Thermal runaway exhaust assembly and battery pack

Abstract

The invention provides a thermal runaway exhaust assembly and a battery pack, and relates to the technical field of batteries, the thermal runaway exhaust assembly comprises an exhaust support, a box body and an explosion-proof valve, one side of the exhaust support is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves for accommodating battery cells, the bottom wall of each positioning groove is provided with an exhaust hole, and the box body is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes; an exhaust groove extending to the exhaust hole is formed in the other side of the exhaust bracket; an anti-explosion hole is formed in one side of the box body, the exhaust support is contained in the box body, the edge of the exhaust support is attached to the inner wall of the box body in a sealed mode, so that an exhaust channel is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove and the inner wall of the box body, and the exhaust channel communicates with the anti-explosion hole; and the anti-explosion valve is arranged at the anti-explosion hole. Compared with the prior art, by designing the exhaust groove and forming the exhaust channel, high-temperature and high-pressure gas during thermal runaway can be effectively guided to be exhausted, smooth exhaust of the gas is ensured by utilizing the exhaust channel, the gas is prevented from flowing disorderly in the box body, the heat spreading probability is reduced, and the safety of the battery is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a thermal runaway exhaust assembly and a battery pack. Background Art

[0002] At present, when the battery cell experiences thermal runaway, it produces high-temperature and high-pressure gases and solid particles. If they cannot be discharged from the battery pack in a timely and effective manner, the temperature and pressure inside the battery pack will increase, causing violent reactions or even explosions, posing a hidden danger to the personal and property safety of the vehicle or the entire machine users.

[0003] The existing technology typically involves designing a ventilated explosion-proof valve in the battery case. When thermal runaway occurs in the battery cells inside the case, the valve opens, allowing the generated gases and solid particles to escape. However, due to the lack of an effective exhaust channel inside the case to guide the flow of high-temperature, high-pressure gases, the high-temperature, high-pressure gases scatter uncontrollably, making it difficult to ensure smooth gas discharge. This can easily cause heat spread and significantly reduce battery safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thermal runaway exhaust assembly and battery pack that can effectively guide the discharge of high-temperature and high-pressure gases during thermal runaway, utilize exhaust channels to ensure smooth gas discharge, prevent gas from running around in the box, reduce the probability of heat spread, and greatly improve the safety of the battery.

[0005] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thermal runaway exhaust assembly, comprising:

[0006] An exhaust bracket, wherein one side of the exhaust bracket along the Z direction is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves for accommodating battery cells, the bottom wall of each positioning groove is provided with an exhaust hole, and the other side of the exhaust bracket along the Z direction is provided with an exhaust groove extending to the exhaust hole, and the Z direction is the height direction of the exhaust bracket;

[0007] A box body, wherein an explosion-proof hole is provided on one side of the box body along the X direction, the exhaust bracket is accommodated in the box body, and the edge of the exhaust bracket is sealed and fitted with the inner wall of the box body, so that an exhaust channel is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove and the inner wall of the box body, and the exhaust channel is connected to the explosion-proof hole along the X direction, where the X direction is the length direction of the exhaust bracket;

