31 absorbs the external extrusion force. Alternatively, the reinforcement 31 being able to form an abutment with the end plate 11 in the first direction X can mean that: when the end plate 11, battery pack 20, and reinforcement 31 are assembled to form the battery 100, the reinforcement 31 directly contacts and forms an abutment with the end plate 11, and after the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact in the first direction X, the reinforcement 31 directly absorbs the external impact force.
[0080] By providing the end plate 11 at the end of the reinforcement 31 in the first direction X, the battery 100 can further absorb the external impact force in the first direction X when it is squeezed and deformed in the first direction X, thereby reducing the probability of the impact force damaging the battery pack 20.
[0081] According to some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 further includes a base plate 40 and a cover plate 50, which are respectively located on two side surfaces of the battery pack 20 that are parallel to the first direction X, and the base plate 40 and the cover plate 50 are arranged opposite to each other, and the reinforcement 31 is connected to at least one of the base plate 40 and the cover plate 50.
[0082] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, battery 100 further includes a cover plate 50 and a base plate 40 spaced apart along a third direction Z perpendicular to first direction X and second direction Y. Furthermore, a reinforcement member 31 can be connected to the cover plate 50; the reinforcement member 31 can also be connected to the base plate 40; or the reinforcement member 31 can be connected to both the cover plate 50 and the base plate 40 simultaneously. The connection methods can be welding, FDS (Flow Drill Screw, hot melt self-tapping technology), gluing, or other fixed methods. This design can improve the safety of battery 100.
[0083] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 2 and 3, the battery 100 further includes a frame 10, which encloses a central space, and the battery pack 20 is located in the central space. The battery 100 further includes a buffer member 32, and along the first direction X, the buffer member 32 is located between the battery pack 20 and the inner surface of the frame 10.
[0084] Specifically, in this embodiment, the frame 10 includes two end plates 11 and two side plates 12, the two end plates 11 are spaced apart along the first direction X, and the two side plates 12 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, and the two end plates 11 are perpendicular to the two side plates 12, so that the central space formed can be a rectangular box shape. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the central space can also be other, and this application does not impose too many restrictions on this. Furthermore, the adjacent end plates 11 and side plates 12 are fixedly connected, and the specific connection method can be welding, FDS (Flow Drill Screw, hot melt self-tapping technology), gluing, etc.; or, it can also be integrally formed by casting. This design can maintain the shape of the battery 100, place the battery pack 20 in the frame 10, and reduce the probability of the battery pack 20 being dispersed.
[0085] Furthermore, the cover plate 50, bottom plate 40, and frame 10 cooperate to form a sealed central space. This design reduces the erosion of the battery pack 20 within the central space by external moisture and other factors, thereby protecting the battery pack 20. Furthermore, the cover plate 50, bottom plate 40, and frame 10 can be fixedly connected by welding, FDS (Flow Drill Screw, hot melt self-tapping technology), gluing, or other methods.
[0086] It should be noted that, in the above embodiment, the frame 10 includes an end plate 11 connected to the reinforcement 31; in other embodiments, the end plate 11 and the frame 10 may also be independent elements, that is, the frame 10 and the reinforcement 31 are connected through an additional end plate 11, and this application does not limit this.
[0087] In the first direction X, a first gap 321 is defined between at least one end of the battery pack 20 and the adjacent end plate 11. The buffer member 32 is located within the first gap 321. In the first direction X, both ends of the buffer member 32 can be connected to the end plate 11 and the battery pack 20, respectively, so that an external impact on one of the two end plates 11 is transmitted to the other end plate 11 through the battery pack 20 and the buffer member 32 while being absorbed by the buffer member 32. The buffer member 32 can be connected to the battery pack 20 and the frame 10 by welding, bonding, abutting, or other methods.
[0088] Optionally, taking abutment as an example, in the first direction X, the two ends of the buffer 32 can abut against the end plate 11 and the battery pack 20 respectively. When the buffer 32 is installed, the two ends of the buffer 32 are not in contact with the end plate 11 and the battery pack 20. When the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact, the two ends of the buffer 32 respectively form abutment with the end plate 11 and the battery pack 20, and the buffer 32 absorbs the impact force. Alternatively, when the buffer 32 is installed, the two ends of the buffer 32 directly form abutment with the end plate 11 and the battery pack 20. When the battery 100 is subjected to an external impact, the buffer 32 directly absorbs the impact force, thereby reducing the probability of the impact force damaging the battery pack 20.
