Battery monomer, electric connector, battery device, power utilization device and energy storage device

Abstract

The invention discloses a battery monomer (100), an electric connecting piece (4), a battery device (400), a power utilization device and an energy storage device. The battery monomer (100) comprises a shell (1), an electrode assembly (2), an electrode terminal (3) and the electric connecting piece (4). The electrode assembly (2) is located in the containing cavity (1a) of the shell (1), the electrode assembly (2) comprises an electrode body (21) and a tab (22) connected with the electrode body (21), and the thickness direction of the electrode body (21) is the first direction. The electrode terminal (3) is inserted into a mounting hole formed in a first wall (11) of the case (1). The electric connecting piece (4) comprises a tab connecting part (41), an electrode terminal connecting part (42) and a middle connecting part (43), the tab connecting part (41) is connected with the tab (22), the electrode terminal connecting part (42) is connected with the electrode terminal (3), the middle connecting part (43) is connected with the tab connecting part (41) and the electrode terminal connecting part (42), and the tab connecting part (41) and the electrode terminal connecting part (42) are located on the two opposite sides of the middle connecting part (43) in the second direction. Wherein at least one side of the tab connecting part (41) along the first direction is provided with an accommodating space (10), and at least part of the tab (22) is accommodated in the accommodating space (10).

Description

Battery cells, electrical connectors, battery packs, electrical devices, and energy storage devices Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to battery cells, electrical connectors, battery devices, power-consuming devices, and energy storage devices. Background Technology

[0002] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in daily life and industry. For example, new energy vehicles equipped with battery devices are already widely used. In addition, battery devices are being increasingly used in the field of energy storage.

[0003] With the continuous development of battery technology, how to improve the energy density of individual battery cells has become one of the research topics in the industry.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a battery cell with high energy density, an electrical connector, a battery device, an electrical device, and an energy storage device.

[0006] This disclosure is achieved through the following technical solution.

[0007] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a battery cell comprising a housing having an internal cavity, the housing having a first wall having a mounting hole; an electrode assembly located within the cavity, the electrode assembly including an electrode body and tabs connected to the electrode body, the thickness direction of the electrode body being a first direction; an electrode terminal passing through the mounting hole; and an electrical connector including a tab connection portion, an electrode terminal connection portion, and an intermediate connection portion, the tab connection portion connecting the tabs, the electrode terminal connection portion connecting the electrode terminals, the intermediate connection portion connecting the tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion, the tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion being located on opposite sides of the intermediate connection portion along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; wherein the tab connection portion has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, at least a portion of the tabs being received within the receiving space.

[0008] Since the tab connection portion of the electrical connector has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, and at least part of the tab is received in the receiving space, the receiving space on the side of the electrical connector along the first direction can be fully utilized, reducing the space occupied by the tab in the height direction (third direction). This prevents the tab from being entirely located below the electrical connector, thereby improving the space utilization rate inside the battery cell casing, reserving more space for the electrode body, and thus enabling the volume of the electrode body to be appropriately increased without changing the casing size of the battery cell, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell.

[0009] In some embodiments, the electrode connecting portion includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along a third direction, the first surface facing the first wall and the second surface facing away from the first wall; the electrode includes a welding portion and a bending portion, the welding portion is connected to the bending portion, the welding portion is welded to the second surface of the electrode connecting portion, the bending portion protrudes relative to the welding portion along the third direction toward the side where the first wall is located, and the bending portion is accommodated in the accommodating space; the third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0010] Therefore, by changing the bending method of the tabs, the structure of the tabs can be made more compact, and the overall dimensions along the third direction can be smaller. This results in the tabs occupying less space, saving space within the housing cavity, and thus increasing the space within the housing cavity for accommodating the electrode body, which is beneficial for improving the energy density of the battery cell. Moreover, the bent portion of the tab is housed within the housing space, making full use of the space on the side of the tab connection portion, further saving space within the housing cavity, which is even more conducive to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0011] In some embodiments, along the third direction, the difference between the first dimension and the second dimension is greater than or equal to 0 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm, wherein the first dimension is the distance between the top surface of the bent portion and the first wall, and the second dimension is the distance between the first surface of the tab connection portion and the first wall.

[0012] Therefore, along the third direction, the top surface of the bent portion is flush with or slightly higher than the first surface of the tab connection portion. This allows for full utilization of the area of ​​the accommodating space along the height direction to accommodate more tabs, thereby providing more space for the electrode body and increasing the energy density of the battery cell.

[0013] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the tab connection is recessed along the first direction to form a groove, the groove defining at least a portion of the receiving space.

[0014] Therefore, the groove formed by the tab connection portion can form a receiving space for at least part of the bent portion of the tab, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell without changing the housing size of the battery cell.

[0015] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes an insulating member located on the side of the first wall facing the electrode assembly; along the first direction, the width of the bend is less than the distance between the bottom wall of the groove and the outer edge of the insulating member.

[0016] Therefore, while ensuring a good electrode shape, the bent part of the electrode can be accommodated within the accommodating space, thereby saving the space occupied by the electrode in the accommodating cavity along a third direction.

[0017] In some embodiments, along the first direction, the distance between the bottom wall of the groove portion and the outer edge of the insulating member is greater than or equal to a third dimension; wherein the third dimension is the sum of the distance between the housing and the insulating member along the first direction and half the width of the tab connection portion along the first direction.

[0018] This allows the storage space to have enough room to accommodate the bent portion of the tab.

[0019] In some embodiments, the distance between the bottom wall of the groove and the outer edge of the insulator is less than or equal to a fourth dimension; wherein the fourth dimension is half the thickness of the battery cell along the first direction minus the third dimension.

[0020] This allows the tab connection to form a groove while also meeting the current flow requirements of the tab connection and the requirements for welding with the tab.

[0021] In some embodiments, along the first direction, the width of the groove is less than or equal to half the width of the electrical connector.

[0022] This allows the tabs to be welded well to the tab connection without excessive stretching, reducing the possibility of tab redundancy and effectively reducing production costs.

[0023] In some embodiments, along the first direction, the width of the groove is greater than or equal to a fifth dimension; wherein the fifth dimension is the distance between the bottom of the groove and the housing along the first direction minus the distance between the electrical connector and the housing along the first direction.

[0024] This provides sufficient space on at least one side of the tab connection portion along the first direction to form a space for accommodating the bent portion of the tab, thereby improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0025] In some embodiments, along the second direction, the length of the groove is less than or equal to the length of the electrical connector, and greater than or equal to the length of the tab plus the tolerance dimension.

[0026] This allows the groove to better accommodate the bent portion of the tab along its length, reducing the possibility of interference between the groove sidewall and the bent portion, and improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0027] In some embodiments, the electrode terminal connection portion and the tab connection portion extend along the second direction, the intermediate connection portion extends along a third direction, and the tab connection portion is closer to the first wall in the third direction than the motor terminal connection portion; the third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0028] This allows for full utilization of the space on the side of the first wall facing the receiving cavity, further saving the dimensions of the tab along the third direction, reserving more space for the electrode body, and increasing the energy density of the battery cell.

