Battery cell mounting structure, battery and battery cell cluster stacking process

Abstract

The invention provides a battery cell mounting structure, a battery and a battery cell cluster stacking process. The battery cell mounting structure comprises a first end plate and a second end plate, the second end plate is arranged opposite to the first end plate along the first direction, and a cell stacking space is formed between the first end plate and the second end plate; the spacing structure extends in the first direction and is arranged on one side of the battery cell stacking space in the second direction, the spacing structure is provided with a first side and a second side which are oppositely arranged in the second direction, each of the first side and the second side comprises a plurality of limiting grooves arranged in the first direction, and the limiting grooves are configured to be capable of accommodating one end of one battery cell in a clamping manner; the battery cells in the battery cell stacking space can be limited in a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. According to the technical scheme, the battery cell mounting structure can solve the problem that when a device in the prior art is used for stacking battery cells, transverse dislocation can occur.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery cell mounting structure, a battery, and a battery cell cluster stacking process. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry and the continuous evolution of power battery technology, the market is generally trending towards innovative solutions such as module-free cell-to-pack (CTP) technology or direct integration of cells into the vehicle body structure (CTB). The main advantages of these technologies are significantly improved battery pack energy density and reduced production costs, particularly by eliminating the traditional module frame and integrating the cells directly into the housing, saving space and reducing weight. For housing structures, mainstream manufacturing processes utilize lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloys, constructed through precision forming and welding techniques, or employing integrated stamping of high-strength sheet metal. These methods are designed to ensure the structural integrity and environmental protection of the battery pack. Furthermore, to strengthen the connection between the housing and the vehicle body and enhance the overall structural modal stiffness, CTP and CTB technologies often incorporate cross and longitudinal beam reinforcement solutions. These beams not only enhance the structural strength of the housing itself, but also effectively improve the connection between the battery pack and the vehicle body after cell integration. However, the pursuit of higher overall modal stiffness and lower costs has led CTP designs to eliminate cross or longitudinal beams, or even eliminate them altogether. Although removing the beam can reduce the weight of the battery pack and increase the energy density to a certain extent, it also brings new challenges - the stiffness and strength of the battery pack decrease, especially when facing severe vibration or impact, the structural stability of the battery pack is threatened.

[0003] At the cell integration level, existing technology uses buffer sheets to connect the cells to the narrow sides. These sheets act as a link, tightly connecting and integrating multiple rows of cells. However, due to the relatively soft material of the buffer sheets, stacking more than three rows of cells laterally can easily lead to misalignment. This not only increases the difficulty and production cost of battery pack assembly, but can also cause cell connection anomalies, impacting the pack's electrical performance and safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a cell installation structure, a battery and a cell cluster stacking process, which can solve the problem of lateral misalignment when using existing devices to stack cells.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery cell mounting structure is provided, comprising: a first end plate; a second end plate, which is arranged opposite to the first end plate along a first direction, a battery cell stacking space is formed between the first end plate and the second end plate, and can limit the battery cells located in the battery cell stacking space in the first direction; a spacing structure, which extends along the first direction, and is arranged on one side of the battery cell stacking space along the second direction, and has a first side and a second side arranged opposite to each other along the second direction, and the first side and the second side both include a plurality of limiting grooves arranged along the first direction, and the limiting groove is constructed to accommodate one end of a battery cell and can limit the battery cells located in the battery cell stacking space in the second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0006] Further, the spacing structure is configured to be fixed relative to the first end plate.

[0007] Furthermore, there are multiple first end plates and multiple second end plates, and the multiple first end plates are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the multiple second end plates are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The first end plates and the second end plates are both constructed to be arranged toward the large surface of the battery cell, and the multiple first end plates and the multiple second end plates are arranged one by one. A battery cell stacking space is formed between the corresponding first end plates and the second end plates, and one end of the spacing structure is connected to the two adjacent first end plates, and the other end of the spacing structure is connected to the two adjacent second end plates.

[0008] Furthermore, a first card slot is formed between two adjacent first end plates, and a second card slot is formed between two adjacent second end plates. Multiple first card slots and multiple second card slots are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. One end of the spacing structure is connected to the first card slot, and the other end of the spacing structure is connected to the corresponding second card slot.

[0009] Further, the spacing structure also includes a limiting section and a connecting section arranged at opposite ends of the limiting section, the limiting section extends along a first direction, the limiting groove is arranged on the limiting section, the connecting section is perpendicular to the limiting section and forms a T-shaped structure, one of the two connecting sections is clamped in the first clamping groove, and the other of the two connecting sections is clamped in the second clamping groove.

[0010] Furthermore, there are at least two spacing structures, and at least two spacing structures are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The distance between the limiting grooves arranged on one side of two adjacent spacing structures facing each other is the same as the length of the battery cell, so as to limit the inserted battery cell in the second direction.

[0011] Furthermore, along the second direction, first grooves are provided at both opposite ends of the first end plate, and the first grooves provided at one end of the two adjacent first end plates facing each other jointly form a first card groove, and second grooves are provided at both opposite ends of the second end plate, and the second grooves provided at one end of the two adjacent second end plates facing each other jointly form a second card groove.

[0012] Furthermore, the first groove and the second groove both include an inclined section and a straight section that are connected and set at an angle, the connecting section includes a first abutting section and a second abutting section that are connected and set at an angle, a first gap is formed between the two adjacent first end plates, and a second gap is formed between the two adjacent second end plates, one end of the limiting section is snapped into the first gap, and the other end of the limiting section is snapped into the second gap, the first abutting section abuts against the straight section on its side, and the second abutting section abuts against the inclined section on its side.

[0013] Furthermore, the first side and the second side both include a plurality of straight plate segments and a plurality of protrusions, the plurality of straight plate segments and the plurality of protrusions are alternately arranged along the second direction, the plurality of straight plate segments located on the first side are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of straight plate segments located on the second side, the plurality of protrusions located on the first side are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of protrusions located on the second side, and two adjacent protrusions and the straight plate segment located between the two adjacent protrusions jointly form a limiting groove; and / or, the spacing structure is made of non-metallic material.

[0014] Furthermore, the first end plate and the second end plate each include a buffer section, the buffer section extends along the second direction, the buffer section covers a portion of the battery cell, and the buffer section is configured to absorb expansion stress of the battery cell.

[0015] Furthermore, the buffer section is made of elastic material, and the cross section of the buffer section is wavy.

[0016] Furthermore, the buffer section is made of elastic material, and includes a plurality of deformation grooves arranged in rows and columns, and the plurality of deformation grooves are arranged at intervals.

