vehicle

Abstract

This application relates to a vehicle, belonging to the field of vehicle technology. The vehicle includes a frame, a battery, and a clamping device. The frame has a receiving cavity and includes a first beam disposed along a first direction. The battery is housed in the receiving cavity and includes multiple battery cells stacked along a second direction, with one battery cell at one end of the second direction abutting against the first beam. The second direction intersects the first direction. The clamping device includes a pressure sensor and a pressure assembly. The pressure sensor and the pressure assembly are communicatively connected. The pressure sensor is disposed between at least one adjacent battery cell, and the pressure assembly is disposed at the end of the battery along the second direction away from the first beam. The vehicle provided by this application aims to improve the effect of external pressure control during solid-state battery cycling, thereby increasing the battery's energy density.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Solid-state batteries require external pressure to function, and maintaining pressure stability is crucial for optimal battery performance. Current solid-state battery technologies typically apply pressure using end plates and wiring harnesses. However, the placement of these end plates can affect the battery's energy density, and this pressure application method is ill-suited to withstand long-term, high-pressure cycling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, this application provides a vehicle that can improve the energy density of solid-state batteries while providing feedback regulation for external pressure during use.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle comprising a frame, a battery, and a clamping device. The frame has a receiving cavity and includes a first beam disposed along a first direction. The battery pack is housed in the receiving cavity and includes multiple battery cells and microcapsule particles. The multiple battery cells are sequentially distributed along a second direction, and one battery cell located at one end of the second direction abuts against the first beam. The microcapsule particles contain a fire extinguishing medium. The second direction intersects the first direction. The clamping device includes a pressure sensor and a pressure assembly. The pressure sensor and the pressure assembly are communicatively connected. The pressure sensor is disposed between at least one adjacent battery cell, and the pressure assembly is disposed at one end of the battery pack away from the first beam along the second direction.

[0005] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the battery pack includes multiple battery cells disposed in a receiving cavity. The multiple battery cells are distributed sequentially along a second direction, and one battery cell located at one end of the second direction abuts against a first beam. The clamping device includes a pressure sensor and a pressure component connected in communication. The pressure sensor can sense the external pressure on the battery pack, and the pressure can be adjusted by information transmission with the pressure component. This ensures that the battery pack's cycle process is always maintained under a suitable external pressure. At the same time, by using the first beam of the frame and the clamping device together to assemble the battery pack into the vehicle, the structural design of the battery box can be reduced, thereby increasing the energy design space of the battery pack and improving the energy density of the battery pack. By setting microcapsule particles in the receiving cavity, fire extinguishing media can be quickly released through the microcapsule particles when thermal runaway occurs in the battery pack, improving the response rate of the battery pack to thermal runaway and reducing the risk of further thermal runaway.

[0006] In some embodiments, the battery pack further includes a buffer element disposed between at least one of two adjacent battery cells, between a battery cell and a first beam, or between a battery cell and a pressure assembly. The buffer element can reduce the stress between the battery cell and other components after external pressure is applied, mitigating the risk of damage to the battery cell from impacts. Simultaneously, the buffer element can absorb the stress generated by the expansion of the battery cell during cycling through its own elasticity, which helps to ensure the battery pack operates under appropriate external pressure.

[0007] In some embodiments, along the second direction, the projection of the battery cell falls within the buffer. That is, in the second direction, the buffer covers the battery cell, which can improve the overall coverage of the battery cell by the buffer and provide a better cushioning effect.

[0008] In some embodiments, the microcapsule particles are disposed within the buffer; the extinguishing medium includes at least one of carbon dioxide, heptafluoropropane, perfluorohexanone, nitrogen, and argon. By disposing of microcapsule particles within the buffer, and the microcapsule particles containing the extinguishing medium, the microcapsule particles disposed within the buffer can be rapidly activated after thermal runaway of the battery pack causes the buffer to burn, thereby releasing the extinguishing medium to extinguish the fire. This mitigates the thermal runaway of the battery pack and improves the reliability of the vehicle.

[0009] In some embodiments, the cushioning element is made of at least one of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer foam, rubber, silicone, polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride, air cushion film, honeycomb paperboard, fiber-reinforced composite material, sponge, bio-based foam, and nylon elastomer. This design approach can be adapted to the feedback adjustment strategy of the clamping device, allowing the cushioning element to simply perform a cushioning function without requiring special research and development, thereby reducing the material development cost of the cushioning element and further improving the vehicle's economic efficiency.

[0010] In some embodiments, the frame further includes a second beam, which is disposed opposite to the first beam along a second direction, and the pressure assembly is fixedly connected to the second beam. By fixing the pressure assembly to the second beam, the integration of the battery pack and the frame can be further improved, thereby further increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pressure assembly includes an end plate extending along a first direction and a pressurizing mechanism connected between the end plate and a second beam; the projection of the battery cell along a second direction falls within the projection of the end plate along the second direction. This design allows the end plate to act on the surface of the battery cell, thereby increasing the contact area between the pressure assembly and the battery cell, and thus improving the uniformity of pressure applied to the battery pack by the pressure assembly, which is beneficial to improving the pressing effect on the battery pack.

[0012] In some embodiments, there are multiple pressurizing mechanisms, with at least some of them distributed along a first direction. The distribution of multiple pressurizing mechanisms along the first direction can further improve the uniformity of pressure applied to the battery pack by the pressure components.