[0029] In some embodiments, the number of the groove portions is two, and the two groove portions are located on opposite sides of the tab connection portion along the first direction; the two groove portions may have the same shape and different size.

[0030] Therefore, the shape and size of the groove can be set according to the actual lead-out shape and size of the electrode, thereby adapting to different electrode forms.

[0031] In some embodiments, the tab connection portion is flat; and / or the electrode terminal connection portion is flat.

[0032] This makes it easier for the electrode terminals and tabs to connect to the electrode terminal connection part and the tab connection part respectively, resulting in better reliability of the electrical connector.

[0033] In some embodiments, the electrode terminal includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; the electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector; the tab includes a positive tab and a negative tab, the positive tab being located on the same side as the positive terminal, and / or the negative tab being located on the same side as the negative terminal, the positive tab being connected to the positive terminal via the first electrical connector, and the negative tab being connected to the negative terminal via the second electrical connector.

[0034] Therefore, at least a portion of the positive electrode tab can be accommodated in the accommodating space of at least one side of the first electrical connector along the first direction, and at least a portion of the negative electrode tab can be accommodated in the accommodating space of at least one side of the second electrical connector along the first direction, thereby reducing the size of the positive and negative electrode tabs along the third direction, reserving more space for the electrode body in the accommodating cavity, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0035] In addition, since the positive electrode tab and the positive terminal are located at the same end, and / or the negative electrode tab and the negative terminal are located at the same end, it is easier to connect the tab and the electrode terminal, and it can save space inside the battery cell casing, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0036] In some embodiments, the electrode terminal includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; the electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector; the tab includes a positive tab and a negative tab, the positive tab being located on a different side from the positive terminal, and / or the negative tab being located on a different side from the negative terminal, the positive tab being connected to the positive terminal via the first electrical connector, and the negative tab being connected to the negative terminal via the second electrical connector.

[0037] Therefore, at least a portion of the positive electrode tab can be accommodated in the accommodating space of at least one side of the first electrical connector along the first direction, and at least a portion of the negative electrode tab can be accommodated in the accommodating space of at least one side of the second electrical connector along the first direction, thereby reducing the size of the positive and negative electrode tabs along the third direction, reserving more space for the electrode body in the accommodating cavity, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0038] In addition, since the positive electrode tab and the positive terminal are located on different sides, and / or the negative electrode tab and the negative terminal are located on different sides, it is beneficial to improve the flexibility of the connection between the tab and the electrode terminal, and when multiple battery cells are grouped together, it is beneficial to improve the connection flexibility between the battery cells.

[0039] In some embodiments, the number of electrode assemblies is multiple, the multiple electrode assemblies are arranged side by side along the first direction, and the tabs of the multiple electrode assemblies with the same polarity are connected by the same electrical connector.

[0040] This reduces assembly steps, lowers assembly difficulty, and helps reduce production costs.

[0041] A second aspect of this disclosure provides an electrical connector for a battery cell, the thickness direction of which is a first direction. The electrical connector includes: a tab connection portion for connecting to a tab of the battery cell; an electrode terminal connection portion for connecting to an electrode terminal of the battery cell; and an intermediate connection portion connecting the tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion, the tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion being located on opposite sides of the intermediate connection portion along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; wherein the tab connection portion has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, the receiving space being for accommodating at least a portion of the tab.

[0042] Since the tab connection portion of the electrical connector has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, and the receiving space can accommodate at least part of the tab, the receiving space on the side of the electrical connector along the first direction can be fully utilized, reducing the space occupied by the tab in the height direction (third direction), so that it is not entirely located below the electrical connector, thereby improving the space utilization rate inside the battery cell casing, reserving more space for the electrode body, and thus, without changing the casing size of the battery cell, appropriately increasing the volume of the electrode body, improving the energy density of the battery cell, thereby improving the energy density of the battery.

[0043] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a battery device comprising: a housing; and at least one battery cell as described in the first aspect of this disclosure, the battery cell being housed within the housing.

[0044] The battery device provided in this disclosure includes the battery cell provided in the first aspect above. Therefore, the space occupied by the tab along the third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0045] A fourth aspect of this disclosure provides an electrical device comprising a battery cell as described in the first aspect of this disclosure or a battery device as described in the third aspect of this disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0046] The power device of this disclosure includes the battery cell provided in the first aspect or the battery device provided in the third aspect. Therefore, the space occupied by the tab of the battery cell in the third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body. This is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell, thereby improving the energy density of the battery device. This can extend the power supply time of the battery cell or the battery device to the power device.

[0047] A fifth aspect of this disclosure provides an energy storage device comprising a battery cell as described in the first aspect of this disclosure or a battery device as described in the third aspect of this disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0048] The energy storage device of this disclosure includes the battery cell provided in the first aspect or the battery device provided in the third aspect. Therefore, the space occupied by the tab of the battery cell in the third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body. This is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell, thereby improving the energy density of the battery device. This can extend the power supply time of the battery cell or the battery device to the energy storage device.

[0049] The beneficial effects of the embodiments disclosed herein are as follows:

[0050] This disclosure enables an increase in the space occupied by the electrode body of the electrode assembly within the housing cavity, thereby effectively improving the energy density of the battery cell. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0052] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0053] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0054] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0055] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0056] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part A circled in Figure 4;

[0057] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0058] Figure 7 is a schematic planar structure diagram of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0059] Figure 8 is another planar structural schematic diagram of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0060] Figure 9 is a partial planar structural diagram of the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator of the electrode body provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0061] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Housing shell; 1a-Receiving cavity; 11-First wall; 12-Sealed bag; 2-Electrode assembly; 21-Electrode body; 211-Positive electrode plate; 212-Negative electrode sheet; 213-Separator; 22-Taper; 221-Positive electrode tab; 222-Negative electrode tab; 223-Welding part; 224-Bending part; 3-Electrode terminal; 31-Positive terminal; 32-Negative terminal; 4-Electrical connector; 41-Taper connection part; 411-First surface; 412-Second surface; 413-Groove part; 4131-Groove bottom wall; 42-Electrode terminal connection part; 43-Intermediate connection part; 44-First electrical connector; 45-Second electrical connector; 5-Insulator; 10-Accommodation space; 100-Battery cell; 200-Controller; 300-Motor; 400-Battery assembly; 401-Casing; 401a-Cover; 401b-Base plate; 1000-Vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The embodiments of the technical solutions disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions disclosed herein and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0063] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0064] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0065] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0066] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of 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 are in an "or" relationship.