[0017] Furthermore, the height of the spacing structure is greater than the height of the battery cell.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery is provided, comprising: a box; a cell mounting structure as described above, the cell mounting structure being mounted in the box; and a plurality of cells mounted in a cell stacking space.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing a first end plate and placing a spacing structure on one side of the first end plate; S2: stacking a plurality of cell groups in sequence along a first direction on one side of the first end plate, each cell group including n cells arranged along a second direction, wherein the n cells in each cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates, and the ends of the cells are snapped into the limiting grooves of the corresponding ends; S3: placing a second end plate on the side of the cell group away from the first end plate; S4: applying pressure to the first end plate and the second end plate simultaneously in the first direction to form a first assembly structure; S5: repeating the operations of S1 to S4 to form a second assembly structure; S6: arranging the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure along the second direction, and applying pressure to the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure simultaneously in the second direction so that the cells in the second assembly structure snap into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the first assembly structure toward one end of the first assembly structure.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing n first end plates and n-1 spacing structures in sequence along the second direction, wherein the spacing structure is located between two adjacent first end plates; S2: stacking a plurality of cell groups in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate to form a third assembly structure, each cell group includes n cells arranged along the second direction, wherein the n cells in each cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates, and the ends of the cells are stuck in the limiting grooves of the corresponding ends; S3: placing n second end plates along the second direction at an end of the third assembly structure away from the first end plate, and the n second end plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates; S4: applying a preset pressure to the n first end plates and the n second end plates at the same time along the first direction.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing a first end plate in a box, placing a spacing structure on one side of the first end plate, and placing a second end plate on the opposite side of the first end plate; S2: placing a preset number of cells in sequence between the first end plate and the second end plate along a first direction, and making each cell snap into a corresponding limiting groove to form a fourth assembly structure; S3: repeating steps S1 and S2 to form a fifth assembly structure, and the fourth assembly structure and the fifth assembly structure are arranged in sequence along the second direction, and the cells in the fifth assembly structure are snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the fourth assembly structure toward one end of the fourth assembly structure.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing n first end plates, n second end plates and n-1 spacing structures in sequence in the box along the second direction, wherein the spacing structure is located between two adjacent first end plates, and the n first end plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n second end plates; S2: stacking multiple cell groups in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate to form a sixth assembly structure, each cell group includes n cells arranged along the second direction, wherein the n cells in each cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates, and the ends of the cells are snapped into the limit grooves of the corresponding ends.

[0023] The technical solution of the present invention is applied, and a first end plate, a second end plate and a spacing structure are provided. When the battery cell is placed in the battery cell stacking space, the first end plate and the second end plate can limit the battery cell in the first direction to ensure that the battery cell does not move in the first direction. The spacing structure is provided on one side of the battery cell stacking space, and a limiting groove is provided on the spacing structure. Each limiting groove is constructed to accommodate one end of a battery cell. After the battery cell is inserted, the limiting groove can limit the battery cell in the second direction, which can ensure that the position of the battery cell is accurate during the stacking process, avoid relative displacement between the battery cells, and prevent the battery cell from being horizontally misaligned during the stacking process. As can be seen from the above, with the cooperation of the limiting grooves on the first end plate, the second end plate and the spacing structure, the battery cell can be prevented from being misaligned in the first direction and the second direction during the stacking process, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty and production cost of the battery pack and improving the electrical performance and safety of the battery pack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of the present invention, are intended to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are intended to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 An exploded view of a battery showing an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 An exploded view of a battery showing an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 Shown Figure 3 A magnified view of point A;

[0029] Figure 5 A partial structural schematic diagram of a battery of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 6Shown Figure 5 Enlarged view of point B;

[0031] Figure 7 A partial structural schematic diagram of a battery of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 8 A partial structural schematic diagram of a battery of the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 9 Shown Figure 8 Enlarged view of point C;

[0034] Figure 10 A schematic structural diagram showing another angle of view of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 11 Shown Figure 10 Enlarged view of point D;

[0036] Figure 12 A schematic structural diagram showing a spacing structure of a cell mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0037] Figure 13 Shown Figure 12 A local enlarged view of point E;

[0038] Figure 14 A partial structural schematic diagram of a spacing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0039] Figure 15 Shown Figure 14 Enlarged view of point F;

[0040] Figure 16 A partial structural schematic diagram of a spacing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 17 Shown Figure 16 Enlarged view of point G;

[0042] Figure 18 A schematic structural diagram showing an angle of a first end plate of an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0043] Figure 19 A schematic structural diagram showing another angle of the first end plate of an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0044] Figure 20 Shown Figure 19 Enlarged view of H;

[0045] Figure 21 A schematic structural diagram showing another angle of the first end plate of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 22 A flow chart showing a cell cluster stacking process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0047] Figure 23 A flow chart showing a cell cluster stacking process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0048] Figure 24 A flow chart showing a cell cluster stacking process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0049] Figure 25 A flow chart of a cell cluster stacking process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0050] The above drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0051] 10. First end plate; 11. First slot; 12. First groove; 121. Inclined section; 122. Straight section; 13. Buffer section; 131. Deformation groove; 132. Reinforcement rib; 20. Second end plate; 30. Spacer structure; 31. Limiting groove; 311. Straight section; 312. Protrusion; 32. Limiting section; 33. Connecting section; 331. First abutting section; 332. Second abutting section; 333. First gap; 34. Boss; 40. Box; 50. Battery cell; 60. Buffer sheet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features of the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0053] Existing technologies have the following problems: 1) Buffer sheets are added to the narrow sides of the cells, connecting them horizontally and forming a bond between them. Because the buffer sheets are relatively soft, stacking more than three rows of cells laterally can easily lead to misalignment, requiring additional tooling or machine detection to aid stacking, increasing work time and risk. This can also lead to excessive squeezing of the cells, causing misalignment during subsequent CCS pole welding. This also complicates external dimensional control and increases the risk of dimensional tolerances during the later integration of the CTP structure into the box. As fatigue and vibration durability conditions intensify, this can easily lead to cell separation. 2) Adding a pressure strip to the top of the cells, or stamping a flange or concave shape on the top cover to contact the top of the cell cluster within the box, can be used. However, this still requires stacking multiple rows of cells horizontally before proceeding to vertical stacking, which complicates the process. Furthermore, the shape of the stamped flange on the top cover must align with the designed cell cluster position within the box, requiring high assembly precision. 3) Direct side adhesive bonding is used. This stacking solution is only suitable for two-row modules. However, when it is increased to six rows of battery cell clusters, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. At the same time, the adhesive pressure and the possibility of implementing secondary modifications are low. After the adhesive is adhered, secondary modifications cannot be performed, resulting in increased rework costs and even the risk of scrapping the battery cells.