[0089] In summary, in the first direction X, when the end plate 11 is squeezed and deformed, the buffer 32 can absorb the external impact force, and the external impact force can also be transmitted to the buffer 32 at the other end through the reinforcement 31. The buffers 32 at both ends can absorb the impact force and reduce the damage of the impact force to the battery pack 20.
[0090] In a specific embodiment, the material of the buffer member 32 can be, but is not limited to, a thermally insulating, deformable material such as foam or ceramic fiber. When multiple buffer members 32 are adjacent to the same end plate 11 in the first direction X, the multiple buffer members 32 can be independently molded and installed in corresponding first compartments 321. Alternatively, the multiple buffer members 32 can be interconnected and integrally molded, and then installed simultaneously in corresponding first compartments 321.
[0091] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the battery pack 20 includes multiple groups, there are multiple reinforcement members 31 , the reinforcement members 31 and the battery pack 20 are alternately arranged, and the buffer member 32 is sandwiched between two adjacent reinforcement members 31 .
[0092] In the first direction X, a first assembly gap 311 is defined between the end of the reinforcement 31 and the adjacent end plate 11 , and a dimension of the first interval 321 along the first direction X is greater than a dimension of the first assembly gap 311 along the first direction X.
[0093] From an assembly perspective, the reinforcement 31 is not in complete contact with the end plates 11 at both ends. There is a small gap between the reinforcement 31 and the frame 10, namely the first assembly gap 311. This makes it easier for the operator to place the reinforcement 31 into the frame 10 when installing the battery 100. In order to ensure that after the end plates 11 are subsequently squeezed and deformed, the reinforcement 31 can contact and cushion the impact stress, so the size of the first assembly gap is smaller than the size of the first interval. When the battery 100 is subjected to extrusion force and the frame 10 is deformed, the first assembly gap 311 between the frame 10 and the reinforcement 31 is eliminated, the frame 10 contacts the reinforcement 31, the stress is released, and the probability of the frame 10 damaging the battery pack 20 is reduced.
[0094] In the first direction X, the stiffness of the reinforcement 31 is greater than that of the buffer 32. The buffer 32 is made of a thermally insulating, deformable material such as foam or ceramic fiber, while the reinforcement 31 is made of a metal such as an alloy. On the one hand, due to the greater stiffness of the reinforcement 31, the probability of deformation of the reinforcement 31 when buffering impact stress is low, thereby increasing the stability of the overall structure formed by the reinforcement 31 and the battery pack 20. On the other hand, due to the lower stiffness of the buffer 32, it can buffer stress through deformation and other means, thereby reducing the stress on the side of the battery pack 20 facing the end plate 11.
[0095] In the first direction X, first spaces 321 are defined between both ends of the battery pack 20 and the two end plates 11 , and buffer members 32 are disposed in the first spaces 321 .
[0096] In the first direction X, the battery 100 is constructed in the following order: end plate 11, buffer 32, battery pack 20, buffer 32, and end plate 11. Buffers 32 are placed in both first compartments 321. When both sides of the battery 100 collide, the buffers 32 at both ends can absorb the impact. When one side of the battery 100 collides, the buffer 32 at one end absorbs the impact, while the reinforcement 31 transfers the impact to the buffer 32 at the other end, which also absorbs the impact. This allows the buffers 32 at both ends to absorb the impact, better protecting the battery pack 20.
[0097] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 6, the reinforcement 31 includes a heat exchange cavity, which is used to accommodate a heat exchange medium. The battery 100 also includes a collector 60, which is connected to the end of the reinforcement 31 along the first direction X to communicate with the heat exchange cavity. The buffer member 32 includes an avoidance groove 324, which corresponds to the position of the collector 60.