[0008] An explosion-proof valve is provided at the explosion-proof hole and is configured to connect the exhaust channel to the external space in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the exhaust bracket is further provided with an extension plate on one side edge along the X direction, and the extension plate extends along the Z direction away from the side of the exhaust groove, and the edge of the extension plate is sealed to the side wall of the box body and covered on the explosion-proof hole to form a confluence cavity between the side wall of the extension plate and the side wall of the box body, and the exhaust channel is connected to the confluence cavity.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the exhaust bracket is provided with a plurality of partition structures protruding from one side of the exhaust bracket along the Z direction away from the positioning groove, and a lattice groove is formed between two adjacent partition structures. The exhaust hole is provided in each lattice groove, and at least one exhaust groove is provided on each partition structure, and the exhaust groove is connected to the lattice groove.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, each of the partition structures includes two partition plates, which are spaced apart on the exhaust bracket to form the exhaust groove, and a connecting hole is provided on the partition plate, which is connected to the exhaust groove and the lattice groove at the same time; the connecting hole is located in the middle of the partition plate along the Z direction, so that the connecting hole is spaced apart from the side edge of the partition plate away from the positioning groove.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, a plurality of one-way exhaust valves are further provided in the grid groove, and the plurality of one-way exhaust valves are provided at the plurality of exhaust holes in a one-to-one correspondence, and the one-way exhaust valves are configured to discharge the thermal runaway gas from the exhaust hole to the grid groove in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell; the one-way exhaust valve includes a fixing ring and an exhaust valve body, the fixing ring is arranged around the exhaust hole, the exhaust valve body is sealed and connected to the edge of the fixing ring and extends to the grid groove, the exhaust valve body is configured to discharge the thermal runaway gas to the grid groove in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell, and to block the thermal runaway gas in the grid groove in the event of thermal runaway of other battery cells.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the exhaust valve body protrudes toward one end away from the fixing ring and is provided with an exhaust gap at the end away from the fixing ring, the exhaust gap connecting the exhaust hole and the lattice groove, and the exhaust gap is configured to be impacted to form an opening in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell, so as to discharge high-temperature and high-pressure gas into the lattice groove.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, an exhaust gap is provided on a side of the exhaust valve body close to the exhaust hole, and a sealing strip is provided on a side of the exhaust valve body away from the exhaust hole, and the sealing strip blocks the lower end opening of the exhaust gap to prevent the thermal runaway gas in the grid groove from entering the exhaust valve body, and the sealing strip is further configured to release the blockage of the exhaust gap in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell, and the exhaust gap is configured to be impacted to form an opening in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell, so as to discharge the high-temperature and high-pressure gas into the grid groove.

[0015] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery pack, which includes a plurality of battery cells and the aforementioned thermal runaway vent assembly, wherein the ends of the plurality of battery cells are respectively accommodated in the plurality of positioning grooves.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, each of the battery cells is accommodated in an explosion-proof plate at one end of the positioning groove, the explosion-proof plate corresponds to the exhaust hole, and a thinning ring groove is also provided on the side surface of the explosion-proof plate close to the exhaust hole, and the thinning ring groove is distributed in an annular shape and is concentrically arranged with the exhaust hole.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, ribs are provided in the thinned annular groove, and the ribs are connected to the bottom wall and the opposite side walls of the thinned annular groove.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are:

[0019] The thermal runaway exhaust assembly and battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present invention have a positioning groove on one side of the exhaust bracket, a vent hole on the bottom wall of the positioning groove, and an exhaust groove extending to the vent hole on the other side of the exhaust bracket. The side wall of the housing is provided with an explosion-proof hole, and the exhaust bracket is housed within the housing. An exhaust channel is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove of the exhaust bracket and the inner wall of the housing, and the exhaust channel can be connected to the explosion-proof hole. An explosion-proof valve is provided at the explosion-proof hole. When thermal runaway occurs, the battery cell generates high-temperature, high-pressure thermal runaway gas. This gas is discharged through the vent hole to the exhaust groove. Guided by the exhaust channel, it flows to the explosion-proof hole and is discharged to the outside space through the explosion-proof valve. Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention, by designing an exhaust groove and forming an exhaust channel, can effectively guide the discharge of high-temperature, high-pressure gas during thermal runaway. The exhaust channel ensures the smooth discharge of gas, prevents gas from wandering around in the housing, reduces the probability of heat spread, and greatly improves battery safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a thermal runaway exhaust assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle exhaust bracket from the first perspective;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle exhaust bracket from the second perspective;

[0026] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of the middle VI;

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle exhaust bracket from a third-person perspective;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the one-way exhaust valve;

[0029] Figure 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of another one-way exhaust valve;

[0030] Figure 10 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell;

[0031] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A local enlarged schematic diagram of point XI in the middle.

[0032] Icons: 100-thermal runaway exhaust assembly; 110-exhaust bracket; 111-positioning groove; 112-exhaust hole; 113-exhaust groove; 114-extension plate; 115-convergence cavity; 116-sealing groove; 120-box; 121-explosion-proof hole; 130-explosion-proof valve; 140-exhaust channel; 150-partition structure; 151-lattice groove; 152-partition plate; 153-connecting hole; 154-lattice plate; 160-one-way exhaust valve; 161-fixing ring; 162-exhaust valve body; 163-exhaust gap; 164-sealing strip; 165-elastic part; 200-battery pack; 210-battery cell; 211-explosion-proof plate; 213-thinning ring groove; 215-rib. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0034] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper", "lower", "inside", "outside", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or is the orientation or position relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0037] In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc., if used, are merely used to distinguish and describe, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0038] As disclosed in the background, existing technologies lack effective exhaust channels to adequately guide the flow of high-temperature, high-pressure gases, causing them to scatter uncontrollably within the battery cell. This makes it difficult to ensure smooth exhaust, which can easily lead to heat spread and significantly reduce battery safety. Furthermore, existing vent valves are passive and non-directional, failing to effectively prevent external gases from entering the battery cell, further contributing to heat spread.