[0013] In some embodiments, each battery cell is slidably connected to the frame along the second direction. This adapts to situations where solid-state batteries expand or contract significantly during cycling, allowing the battery cells to move along the second direction due to their own expansion or contraction during cycling, thus improving the reliability of the structure.

[0014] In some embodiments, the frame further includes two third beams, which are arranged along a second direction and are respectively connected to the two ends of the first beam and the second beam along the second direction; the first beam, the second beam, and the third beam together form a receiving cavity. By designing the third beam to cooperate with the first beam and the second beam to form a receiving cavity, the stability of the battery pack in the receiving cavity can be further improved.

[0015] In some embodiments, the frame further includes multiple displacement guides disposed on the side of the third beam near the receiving cavity. At least some battery cells abut against the displacement guides on both sides along the first direction. Each displacement guide is rotatable along an axis parallel to the third direction, and the first, second, and third directions intersect each other. The multiple displacement guides disposed on the side of the third beam near the receiving cavity reduce the friction between the battery cells and the frame through contact with the battery cells, thereby facilitating the movement of the battery cells along the second direction during cycling and further improving the reliability of the battery pack.

[0016] In some embodiments, the displacement guide includes a plurality of balls arranged sequentially along a third direction. The sequential arrangement of the balls along the third direction ensures that the side of the battery cell can contact the displacement guide at various positions along the third direction, thereby further improving the reliability of displacement during battery cell cycling.

[0017] In some embodiments, the displacement guide is a roller. The roller contacts the battery cell, resulting in a simple structure and easy installation, which helps improve vehicle production efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, along the second direction, the distance between adjacent displacement guides is L, and the thickness of the battery cell is H, then L < H < 2L. By proportionally designing the distance L between adjacent displacement guides and the thickness H of the battery cell, the battery cell is less likely to get stuck between adjacent displacement guides during cycling, reducing the risk of battery cell failure due to getting stuck; at the same time, it can also minimize the number of displacement guides, improve vehicle production efficiency, and reduce production costs.

[0019] In some embodiments, the displacement guide is made of carbon fiber, polyurethane, or silicone rubber. By designing the displacement guide to be made of the aforementioned lightweight materials, the vehicle's weight can be further reduced, which is beneficial for increasing the gravimetric energy density of the battery pack.

[0020] In some embodiments, the battery cell is a solid-state battery. By using a clamping device in conjunction with a frame structure to press the battery cell together, the tightness of the solid-solid contact interface within the battery cell is improved, effectively enhancing the cycle performance of the solid-state battery.

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the battery device provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 This application provides schematic diagrams of cross-sectional structures of vehicles for some embodiments.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 An enlarged view of part A of the vehicle shown;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The vehicle shown is a cross-sectional view along line BB.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, vehicle; 10, frame; 11, first beam; 12, second beam; 13, third beam; 14, displacement guide; 20, battery pack; 21, battery cell; 22, buffer; 29, housing; 291, first part; 292, second part; 30, clamping device; 31, pressure sensor; 32, pressure assembly; 321, end plate; 322, pressurizing mechanism; 101, receiving cavity; X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0030] Furthermore, where the term "and / or" appears, "and / or" merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0033] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0034] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also widely applied in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0035] Compared to traditional liquid batteries, solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes, making them more sensitive to internal and external forces. Solid-solid interface issues, lithium dendrite growth, uneven lithium deposition, and battery performance are all closely related to the magnitude of these forces. During use, battery cells typically require a certain amount of external pressure, and this pressure must be kept within a specific range. However, during charging and discharging, the positive and negative electrode materials undergo expansion and contraction, resulting in significant fluctuations in external pressure on the cell, which negatively impacts battery performance.

[0036] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1This is an exploded structural diagram of a battery device provided in some embodiments of this application. The battery device includes a housing 29 and battery cells 21. The battery cells 21 may be solid-state batteries, and the battery cells 21 are housed within the housing 29. The housing 29 provides a space for housing the battery cells 21, and the housing 29 may employ various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 29 may include a first portion 291 and a second portion 292, which overlap each other, and together define a space for housing the battery cells 21.

[0037] In the battery device, there can be multiple battery cells 21, which can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner. A mixed connection means that multiple battery cells 21 are connected in both series and parallel configurations. Multiple battery cells 21 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner, and then the entire assembly of the multiple battery cells 21 is housed within a housing 29. Alternatively, the battery device can consist of multiple battery cells 21 first connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form battery modules, and then these battery modules are connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a whole, which is also housed within the housing 29. The battery device may also include other structures; for example, it may include a busbar component for electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 21.

[0038] During operation, the battery cell 21 (solid-state battery) requires a large initial preload. Traditionally, pressure is applied to solid-state batteries by designing end plates in the housing 29 and attaching wiring harnesses, then tightening the harnesses to apply pressure. However, under high pressure, to ensure uniform pressure across the battery surface, the end plate thickness needs to be sufficiently large, which severely affects the energy density of the battery device.