[0098] Specifically, the two ports of the heat exchange cavity inside the reinforcement 31 are connected to the two manifolds 60 outside the reinforcement 31, and the two manifolds 60 pass through the frame 10 and are connected to the outside of the battery 100. The manifolds 60 transport the external heat exchange medium to the heat exchange cavity. The heat exchange medium flows in the heat exchange cavity to cool the battery pack 20. After cooling, it enters another manifold 60 and is transported to the outside of the battery 100. The two manifolds 60 pass through the frame 10, and two openings can be set on the second side plate 12. The manifolds 60 pass through the openings to connect to the external heat exchange medium storage device. The heat exchange medium can be condensed water.
[0099] In the first direction X, two ports are provided at each end of the reinforcement 31. The manifold 60 extends along the second direction Y through the buffer 32 and the ports adjacent to the buffer 32. Specifically, the manifold 60 is positioned between the reinforcement 31 and the end plate 11, extending along the second direction Y. The two ports of the manifold 60 are connected to the ends of the reinforcement 31, forming a circuit between the reinforcements 31 through the manifold 60, facilitating the flow of the heat exchange medium. The buffer 32 is provided on the outside of the manifold 60 to reduce damage to the manifold 60 caused by extrusion forces.
[0100] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figures 2, 6 and 7, which are schematic structural diagrams and right side views of the buffer 32 in some embodiments of the present application. The avoidance groove 324 is located on the surface of the buffer 32 away from the battery cell 21 along the first direction X.
[0101] In the first direction X, the buffer 32 includes a first surface 322 facing the battery pack 20, and the outermost battery cell 21 of the battery pack 20 includes a second surface 211 facing the buffer 32. The first surface 322 is the same as the adjacent second surface 211, and the first surface 322 is adhered to the second surface 211 through the second adhesive layer.
[0102] When the battery cell 21 is a rectangular parallelepiped, the second surface 211 of the battery cell 21 is a rectangular plane, and the first surface 322 of the buffer 32 is the same rectangular plane as the second surface 211 of the battery cell 21. When the battery cell 21 is a cylinder, the second surface 211 of the battery cell 21 is an arcuate surface, and the first surface 322 of the buffer 32 is a complete arcuate surface that wraps around the second surface 211 of the battery cell 21. For other shapes of battery cell 21, the contact surface between the buffer 32 and the battery cell 21 can be changed to contact the side of the battery cell 21.
[0103] The first surface 322 of the buffer 32 is completely in contact with the second surface 211 of the battery cell 21 and is connected by a second adhesive layer. The first surface 322 is aligned with the adjacent second surface 211, distributing the compressive force and reducing stress concentration. The second adhesive layer connects the first surface 322 to the second surface 211, reducing the likelihood of separation between the buffer 32 and the battery pack 20.
[0104] A relief groove 324 is provided on a side of the buffer member 32 facing the adjacent end plate 11 . The manifold 60 passes through the relief groove 324 and contacts at least a portion of the inner wall of the relief groove 324 .
[0105] The relief groove 324 of the buffer member 32 matches the structure of the manifold 60, allowing the buffer member 32 to wrap around the manifold 60, securing and protecting the manifold 60 and reducing its movement. The side of the buffer member 32 facing the adjacent battery cell 21 is a completely flat surface, ensuring that the surface of the buffer member 32 with the relief groove 324 does not directly contact the battery cell 21, thereby preventing stress concentration on the battery cell 21.
[0106] According to some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 further includes a bottom plate 40 , which is connected to the frame 10 , and a guide structure is provided at the end of the buffer 32 facing the bottom plate 40 .
[0107] The buffer member 32 is provided with a guide surface 3231 on the side facing the adjacent end plate 11. The guide surface 3231 is used to interfere with the end plate 11 when the buffer member 32 is placed into the middle space along the third direction Z perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y, thereby guiding the buffer member 32 into the middle space.
[0108] In the first direction X, the buffer member 32 includes a third surface 323 facing the adjacent end plate 11. In the direction from the cover plate 50 to the base plate 40, the third surface 323 includes a connecting abutting surface 3232 and a guide surface 3231. The abutting surface 3232 abuts the adjacent end plate 11, while the guide surface 3231 gradually moves away from the adjacent end plate 11. The guide surface 3231 is sloped. When the buffer member 32 is placed into the central space, its initial contact dimension is small. As it enters the central space, its dimension gradually increases until the buffer member 32 is fully inserted into the central space.