[0067] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the technical terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated, or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0068] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.

[0070] The following is a detailed description of this disclosure.

[0071] Currently, new energy batteries are being used more and more widely in daily life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems for hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively 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 the application areas of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0072] During the manufacturing process of a battery cell, it is necessary to connect the tabs of the electrode assembly inside the battery cell to the electrode terminals located in the casing via electrical connectors (e.g., adapters) so that current can be drawn from or introduced into the electrode assembly.

[0073] In related technologies, the electrical connector is flat, and the tab is located below the electrical connector. The tab is connected to the electrical connector in a generally 90° bent state. Therefore, the tab occupies a large space along the height direction of the battery cell (third direction), which is not conducive to the space utilization rate within the battery cell. This results in a smaller space occupied by the electrode body of the electrode assembly. Since the volume of the electrode body is positively correlated with the energy density of the battery cell, reducing the volume of the electrode body will affect the energy density of the battery cell.

[0074] This disclosure addresses the problems existing in the aforementioned related technologies by proposing a battery cell, which includes a housing, an electrode assembly, electrode terminals, and an electrical connector. The housing has an internal receiving cavity and includes a first wall with mounting holes. The electrode assembly is located within the receiving cavity and includes an electrode body and tabs connected to the electrode body, with the thickness direction of the electrode body being a first direction. The electrode terminals pass through the mounting holes. The electrical connector includes a tab connecting portion, an electrode terminal connecting portion, and an intermediate connecting portion. The tab connecting portion connects to the tabs, the electrode terminal connecting portion connects to the electrode terminals, and the intermediate connecting portion connects the tab connecting portion and the electrode terminal connecting portion. The tab connecting portion and the electrode terminal connecting portion are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connecting portion along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The tab connecting portion has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, and at least a portion of the tabs are received within this receiving space.

[0075] Since the tab connection portion of the electrical connector has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, and at least part of the tab is received in the receiving space, the receiving space on the side of the electrical connector along the first direction can be fully utilized, reducing the space occupied by the tab in the height direction (third direction). This prevents the tab from being entirely located below the electrical connector, thereby improving the space utilization rate inside the battery cell casing, reserving more space for the electrode body, and thus enabling the volume of the electrode body to be appropriately increased without changing the casing size of the battery cell, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell.

[0076] The battery cells provided in this disclosure can be used, but are not limited to, in energy storage power systems, vehicles, ships or aircraft, and energy storage devices such as energy storage containers and energy storage cabinets.

[0077] This disclosure provides an electrical device including the aforementioned battery cell for providing electrical energy. The electrical device includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, and spacecraft. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0078] In the following embodiments, for ease of explanation, a vehicle 1000 is used as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The description is as follows, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0079] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. The vehicle 1000 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. As shown in Figure 1, a battery cell 100 is disposed inside the vehicle 1000. The battery cell 100 can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery cell 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000; for example, the battery cell 100 can serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery cell 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, to meet the power needs of the vehicle 1000 during startup, navigation, and driving.

[0080] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery cell 100 can not only serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as the driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0081] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery device 400 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the battery device 400 includes a housing 401 and at least one battery cell 100. The housing 401 includes a cover 401a and a base plate 401b. The cover 401a covers the base plate 401b, thereby forming a receiving area for the battery cell 100 between the base plate 401b and the cover 401a.

[0082] In the battery device 400, there can be multiple battery cells 100. These multiple battery cells 100 can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed configuration. A mixed configuration means that multiple battery cells 100 are connected in both series and parallel. Multiple battery cells 100 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed configuration, and then the entire assembly of the multiple battery cells 100 is placed in the receiving space formed by the base plate 401b and the cover 401a. Alternatively, multiple battery cells 100 can first be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed configuration to form a battery module, and then these battery modules can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed configuration to form an entire assembly, which is then housed within the receiving space formed by the base plate 401b and the cover 401a. The battery device 400 may also include other structures; for example, it may include a busbar component for electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 100.

[0083] The following describes some embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to Figures 3 to 9.

[0084] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part A circled in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a perspective view of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 is a planar view of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 8 is another planar view of an electrical connector provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 9 is a partial planar view of the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator of the electrode body provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0085] In some embodiments of this disclosure, for ease of explanation, a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction are defined. These three directions are perpendicular to each other. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the case where these three directions are perpendicular to each other. For ease of explanation, as shown by the arrows in Figures 3 to 9, the direction of arrow X is considered the first direction, the direction of arrow Y is considered the second direction, and the direction of arrow Z is considered the third direction. Sometimes, the direction pointed to by arrow Z along the third direction is referred to as "above," and its opposite direction as "below."

[0086] The first aspect of this disclosure provides a battery cell 100, which includes a housing 1, an electrode assembly 2, electrode terminals 3, and an electrical connector 4. The housing 1 has an internal cavity 1a and includes a first wall 11 with mounting holes. The electrode assembly 2 is located within the cavity 1a and includes an electrode body 21 and tabs 22 connected to the electrode body 21. The thickness direction of the electrode body 21 is a first direction. The electrode terminals 3 pass through the mounting holes. The electrical connector 4 includes a tab connection portion 41, an electrode terminal connection portion 42, and an intermediate connection portion 43. The tab connection portion 41 connects to the tabs 22, the electrode terminal connection portion 42 connects to the electrode terminals 3, and the intermediate connection portion 43 connects the tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42. The tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42 are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connection portion 43 along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The electrode connecting portion 41 has a receiving space 10 on at least one side along the first direction, and at least a portion of the electrode 22 is received in the receiving space 10.

[0087] The battery cell 100 refers to the basic unit that can realize the mutual conversion of chemical energy and electrical energy, and can be used to make the battery device 400, thereby supplying power to electrical devices or energy storage devices.

[0088] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the battery cell 100 is a secondary battery cell, which refers to a battery cell that can be used again after being discharged by recharging to activate the active materials.

[0089] The battery cell 100 can be a lithium-ion battery cell, a sodium-ion battery cell, a sodium-lithium-ion battery cell, a lithium metal battery cell, a sodium metal battery cell, a lithium-sulfur battery cell, a magnesium-ion battery cell, a nickel-metal hydride battery cell, a nickel-cadmium battery cell, a lead-acid battery cell, etc., and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0090] In this embodiment, the battery cell 100 is a prismatic battery cell. In some other embodiments, the battery cell 100 may also be a battery cell of other shapes, and this disclosure does not impose any particular limitations.

[0091] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the battery cell 100 includes a housing 1, which is the outer protective shell of the battery cell 100. An internal cavity 1a is formed to accommodate the electrode assembly 2 and electrolyte, etc. The housing 1 can be made of steel, aluminum, plastic (such as polypropylene), composite metal (such as copper-aluminum composite shell), or aluminum-plastic film, etc.