[0054] In order to solve the above problems, refer to Figures 1 to 21 As shown, the present invention provides a battery cell installation structure, which includes: a first end plate 10; a second end plate 20, which is arranged opposite to the first end plate 10 along a first direction, and a battery cell stacking space is formed between the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20, and can limit the battery cell 50 located in the battery cell stacking space in the first direction; a spacing structure 30, which extends along the first direction, and along the second direction, the spacing structure 30 is arranged on one side of the battery cell stacking space, and along the second direction, the spacing structure 30 has a first side and a second side that are relatively arranged, and the first side and the second side both include a plurality of limiting grooves 31 arranged along the first direction, and the limiting grooves 31 are constructed to accommodate one end of a battery cell 50 and can limit the battery cell 50 located in the battery cell stacking space in the second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 are arranged relative to each other along the first direction, and a battery cell stacking space is formed therebetween. When the battery cell 50 is placed in the battery cell stacking space, the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 can limit the battery cell 50 in the first direction to ensure that the battery cell 50 does not move in the first direction. The spacing structure 30 is arranged on one side of the battery cell stacking space. By arranging the spacing structure 30 on the side of the battery cell stacking space, a limiting groove 31 is provided on the spacing structure 30. Each limiting groove 31 is constructed to accommodate one end of a battery cell 50. After the battery cell 50 is inserted, the limiting groove 31 can limit the battery cell 50 in the second direction, ensuring that the position of the battery cell 50 is accurate during the stacking process, avoiding relative displacement between the battery cells 50, and preventing the battery cell 50 from being horizontally misaligned during the stacking process. The battery cell 50 located in the battery cell stacking space is in contact with the second end plate 20 on the side facing the second end plate 20. From the above, it can be seen that with the joint cooperation of the first end plate 10, the second end plate 20 and the limiting groove 31 on the spacer structure 30, the battery cells 50 can be prevented from being misaligned in the first direction and the second direction during the stacking process, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty and production cost of the battery pack and improving the electrical performance and safety of the battery pack.

[0056] It should be noted that the horizontal direction refers to the second direction, and the vertical direction refers to the first direction. The provision of the limiting grooves 31 enables both horizontal and vertical stacking of the battery cells 50. This means that regardless of whether the battery cells 50 are stacked vertically or horizontally, the limiting grooves 31 can effectively correct positional deviations of the battery cells 50.

[0057] In one embodiment, both the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 are partially thickened to facilitate clamping by the clamping claws.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacing structure 30 is configured to be fixed relative to the first end plate 10 .

[0059] In this embodiment, the spacing structure 30 is fixed relative to the first end plate 10 , which can effectively prevent the battery cells 50 from being misaligned in the first direction and the second direction during the stacking process.

[0060] In one embodiment, the spacing structure 30 may be fixedly connected to the bottom of the box 40 for mounting the battery cells 50 , and may also be fixedly clamped between two side walls of the box 40 .

[0061] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, there are multiple first end plates 10 and multiple second end plates 20, and the multiple first end plates 10 are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the multiple second end plates 20 are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The first end plates 10 and the second end plates 20 are both constructed to be arranged toward the large surface of the battery cell 50, and the multiple first end plates 10 and the multiple second end plates 20 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. A battery cell stacking space is formed between the correspondingly arranged first end plates 10 and second end plates 20, and one end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the two adjacent first end plates 10, and the other end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the two adjacent second end plates 20.

[0062] In this embodiment, the two first end plates 10 and the two second end plates 20 connected to the same spacing structure 30 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The present application can limit the battery cells 50 in the first direction and the second direction through the cooperation of the first end plate 10, the second end plate 20 and the spacing structure 30. At the same time, since one end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the two adjacent first end plates 10 and the other end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the two adjacent second end plates 20, the two first end plates 10, the two second end plates 20 and the spacing structure 30 connected therebetween form a tight overall frame, and the above-formed frame and the battery cells 50 stacked in the battery cell stacking space together form a battery cell BLOCK.

[0063] During the battery's charge and discharge cycles, chemical reactions within the cell 50 cause the volume of the cell 50 material to change. This can cause the cell 50 to expand or contract in both the first and second directions, particularly for lithium-ion batteries. This expansion and contraction can alter the interaction forces between the cell 50 and other structures within the battery pack (e.g., end plates and spacer structure 30). If the expansion of the cell 50 is not effectively controlled, it can squeeze adjacent cells 50, causing the cells 50 to shift position. This shift can occur in both the first and second directions, potentially leading to poor electrical contact between the cells 50 and, in extreme cases, a short circuit or thermal runaway. Electric vehicles encounter various road conditions during driving, causing varying degrees of vibration and impact. These external vibrations and impacts can be transmitted to the interior of the battery pack, causing additional stress on the cell 50. The present application, through the aforementioned configuration, significantly improves the overall rigidity of the cell 50 block, preventing displacement of the cell 50 in both the first and second directions. It also enhances the battery pack's resistance to vibration fatigue, reduces stress on the cell 50, and ensures its safety.

[0064] It should be noted that the large surface of the battery cell 50 refers to the surface with the largest area in the square battery cell 50 .

[0065] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, a first card slot 11 is formed between two adjacent first end plates 10, and a second card slot is formed between two adjacent second end plates 20. Multiple first card slots 11 and multiple second card slots are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. One end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the first card slot 11, and the other end of the spacing structure 30 is connected to the corresponding second card slot.

[0066] This arrangement connects the spacer structure 30 to the corresponding first and second end plates 10, 20, forming a compact, integrated framework between the two first end plates 10, the two second end plates 20, and the spacer structure 30 connected therebetween. This significantly improves the overall rigidity and structural stability of the battery cell 50BLOCK. Furthermore, this connection method facilitates the removal and replacement of the spacer structure 30 and end plates, eliminating the need for complex tools or lengthy operations, thus reducing maintenance costs and time.

[0067] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the spacing structure 30 also includes a limiting section 32 and a connecting section 33 arranged at opposite ends of the limiting section 32, the limiting section 32 extends along the first direction, the limiting groove 31 is arranged on the limiting section 32, the connecting section 33 is perpendicular to the limiting section 32 and forms a T-shaped structure, one of the two connecting sections 33 is clamped in the first clamping groove 11, and the other of the two connecting sections 33 is clamped in the second clamping groove.

[0068] In this embodiment, the connecting section 33 and the limiting section 32 are perpendicular to each other and form a T-shaped structure. The two connecting sections 33 are respectively fixed in the first slot 11 and the second slot. This slot connection method not only makes the assembly of the spacer structure 30 quick and simple, but also facilitates disassembly, which is beneficial for battery pack maintenance. The T-shaped structure facilitates the two ends of the spacer structure 30 to be respectively fixed in the first slot 11 and the second slot, and can connect the large and narrow sides of the battery cell 50. The limiting section 32 simultaneously contacts the narrow sides of multiple battery cells 50 stacked in the battery cell stacking space, while the connecting section 33 contacts the large sides of the battery cell 50 through the end plates (referring to the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20).