[0039] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 This application provides a vehicle 100, which includes a frame 10, a battery pack 20, and a clamping device 30. The frame 10 has a receiving cavity 101 and includes a first beam 11 arranged along a first direction X. The battery pack 20 is housed in the receiving cavity 101 and includes a plurality of battery cells 21 and microcapsule particles (not shown). The plurality of battery cells 21 are sequentially distributed along a second direction Y, and one battery cell 21 located at one end of the second direction Y abuts against the first beam 11. The microcapsule particles contain a fire extinguishing medium. The second direction Y intersects the first direction X. The clamping device 30 includes a pressure sensor 31 and a pressure assembly 32. The pressure sensor 31 and the pressure assembly 32 are communicatively connected. The pressure sensor 31 is disposed between at least one adjacent battery cell 21, and the pressure assembly 32 is disposed at one end of the battery pack 20 along the second direction Y away from the first beam 11.

[0040] Frame 10 is the bottom support structure of the vehicle, serving as the mounting base for key vehicle components such as the clutch, transmission, drive shaft, differential, suspension, steering wheel, steering shaft, and brakes.

[0041] The frame 10 is the skeleton structure of the vehicle 100. The frame 10 has a receiving cavity 101, which means that the overall structure of the frame 10 is ring-shaped, and a receiving cavity 101 for installing and placing other components is formed in the ring-shaped frame 10.

[0042] It is understood that the ring-shaped structure in the frame 10 can be regarded as the beam structure of the vehicle 100. In these embodiments of the present application, the frame 10 can be formed into a rectangular ring, that is, the frame 10 includes at least two crossbeams and at least two vertical beams.

[0043] The frame 10 includes a first beam 11 disposed along a first direction X, wherein the first beam 11 can be any horizontal beam in the frame 10, and in some embodiments, the first beam 11 can also be any vertical beam in the frame 10. Regardless of whether the first beam 11 is a horizontal or vertical beam in the frame 10, the extension direction of the first beam 11 is defined in this application as the first direction X.

[0044] The battery pack 20 is housed in the receiving cavity 101, meaning that the battery pack 20 is placed within the annular structure enclosed by the frame 10. In these embodiments of this application, the frame 10 may also include a floor (not shown), which is disposed at one end of the annular structure of the frame 10 to seal one end of the annular structure. When the battery pack 20 is installed into the receiving cavity 101, it can be supported by the floor.

[0045] The battery pack 20 includes multiple battery cells 21, which are sequentially distributed along the second direction Y. This means that the battery pack 20 is integrated into the frame 10, using the frame 10 of the vehicle 100 as the housing structure of the battery pack 20, without the need for a separate housing. This increases the space available for the battery cells 21 in the battery pack 20, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack 20 from the perspective of the vehicle 100.

[0046] The battery cell 21 is the smallest unit in the battery pack 20 used for charging or discharging. Multiple battery cells 21 are distributed sequentially along the second direction Y. This means that multiple battery cells 21 are placed sequentially along the second direction Y in the receiving cavity 101. The multiple battery cells 21 are then connected in series, parallel or mixed to form the battery pack 20 to supply power to the vehicle 100.

[0047] The battery cell 21 located at one end of the second direction Y abuts against the first beam 11. This means that in the battery pack 20, when multiple battery cells 21 are stacked, one battery cell 21 located at the end abuts against the first beam 11, and the other battery cells 21 are stacked sequentially in the second direction Y.

[0048] In this application, since the battery cell 21 is a solid-state battery cell, arranging multiple battery cells 21 along the second direction Y is beneficial for the setting of the external pressure member of the battery pack 20. That is, the external pressure member can apply pressure to the battery pack 20 along the second direction Y, which can press the multiple battery cells 21 together, improve the tightness of the solid-solid connection interface between the electrode components and the electrolyte in each battery cell 21, and thus help improve the working efficiency of the battery pack 20.

[0049] The microcapsule particles contain a fire extinguishing medium, which allows the microcapsule particles to be quickly activated after the battery pack 20 experiences thermal runaway and combustion, releasing the fire extinguishing medium to extinguish the fire. This can alleviate the thermal runaway situation of the battery pack 20 and improve the reliability of the vehicle 100.

[0050] The microcapsule particles are disposed in the receiving cavity 101. A possible implementation is that the microcapsule particles can be directly and adhered to the non-pressure-bearing surface of the battery cell 21, that is, the two surfaces of each battery cell 21 that are not opposite each other along the second direction Y, so as to reduce the risk of premature release of the microcapsule particles under pressure. Alternatively, in some embodiments, a buffer can be provided between adjacent battery cells 21. In this case, the microcapsule particles can be disposed in the buffer to reduce the squeezing effect of adjacent battery cells 21 on the microcapsule particles and improve the structural stability of the microcapsule particles in a non-thermal runaway environment.

[0051] The clamping device 30 includes a pressure sensor 31 and a pressure component 32. The pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32 are communicatively connected, meaning that the pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32 can transmit information to each other. This allows the pressure component 32 to dynamically adjust the pressure it applies to the battery pack 20 based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor 31, so that the battery pack 20 can operate under a suitable external pressure. This maintains the good working efficiency of the solid-state battery and reduces the risk of damage to the battery pack 20 structure due to excessive external pressure.

[0052] For example, the pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32 can be connected wirelessly or via wired communication.