[0092] In some embodiments, the housing 1 can be a sealed structure or a non-sealed structure. As an example, when the housing 1 is a sealed structure, it serves to protect the electrode assembly 2 housed within it. A sealing bag 12 may also be included between the housing 1 and the electrode assembly 2, the sealing bag 12 being used to encapsulate the electrode assembly 2 and the electrolyte. Specifically, the sealing bag 12 can be a bag-shaped insulating component or an aluminum-plastic film.

[0093] Electrode assembly 2 is the component in the battery cell 100 where electrochemical reactions occur. Electrode assembly 2 includes electrode body 21. As shown in Figure 9, electrode body 21 includes a positive electrode 211, a negative electrode 212, and a separator 213. The positive electrode 211, negative electrode 212, and separator 213 are typically stacked along the thickness direction (first direction) of the battery cell. During the charging and discharging process of the battery cell 100, active ions (e.g., lithium ions) repeatedly insert and extract between the positive electrode 211 and the negative electrode 212. The separator 213 is disposed between the positive electrode 211 and the negative electrode 212, which can prevent short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing active ions to pass through.

[0094] In some embodiments, the positive electrode 211 may include a positive current collector and a positive active material disposed on at least one surface of the positive current collector.

[0095] As an example, the positive current collector has two surfaces opposite each other in its own thickness direction, and the positive active material is disposed on either or both of the two opposite surfaces of the positive current collector.

[0096] As an example, the positive electrode current collector can be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as a metal foil, silver-treated aluminum or stainless steel, copper, nickel, or titanium can be used. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector can be formed by forming a metal material (aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0097] As an example, the positive electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: lithium phosphate, lithium transition metal oxide, and their respective modified compounds. However, this disclosure is not limited to these materials, and other conventional materials that can be used as positive electrode active materials for batteries may also be used. These positive electrode active materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of lithium phosphate include, but are not limited to, at least one of lithium iron phosphate (such as LiFePO4 (also referred to as LFP)), lithium iron phosphate and carbon composites, lithium manganese phosphate (such as LiMnPO4), lithium manganese phosphate and carbon composites, lithium manganese iron phosphate, and lithium manganese iron phosphate and carbon composites.

[0098] In some embodiments, the positive electrode 211 may be made of foamed metal. The foamed metal may be foamed nickel, foamed copper, foamed aluminum, or a foamed alloy, etc. When foamed metal is used as the positive electrode, the surface of the foamed metal may or may not contain a positive electrode active material. As an example, lithium source material, potassium metal, or sodium metal may also be filled and / or deposited within the foamed metal, where the lithium source material is lithium metal and / or a lithium-rich material.

[0099] In some embodiments, the negative electrode 212 may include a negative current collector.

[0100] As an example, the negative electrode current collector can be a metal foil, a foamed metal, or a composite current collector. For example, as a metal foil, it can be silver-treated aluminum or stainless steel, copper, nickel, carbon, or titanium. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The foamed metal can be foamed nickel, foamed copper, foamed aluminum, or foamed alloys. The composite current collector can be formed by forming a metal material (copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver, and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.). In some embodiments, the material of the positive electrode current collector can be aluminum, and the material of the negative electrode current collector can be copper.

[0101] In some embodiments, the separator 213 is a separator membrane. This disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the type of separator membrane; any known porous separator membrane with good chemical and mechanical stability can be selected.

[0102] As an example, the main material of the separator can be selected from at least one of glass fiber, non-woven fabric, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylidene fluoride, and ceramic.

[0103] In some embodiments, the separator 213 is a solid electrolyte.

[0104] In some embodiments, the electrode body 21 is a wound structure. The positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound into a wound structure.

[0105] In some embodiments, the electrode body 21 has a stacked structure.

[0106] As an example, multiple positive electrode plates 211 and multiple negative electrode plates 212 can be set, and multiple positive electrode plates 211 and multiple negative electrode plates 212 can be stacked alternately.

[0107] As an example, multiple positive electrode plates 211 can be provided, and multiple stacked folded segments of negative electrode plates 212 can be formed, with a positive electrode plate 211 sandwiched between adjacent folded segments.

[0108] As an example, both the positive electrode 211 and the negative electrode 212 are folded to form multiple stacked folded segments.

[0109] As an example, multiple separators 213 can be provided, respectively disposed between any adjacent positive electrode 211 or negative electrode 212.

[0110] As an example, the separator 213 can be continuously arranged between any adjacent positive electrode 211 or negative electrode 212 by folding or rolling.

[0111] In some embodiments, the battery cell 100 further includes an electrolyte, which acts as a conductor of ions between the positive and negative electrodes. This disclosure does not impose specific limitations on the type of electrolyte, which can be selected according to requirements. The electrolyte can be liquid, gel, or solid.

[0112] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 2 includes tabs 22, which can either draw current from or introduce current into the electrode body 21. Tabs 22 include a positive tab 221 and a negative tab 222.

[0113] Electrode terminals 3 pass through mounting holes in the first wall 11 of housing 1, and are partially located within the receiving cavity 1a of housing 1. Electrode terminals 3 are used to directly or indirectly connect to the tabs 22 of electrode assembly 2 to output electrical energy from the electrode body 21 of electrode assembly 2 or to input electrical energy into the electrode body 21 of electrode assembly 2.

[0114] The first wall 11 is a wall surface in the housing 1 used for mounting the electrode terminal 3. The first wall 11, together with other walls of the housing 1, forms a receiving cavity 1a for accommodating the electrode assembly 2. In this embodiment, the electrode terminal 3 is mounted on an end cap, that is, the end cap constitutes the first wall 11 of the housing 1. In some other embodiments, if the electrode terminal 3 is mounted on other walls of the housing 1, then the wall surface on which the electrode terminal 3 is mounted constitutes the first wall 11.

[0115] For example, the number of electrode terminals 3 may be only one, which is connected to one of the positive electrode tabs 221 or the negative electrode tab 222, and the other electrode tab 221 or the negative electrode tab 222 is connected to the housing 1. The number of electrode terminals 3 may also be two, with the two electrode terminals 3 connected to the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 respectively.

[0116] In this embodiment, the electrode terminal 3 includes a positive terminal 31 and a negative terminal 32. The positive terminal 31 is connected to the positive electrode tab 221, and the negative terminal 32 is connected to the negative electrode tab 222. Therefore, the housing 1 has two mounting holes for mounting the positive terminal 31 and the negative terminal 32, respectively. Those skilled in the art will understand that in some other embodiments, the number of electrode terminals 3 can be more than two. When there are multiple electrode terminals 3, they can be mounted on the same wall surface of the housing 1 or on different wall surfaces. When multiple electrode terminals 3 are mounted on different wall surfaces of the housing 1, each wall surface on which the electrode terminal 3 is mounted can be configured as a first wall 11.