[0109] The guide structure facilitates the operator to correctly place the buffer 32 into the middle space. The buffer 32 may also be fixedly connected to the battery pack 20 first to serve as a guide when the battery pack 20 is installed into the middle space.
[0110] After the battery 100 is installed, the buffer 32 may abut against the base plate 40, the cover plate 50, or both. In the third direction Z, the height of the buffer 32 is equal to the height of the frame 10, which is greater than the height of the battery pack 20, and the height of the battery pack 20 is greater than or equal to the height of the buffer 32. This design allows the stress absorbed within the buffer 32 to be transferred to the base plate 40 and / or cover plate 50, further reducing the impact on the battery pack 20.
[0111] According to some embodiments of the present application, please continue to refer to Figures 3 and 8. Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the frame 10 and the separator in some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 also includes a separator, which is located within the frame 10. The separator extends along the first direction X and is connected to the inner surface of the frame 10 to divide the central space into at least two subspaces, at least one of the at least two subspaces is used to accommodate the battery pack 20 and the reinforcement 31.
[0112] Specifically, the separator includes a first separator 70 and a second separator 80. The first separator 70 and the second separator 80 are disposed in the middle space and spaced apart between the two second side plates 12 along the second direction Y. The first separator 70 and the second separator 80 further bridge between the two end plates 11 along the first direction X. The multiple battery packs 20 are elastically clamped between the first separator 70 and the second separator 80 along the second direction Y.
[0113] When assembling the battery 100, the battery pack 20 is first bonded together with the reinforcement 31 to form a single module. The module is then pressurized by a tooling assembly and assembled into a rectangular frame formed by the first and second separators 70, 80, and two end plates 11. After the tooling assembly is removed, the battery pack 20 rebounds and compresses the first and second separators 70, 80. The compression of the reinforcement 31, first and second separators 70, 80, along with the cover plate 50 and top plate, forms a single unit for the battery pack 20, enhancing the rigidity of the entire battery 100. This eliminates the need for additional separators, saving space and weight.
[0114] The first partition 70 and the second partition 80 can be connected to the end plate 11 by welding or bolts, and can be connected to the bottom plate 40 by welding, FDS or gluing, or can be integrally formed by casting.
[0115] In the second direction Y, the first separator 70 and the second separator 80 are spaced apart from adjacent second side panels 12. A gap exists between the first separator 70, the second separator 80, and the adjacent second side panels 12. When the battery 100 is subjected to a compressive force, the first separator 70, the second separator 80 alleviates expansion of the battery pack 20 and simultaneously improves the rigidity of the battery 100 in the second direction Y. Furthermore, the gap between the first separator 70 and the second side panel 12 can be used to accommodate components such as control chips, while the gap between the second separator 80 and the second side panel 12 can serve as an assembly gap. Therefore, in the second direction Y, the gap between the second separator 80 and the second side panel 12 can be smaller than the gap between the first separator 70 and the second side panel 12.
[0116] A notch 81 is provided on the second partition 80 , and the collecting pipe 60 passes through the notch 81 .
[0117] The first separator 70 is provided with a notch that matches the output pole base 23 and is used to accommodate the output pole base 23. The output pole base 23 is fixedly connected to the first separator 70. The second separator 80 is provided with a notch portion 81 that matches the manifold 60. The notch portion 81 can be located at both ends of the second separator 80. The notch portion 81 can fix the manifold 60 to the second separator 80 to prevent the manifold 60 from moving.