[0039] In order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thermal runaway exhaust assembly and a battery pack. It should be noted that the features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0040] See also Figures 1 to 5 The embodiment of the present invention provides a thermal runaway exhaust assembly 100, which can effectively guide the discharge of high-temperature and high-pressure gas during thermal runaway, and utilize the exhaust channel 140 to ensure the smooth discharge of gas, prevent the gas from running around in the box 120, reduce the probability of heat spread, and greatly improve the safety of the battery.

[0041] The thermal runaway exhaust assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention includes an exhaust bracket 110, a box body 120 and an explosion-proof valve 130. The exhaust bracket 110 is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves 111 for accommodating the battery cells 210 on one side along the Z direction. The bottom wall of each positioning groove 111 is provided with an exhaust hole 112. The exhaust bracket 110 is provided with an exhaust groove 113 extending to the exhaust hole 112 on the other side along the Z direction. The Z direction is the height direction of the exhaust bracket 110; the box body 120 is provided with an explosion-proof valve on one side along the X direction. The explosion-proof hole 121, the exhaust bracket 110 is accommodated in the box body 120, and the edge of the exhaust bracket 110 is sealed against the inner wall of the box body 120, so that an exhaust channel 140 is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove 113 and the inner wall of the box body 120, and the exhaust channel 140 is connected to the explosion-proof hole 121 along the X direction, where the X direction is the length direction of the exhaust bracket 110; the explosion-proof valve 130 is provided at the explosion-proof hole 121, and is configured to connect the exhaust channel 140 to the external space in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 210.

[0042] It should be noted that the Z direction mentioned in this embodiment is the height direction of the battery cell 210 after assembly, the X direction is perpendicular to the Z direction and is the length direction of the exhaust bracket 110, and the Y direction is perpendicular to both the X direction and the Z direction and is the width direction of the exhaust bracket 110.

[0043] In order to improve the accuracy of exhaust, the edge of the exhaust bracket at one end away from the explosion-proof hole 121 along the X direction and the edges on both sides along the Y direction are sealed with the inner wall of the box 120 to ensure that the thermal runaway gas can be connected to the explosion-proof hole 121 in one direction along the exhaust channel 140, thereby preventing the thermal runaway gas from erupting to the end away from the explosion-proof hole 121.

[0044] In this embodiment, a positioning groove 111 is provided on one side of the exhaust bracket 110. A vent hole 112 is provided on the bottom wall of the positioning groove 111. An exhaust groove 113 extending to the vent hole 112 is provided on the other side of the exhaust bracket 110. An explosion-proof hole 121 is provided on the sidewall of the housing 120. The exhaust bracket 110 is housed within the housing 120. An exhaust channel 140 is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove 113 of the exhaust bracket 110 and the inner wall of the housing 120. This exhaust channel 140 is connected to the explosion-proof hole 121. An explosion-proof valve 130 is provided at the explosion-proof hole 121. In the event of thermal runaway, the battery cell 210 generates high-temperature, high-pressure thermal runaway gas. This gas is discharged through the vent hole 112 into the exhaust groove 113. Guided by the exhaust channel 140, it flows to the explosion-proof hole 121 and is discharged to the outside through the explosion-proof valve 130. By designing the exhaust groove 113 and forming the exhaust channel 140, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas during thermal runaway can be effectively guided to be discharged. The exhaust channel 140 is used to ensure the smooth discharge of the gas, prevent the gas from running around in the box 120, reduce the probability of heat spread, and greatly improve the safety of the battery.