[0117] For example, the electrode terminal 3 can be a pole post, and the electrode terminal 3 can be made of a conductive material to achieve the conductive function of the electrode terminal 3.

[0118] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrode terminal 3 is electrically connected to the tab 22 of the electrode assembly 2 via an electrical connector 4. The electrical connector 4 may also be referred to as an adapter.

[0119] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the electrical connector 4 includes a tab connection portion 41, an electrode terminal connection portion 42, and an intermediate connection portion 43. The tab connection portion 41 is the structure in the electrical connector 4 used to connect with the tab 22, and the electrode terminal connection portion 42 is the structure in the electrical connector 4 used to connect with the electrode terminal 3.

[0120] For example, the tab 22 is welded to the tab connection part 41 by ultrasonic welding process, and the electrode terminal 3 is welded to the electrode terminal connection part by laser welding process.

[0121] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the tab 22 and the electrode terminal 3 can also be connected to the tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42 respectively by any other suitable means.

[0122] The intermediate connecting part 43 is a component in the electrical connector 4 that connects the tab connecting part 41 and the electrode terminal connecting part 42. The tab connecting part 41 and the electrode terminal connecting part 42 are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connecting part 43 along the second direction.

[0123] In some embodiments, the width direction of the electrical connector 4 can be a first direction, and the length direction of the electrical connector 4 can be a second direction. In the specific examples shown in Figures 7 and 8, the up-down direction in Figures 7 and 8 represents the first direction of the present disclosure embodiment, and the left-right direction represents the second direction of the present disclosure embodiment.

[0124] In some embodiments, the thickness direction of the battery cell 100 can also be referred to as the first direction, and the direction opposite to the large surface (the wall surface with the largest area) of the casing 1 can also be referred to as the first direction. The first direction can also be the direction in which the positive electrode 211, negative electrode 212 and separator 213 of the electrode body 21 are stacked. Those skilled in the art should understand that when the electrode body 21 is a wound structure, the electrode body 21 includes a curved section and a straight section. In this case, the stacking direction of the positive electrode, negative electrode and separator in the straight section is the first direction.

[0125] In some embodiments, the intermediate connection portion 43 can be configured as a fusible part, that is, the intermediate connection portion 43 includes a thinning area and / or a fusible hole, so that when the current exceeds the rated value, that is, when the current is too large, the intermediate connection portion 43 can be fused, thereby disconnecting the connection between the tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42, thereby cutting off the electrical connection between the tab 22 and the electrode terminal 3, reducing the possibility of short circuit in the battery cell 100, and making the battery cell 100 more reliable.

[0126] For example, the electrical connector 4 can be formed as a single piece. For instance, a plate-like part can be prepared into a single piece of electrical connector 4 through processes such as stamping, bending, and cutting.

[0127] As another example, the tab connection portion 41, the electrode terminal connection portion 42, and the intermediate connection portion 43 of the electrical connector 4 can be separate structures that are then spliced ​​together.

[0128] In related technologies, the tabs are usually located below the electrical connectors and are connected to the electrical connectors in a generally 90° bent state. Therefore, the tabs occupy a large space along the height direction of the battery cell (third direction), which is not conducive to the space utilization rate within the battery cell. This results in a smaller space occupied by the electrode body of the electrode assembly. Since the volume of the electrode body is positively correlated with the energy density of the battery cell, reducing the volume of the electrode body will affect the energy density of the battery cell.

[0129] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the tab connection portion 41 has a receiving space 10 on at least one side along the first direction, and at least a portion of the tabs 22 are received within the receiving space 10. This allows full utilization of the receiving space 10 on the side of the electrical connector 4, so that some of the tabs 22 are located on the side of the electrical connector 4, rather than all of them being located below the electrical connector 4. This reduces the space occupied by the tabs 22 in the height direction (third direction), which is beneficial to improving the space utilization rate within the housing 1 of the battery cell 100. This provides more space for the electrode body 21, and thus allows for an appropriate increase in the volume of the electrode body 21 without changing the size of the housing 1 of the battery cell 100, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0130] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, along the third direction, the space between the inner wall surface of the first wall 11 facing the receiving cavity 1a and the second surface 412 of the tab connection portion 41, and along the first direction, the space between the tab connection portion 41 and the inner wall surface of the housing 1, together define the receiving space 10 for accommodating at least part of the tab 22.

[0131] This disclosure does not specifically limit the formation of the accommodating space 10, as long as there is enough space to accommodate the tab 22.

[0132] For example, the tab connection portion 41 has receiving spaces 10 on both opposite sides along the first direction. Alternatively, the tab connection portion 41 may have a receiving space 10 only on one side along the first direction. The specific configuration can be determined based on the lead-out method and number of the tabs 22 of the actual electrode assembly 2.

[0133] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the tab connection portion 41 includes a first surface 411 and a second surface 412 facing away from each other along a third direction. The first surface 411 faces the first wall 11, and the second surface 412 faces away from the first wall 11. The tab 22 includes a welding portion 223 and a bending portion 224. The welding portion 223 is connected to the bending portion 224 and is welded to the second surface 412 of the tab connection portion 41. The bending portion 224 protrudes relative to the welding portion 223 along a third direction toward the side where the first wall 11 is located, and the bending portion 224 is accommodated in the accommodating space 10. The third direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions.

[0134] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the electrode tab 22 includes a welding portion 223 and a bending portion 224. The welding portion 223 is generally flat, which facilitates welding with the electrode tab connection portion 41. One end of the bending portion 224 is connected to the welding portion 223, and the other end is connected to the electrode body 21. The bending portion 224 protrudes relative to the welding portion 223 in a third direction toward the side where the first wall 11 is located, and is accommodated in the accommodating space 10.

[0135] When viewed along the second direction, the cross-section of the bent portion 224 in this embodiment of the present disclosure is generally inverted U-shaped, and one side wall of the bent portion 224 is generally inclined. In this way, the inclined side wall is less likely to interfere with the insulating member 5 (lower plastic) inside the housing 1, and the space between the tab connection portion 41 and the inner wall of the housing 1 can be made more fully to accommodate the bent portion 224 of the tab 22.

[0136] In some other embodiments, when viewed along the second direction, the cross-section of the bent portion 224 may also be a relatively regular inverted U-shape, or a stepped shape, or any other suitable shape. Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments disclosed herein do not specifically limit the shape of the bent portion 224, as long as it allows the bent portion 224 to be accommodated within the accommodating space 10.