[0069] It should be noted that the narrow side of the battery cell 50 refers to the side of the battery cell 50 with the smallest area.

[0070] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, there are at least two spacing structures 30, and at least two spacing structures 30 are arranged at intervals along the second direction. The distance between the limiting grooves 31 arranged on the side of the two adjacent spacing structures 30 facing each other is the same as the length of the battery cell 50, so as to limit the inserted battery cell 50 in the second direction.

[0071] In this embodiment, the limiting groove 31 provided on each spacing structure 30 matches one end of the battery cell 50. When the battery cell 50 is inserted into the limiting groove 31, the bottom wall of the limiting groove 31 forms a tight fit with the battery cell 50, ensuring the precise position and stability of the battery cell 50 in the second direction. The limiting grooves 31 provided on the sides of two adjacent spacing structures 30 facing each other are provided in a one-to-one correspondence, and the distance between the two corresponding limiting grooves 31 is the same as the length of the battery cell 50. Here, the distance between the two limiting grooves 31 specifically refers to the distance between the bottom surfaces of the two limiting grooves 31, which means that the battery cell 50 will be restricted by the limiting grooves 31 on both sides after being inserted, thereby avoiding the battery cell 50 from being misaligned in the second direction during the stacking process.

[0072] It should be noted that the bottom surface of the limiting groove 31 refers to the surface that contacts the battery cell 50. For the two limiting grooves 31 along the first direction, there is a gap in the first direction between the battery cells inserted into the two limiting grooves. This gap can be used to install a buffer sheet, or it can be omitted to provide space for battery cell expansion.

[0073] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, along the second direction, first grooves 12 are provided at the opposite ends of the first end plate 10, and the first grooves 12 provided at the ends of the two adjacent first end plates 10 facing each other jointly form a first card groove 11, and second grooves are provided at the opposite ends of the second end plate 20, and the second grooves provided at the ends of the two adjacent second end plates 20 facing each other jointly form a second card groove.

[0074] Through the above-mentioned arrangement, the connection between two adjacent first end plates 10 and two adjacent second end plates 20 can be achieved, so that the two first end plates 10, the two second end plates 20 and the spacing structure 30 connected therebetween form an integral frame, thereby enhancing the mechanical stability of the entire battery pack and enabling it to better resist external impacts and the expansion pressure of the internal battery cells 50 during charging and discharging.

[0075] It should be noted that the spacing structure 30 of the present application is snap-fitted to the end plates. Utilizing the cell mounting structure of the present application, the cells 50 can be stacked outside the box 40 before being fully loaded into the box 40. After stacking, the spacing structure 30 can connect two adjacent first end plates 10 and two adjacent second end plates 20 together, so that all stacked cells 50, first end plates 10, second end plates 20, and spacing structure 30 form a single unit.

[0076] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first groove 12 and the second groove both include an inclined section 121 and a straight section 122 that are connected and set at an angle, the connecting section 33 includes a first abutting section 331 and a second abutting section 332 that are connected and set at an angle, a first gap 333 is formed between the two adjacent first end plates 10, and a second gap is formed between the two adjacent second end plates 20, one end of the limiting section 32 is snapped into the first gap 333, and the other end of the limiting section 32 is snapped into the second gap, the first abutting section 331 abuts against the straight section 122 on its side, and the second abutting section 332 abuts against the inclined section 121 on its side.

[0077] Through the above-mentioned arrangement, it is possible to ensure that the two connecting sections 33 can be smoothly inserted into the first card slot 11 and the second card slot respectively, and the connection stability between the spacer structure 30 and the end plate can be ensured, thereby improving the stiffness and mode of the battery pack, and effectively resisting the impact of external impact and expansion of the internal battery cell 50.

[0078] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first side and the second side both include a plurality of straight plate segments 311 and a plurality of protrusions 312, and the plurality of straight plate segments 311 and the plurality of protrusions 312 are alternately arranged along the second direction. The plurality of straight plate segments 311 located on the first side and the plurality of straight plate segments 311 located on the second side are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the plurality of protrusions 312 located on the first side and the plurality of protrusions 312 located on the second side are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and two adjacent protrusions 312 and the straight plate segment 311 located between the two adjacent protrusions 312 jointly form a limiting groove 31.

[0079] Through the above arrangement, a plurality of limiting grooves 31 can be formed, thereby limiting the battery cells 50 in the first direction and the second direction, thereby preventing the battery cells 50 from being misplaced during the stacking process.

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer structure is made of a non-metallic material. The spacer structure can also effectively suppress the expansion stress of the battery cell 50 in the first direction and the second direction during the cycle of the battery cell 50.

[0081] In one embodiment, the spacer structure 30 is made of a mixture of polypropylene and glass fiber.

[0082] In one embodiment, the spacer structure 30 is made of a mixture of nylon and fiberglass.

[0083] In one embodiment, the spacer structure 30 is made of a mixture of polyurethane and glass fiber.

[0084] In one embodiment, the spacer structure 30 is made of a mixture of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer) and PC (polycarbonate).

[0085] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 both include a buffer section 13, which extends along the second direction. The buffer section 13 covers a portion of the battery cell 50, and the buffer section 13 is constructed to absorb the expansion stress of the battery cell 50.

[0086] In this embodiment, compared with the prior art in which the stress generated by the battery cell 50 during the expansion process directly acts on the end plate, causing deformation of the end plate and the battery cell 50, the present application can absorb the expansion stress generated by the battery cell 50 during the cycle through the above-mentioned setting, thereby avoiding the problem of displacement of the battery cell BLOCK after the end plate and the battery cell 50 are squeezed and deformed.

[0087] It should be noted that the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 can suppress the large-area expansion of the battery cell 50 during the cycle through the buffer section 13 .

[0088] In one embodiment, a buffer sheet 60 is adhered to the side of the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 facing the battery cell 50 , so as to fit the large surface of the battery cell 50 .

[0089] It should be noted that after the battery cells 50 are stacked, a certain pre-tightening force can be applied to the battery cells 50 by fixing and clamping the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 .

[0090] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the buffer section 13 is made of elastic material, and the cross section of the buffer section 13 is wavy.