[0045] In some embodiments, an extension plate 114 is further provided on one edge of the exhaust bracket 110 along the X-direction. Extension plate 114 extends away from exhaust slot 113 along the Z-direction and is positioned near explosion-proof hole 121, such that the edge of extension plate 114 seals against the sidewall of housing 120. Extension plate 114 covers explosion-proof hole 121, forming a confluence cavity 115 between the sidewall of extension plate 114 and the sidewall of housing 120. Exhaust channel 140 communicates with confluence cavity 115. The edge of extension plate 114 away from exhaust bracket 110 along the Z-direction, as well as both edges along the X-direction, seal against the sidewall of housing 120 to prevent leakage of thermal runaway gases. Specifically, sealing grooves 116 are provided on the edges of exhaust bracket 110 and extension plate 114. These sealing grooves 116 contain a sealant layer or sealing strip that seals against the inner wall of housing 120. Preferably, a sealant layer is used to ensure a sealed connection between the exhaust bracket 110 and the inner wall of the housing 120, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the confluence cavity 115 and the exhaust passage 140. In the event of thermal runaway, high-temperature, high-pressure gas can flow along the exhaust passage 140 to the confluence cavity 115. The large volume of the confluence cavity 115 effectively buffers the high-temperature, high-pressure gas and guides it to the explosion-proof valve 130 for discharge to the outside. The explosion-proof valve 130 can be a breathable explosion-proof valve 130.

[0046] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the extension plate 114 and the exhaust bracket 110 are integrally arranged and L-shaped, and the width of the two in the Y direction is the same. A plurality of positioning grooves 111 are provided on the front of the exhaust bracket 110 for placing cylindrical battery cells 210, such as cylindrical battery cells 210 of models such as 18650 and 46800.

[0047] See also Figures 5 to 7 In some embodiments, the exhaust bracket 110 is provided with a plurality of partition structures 150 protruding from a side thereof in the Z direction away from the positioning slot 111. A grid slot 151 is formed between two adjacent partition structures 150. Each grid slot 151 is provided with an exhaust hole 112. Each partition structure 150 is provided with at least one exhaust slot 113, which is connected to the grid slot 151. Specifically, a plurality of grid plates 154 are provided between two adjacent partition structures 150. A grid slot 151 is formed between each of the adjacent grid plates 154. The grid slots 151 isolate the plurality of exhaust holes 112 from each other, preventing thermal runaway gas from flowing to adjacent positions in the grid slot 151 along the X direction.

[0048] The exhaust groove 113 extends along the X direction, and each partition structure 150 is provided with an exhaust groove 113. Each lattice groove 151 can be connected to the exhaust groove 113. By providing the lattice groove 151, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the exhaust hole 112 can enter the lattice groove 151 for buffering and then flow to the exhaust groove 113.

[0049] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the exhaust groove 113 is connected to the confluence cavity 115, and the lattice groove 151 is connected to the exhaust groove 113. Therefore, when thermal runaway occurs, high-temperature and high-pressure gas will enter the lattice groove 151 through the exhaust hole 112, and then enter the confluence cavity 115 through the exhaust groove 113.

[0050] In some embodiments, each partition structure 150 includes two partition plates 152, which are spaced apart on the exhaust bracket 110 to form an exhaust slot 113. The partition plates 152 are provided with connecting holes 153, which communicate with both the exhaust slot 113 and the grid slot 151, thereby facilitating the directed entry of thermal runaway gases into the exhaust slot 113 after buffering in the grid slot 151. Connecting holes 153 are provided on both sides of the same grid slot 151 along the Y direction. The two connecting holes 153 can simultaneously connect two adjacent exhaust slots 113, allowing the thermal runaway gases to be discharged to both sides after buffering in the grid slot 151. At the same time, to minimize the impact of thermal runaway gases on adjacent battery cells, the connecting holes 153 on the two partition plates 152 of the exhaust slot 113 are staggered along the X direction to allow the thermal runaway gases to be discharged smoothly. The connecting hole 153 is located in the middle of the partition plate 152 along the Z direction, so that the connecting hole 153 is spaced apart from the edge of the side of the partition plate 152 away from the positioning groove 111. Specifically, the partition plate 152 is integrally arranged on the bottom side of the exhaust bracket 110, and the two partition plates 152 on the same partition structure 150 are parallel to each other. The connecting hole 153 can be rectangular, which can achieve conduction between the exhaust groove 113 and the grid groove 151, and guide the gas after thermal runaway into the exhaust grooves 113 arranged side by side, and finally converge to the two explosion-proof valves 130 on the side and discharge to the outside of the box body 120. In addition, the connecting hole 153 is located in the middle of the partition plate 152 along the Z direction, which can ensure that the bottom side of the connecting hole 153 forms an ash storage baffle structure, forming a certain height space with the bottom wall of the box body 120, which can store the generated particulate matter or dust, etc., to prevent blockage.