[0053] Pressure sensors 31 are disposed between at least one adjacent battery cell 21 to sense the pressure applied to the battery pack 20 in the second direction Y. In some embodiments, the number of pressure sensors 31 may be two or three, with each different pressure sensor 31 disposed between different adjacent battery cells 21 and communicateably connected to the pressure assembly 32. By using multiple pressure sensors 31 to jointly determine the pressure applied to the battery pack 20, the accuracy of pressure determination can be improved.

[0054] A pressure assembly 32 is disposed at one end of the battery pack 20 away from the first beam 11 along the second direction Y, so that the pressure assembly 32 can apply pressure to the battery pack 20 along the second direction Y. One end of the pressure assembly 32 can be connected to the frame 10 for support, and the portion of the pressure assembly 32 in contact with the battery pack 20 can reciprocate along the second direction Y to adjust the pressure applied to the battery pack 20.

[0055] In embodiments where the first beam 11 is a crossbeam of the frame 10, the pressure component 32 can be connected to a crossbeam opposite to the first beam 11, so that the pressure component 32 is supported by the crossbeam. In some cases, the pressure component 32 can also be connected to a vertical beam connected to the first beam 11. The case where the first beam 11 is a vertical beam of the frame 10 is similar and will not be described again here.

[0056] According to the vehicle 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, the battery pack 20 includes multiple battery cells 21 disposed in the receiving cavity 101. The multiple battery cells 21 are distributed sequentially along the second direction Y, and one battery cell 21 located at one end of the second direction Y abuts against the first beam 11. The clamping device 30 includes a pressure sensor 31 and a pressure component 32 connected in communication. The pressure sensor 31 can sense the external pressure on the battery pack 20, and the pressure can be adjusted by information transmission between the pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32, so that the cycle process of the battery pack 20 can always be maintained under a suitable external pressure. At the same time, by using the first beam 11 of the frame 10 and the clamping device 30 to be assembled together into the vehicle 100, the structural design of the battery pack 20 box can be reduced, thereby increasing the energy design space of the battery pack 20 and increasing the energy density of the battery pack 20.

[0057] In some embodiments, the battery pack 20 further includes a buffer 22, which is disposed between at least one of two adjacent battery cells 21, between a battery cell 21 and a first beam 11, and between a battery cell 21 and a pressure assembly 32.

[0058] The buffer 22 can alleviate the stress between different components under pressure. When the battery cell 21 comes into contact with an adjacent battery cell 21, or when the battery cell 21 at one end comes into contact with the first beam 11, or when the battery cell 21 at the other end comes into contact with the pressure assembly 32, the stress is reduced, thus reducing the risk of damage to the battery cell 21 due to impact.

[0059] In these embodiments of this application, the buffer 22 not only reduces the contact stress between adjacent components in the battery pack 20, but also improves the uniformity of pressure applied to the battery cells 21. It should be noted that since the pressure applied to the battery pack 20 by the pressure component 32 can be adjusted based on feedback data from the pressure sensor 31, the buffer 22 in these embodiments does not require special material development as in related technologies, nor does it need to consider the pressure stability of the battery cells 21 during charging and discharging, thus reducing the material development requirements for the buffer 22.

[0060] In some embodiments, along the second direction Y, the projection of the battery cell 21 falls within the buffer 22.

[0061] The projection of the battery cell 21 falls within the buffer 22, which means that the projection of each battery cell 21 along the second direction Y falls within the buffer 22 adjacent to it, so that the battery cell 21 can obtain a good buffer protection effect in the second direction Y.

[0062] In other words, in the direction in which the pressure component 32 applies pressure to the battery pack 20, the projection of the battery cell 21 falls within the buffer 22, thereby providing all-round buffer protection for the battery cell 21 using the buffer 22.

[0063] In these embodiments of the present application, the shape of the buffer 22 can match that of the battery cell 21. That is, when the cross-sectional shape of the battery cell 21 is rectangular in the direction perpendicular to the second direction Y, the cross-sectional shape of the buffer 22 can be rectangular in the direction perpendicular to the second direction Y, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer 22 in the direction perpendicular to the second direction Y is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the battery cell 21 in the direction perpendicular to the second direction Y.

[0064] In some embodiments, the microcapsule particles are disposed within the buffer 22; the extinguishing medium includes at least one of carbon dioxide, heptafluoropropane, perfluorohexanone, nitrogen, and argon.

[0065] Under the action of the clamping device 30, each battery cell 21 is easily subjected to long-term high-pressure conditions, which increases the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell 21.

[0066] In these embodiments of the present application, by placing the buffer 22 between adjacent battery cells 21, the elasticity of the buffer 22 itself can be used to alleviate the high voltage state of each battery cell 21. At the same time, by placing microcapsule particles in the buffer 22, and placing fire extinguishing medium in the microcapsule particles, the microcapsule particles placed in the buffer 22 can be quickly activated after the battery pack 20 experiences thermal runaway and causes the buffer 22 to burn, so as to release the fire extinguishing medium to extinguish the fire. This can alleviate the thermal runaway situation of the battery pack 20 and improve the reliability of the vehicle 100.

[0067] Understandably, fire extinguishing agents can be those that have fire extinguishing effects or can effectively reduce the oxygen content in the air. Among them, perfluorohexanone, as a new type of clean gas fire extinguishing agent, has been widely used in recent years due to its excellent environmental performance and high fire extinguishing ability.