[0091] In this embodiment, the buffer segment 13 is made of an elastic material, which gives it excellent deformation and recovery characteristics. When the battery cell 50 expands during the charge and discharge cycle and generates expansion stress, the buffer segment 13 can absorb this stress through its own deformation, preventing the battery cell 50 from directly impacting the end plate and causing compression and deformation of the end plate and the battery cell 50. The buffer segment 13 is wavy in shape, allowing it to deform more when the battery cell 50 expands, while naturally recovering to its original shape when the battery cell 50 contracts. This adaptability helps the buffer segment 13 maintain its effective stress absorption capacity as the battery cell 50 changes size.

[0092] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the buffer section 13 is made of elastic material, and the buffer section 13 includes a plurality of deformation grooves 131 arranged in rows and columns, and the plurality of deformation grooves 131 are arranged at intervals.

[0093] In this embodiment, the deformation groove 131 can absorb the expansion stress generated when the battery cell 50 expands by deforming itself.

[0094] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, reinforcing ribs 132 are provided on both the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 to ensure the structural strength of the first end plate 10 and the second end plate 20 .

[0095] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, a boss 34 is provided on the top of the spacer structure 30, and the boss 34 can form a thermal barrier for the battery cells 50 on both sides of the spacer structure 30. When thermal runaway occurs in the battery cells 50 on one side of the spacer structure 30, the above-mentioned arrangement can prevent the airflow ejected by the thermal runaway on this side from contacting with the conductive medium such as the electrolyte and the battery cells 50 on the other side of the spacer structure 30, causing the thermal runaway to spread.

[0096] In one embodiment of the present invention, the height of the spacing structure 30 is greater than the height of the battery cell 50 .

[0097] In this embodiment, the height of the spacing structure 30 is greater than the height of the battery cell 50, and can form a thermal barrier for the battery cells 50 on both sides of the spacing structure 30. When thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell 50 on one side of the spacing structure 30, the above-mentioned setting can prevent the airflow ejected by the thermal runaway on this side from contacting the conductive medium such as the electrolyte with the battery cell 50 on the other side of the spacing structure 30, causing the thermal runaway to spread.

[0098] See also Figure 1 and Figure 21 As shown, according to another aspect of the present invention, a battery is provided, comprising: a box body 40; a cell mounting structure as described above, the cell mounting structure being mounted in the box body 40; and a plurality of cells 50 being mounted in the cell stacking space.

[0099] In this embodiment, the battery cell mounting structure has all the technical solutions and all the technical effects of the above-mentioned battery cell mounting structure, which will not be described in detail here.

[0100] It should be noted that, compared to conventional cell clusters, the cell clusters formed using the cell mounting structure of this application can optimize the improved loading modality of the cell clusters, both without preload and with a certain preload applied. Furthermore, it can correct for lateral stacking deviations of multiple rows of cells 50, limiting the post-assembly displacement of the cells 50 during end-of-life (EOL) phases, which could reduce the overall modality of the cells 50 and lead to safety risks such as degradation, aging, and debonding.

[0101] Specifically, mode generally refers to the dynamic characteristics of a structure, including natural frequency, damping ratio and vibration mode, etc. The mode of the battery pack has a direct impact on its vibration response during vehicle operation. If a cluster of battery cells 50 is placed in the box without pre-tightening or with inappropriate pre-tightening, it may affect the mode of the entire battery pack, resulting in an increase in vibration response and increased fatigue and damage to the battery cells 50. The cluster of battery cells 50 formed by the battery cell mounting structure of the present application can reduce the relative displacement between the battery cells 50, thereby optimizing the overall mode of the battery pack and improving its ability to resist vibration.

[0102] Late EOL refers to the period nearing the end of a battery's service life. At this point, the performance of the battery cells 50 declines, and their expansion and contraction during charge and discharge cycles may become more significant. This can cause displacement of the battery cells 50 within the cell cluster 50, affecting the overall performance and safety of the battery pack. The configuration of the end plates and spacer structure 30 of the present application effectively limits the displacement of the battery cells 50 within the cell cluster 50, ensuring that even when the cell cluster 50 nears the end of its service life, the overall modality of the battery cells 50 is not excessively degraded, reducing safety risks such as cell 50 degradation, aging, and debonding.

[0103] The cell mounting structure of this application allows for stacking cells 50 in multiple rows and columns without the need for beading. The end plates and spacer structures 30 secure the cells 50, ensuring the modal stiffness of the cell cluster 50 and protecting against fatigue and impact risks posed by the vehicle. This eliminates the risk of clamping the entire cell cluster 50 after integration without horizontal or vertical beams.

[0104] In one embodiment, the spacer structure, first end plate 10, and second end plate 20 are all made of a flame-retardant composite non-metallic material. This allows them to withstand high temperatures while also providing excellent insulation, thereby mitigating arcing risks. Furthermore, due to the insulating and composite properties of the material, arcing risks in the battery cells 50 and thermal runaway between adjacent battery cells 50 can be prevented, achieving rapid isolation. Furthermore, the non-metallic material has low thermal conductivity and provides excellent heat preservation properties.

[0105] It should be noted that the battery cell mounting structure of the present application can play an auxiliary positioning role when the battery cells 50 are stacked in the first direction and the second direction. The limiting groove 31 of the spacing structure 30 can realize the rapid limitation of the battery cells 50 in the first direction, improve the production rhythm and speed, simplify the process flow, and do not require additional post-assembly components such as pressure strips.

[0106] See also Figure 22As shown, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing a first end plate and placing a spacing structure on one side of the first end plate; S2: stacking a preset number of cells in sequence along a first direction on one side of the first end plate to form a cell group, and making each cell snap into a corresponding limiting groove; S3: placing a second end plate on the side of the cell group away from the first end plate; S4: applying pressure to the first end plate and the second end plate at the same time in the first direction to form a first assembly structure; S5: repeating the operations of S1 to S4 to form a second assembly structure; S6: arranging the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure along the second direction, and applying pressure to the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure at the same time in the second direction, so that the cells in the second assembly structure are snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the first assembly structure toward one end of the first assembly structure.

[0107] In this embodiment, the stacking process of the battery cell cluster is carried out outside the box. First, a first end plate is placed, and a spacing structure is placed on one side of the first end plate along the second direction. A preset number of battery cells are stacked in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate. Assuming Figure 5 For example, a preset number of cells are stacked in sequence behind the first end plate along the first direction to form a cell group. During the stacking process, one end of each cell must be inserted into the corresponding limiting groove to prevent the cells from being displaced laterally (i.e., in the second direction) during the stacking process. A second end plate is then placed at one end of the cell group formed by the stacking process, i.e., the preset number of cells are located between the first end plate and the second end plate. Then, pressure is applied to the first end plate and the second end plate simultaneously along the first direction to eventually form a first assembly structure. The above-mentioned S1 to S4 operations are repeated to form a second assembly structure. The second assembly structure contains the same number of cells as the first assembly structure, and the two are arranged along the second direction. The cells in the second assembly structure are located between the spacing structure of the first assembly structure and the spacing structure of the second assembly structure. By applying pressure to the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure simultaneously in the second direction, the cells in the second assembly structure can be inserted into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the first assembly structure toward one end of the first assembly structure, thereby realizing the lateral stacking of the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure. The cell cluster stacking process of the present application can ensure that the cells will not be misaligned in the first direction and the second direction during the stacking process, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty and production cost of the battery pack and improving the electrical performance and safety of the battery pack.