[0051] In some embodiments, a plurality of one-way exhaust valves 160 are further provided in the grid slot 151. The plurality of one-way exhaust valves 160 are provided one-to-one correspondingly at the plurality of exhaust holes 112, and the one-way exhaust valves 160 are configured to discharge the thermal runaway gas from the exhaust holes 112 to the grid slot 151 in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell 210. Specifically, the one-way exhaust valves 160 are provided correspondingly at the bottom side of the exhaust hole 112 and are fixedly connected to the exhaust bracket 110. The one-way exhaust valves 160 have a one-way exhaust characteristic. On the one hand, they can quickly discharge the gas and particulate matter generated by the thermal runaway battery cell 210, thereby discharging the high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated by the thermal runaway downwardly into the grid slot 151; on the other hand, they can effectively reduce the degree to which other non-runaway battery cells 210 are affected by the runaway battery cell 210, effectively inhibiting and slowing down the gas and particulate matter generated by the thermal runaway battery cell 210 from contacting other battery cells 210 through the grid slot 151.

[0052] It should be noted that the one-way exhaust valve 160 here is concentrically arranged with the exhaust hole 112, and the exhaust hole 112 is facing the explosion-proof plate 211 of the battery cell 210. When the battery cell 210 has thermal runaway, the generated gas, particulate matter, dust, etc. are transmitted to the one-way exhaust valve 160 below through the exhaust hole 112, directly opening the corresponding one-way exhaust valve 160 and connecting to the grid groove 151 to achieve exhaust. The one-way exhaust valves 160 corresponding to other battery cells 210 can protect other battery cells 210 and avoid being affected by the out-of-control battery cell 210.

[0053] See also Figure 6 and Figure 8 Furthermore, the one-way exhaust valve 160 includes a retaining ring 161 and an exhaust valve body 162. The retaining ring 161 surrounds the exhaust hole 112. The exhaust valve body 162 is sealed to the edge of the retaining ring 161 and extends to the grid groove 151. The exhaust valve body 162 is configured to discharge thermal runaway gases into the grid groove 151 in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell 210, and to block thermal runaway gases within the grid groove 151 in the event of thermal runaway of other battery cells 210. Specifically, the retaining ring 161 serves as a fixed connection. It is connected to the bottom side of the exhaust bracket 110 and can be fixed by welding, gluing, threading, etc. The retaining ring 161 is generally made of metal, such as AL or stainless steel, or can be made of plastic, such as nylon, ABS, PC, etc., as a fixed part, which has certain strength and high temperature resistance. The exhaust valve body 162 can be made of rubber, such as nitrile rubber (NBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The exhaust valve body 162 acts as a valve. When the battery cell 210 corresponding to the exhaust valve body 162 is not experiencing thermal runaway, the exhaust valve body 162 remains tightly closed, effectively blocking the entry of gas in the grid slot 151 (such as high-temperature, high-pressure gas generated by thermal runaway of other battery cells 210). This prevents high-temperature substances generated by thermal runaway of other battery cells 210 from igniting the battery cell 210 above the exhaust valve body 162, thereby suppressing the spread of heat after thermal runaway. However, if the battery cell 210 corresponding to the exhaust valve body 162 experiences thermal runaway, the exhaust valve body 162 is pressurized and opened by the impact of the airflow, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure gas to be quickly discharged into the grid slot 151.

[0054] In some embodiments, an exhaust slit 163 is provided on the side of the exhaust valve body 162 close to the exhaust hole 112, and a blocking strip 164 is provided on the side of the exhaust valve body 162 away from the exhaust hole 112. The blocking strip 164 blocks the lower end opening of the exhaust slit 163 to prevent the thermal runaway gas in the grid groove 151 from entering the exhaust valve body 162. The blocking strip 164 is also configured to release the blockage of the exhaust slit 163 in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell 210. The exhaust slit 163 is configured to be impacted to form an opening in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell 210, so as to discharge the high-temperature and high-pressure gas into the grid groove 151. Specifically, by designing the blocking strip 164, the exhaust slit 163 can be blocked, increasing the path of the air gap. This design makes it more difficult for the high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated during external thermal runaway to enter and contact the battery cell 210 above, thereby better preventing heat spread.