[0068] In this application, perfluorohexanone can be prepared by, but is not limited to, direct fluorination, electrolytic fluorination or free radical polymerization.

[0069] Direct fluorination involves the stepwise fluorination of triketone precursors using fluorine gas in an environment ranging from -20°C to -10°C. During operation, precise matching of the fluorine-nitrogen mixing ratio and gas flow rate is crucial. Typical production equipment is usually a two-stage tower reactor. While direct fluorination is relatively economical in the initial stages of production, the catalyst platinum-carbon consumption rate is high, and improper handling of excess fluorine gas recovery can easily lead to secondary pollution.

[0070] Electrolytic fluorination involves introducing a specific organic acid intermediate into a 40% hydrofluoric acid electrolyte and utilizing a specially structured electrolytic cell. The key factors are the selection of the polypropylene-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) diaphragm and the control of the anode current. While environmentally friendly, electrolytic fluorination suffers from significant energy consumption, with current efficiency typically hovering between 55% and 65%.

[0071] The free radical tunable polymerization method employs directional fluorination technology using full-carbon chain intermediates, injecting octafluorobutyryl peroxide as an initiator into a multi-stage circulating tubular reactor, precisely controlling the reaction window from 60°C to 80°C and maintaining a high pressure of 2.5 kg in distinct temperature segments. This method uses nano-zeolite molecular sieves to replace traditional active nickel catalysts, reducing total phosphorus residue and extending the sieve replacement cycle, thus saving operating costs.

[0072] Furthermore, after obtaining perfluorohexanone, it can be encapsulated using a composite coagulation method or microfluidic technology.

[0073] One method, composite coagulation, uses materials such as gelatin and sodium polyphosphate as the core material and perfluorohexanone as the outer shell material. Microcapsules are formed through a cross-linking reaction at low temperatures (<45℃). This method yields perfluorohexanone microcapsules with high encapsulation efficiency and good room temperature storage stability. For example, perfluorohexanone microcapsules prepared using gelatin / sodium polyphosphate cross-linked phenolic resin as the core and shell material can achieve an encapsulation efficiency of 82.27% and room temperature storage stability exceeding one year.

[0074] Microfluidic technology allows for precise adjustment of capsule size and shell thickness by regulating the flow rates of the mobile and dispersed phases. The process involves preparing perfluorohexanone microcapsules with a photosensitive resin core and shell using a coaxial needle. Microfluidic technology enables precise control of the microcapsule preparation process, improving encapsulation efficiency and uniformity. For example, perfluorohexanone microcapsules prepared using microfluidic technology exhibit a deflagration temperature of approximately 110°C, an explosion time of 0.2 ms, and a mass loss of only 0.64% after 96 hours at 75°C.

[0075] In these embodiments of this application, the buffer 22 can be prepared by uniformly mixing the perfluorohexanone microcapsule particles obtained in the aforementioned steps with the substrate of the buffer 22, and then forming the buffer 22 into the required shape through molding processes such as pressing and casting. The formed buffer 22 is then dried and cured to improve the stability and fire extinguishing performance of the buffer 22.

[0076] In some embodiments, the cushioning element 22 is made of at least one of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer foam, rubber, silicone, polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride, air cushion film, honeycomb paperboard, fiber-reinforced composite material, sponge, bio-based foam, and nylon elastomer.

[0077] This design approach can be adapted to the feedback adjustment strategy of the clamping device 30, so that the buffer 22 can simply play a buffering role without the need for special research and development of the buffer 22, thereby reducing the material development cost of the buffer 22 and further improving the economic benefits of the vehicle 100.

[0078] In some embodiments, the frame 10 further includes a second beam 12, which is disposed opposite to the first beam 11 along a second direction Y, and the pressure assembly 32 is fixedly connected to the second beam 12.

[0079] The second beam 12 is arranged opposite to the first beam 11 along the second direction Y. A possible implementation is that the first beam 11 is a crossbeam at one end of the frame 10 along the second direction Y, and the second beam 12 is a crossbeam at the other end of the frame 10 along the second direction Y. Alternatively, in some embodiments, multiple intermediate beams are also provided between the two crossbeams of the frame 10 along the second direction Y. In this case, at least one of the first beam 11 and the second beam 12 can be one of these intermediate beams, and the arrangement of the first beam 11 and the second beam 12 can be selected according to the vehicle's power consumption requirements.

[0080] The case where the first beam 11 and the second beam 12 are vertical beams in the frame 10 is similar to the case where they are horizontal beams, and will not be repeated here.

[0081] The pressure assembly 32 is fixedly connected to the second beam 12, which means that the pressure assembly 32 is integrated into the vehicle 100. This reduces the space occupied by the pressure assembly 32 on the structure of the battery pack 20, allowing more space in the battery pack 20 to be used for setting up the battery cells 21, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack 20.

[0082] The pressure component 32 and the second beam 12 can be fixedly connected by welding, integral molding or other methods.

[0083] In some embodiments, the pressure assembly 32 includes an end plate 321 extending along a first direction X, and a pressurizing mechanism 322 connected between the end plate 321 and the second beam 12; the projection of the battery cell 21 along the second direction Y falls within the projection of the end plate 321 along the second direction Y.