[0108] It should be noted that in actual applications, operations S1 to S4 may be repeated a predetermined number of times as needed, where the predetermined number refers to one or more. If the number of repetitions is two or more, multiple second assembly structures can be formed. The first assembly structure and the multiple second assembly structures are arranged sequentially along the second direction, and step S6 is performed between two adjacent second assembly structures to achieve horizontal stacking of the two adjacent second assembly structures.

[0109] In addition, during the stacking process, the pressure applied to the first end plate and the second end plate needs to be maintained at all times. For the pressure in the second direction, it is necessary to maintain the column after completing the horizontal stacking of the last second assembly structure, and then move the entire battery cell cluster into the box through the suction cup of the existing technology to complete the packaging.

[0110] See also Figure 23 As shown, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing n first end plates and n-1 spacing structures in sequence along the second direction, wherein the spacing structure is located between two adjacent first end plates; S2: stacking a plurality of cell groups in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate to form a third assembly structure, each cell group includes n cells arranged along the second direction, wherein the n cells in each cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates, and the ends of the cells are stuck in the limiting grooves of the corresponding ends; S3: placing n second end plates along the second direction at an end of the third assembly structure away from the first end plate, and the n second end plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates; S4: applying a preset pressure to the n first end plates and the n second end plates at the same time along the first direction.

[0111] In this embodiment, the cell cluster stacking process is performed outside the box. First, n first end plates and n-1 spacer structures are placed along the second direction. Specifically, a first end plate is placed first, followed by a spacer structure on one side of the first end plate. A second first end plate is then placed, and a spacer structure is placed on the side of the second first end plate away from the first. This process is analogous to the previous one. It should be noted that after the last first end plate is placed, no spacer structure is required on its side.

[0112] In order to facilitate the understanding of the stacking process, it is assumed that the number of cell groups is three, and the value of n is 3 to illustrate the detailed stacking process. The first cell group is stacked on one side of the first end plate. Since the cell group includes three cells arranged along the second direction, when actually stacking, a cell is placed on one side of each of the three first end plates along the second direction. Then, the second cell group is stacked on the side of the first cell group away from the first end plate along the first direction. The specific process is to place a cell on the side of the three cells that make up the first cell group away from the first end plate along the second direction; finally, the third cell group is stacked on the side of the second cell group away from the first cell group along the first direction. The specific process is to place a cell on the side of the three cells that make up the second cell group away from the first end plate along the second direction, and finally form a third assembly structure. During the above placement process, the end of the cell needs to be inserted into the limiting groove of the corresponding end to limit the cell in the second direction and prevent the cell from being displaced laterally during the stacking process (the laterally refers to the second direction). After completing the above steps, three second end plates are placed along the second direction at the end of the third assembly structure away from the first end plate, and then a preset pressure is applied to all the first end plates and all the second end plates along the first direction. This step is to ensure that they can be smoothly installed into the box.

[0113] It should be noted that the pressure applied to the first end plate and the second end plate needs to be maintained until the entire battery cell cluster is moved into the box by the suction cup of the prior art to complete the boxing.

[0114] In one embodiment, after step S3, the method further includes: connecting one end of the spacing structure to two adjacent first end plates, and connecting the other end of the spacing structure to two adjacent second end plates.

[0115] In this embodiment, two adjacent first end plates refer to two first end plates located on opposite sides of the spacing structure's limiting segment along the second direction, and two adjacent second end plates refer to two second end plates located on opposite sides of the spacing structure's limiting segment along the second direction. After the second end plates are placed, one end of the spacing structure is connected to the two adjacent first end plates, and the other end of the spacing structure is connected to the two adjacent second end plates, thereby connecting the entire battery cell cluster as a whole for easier placement into the box.

[0116] Specifically, by applying pressure to the first end plate and the second end plate simultaneously along the first direction, one connecting section of the spacing structure can be clamped in the first slot and the other connecting section of the spacing structure can be clamped in the second slot, thereby connecting one end of the spacing structure to the two adjacent first end plates and connecting the other end of the spacing structure to the two adjacent second end plates.

[0117] See also Figure 24As shown, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing a first end plate in a box, placing a spacing structure on one side of the first end plate, and placing a second end plate on the opposite side of the first end plate; S2: placing a preset number of cells in sequence between the first end plate and the second end plate along the first direction, and making each cell snap into the corresponding limiting groove to form a fourth assembly structure; S3: repeating steps S1 and S2 to form a fifth assembly structure, and the fourth assembly structure and the fifth assembly structure are arranged in sequence along the second direction, and the cells in the fifth assembly structure are snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the fourth assembly structure toward one end of the fourth assembly structure.

[0118] In this embodiment, a first end plate is placed in the box body, a spacing structure is placed on one side of the first end plate along the second direction, and a second end plate is placed on the opposite side of the first end plate, forming a battery cell stacking space between the two. Then, a preset number of battery cells are placed in sequence along the first direction in the battery cell stacking space. During the placement process, each battery cell is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove. The limiting groove can limit the battery cell in the second direction to prevent the battery cell from being misplaced in the second direction during the stacking process. At the same time, combined with the first end plate and the second end plate, the battery cell can also be limited in the first direction.

[0119] The fifth assembly structure and the fourth assembly structure contain the same number of battery cells, and the battery cells in the fifth assembly structure are snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves of the spacing structure in the fourth assembly structure at one end facing the fourth assembly structure. That is, for the battery cells in the fifth assembly structure, one end of the battery cells is snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves on the spacing structure of the fifth assembly structure, and the other end of the battery cells is snapped into the corresponding limiting grooves on the spacing structure of the fourth assembly structure.

[0120] It should be noted that, along the first direction, the box body has a first side wall and a second side wall arranged opposite to each other, and along the second direction, the box body has a third side wall and a fourth side wall arranged opposite to each other, the side of the first end plate away from the second end plate is in contact with the first side wall, and the side of the second end plate away from the first end plate is in contact with the second side wall, and for the battery cell of the fourth assembly structure, one end of the battery cell is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove on the spacing structure of the fourth assembly structure, and the other end of the battery cell is in contact with the third side wall.