[0137] Therefore, by changing the bending method of the tab 22, the structure of the tab 22 can be made more compact and the overall size along the third direction is smaller, thereby making the tab 22 occupy less space, saving space in the receiving cavity 1a of the housing 1, and thus increasing the space in the receiving cavity 1a for accommodating the electrode body 21, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0138] Furthermore, the bent portion 224 of the tab 22 is accommodated within the accommodating space 10, which can make full use of the space on the side of the tab connection portion 41, further saving the space in the accommodating cavity 1a of the housing 1, and is more conducive to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0139] In some embodiments of this disclosure, along a third direction, the difference between the first dimension and the second dimension is greater than or equal to 0 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm, wherein the first dimension is the distance between the top surface of the bent portion 224 and the first wall 11, and the second dimension is the distance between the first surface 411 of the tab connection portion 41 and the first wall 11.

[0140] For example, the difference between the first dimension and the second dimension can be 0mm, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm or 3mm, etc.

[0141] The top surface of the bent portion 224 refers to the surface of the bent portion 224 that is closest to the first wall 11 along the first direction.

[0142] Thus, along the third direction, the top surface of the bent portion 224 is substantially flush with or slightly higher than the first surface 411 of the tab connection portion 41. This allows full utilization of the area of ​​the accommodating space 10 along the height direction to accommodate more tabs 22, thereby providing more space for the electrode body 21 and increasing the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0143] "Flush" means that the top surface of the bent portion 224 and the first surface 411 of the tab connection portion 41 are roughly on the same horizontal plane.

[0144] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, for example when the length of the tab 22 is short, the top surface of the bent portion 224 may also be lower than the first surface 411 of the tab connection portion 41, and the user can set it according to the actual situation.

[0145] In some embodiments of this disclosure, at least a portion of the tab connection 41 is recessed along a first direction to form a groove 413, the groove 413 defining at least a portion of the receiving space 10.

[0146] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the size of the tab connection portion 41 along the first direction is smaller than the size of the electrode terminal connection portion 42 along the first direction, and at least part of the tab connection portion 41 is recessed along the first direction to form a groove portion 413. Thus, the groove portion formed by the tab connection portion 41 can form a receiving space 10 for at least part of accommodating the bent portion 224 of the tab 22, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell 100 without changing the size of the casing 1 of the battery cell 100.

[0147] For example, the receiving space 10 may be entirely defined by the recess 413.

[0148] As another example, the receiving space 10 may be defined only partially by the groove portion 413, that is, there is also a certain gap area between the outermost edge of the electrical connector 4 and the inner wall of the housing 1. In this case, the receiving space 10 may be defined by the groove portion 413 and the gap area between the outermost edge of the electrical connector 4 and the inner wall of the housing, and the groove portion 413 is part of the receiving space 10.

[0149] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, along the second direction, the groove 413 can penetrate the tab connection 41 entirely, that is, the tab connection 41 is recessed along at least one side of the first direction to form the groove 413.

[0150] As shown in FIG8, along the second direction, the groove portion 413 may also only partially penetrate the tab connection portion 41, that is, the tab connection portion 41 is recessed along at least one side of the first direction to form the groove portion 413.

[0151] In this embodiment, the recess 413 is generally rectangular. In some other embodiments, the recess 413 may also be trapezoidal, polygonal, or any other suitable shape.

[0152] This embodiment does not specifically limit the formation position and shape of the groove 413 on the tab connection 41. Users can set the position and shape of the groove 413 according to the actual extension position and shape of the tab 22.

[0153] When the tab connection portion 41 has groove portions 413 formed on both sides of the opposite side along the first direction, the shape and size of the two groove portions 413 can be the same or different.

[0154] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery cell 100 further includes an insulating member 5 located on the side of the first wall 11 facing the electrode assembly 2. Along the first direction, the width of the bend 224 is less than the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove 413 and the outer edge of the insulating member 5.

[0155] The insulating component 5, made of insulating material, is located between the first wall 11 and the electrode assembly 2. The insulating component 5 can be pre-molded as a single piece of plastic or assembled from various plastic parts. When the housing 1 is made of metal, the insulating component 5 provides electrical insulation between the electrode assembly 2 and the first wall 11, reducing the possibility of a short circuit due to contact between the tab 22 and the first wall 11 made of metal. Additionally, the insulating component 5 provides some support for the electrode assembly 2, reducing the possibility of movement of the electrode assembly 2 within the receiving cavity 1a.

[0156] For example, the insulating element 5 can be a plastic frame.

[0157] The groove bottom wall 4131 of the groove portion 413 refers to the wall surface of the groove portion 413 that is furthest from the inner wall of the housing 1 along the first direction, and the outer edge of the insulating member 5 refers to the edge of the insulating member 5 that is close to the inner wall of the housing 1 along the first direction.

[0158] Therefore, while ensuring a good shape for the tab 22, the bent portion 224 of the tab 22 can be better accommodated within the accommodating space 10, thereby saving the space occupied by the tab 22 in the accommodating cavity 1a along a third direction, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100. Moreover, it makes it less likely for the tab 22 to come into contact with the casing 1, reducing the possibility of short circuit in the battery cell 100.

[0159] Specifically, along the first direction, the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove portion 413 and the outer edge of the insulating member 5 is greater than or equal to the third dimension. The third dimension is the sum of the distance between the housing 1 and the insulating member 5 along the first direction and half the width of the tab connection portion 41 along the first direction.

[0160] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove portion 413 and the outer edge of the insulating member 5 is q, the distance between the housing 1 and the insulating member 5 along the first direction is a, and the width of the tab connection portion 41 along the first direction is b.

[0161] Normally, the width of the tab connection portion 41 along the first direction is greater than 8 mm, which facilitates current flow and welding of the tab connection portion 41 to the tab 22. The distance between the housing 1 and the insulating member 5 along the first direction is 2 mm.

[0162] Therefore, when q is greater than or equal to 6 mm, the accommodating space 10 can have enough space to accommodate the bent portion 224 of the tab 22.

[0163] Furthermore, the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove portion 413 and the outer edge of the insulating member 5 is less than or equal to the fourth dimension. The fourth dimension is half the thickness of the battery cell 100 along the first direction minus the third dimension.

[0164] As shown in Figure 4, the thickness of the battery cell 100 along the first direction is l.

[0165] Typically, l is greater than 24 mm, and the third dimension is greater than or equal to 6 mm.

[0166] Thus, while forming the groove portion 413, the tab connection portion 41 can also meet the current flow requirements of the tab connection portion 41 and the requirements for welding with the welding portion 223 of the tab 22.

[0167] In some embodiments of this disclosure, along a first direction, the width of the groove 413 is less than or equal to half the width of the electrical connector 4.

[0168] As shown in Figure 7, the width of the groove 413 along the first direction is u, and the width of the electrical connector 4 along the first direction is t.

[0169] When u is greater than When the groove 413 extends beyond the central axis of the tab connection 41, the tab connection 41 will be eccentric. Therefore, at least the tab 22 on one side of the tab connection 41 in the first direction needs to be extended so that the tab 22 can be welded to the tab connection 41.