[0084] The pressure assembly 32 includes an end plate 321 and a pressurizing mechanism 322. The end plate 321 is the component in the pressure assembly 32 that contacts the battery pack 20, while the pressurizing mechanism 322 is a device that applies pressure to the battery pack 20 through the end plate 321. That is, the pressurizing mechanism 322 is used to generate pressure, and the end plate 321 is used to transmit the pressure generated by the pressurizing mechanism 322 to the battery pack 20.

[0085] The projection of the battery cell 21 along the second direction Y falls within the projection of the end plate 321 along the second direction Y. This means that in the second direction Y, the end plate 321 covers the battery cell 21 so that the end plate 321 can uniformly transmit pressure to the surface of the battery cell 21 along the second direction Y.

[0086] The pressurizing mechanism 322 is connected between the end plate 321 and the second beam 12. This means that in these embodiments of the application, the pressurizing mechanism 322 itself can change its size in the second direction Y, that is, the pressurizing mechanism 322 itself can be extended or shortened. At this time, one end of the pressurizing mechanism 322 is connected to the end plate 321 and the other end is connected to the second beam 12, thereby controlling the end plate 321 to apply or reduce pressure to the battery pack 20 through the pressurizing mechanism 322.

[0087] According to the vehicle 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, the end plate 321 can be used to act on the surface of the battery cell 21 to increase the contact area between the pressure component 32 and the battery cell 21, thereby improving the pressure uniformity applied by the pressure component 32 to the battery pack 20, which is beneficial to improving the pressing effect on the battery pack 20.

[0088] In some embodiments, the number of pressurizing mechanisms 322 is multiple, and at least some of the pressurizing mechanisms 322 are distributed along the first direction X.

[0089] That is, at least some of the pressurizing mechanisms 322 are distributed along the extension direction of the first beam 11 and the second beam 12. When the pressure assembly 32 is working, pressure can be applied to the end plate 321 evenly by controlling multiple pressurizing mechanisms 322 to work synchronously, which can further improve the uniformity of the pressure applied by the pressure assembly 32 to the battery pack 20.

[0090] In some embodiments, multiple pressurizing mechanisms 322 may be uniformly distributed along the first direction X to further improve the uniformity of pressure distribution applied to the end plate 321 by the multiple pressurizing mechanisms 322.

[0091] In some embodiments, each battery cell 21 is slidably connected to the frame 10 along the second direction Y.

[0092] In these embodiments of the present application, the battery cells 21 are all solid-state battery cells. Unlike liquid electrolyte batteries, solid-state battery cells expand more during cycling. Therefore, it is difficult to fix the battery cells 21 in the receiving cavity 101 as in liquid electrolyte batteries.

[0093] Based on this, in these embodiments of the present application, by setting each battery cell 21 to be slidably connected to the frame 10 along the second direction Y, each battery cell 21 can be displaced along the second direction Y during the cycle. This design is adapted to the case where the solid battery expands or shrinks significantly during the cycle, so that the battery cell 21 can move along the second direction Y due to its own expansion or shrinkage during the cycle, thereby improving the reliability of the structure.

[0094] In some embodiments, the frame 10 further includes two third beams 13, which are arranged along the second direction Y, and the two third beams 13 are respectively connected to the two ends of the first beam 11 and the second beam 12 along the second direction Y; the first beam 11, the second beam 12 and the third beam 13 together form a receiving cavity 101.

[0095] The first beam 11, the second beam 12, and the third beam 13 together form a frame 10 structure, making the frame 10 a ring-shaped rectangular frame. The first beam 11 and the second beam 12 are beam structures of the same type, while the third beam 13 is a beam structure of another type connecting the first beam 11 and the second beam 12. For example, the first beam 11 and the second beam 12 can be horizontal beams of the frame 10 or intermediate beams positioned opposite to the horizontal beams along the second direction Y; in this case, the third beam 13 is a vertical beam connecting the first beam 11 and the second beam 12.

[0096] The first beam 11, the second beam 12, and the third beam 13 together form a receiving cavity 101. Among them, the first beam 11, the second beam 12, and the third beam 13 form an annular frame, and at this time, both ends of the receiving cavity 101 can be connected to the outside.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, the frame 10 may also include a floor and a cover plate, so as to seal the openings at both ends of the receiving cavity 101 by using the floor and the cover plate respectively, thereby improving the sealing performance of the receiving cavity 101 and providing a sealed and stable working environment for the battery pack 20.

[0098] In some embodiments, the frame 10 further includes a plurality of displacement guides 14, which are disposed on the side of the third beam 13 near the receiving cavity 101. At least some of the battery cells 21 abut against the displacement guides 14 on both sides along the first direction X. Each displacement guide 14 can rotate along an axis parallel to the third direction Z, and the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect each other.

[0099] The displacement guide 14 is disposed on the side of the third beam 13 near the receiving cavity 101 for contacting each battery cell 21. At the same time, each displacement guide 14 can rotate along an axis parallel to the third direction Z, which can reduce the friction between the battery cell 21 and the third beam 13 in the second direction Y, thereby improving the convenience of displacement of the battery cell 21 in the second direction Y during the cycle, which is adapted to the cyclic expansion of the solid battery cell.