[0121] Furthermore, in actual applications, steps S1 and S2 may be repeated a predetermined number of times as needed, where the predetermined number refers to one or more times. When steps S1 and S2 are repeated only once, only one fifth assembly structure is formed. For a cell in the fifth assembly structure, one end of the cell is inserted into a corresponding retaining groove on the spacing structure of the fourth assembly structure, and the other end of the cell is in contact with the fourth sidewall.

[0122] If the number of repetitions is two or more, multiple fifth assembly structures can be formed. The fourth assembly structure and the multiple fifth assembly structures are arranged sequentially along the second direction. Except for the fifth assembly structure adjacent to the fourth assembly structure and the fifth assembly structure farthest from the fourth assembly structure, one end of the battery cells in the remaining fifth assembly structures is inserted into the corresponding limiting grooves on the spacing structure of the respective fifth assembly structures, and the other end of the battery cells in the remaining fifth assembly structures is inserted into the corresponding limiting grooves on the spacing structure of the adjacent fifth assembly structure. For the battery cell in the fifth assembly structure farthest from the fourth assembly structure, one end of the battery cell is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove on the spacing structure of the adjacent fifth assembly structure, and the other end of the battery cell is in contact with the fourth side wall.

[0123] See also Figure 25 As shown, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cell cluster stacking process is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned cell installation structure, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: along the second direction, n first end plates and n second end plates and n-1 spacing structures are placed in sequence in the box, wherein the spacing structure is located between two adjacent first end plates, and the n first end plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n second end plates; S2: multiple cell groups are stacked in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate to form a sixth assembly structure, each cell group includes n cells arranged along the second direction, wherein the n cells in each cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates, and the ends of the cells are snapped into the limit grooves of the corresponding ends.

[0124] In this embodiment, first, n first end plates, n second end plates, and n-1 spacer structures are placed along the second direction. Specifically, the first first end plate is placed first, then the first spacer structure is placed on one side of the first first end plate, then the first second end plate is placed on the end of the first spacer structure away from the first first end plate, then the second first end plate is placed, and the second spacer structure is placed on the side of the second first end plate away from the first first end plate, then the second second end plate is placed on the end of the second spacer structure away from the second first end plate, and so on, to complete the subsequent placement. It should be noted that after the last first end plate is placed, it is not necessary to place a spacer structure on its side.

[0125] In order to facilitate the understanding of the stacking process, it is assumed that the number of cell groups is three, and the value of n is 3 to illustrate the detailed stacking process. The first cell group is stacked on one side of the first end plate. Since the cell group includes three cells arranged along the second direction, when actually stacking, a cell is placed on one side of each of the three first end plates along the second direction. Then, the second cell group is stacked on the side of the first cell group away from the first end plate along the first direction. The specific process is to place a cell on the side of the three cells that make up the first cell group away from the first end plate along the second direction; finally, the third cell group is stacked on the side of the second cell group away from the first cell group along the first direction. The specific process is to place a cell on the side of the three cells that make up the second cell group away from the first end plate along the second direction, and finally form a third assembly structure. During the above placement process, the end of the cell needs to be inserted into the limiting groove of the corresponding end to limit the cell in the second direction and prevent the cell from being displaced laterally during the stacking process (the laterally refers to the second direction).

[0126] It should be noted that the corresponding first end plate and second end plate form a cell stacking space, the number of cells in all cell stacking spaces is the same, and the large surface of the cell adjacent to the first end plate is in contact with the first end plate, and the large surface of the cell adjacent to the second end plate is in contact with the second end plate.

[0127] In addition, along the first direction, the box body has a first side wall and a second side wall arranged opposite to each other, and along the second direction, the box body has a third side wall and a fourth side wall arranged opposite to each other, and the side of the first end plate away from the second end plate is in contact with the first side wall, and the side of the second end plate away from the first end plate is in contact with the second side wall.

[0128] For the battery cell located between the first first end plate and the first second end plate, one end of the battery cell is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove on the first spacing structure, and the other end of the battery cell is in contact with the third side wall. For the battery cell located between the last first end plate and the last second end plate, one end of the battery cell is inserted into the limiting groove on the last spacing structure, and the other end of the battery cell is in contact with the fourth side wall.

[0129] From the above description, it can be seen that the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention achieves the following technical effects: a first end plate, a second end plate and a spacing structure are provided. When the battery cell is placed in the battery cell stacking space, the first end plate and the second end plate can limit the battery cell in the first direction to ensure that the battery cell does not move in the first direction. The spacing structure is provided on one side of the battery cell stacking space, and a limiting groove is provided on the spacing structure. Each limiting groove is constructed to accommodate one end of a battery cell. After the battery cell is inserted, the limiting groove can limit the battery cell in the second direction, which can ensure that the position of the battery cell is accurate during the stacking process, avoid relative displacement between the battery cells, and prevent the battery cell from being horizontally misaligned during the stacking process. As can be seen from the above, with the cooperation of the limiting grooves on the first end plate, the second end plate and the spacing structure, the battery cell can be prevented from being misaligned in the first direction and the second direction during the stacking process, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty and production cost of the battery pack and improving the electrical performance and safety of the battery pack.

[0130] Obviously, the embodiments described above are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0131] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, tasks, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0132] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery cell installation structure, characterized in that: include: a first end plate (10); a second end plate (20) disposed opposite to the first end plate (10) along a first direction, forming a cell stacking space between the first end plate (10) and the second end plate (20), and capable of limiting the position of the cell (50) located in the cell stacking space in the first direction; A spacing structure (30) extends along the first direction, and along the second direction, the spacing structure (30) is arranged on one side of the battery cell stacking space, and along the second direction, the spacing structure (30) has a first side and a second side that are arranged opposite to each other, and the first side and the second side both include a plurality of limiting grooves (31) arranged along the first direction, and the limiting grooves (31) are constructed to accommodate one end of the battery cell (50) and can limit the battery cell (50) located in the battery cell stacking space in the second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

2. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spacing structure (30) is configured to be fixed relative to the first end plate (10).

3. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are multiple first end plates (10) and multiple second end plates (20), multiple first end plates (10) are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and multiple second end plates (20) are arranged at intervals along the second direction. Both the first end plates (10) and the second end plates (20) are constructed to be arranged toward the large surface of the battery cell (50), and multiple first end plates (10) and multiple second end plates (20) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The battery cell stacking space is formed between the correspondingly arranged first end plates (10) and second end plates (20), one end of the spacing structure (30) is connected to two adjacent first end plates (10), and the other end of the spacing structure (30) is connected to two adjacent second end plates (20).

4. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first card slot (11) is formed between two adjacent first end plates (10), and a second card slot is formed between two adjacent second end plates (20). A plurality of first card slots (11) and a plurality of second card slots are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. One end of the spacing structure (30) is snap-connected with the first card slot (11), and the other end of the spacing structure (30) is snap-connected with the corresponding second card slot.

5. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The spacing structure (30) further comprises a limiting section (32) and connecting sections (33) arranged at opposite ends of the limiting section (32), wherein the limiting section (32) extends along the first direction, the limiting groove (31) is arranged on the limiting section (32), and the connecting section (33) is perpendicular to the limiting section (32) and forms a T-shaped structure, wherein one of the two connecting sections (33) is clamped in the first clamping groove (11), and the other of the two connecting sections (33) is clamped in the second clamping groove.

6. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are at least two spacing structures (30), and at least two of the spacing structures (30) are spaced apart and arranged along the second direction. The distance between the limiting grooves (31) arranged on one side of two adjacent spacing structures (30) facing each other is the same as the length of the battery cell (50), so as to limit the inserted battery cell (50) in the second direction.

7. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: Along the second direction, first grooves (12) are provided at opposite ends of the first end plate (10), and the first grooves (12) provided at the ends of two adjacent first end plates (10) facing each other together form the first clamping groove (11), and second grooves are provided at opposite ends of the second end plate (20), and the second grooves provided at the ends of two adjacent second end plates (20) facing each other together form the second clamping groove.

8. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first groove (12) and the second groove both include an inclined section (121) and a straight section (122) that are connected and set at an angle, the connecting section (33) includes a first abutting section (331) and a second abutting section (332) that are connected and set at an angle, a first gap (333) is formed between two adjacent first end plates (10), and a second gap is formed between two adjacent second end plates (20), one end of the limiting section (32) is snapped into the first gap, and the other end of the limiting section (32) is snapped into the second gap, the first abutting section (331) abuts against the straight section (122) on its side, and the second abutting section (332) abuts against the inclined section (121) on its side.

9. The battery cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The first side and the second side both comprise a plurality of straight plate segments (311) and a plurality of protrusions (312), the plurality of straight plate segments (311) and the plurality of protrusions (312) being alternately arranged along the second direction, the plurality of straight plate segments (311) located on the first side and the plurality of straight plate segments (311) located on the second side being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, the plurality of protrusions (312) located on the first side and the plurality of protrusions (312) located on the second side being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and two adjacent protrusions (312) and the straight plate segment (311) located between the two adjacent protrusions (312) jointly forming the limiting groove (31); And / or, the spacing structure (30) is made of non-metallic material.

10. The battery cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The first end plate (10) and the second end plate (20) both include a buffer section (13), the buffer section (13) extending along the second direction, the buffer section (13) covering a portion of the battery core (50), and the buffer section (13) being configured to absorb expansion stress of the battery core (50).

11. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 10, characterized in that: The buffer section (13) is made of elastic material, and the cross section of the buffer section (13) is wavy.

12. The battery cell installation structure according to claim 10, characterized in that: The buffer section (13) is made of elastic material, and comprises a plurality of deformation grooves (131) arranged in rows and columns, wherein the plurality of deformation grooves (131) are arranged at intervals.

13. The battery cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The height of the spacing structure (30) is greater than the height of the battery core (50).

14. A battery, characterized in that: include: Box (40); The battery cell mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the battery cell mounting structure is mounted in the box (40); A plurality of battery cells (50) are installed in the battery cell stacking space.

15. A cell cluster stacking process, characterized in that: The cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is adopted, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing the first end plate (10) and placing the spacing structure (30) on one side of the first end plate (10); S2: stacking a preset number of battery cells (50) in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate (10) to form a battery cell group, and causing each of the battery cells (50) to be inserted into the corresponding limiting groove (31); S3: placing one of the second end plates (20) on a side of the battery cell group away from the first end plate (10); S4: applying pressure to the first end plate (10) and the second end plate (20) simultaneously in the first direction to form a first assembly structure; S5: Repeat the operations of S1 to S4 to form a second assembly structure; S6: Arranging the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure along the second direction, and applying pressure to the first assembly structure and the second assembly structure simultaneously in the second direction, so that the battery cell (50) in the second assembly structure is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove (31) of the spacing structure (30) in the first assembly structure toward one end of the first assembly structure.

16. A cell cluster stacking process, characterized in that: The cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is adopted, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing n first end plates (10) and n-1 spacing structures (30) in sequence along the second direction, wherein the spacing structure (30) is located between two adjacent first end plates (10); S2: A plurality of battery cell groups are stacked in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate (10) to form a third assembly structure, each of the battery cell groups comprising n battery cells (50) arranged along the second direction, wherein the n battery cells (50) in each battery cell group are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates (10), and the ends of the battery cells (50) are inserted into the limiting grooves (31) at the corresponding ends; S3: along the second direction, placing n second end plates (20) at an end of the third assembly structure away from the first end plate (10), with the n second end plates (20) being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates (10); S4: along the first direction, simultaneously applying a preset pressure to the n first end plates (10) and the n second end plates (20).

17. A cell cluster stacking process, characterized in that: The cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is adopted, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: placing the first end plate (10) in the box (40), placing the spacing structure (30) on one side of the first end plate (10), and placing the second end plate (20) on the opposite side of the first end plate (10); S2: placing a preset number of the battery cells (50) in sequence between the first end plate (10) and the second end plate (20) along the first direction, and inserting each battery cell into a corresponding limiting groove to form a fourth assembly structure; S3: Repeat steps S1 and S2 to form a fifth assembly structure, wherein the fourth assembly structure and the fifth assembly structure are arranged in sequence along the second direction, and the battery cell (50) in the fifth assembly structure is positioned toward one end of the fourth assembly structure and is inserted into the corresponding limiting groove (31) of the spacing structure (30) in the fourth assembly structure.

18. A cell cluster stacking process, characterized in that: The cell installation structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is adopted, and the cell cluster stacking process includes: S1: along the second direction, n first end plates (10), n second end plates (20), and n-1 spacing structures (30) are sequentially placed in the box (40), wherein the spacing structure (30) is located between two adjacent first end plates (10), and the n first end plates (10) and the n second end plates (20) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence; S2: A plurality of battery cell groups are stacked in sequence along the first direction on one side of the first end plate (10) to form a sixth assembly structure, each of the battery cell groups comprising n battery cells (50) arranged along the second direction, wherein the n battery cells (50) in each of the battery cell groups are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the n first end plates (10), and the ends of the battery cells (50) are snapped into the limiting grooves (31) at the corresponding ends.

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