[0170] Therefore, it is necessary to make u less than or equal to This allows the tab 22 to be welded well to the tab connection part 41 without excessive stretching, reducing the possibility of tab 22 redundancy and effectively reducing production costs.

[0171] Those skilled in the art should understand that when the tab connection portion 41 has groove portions 413 formed on both opposite sides along the first direction, the dimension u of both groove portions 413 along the first direction is smaller than 1. Or the dimension u of a recess 413 along the first direction is equal to The dimension u of the other recess 413 along the first direction is smaller than... This allows the tab connection part 41 to have sufficient space to weld with the welding part 223 of the tab 22.

[0172] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the width of the groove 413 along the first direction is greater than or equal to a fifth dimension. The fifth dimension is the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove 413 and the housing 1 along the first direction minus the distance between the electrical connector 4 and the housing 1 along the first direction.

[0173] Normally, the distance between the bottom wall 4131 of the groove 413 and the housing 1 along the first direction is 8mm. Furthermore, since there is a gap between the electrical connector 4 and the inner wall of the housing 1 on both sides along the first direction, the distance between the electrical connector 4 and the housing 1 along the first direction is equal to the thickness l of the battery cell 100 along the first direction minus the dimension t of the electrical connector 4 along the first direction, divided by 2.

[0174] This provides sufficient space on at least one side of the tab connection portion 41 along the first direction to accommodate the bent portion 224 of the tab 22, thereby improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0175] In some embodiments of this disclosure, along the second direction, the length of the groove 413 is less than or equal to the length of the electrical connector 4, and greater than or equal to the length of the tab 22 plus the tolerance dimension.

[0176] The tolerance dimension refers to the process error caused by machining or bending the electrode tab 22. Under normal circumstances, the tolerance dimension is ±8mm.

[0177] This allows the groove 413 to better accommodate the bent portion 224 of the tab 22 along its length (second direction), reducing the possibility of interference between the groove sidewall of the groove 413 and the bent portion 224, and improving the reliability of the battery cell 100.

[0178] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the electrode terminal connection portion 42 and the tab connection portion 41 extend along a second direction, the intermediate connection portion 43 extends along a third direction, and the tab connection portion 41 is arranged closer to the first wall 11 in the third direction than the electrode terminal connection portion 42. The third direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions.

[0179] As shown in Figure 6, when viewed along the first direction, the electrical connector 4 is generally Z-shaped, that is, there is a certain height difference between the tab connection part 41 and the electrode terminal connection part 42, and the tab connection part 41 is arranged close to the first wall 11 along the third direction. Thus, the space on the side of the first wall 11 facing the receiving cavity 1a can be fully utilized to accommodate the bent part 224. That is, the space generated by the height difference between the tab connection part 41 and the electrode terminal connection part 42 is fully utilized, thereby further saving the size of the tab 22 along the third direction, reserving more space for the electrode body 21, and improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0180] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the electrical connector 4 may also be in the form of a flat plate. The present disclosure does not specifically limit the shape of the electrical connector 4, but can make specific settings according to the actual situation.

[0181] In some embodiments of this disclosure, there are two groove portions 413, located on opposite sides of the tab connection portion 41 along a first direction. The two groove portions 413 may have the same or different shapes and sizes.

[0182] Therefore, the shape and size of the groove 413 can be set according to the actual lead-out shape and size of the electrode 22, thereby adapting to different electrode 22 forms.

[0183] For example, in the embodiments of this disclosure, both recesses 413 are generally rectangular in shape, and the two recesses 413 are the same size.

[0184] As an example, in some other embodiments, the two recesses 413 are not the same in shape, and the two recesses 413 are not the same in size.

[0185] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the tab connection portion 41 is flat and / or the electrode terminal connection portion 42 is flat.

[0186] This makes it easier for electrode terminals 3 and tabs 22 to connect with electrode terminal connection part 42 and tab connection part 41 respectively, resulting in better reliability of electrical connector 4.

[0187] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42 may also be in any other suitable shape.

[0188] In some embodiments of this disclosure, electrode terminal 3 includes a positive terminal 31 and a negative terminal 32. Electrical connector 4 includes a first electrical connector 44 and a second electrical connector 45. Tab 22 includes a positive tab 221 and a negative tab 222, with the positive tab 221 located on the same side as the positive terminal 31, and / or the negative tab 222 located on the same side as the negative terminal 32. The positive tab 221 is connected to the positive terminal 31 via the first electrical connector 44, and the negative tab 222 is connected to the negative terminal 32 via the second electrical connector 45.

[0189] Therefore, at least a portion of the positive electrode tab 221 can be accommodated within the accommodating space 10 on at least one side of the first electrical connector 44 along the first direction, and at least a portion of the negative electrode tab 222 can be accommodated within the accommodating space 10 on at least one side of the second electrical connector 45 along the first direction. This reduces the dimensions of the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 along the third direction, leaving more space for the electrode body 21 within the accommodating cavity 1a, which is beneficial for improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0190] Those skilled in the art should understand that the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 can be disposed at either end of the electrode body 21, and the embodiments disclosed herein do not specifically limit the placement of the two.

[0191] In addition, since the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on the same side, and / or the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on the same side, it is easier to connect the tab 22 to the electrode terminal 3, and it can save space in the casing of the battery cell, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0192] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on the same side, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on the same side.

[0193] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on the same side, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides.

[0194] As another example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on different sides, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on the same side.

[0195] Those skilled in the art should understand that when the tab 22 and the electrode terminal 3 are located on the same side, the tab connection portion 41 of the electrical connector 4 is generally in the shape of a flat plate extending in one direction, and the positive tab 221 and the negative tab 222 can be located on the same side of the electrode body 21 or on different sides of the electrode body 21 respectively.

[0196] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located on the same side of the electrode body 21, and the positive terminal 31 and the negative terminal 32 are located on the same side as the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222.

[0197] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located on different sides of the electrode body 21, the positive terminal 31 is located on the same side as the positive electrode tab 221, and the negative terminal 32 is located on the same side as the negative electrode tab 222.

[0198] In some embodiments of this disclosure, electrode terminal 3 includes a positive terminal 31 and a negative terminal 32. Electrical connector 4 includes a first electrical connector 44 and a second electrical connector 45. Tab 22 includes a positive tab 221 and a negative tab 222, wherein the positive tab 221 is located on a different side from the positive terminal 31, and / or the negative tab 222 is located on a different side from the negative terminal 32. The positive tab 221 is connected to the positive terminal 31 via the first electrical connector 44, and the negative tab 222 is connected to the negative terminal 32 via the second electrical connector 45.