[0100] At least some of the battery cells 21 abut against the displacement guide 14 on both sides along the first direction X. Through the contact between the battery cells 21 and the displacement guide 14, the friction between at least some of the battery cells 21 and the third beam 13 is reduced. This allows the battery pack 20 to more easily change size along the second direction Y when the battery cells 21 expand or contract during the cycle, adapting to the working state of the solid-state battery and further improving the reliability of the vehicle 100.

[0101] It should be noted that during the cycle of each battery cell 21, the battery pack 20 expands or contracts as a whole. In some embodiments, some battery cells 21 in the battery pack 20 can be arranged to contact the displacement guide 14, while other battery cells 21 may not contact the beam structure on both sides of the first direction X. The clamping force of the clamping device 30 prevents each battery cell 21 from shifting in the second direction Y. At the same time, this arrangement can further reduce the friction between the battery pack 20 and the frame 10.

[0102] In some embodiments, the displacement guide 14 includes a plurality of balls arranged sequentially along a third direction Z.

[0103] In these embodiments of the present application, multiple circular grooves can be sequentially provided along the third direction Z on the surface of the third beam 13 near the receiving cavity 101. At this time, the displacement guide 14 in the shape of a ball can be placed into the circular groove, and part of the structure of the displacement guide 14 can be controlled to protrude from the opening of the circular groove so that the displacement guide 14 can contact the battery cell 21.

[0104] The balls are arranged sequentially along the third direction Z to adapt to the size of the battery cell 21 in the third direction Z, so that each part of the battery cell 21 in the third direction Z can contact the displacement guide 14, further improving the reliability of the displacement of the battery cell 21 in the second direction Y due to size changes.

[0105] In some embodiments, the displacement guide 14 can be configured as a roller. The roller configuration is more convenient than that of a ball bearing; during installation, it is only necessary to control the axial direction of the displacement guide 14 to be parallel to the third direction Z.

[0106] In these embodiments of the present application, the contact between the roller and the battery cell 21 is simple in structure and easy to install, which is beneficial to improving the production and processing efficiency of the vehicle.

[0107] In some embodiments, along the second direction Y, the distance between adjacent displacement guides 14 is L, and the thickness of the battery cell 21 is H, then L < H < 2L.

[0108] When the battery cell 21 is displaced along the second direction Y due to expansion during the cycle, in order to reduce the risk of the battery cell 21 getting stuck between adjacent displacement guides 14, it is necessary to limit the spacing dimension L between adjacent displacement guides 14 and the thickness dimension H of the battery cell 21.

[0109] When the battery cell 21 is in a static state, if the battery cell 21 is in contact with only one displacement guide 14 in the second direction Y, i.e., H < L, the battery cell 21 is prone to move in the first direction X during the displacement process in the second direction Y, which can easily cause the battery cell 21 to get stuck between adjacent displacement guides 14. Therefore, it is necessary to control the distance L between adjacent displacement guides 14 to be less than the thickness H of the battery cell 21.

[0110] Meanwhile, when the battery cell 21 is in a static state, if the battery cell 21 can contact three displacement guides 14 simultaneously in the second direction Y, i.e., H > 2L, the effect of preventing the battery cell 21 from getting stuck between adjacent displacement guides 14 is not significantly improved. At the same time, the setting of more displacement guides 14 will undoubtedly increase the material usage and process time during vehicle production, thereby reducing the economic benefits of vehicle production.

[0111] For the reasons mentioned above, in these embodiments of this application, L < H < 2L can be set to improve the efficiency and economic effect of vehicle production while ensuring that the battery cell 21 does not get stuck between adjacent displacement guides 14.

[0112] According to the vehicle 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, by proportionally designing the spacing L between adjacent displacement guides 14 and the thickness H of the battery cell 21, the battery cell 21 is less likely to get stuck between adjacent displacement guides 14 during the cycle, reducing the risk of battery cell 21 failure due to getting stuck; at the same time, the number of displacement guides 14 can be reduced as much as possible, improving the production efficiency of the vehicle 100 and reducing production costs.

[0113] For example, in some embodiments, the value of H can be set to 1.2L, 1.4L, 1.6L or 1.8L.

[0114] In some embodiments, the displacement guide 14 is made of carbon fiber, polyurethane, or silicone rubber. By designing the displacement guide 14 to be made of the aforementioned lightweight materials, the weight of the vehicle 100 can be further reduced, which is beneficial to improving the weight energy density of the battery pack 20.

[0115] In some embodiments, the battery cell 21 is a solid-state battery. By using the clamping device 30 in conjunction with the frame 10 structure to press the battery cell 21, the tightness of the solid-solid contact interface in the battery cell 21 is improved, which can effectively improve the cycle performance of the solid-state battery.

[0116] Based on some embodiments of this application, please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 This application provides a vehicle 100, which includes a frame 10, a battery pack 20, and a clamping device 30. The frame 10 has a receiving cavity 101 and includes a first beam 11 arranged along a first direction X. The battery pack 20 is received in the receiving cavity 101 and includes a plurality of battery cells 21. The plurality of battery cells 21 are stacked along a second direction Y, and one battery cell 21 located at one end of the second direction Y abuts against the first beam 11. The second direction Y intersects the first direction X. The clamping device 30 includes a pressure sensor 31 and a pressure assembly 32. The pressure sensor 31 and the pressure assembly 32 are communicatively connected. The pressure sensor 31 is disposed between at least one adjacent battery cell 21, and the pressure assembly 32 is disposed at one end of the battery pack 20 along the second direction Y away from the first beam 11.