[0055] See also Figure 9 In some other preferred embodiments, the exhaust valve body 162 protrudes toward the end away from the retaining ring 161 and is provided with an exhaust slit 163 at this end. The exhaust slit 163 connects the exhaust hole 112 and the grid slot 151. The exhaust slit 163 is configured to be impacted to form an opening in the event of thermal runaway of the corresponding battery cell 210, thereby discharging high-temperature and high-pressure gas into the grid slot 151. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of the protruding end of the exhaust valve body 162 gradually decreases away from the exhaust hole 112. The exhaust slit 163 is located at the end with the smallest cross-section of the protruding end, allowing thermal runaway gas to converge into the exhaust slit 163. The exhaust slit 163 has a small width and can be closed under normal conditions, forming a small air gap. This prevents the formation of pressurized air within the battery cell 210, i.e., the bottom space of the battery cell 210, during the downward assembly process. The small air gap also prevents the ingress of large amounts of high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated by thermal runaway from other battery cells 210. When thermal runaway occurs in the corresponding battery cell 210 , high-temperature and high-pressure gas will fill the exhaust gap 163 and open the exhaust gap 163 to form an opening, thereby quickly discharging the high-temperature and high-pressure gas to the grid slot 151 .

[0056] Furthermore, the exhaust valve body 162 is arranged in an inverted triangle as a whole, and includes relatively arranged elastic portions 165. The elastic portions 165 are configured to restore the opening formed by the impact to an exhaust gap 163. Specifically, the two elastic portions 165 are arranged relatively opposite to each other in an inverted triangle, and a buffer space is formed at one end of the elastic portion 165 close to the fixed ring 161 to reduce the injection speed and impact force of the thermal runaway gas. The exhaust gap 163 is formed relatively close to one end of the elastic portion 165 away from the fixed ring 161, so that the two elastic portions 165 can have a relative extrusion pressure at the end away from the fixed ring 161, and can overcome the relative extrusion pressure under the impact of the thermal runaway gas to open the exhaust gap 163. After the exhaust is completed, the one-way exhaust valve 160 can be relatively close to re-form the exhaust gap 163 under the action of the relative extrusion pressure of the two elastic portions 165, thereby realizing the reuse of the exhaust valve body 162. Optionally, the exhaust slit 163 extends along the X direction, while the lattice plate 154 extends along the Y direction. The extension direction of the exhaust slit 163 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the lattice plate 154. This design can reduce the thermal runaway gas on both sides of the exhaust slit 163 along the X direction. The extension direction of the exhaust slit 163 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the lattice plate 154, further reducing the spread of the thermal runaway gas. The connecting hole 153 is provided on both sides of the exhaust slit 163 along the Y direction to facilitate the outflow of thermal runaway gas from both sides. In summary, the design of the one-way exhaust valve 160, the lattice groove 151, and the connecting hole 153 can prevent the thermal runaway gas from flowing in the lattice groove 151 along the X direction and promote the thermal runaway gas from flowing in the lattice groove 151 along the Y direction.

[0057] See also Figure 2 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11 The embodiment of the present invention further provides a battery pack 200, which includes a plurality of battery cells 210 and the aforementioned thermal runaway exhaust assembly 100. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly 100 includes an exhaust bracket 110, a box body 120, and an explosion-proof valve 130. The exhaust bracket 110 is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves 111 on one side along the Z direction. The bottom wall of each positioning groove 111 is provided with an exhaust hole 112. The exhaust bracket 110 is provided with an exhaust groove 113 extending to the exhaust hole 112 on the other side along the Z direction. The Z direction is the height direction of the exhaust bracket 110. An explosion-proof hole 121 is provided on one side of the box body 120 along the X direction. The exhaust bracket 110 is accommodated within the box body 120, and the edge of the exhaust bracket 110 is sealed against the inner wall of the box body 120, so that an exhaust channel 140 is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove 113 and the inner wall of the box body 120. The exhaust channel 140 is connected to the explosion-proof hole 121. The X direction is the length direction of the exhaust bracket 110. The explosion-proof valve 130 is provided at the explosion-proof hole 121 and is configured to connect the exhaust channel 140 to the external space in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 210. The ends of the multiple battery cells 210 are respectively accommodated in the multiple positioning grooves 111.