[0118] Finally, in a specific application scenario, as shown in FIG2 , the battery 100100 includes a battery pack 20, a reinforcement 31, a base plate 40, a cover plate 50, a frame 10, a buffer 32, a manifold 60, and a separator. The frame 10, base plate 40, and separator can be connected to form a single piece by welding, FDS, bonding, or can be integrally cast. Two adjacent battery cells 21 along a first direction X are bonded together, and both sides of the reinforcement 31 are bonded to the largest surface of the adjacent battery cell 21. The reinforcement 31 extends beyond the battery pack 20 at both ends along the first direction X. In this way, all battery cells 21 are bonded to the reinforcement 31 to form a single large module. The large module is pressurized by a tooling and assembled into a rectangular frame formed by a first separator 70 and a second separator 80. After the tooling is removed, the battery 100 battery pack 20 rebounds and presses the separator. The bottom of the battery pack 20 is fixed to the base plate 40 by bonding. The battery pack 20 is formed into a whole by the reinforcement 31, the compression force of the separator, and the cover plate 50, which improves the rigidity of the entire battery 100 and saves space and weight. A heat exchange cavity is provided in the reinforcement 31, and the heat exchange cavity is connected to the collector 60 to facilitate the flow of the heat exchange medium. The buffer 32 is wrapped around the collector 60 between the battery pack 20 and the frame 10. In the first direction X, when the battery 100 is squeezed and deformed, the frame 10 is squeezed and deformed, and the buffer 32 can absorb the external impact force. At the same time, the external impact force can also be transmitted to the buffer 32 at the other end through the reinforcement 31. The buffers 32 at both ends can absorb the impact force, reduce the hand of the battery pack 20, and reduce the battery pack 20 from being squeezed and deformed, resulting in damage, leakage or fire.
[0119] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A battery, wherein: include: A battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells stacked along a first direction; a reinforcement member extending along the first direction; The reinforcement is provided on at least one side of the battery pack along the first direction, and the reinforcement is connected to the battery pack.
2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein Two battery cells adjacent to each other along the first direction among the plurality of battery cells are connected by gluing.
3. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein A maximum dimension of the reinforcement along the first direction is greater than a maximum dimension of the battery pack along the first direction.
4. The battery according to claim 3, wherein Both ends of the reinforcement along the first direction extend beyond the battery pack.
5. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein There are multiple reinforcement members, at least two of the multiple reinforcement members are respectively located on both sides of the battery pack along the first direction, and the reinforcement members located on both sides of the battery pack along the first direction are both connected to the battery pack.
6. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The reinforcement member is configured to be connected to a surface of the battery cell having the largest area.
7. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The reinforcement member includes a heat exchange cavity, and the heat exchange cavity is used to accommodate a heat exchange medium.
8. The battery according to claim 7, wherein The reinforcement is bonded to the battery cell.
9. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein The battery pack includes multiple groups, the reinforcement members include multiple groups, the multiple battery packs are arranged side by side along a second direction, and the second direction intersects the first direction. One of the plurality of reinforcement members is located between two adjacent battery groups and is connected to the two adjacent battery groups.
10. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The battery further includes an end plate located at an end of the reinforcement along the first direction, and the reinforcement is connected to the end plate.
11. The battery according to claim 10, wherein The battery further includes a bottom plate and a cover plate, the bottom plate and the cover plate are respectively located on two sides of the battery pack that are parallel to the first direction, and the bottom plate and the cover plate are arranged opposite to each other. The reinforcement member is connected to at least one of the bottom plate and the cover plate.
12. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The battery further includes a frame, the frame enclosing a middle space, and the battery pack is located in the middle space. The battery further includes a buffer member, and along the first direction, the buffer member is located between the battery pack and the inner surface of the frame.
13. The battery according to claim 12, wherein The battery pack includes multiple groups, the reinforcement members include multiple groups, the reinforcement members and the battery packs are arranged alternately, and the buffer member is sandwiched between two adjacent reinforcement members.
14. The battery according to claim 13, wherein The reinforcement includes a heat exchange cavity for accommodating a heat exchange medium. The battery further includes a collector connected to an end of the reinforcement along the first direction to communicate with the heat exchange cavity. The buffer member includes an avoidance groove, and the avoidance groove corresponds to the position of the collecting pipe.
15. The battery according to claim 14, wherein The avoidance groove is located on a surface of the buffer member away from the battery cell along the first direction.
16. The battery according to claim 14, wherein The battery further includes a bottom plate connected to the frame, and a guide structure is provided at the end of the buffer member facing the bottom plate.
17. The battery according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein The battery also includes a separator, which is located within the frame. The separator extends along the first direction and is connected to the inner surface of the frame to divide the central space into at least two subspaces, at least one of the at least two subspaces is used to accommodate the battery pack and the reinforcement.
18. An electrical device, wherein: The electrical device comprises the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 17, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy for the electrical device.