[0117] The frame 10 also includes a second beam 12 arranged along the first direction X and two third beams 13 arranged along the second direction Y. The first beam 11, the second beam 12 and the third beams 13 together form the aforementioned receiving cavity 101.

[0118] Multiple battery cells 21 are stacked along the second direction Y, and two battery cells 21 at the two ends of the second direction Y are respectively matched with the first beam 11 and the pressing device 30, so that the pressing device 30 can press the battery pack 20 against the first beam 11, thereby improving the tightness of the solid-solid connection interface between the electrode components and the electrolyte in each battery cell 21, which in turn helps to improve the working efficiency of the battery pack 20.

[0119] The clamping device 30 includes a pressure sensor 31 and a pressure component 32. The pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32 are communicatively connected, meaning that the pressure sensor 31 and the pressure component 32 can transmit information to each other. This allows the pressure component 32 to dynamically adjust the pressure it applies to the battery pack 20 based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor 31, so that the battery pack 20 can operate under a suitable external pressure. This maintains the good working efficiency of the solid-state battery and reduces the risk of damage to the battery pack 20 structure due to excessive external pressure.

[0120] Pressure sensor 31 is positioned between two battery cells 21 in the middle of the plurality of battery cells 21 to sense the pressure on the middle of the battery pack 20 and provide real-time feedback to pressure assembly 32.

[0121] In these embodiments of this application, buffer members 22 can be provided between adjacent battery cells 21, between battery cells 21 and the first beam 11, and between battery cells 21 and the pressure assembly 32. The buffer members 22 can alleviate the stress between different components under pressure. When a battery cell 21 contacts an adjacent battery cell 21, or when a battery cell 21 at one end contacts the first beam 11, or when a battery cell 21 at the other end contacts the pressure assembly 32, the stress level is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the battery cell 21 due to impact and improving the reliability of the battery pack 20.

[0122] The frame 10 also includes a plurality of displacement guides 14, which are disposed on the side of the third beam 13 near the receiving cavity 101; each displacement guide 14 can rotate along an axis parallel to the third direction Z.

[0123] The displacement guide 14 is disposed on the side of the third beam 13 near the receiving cavity 101 for contacting each battery cell 21. At the same time, each displacement guide 14 can rotate along an axis parallel to the third direction Z, which can reduce the friction between the battery cell 21 and the third beam 13 in the second direction Y, thereby improving the convenience of displacement of the battery cell 21 in the second direction Y during the cycle, which is adapted to the cyclic expansion of the solid battery cell.

[0124] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0125] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle characterized by comprising: The application relates to a battery pack, comprising: a frame having a containing cavity and comprising a first beam arranged along a first direction; a battery pack contained in the containing cavity and comprising a plurality of battery cells and microcapsule particles, at least part of the battery cells being sequentially arranged along a second direction, and one of the battery cells at one end of the second direction abutting against the first beam, the microcapsule particles being provided with fire extinguishing medium; a compression device comprising a pressure sensor and a pressure assembly, the pressure sensor being communicatively connected with the pressure assembly, the pressure sensor being arranged between at least one adjacent battery cell, and the pressure assembly being arranged at one end of the battery pack away from the first beam along the second direction; the frame further comprises two third beams arranged along the second direction, and the two third beams are respectively connected to the two ends of the first beam along the second direction; the frame further comprises a plurality of displacement guides arranged on one side of the third beam close to the containing cavity, and at least part of the battery cells on both sides of the first direction respectively abut against the displacement guides; each displacement guide can rotate along an axis parallel to a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect with each other; the battery pack further comprises a buffer arranged between at least one of adjacent battery cells, between the battery cell and the first beam, and between the battery cell and the pressure assembly; the microcapsule particles are arranged in the buffer; and the fire extinguishing medium comprises at least one of carbon dioxide, heptafluoro-propane, perfluorohexanone, nitrogen and argon.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein In the second direction, the projection of the battery cell falls within the buffer.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein The buffer is made of at least one of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer foam, rubber, silica gel, polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride, air cushion film, honeycomb paperboard, fiber-reinforced composite material, sponge and bio-based foam.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein The frame further comprises a second beam arranged opposite to the first beam along the second direction, and the pressure assembly is fixedly connected with the second beam.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein, The pressure assembly comprises an end plate extending along the first direction, and a pressurizing mechanism connected between the end plate and the second beam. The projection of the battery cell along the second direction falls within the projection of the end plate along the second direction.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein The number of the pressurizing mechanisms is plural, and at least part of the pressurizing mechanisms are arranged along the first direction.

7. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein In the second direction, each battery cell is in sliding connection with the frame.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the first beam, the second beam and the third beam jointly enclose the containing cavity.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein The displacement guide comprises a plurality of balls arranged along the third direction; and / or the displacement guide is a roller shaft.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein In the second direction, the distance between adjacent displacement guides is L, and the thickness of the battery cell is H, and L < H < 2L.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, The material of the displacement guide is carbon fiber, polyurethane or silicone rubber.

12. The vehicle of any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The battery cell is a solid-state battery.

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