[0058] It should be noted that the multiple battery cells 210 are all cylindrical battery cells 210, such as 18650, 46800, and other cylindrical battery cells 210. The multiple battery cells 210 are correspondingly assembled in the multiple positioning grooves 111, and the shape of the battery cells 210 is adapted to the shape of the positioning grooves 111. The distribution method and assembly structure of the multiple battery cells 210 can refer to the existing battery pack 200.

[0059] In some embodiments, each battery cell 210 is provided with a burst disc 211 at one end of the positioning groove 111. The burst disc 211 corresponds to the exhaust hole 112, and a thinned annular groove 213 is further provided on the surface of the burst disc 211 on one side near the exhaust hole 112. The thinned annular groove 213 is distributed in an annular shape and is arranged concentrically with the exhaust hole 112. Specifically, the battery cell 210 has a shell that is configured to actuate to release the internal pressure of the shell when the pressure or temperature inside the shell reaches a threshold. When the battery cell 210 experiences thermal runaway, the presence of the thinned annular groove 213 will cause a weak area in the burst disc 211, making it easier to break through. The burst disc 211 will break open along the location of the thinned annular groove 213, and high-temperature and high-pressure gas will rush downward from the location of the burst disc 211 and rush downward through the exhaust hole 112 into the one-way exhaust valve 160.

[0060] Furthermore, ribs 215 are provided in the thinned annular groove 213, connecting to the bottom wall and opposing side walls of the thinned annular groove 213. Specifically, when the bursting disc 211 ruptures, the ribs 215 remain connected, thereby preventing the bursting disc 211 from falling entirely and blocking the exhaust hole 112 and exhaust passage 140. In the event of thermal runaway, if the weak area of the bursting disc 211 is breached, the designed ribs 215 remain connected, allowing the bursting disc 211 to partially break, forming a V-shaped exhaust port. This ensures effective exhaust while avoiding blocking the exhaust hole 112.

[0061] In summary, embodiments of the present invention provide a thermal runaway vent assembly 100 and a battery pack 200. A positioning groove 111 is provided on one side of the vent bracket 110, and a vent hole 112 is provided on the bottom wall of the positioning groove 111. A vent groove 113 extending to the vent hole 112 is provided on the other side of the vent bracket 110. An explosion-proof hole 121 is provided on the sidewall of the housing 120. The vent bracket 110 is housed within the housing 120, and an exhaust channel 140 is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove 113 of the vent bracket 110 and the inner wall of the housing 120. This exhaust channel 140 is connected to the explosion-proof hole 121. An explosion-proof valve 130 is provided at the explosion-proof hole 121. In the event of thermal runaway, the battery cell 210 generates high-temperature, high-pressure thermal runaway gas. This gas is discharged through the vent hole 112 into the exhaust groove 113. Guided by the exhaust channel 140, it flows to the explosion-proof hole 121 and is discharged to the outside through the explosion-proof valve 130. Compared to the prior art, the embodiment of the present invention, through the design of exhaust slots 113 and the formation of exhaust channels 140, can effectively guide the exhaust of high-temperature, high-pressure gases during thermal runaway. Exhaust channels 140 ensure smooth gas discharge, preventing gas from scattering within the housing 120, reducing the probability of heat spread and significantly improving battery safety. Furthermore, the design of a one-way exhaust valve 160 ensures effective exhaust while preventing high-temperature, high-pressure gases from entering the exhaust holes 112 and affecting battery cells 210 that are not experiencing thermal runaway, slowing heat spread and providing a certain degree of directionality in the exhaust.

[0062] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A thermal runaway exhaust assembly, characterized in that: include: An exhaust bracket (110), wherein a plurality of positioning grooves (111) for accommodating battery cells (210) are provided on one side of the exhaust bracket (110) along the Z direction, a bottom wall of each positioning groove (111) is provided with an exhaust hole (112), and an exhaust groove (113) extending to the exhaust hole (112) is provided on the other side of the exhaust bracket (110) along the Z direction, wherein the Z direction is the height direction of the exhaust bracket (110); A box body (120), wherein an explosion-proof hole (121) is provided on one side of the box body (120) along the X direction, the exhaust bracket (110) is accommodated in the box body (120), and the edge of the exhaust bracket (110) is sealed and fitted with the inner wall of the box body (120), so that an exhaust channel (140) is formed between the inner wall of the exhaust groove (113) and the inner wall of the box body (120), and the exhaust channel (140) is connected to the explosion-proof hole (121) along the X direction, and the X direction is the length direction of the exhaust bracket (110); An explosion-proof valve (130) is provided at the explosion-proof hole (121) and is configured to connect the exhaust passage (140) to an external space in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell (210).

2. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: An extension plate (114) is further provided on one side edge of the exhaust bracket (110) along the X direction. The extension plate (114) extends along the Z direction away from the exhaust groove (113). The edge of the extension plate (114) is sealed and fitted with the side wall of the box body (120), and is covered on the explosion-proof hole (121), so that a confluence cavity (115) is formed between the side wall of the extension plate (114) and the side wall of the box body (120), and the exhaust channel (140) is connected to the confluence cavity (115).

3. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A plurality of partition structures (150) are protrudingly provided on one side of the exhaust bracket (110) away from the positioning groove (111) along the Z direction, a lattice groove (151) is formed between two adjacent partition structures (150), each lattice groove (151) is provided with the exhaust hole (112), and each partition structure (150) is provided with at least one exhaust groove (113), and the exhaust groove (113) is communicated with the lattice groove (151).

4. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each partition structure (150) comprises two partition plates (152), the two partition plates (152) being arranged at intervals on the exhaust bracket (110) to form the exhaust groove (113), and a connecting hole (153) being provided on the partition plate (152), the connecting hole (153) being connected to the exhaust groove (113) and the lattice groove (151) at the same time; the connecting hole (153) being located in the middle of the partition plate (152) along the Z direction, so that the connecting hole (153) is spaced apart from a side edge of the partition plate (152) away from the positioning groove (111).

5. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: A plurality of one-way exhaust valves (160) are further provided in the grid groove (151). The plurality of one-way exhaust valves (160) are provided at the plurality of exhaust holes (112) in a one-to-one correspondence, and the one-way exhaust valves (160) are configured to discharge thermal runaway gas from the exhaust holes (112) to the grid groove (151) when the corresponding battery cell (210) is in thermal runaway. The one-way exhaust valve (160) includes a fixing ring (161) and an exhaust valve body (162). The fixing ring (161) is arranged around the exhaust hole (112), the exhaust valve body (162) is sealed and connected to the edge of the fixing ring (161), and extends to the grid groove (151), and the exhaust valve body (162) is configured to discharge the thermal runaway gas to the grid groove (151) when the corresponding battery cell (210) thermally runs away, and to block the thermal runaway gas in the grid groove (151) when other battery cells (210) thermally run away.

6. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The exhaust valve body (162) protrudes toward one end away from the fixing ring (161) and is provided with an exhaust slit (163) at the end away from the fixing ring (161). The exhaust slit (163) connects the exhaust hole (112) and the grid groove (151). The exhaust slit (163) is configured to be impacted to form an opening when the corresponding battery cell (210) is in thermal runaway, so as to discharge the thermal runaway gas into the grid groove (151).

7. The thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: An exhaust slit (163) is provided on a side of the exhaust valve body (162) close to the exhaust hole (112), and a blocking strip (164) is provided on a side of the exhaust valve body (162) away from the exhaust hole (112). The blocking strip (164) blocks the lower end opening of the exhaust slit (163) to prevent the thermal runaway gas in the grid groove (151) from entering the exhaust valve body (162). The blocking strip (164) is also configured to release the blocking of the exhaust slit (163) when the corresponding battery cell (210) is in thermal runaway. The exhaust slit (163) is configured to be impacted to form an opening when the corresponding battery cell (210) is in thermal runaway, so as to discharge the thermal runaway gas into the grid groove (151).

8. A battery pack, characterized in that: The battery pack (200) comprises a plurality of battery cells (210) and a thermal runaway exhaust assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein ends of the plurality of battery cells (210) are respectively accommodated in the plurality of positioning grooves (111).

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that: An explosion-proof disc (211) is provided at one end of each battery cell (210) accommodated in the positioning groove (111), the explosion-proof disc (211) corresponding to the exhaust hole (112), and a thinning annular groove (213) is further provided on a surface of one side of the explosion-proof disc (211) close to the exhaust hole (112), the thinning annular groove (213) being distributed in an annular shape and concentrically arranged with the exhaust hole (112).

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that: A rib (215) is provided in the thinning annular groove (213), and the rib (215) is connected to the bottom wall and the opposite side walls of the thinning annular groove (213).

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