[0199] Therefore, at least a portion of the positive electrode tab 221 can be accommodated within the accommodating space 10 on at least one side of the first electrical connector 44 along the first direction, and at least a portion of the negative electrode tab 222 can be accommodated within the accommodating space 10 on at least one side of the second electrical connector 45 along the first direction. This reduces the dimensions of the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 along the third direction, leaving more space for the electrode body 21 within the accommodating cavity 1a, which is beneficial for improving the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0200] In addition, since the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on different sides, and / or the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides, it is beneficial to improve the flexibility of connecting the tab 22 to the electrode terminal 3, and when multiple battery cells 100 are grouped together, it is beneficial to improve the flexibility of connecting the battery cells 100 to each other.

[0201] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on different sides, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides.

[0202] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on the same side, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides.

[0203] As another example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the positive terminal 31 are located on different sides, and the negative electrode tab 222 and the negative terminal 32 are located on the same side.

[0204] Those skilled in the art should understand that when the tab 22 and the electrode terminal 3 are located on different sides, the tab connection portion 41 of the electrical connector 4 is generally "L" shaped or inverted "L" shaped. That is, the tab connection portion 41 includes two sections extending in different directions. One section is in the same direction as the extension of the electrode terminal connection portion 42, and the other section is perpendicular to the extension of the electrode terminal connection portion 42, thereby connecting the electrode terminal 3 and the tab 22 located on different sides.

[0205] In addition, when the tab 22 and the electrode terminal 3 are located on different sides, the positive tab 221 and the negative tab 222 can also be located on the same side of the electrode body 21, or they can be located on different sides of the electrode body 21 respectively.

[0206] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located on the same side of the electrode body 21, and the positive terminal 31 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides from the sides where the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located. In this case, the positive terminal 31 and the negative terminal 32 can be located on the same side or on different sides.

[0207] For example, the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located on different sides of the electrode body 21, and the positive terminal 31 and the negative terminal 32 are located on different sides from the sides where the positive electrode tab 221 and the negative electrode tab 222 are located.

[0208] As another example, the positive electrode tab 221, the negative electrode tab 222, the positive terminal 31, and the negative terminal 32 can be located on four different sides.

[0209] In some embodiments of this disclosure, there are multiple electrode assemblies 2, which are arranged side by side along the first direction, and the tabs 22 of the multiple electrode assemblies 2 with the same polarity are connected by the same electrical connector 4.

[0210] Multiple electrode assemblies 2 can increase the energy density of the battery cell 100. Furthermore, the fact that multiple electrode assemblies 2 with the same polarity are connected by the same electrical connector 4 can reduce the assembly steps of the battery cell 100, reduce assembly difficulty, and help reduce production costs.

[0211] A second aspect of this disclosure provides an electrical connector 4 for a battery cell 100, the thickness direction of which is a first direction. The electrical connector 4 includes a tab connection portion 41, an electrode terminal connection portion 42, and an intermediate connection portion 43. The tab connection portion 41 is used to connect to the tabs 22 of the battery cell 100. The electrode terminal connection portion 42 is used to connect to the electrode terminals 3 of the battery cell 100. The intermediate connection portion 43 connects the tab connection portion 41 and the electrode terminal connection portion 42, which are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connection portion 43 along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The tab connection portion 41 has a receiving space 10 on at least one side along the first direction, the receiving space 10 for receiving at least a portion of the tabs 22.

[0212] Since the tab connection portion 41 of the electrical connector 4 has a receiving space 10 on at least one side along the first direction, and the receiving space 10 can be used to accommodate at least part of the tab 22, the receiving space 10 on the side of the electrical connector 4 along the first direction can be fully utilized, reducing the space occupied by the tab 22 in the height direction (third direction), so that the tab 22 is not entirely located below the electrical connector 4, thereby improving the space utilization rate inside the housing 1 of the battery cell 100, reserving more space for the electrode body 21, and thus, without changing the size of the housing 1 of the battery cell 100, the volume of the electrode body 21 can be appropriately increased, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery cell 100.

[0213] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a battery device 400, which includes a housing 401 and at least one battery cell 100 as described in the first aspect of this disclosure, the battery cell 100 being housed within the housing 401.

[0214] The battery device 400 provided in this disclosure includes the battery cell 100 provided in the first aspect above. Therefore, the space occupied by the tab 22 along a third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body 21, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100, thereby improving the energy density of the battery device 400.

[0215] A fourth aspect of this disclosure provides an electrical device comprising a battery cell 100 as described in the first aspect of this disclosure or a battery device 400 as described in the third aspect of this disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0216] Since the power device of this disclosure includes the battery cell 100 provided in the first aspect or the battery device 400 provided in the third aspect, the space occupied by the tab 22 of the battery cell 100 along the third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body 21, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100, thereby improving the energy density of the battery device 400, and thus extending the power supply time of the battery cell 100 or the battery device 400 to the power device.

[0217] The fifth aspect of this disclosure provides an energy storage device, which includes a battery cell 100 as described in the first aspect of this disclosure or a battery device 400 as described in the third aspect of this disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0218] The energy storage device of this disclosure includes the battery cell 100 provided in the first aspect or the battery device 400 provided in the third aspect. Therefore, the space occupied by the tab 22 of the battery cell 100 along the third direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space occupied by the electrode body 21. This is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell 100, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery device 400. This can extend the power supply time of the battery cell 100 or the battery device 400 to the energy storage device.

[0219] The following describes specific examples of some embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0220] As a specific example, the battery cell (cell 100) includes an adapter plate (electrical connector 4), a bare cell (electrode body 21), and a tab 22, which is connected to the bare cell. By narrowing the width of the adapter plate body (tab connection portion 41) located in the ultrasonic welding area in the thickness direction (first direction) of the cell, a slot (groove portion 413) is formed, leaving a cavity (accommodating space 10) between the adapter plate and the plastic (insulator 5) to accommodate the tab, reducing the folding height of the tab, thereby reducing the space occupied by the folded tab in the height direction (third direction), thus increasing the capacity of the bare cell and improving the energy density of the cell.

[0221] To ensure a good folded tab morphology, the distance between the edge of the adapter piece and the lower edge of the plastic must meet the following requirements: Among them, the distance from the edge of the adapter piece to the edge of the lower plastic is q; the thickness of the battery cell is l, l>24.

[0222] The form of the groove on the edge of the adapter piece is not limited to rectangular, trapezoidal, or polygonal grooves. The groove width u satisfies... And lt < 16; when lt ≥ 16, no slotting is required; the slotting length y satisfies r ≥ y ≥ i. Wherein, the length of the adapter piece (the dimension along the second direction) is r, the width of the adapter piece (the dimension along the first direction) is t, and the width of the electrode tab (the dimension along the second direction) plus the misalignment dimension is i.

[0223] Depending on the position and size of the tabs, the adapter plate can be locally slotted, and the position, shape, and size of the slots on opposite sides of the adapter plate along the first direction can be the same or different.

[0224] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and all should be covered within the scope of this disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. Industrial applicability

[0225] This disclosure provides a battery cell, electrical connector, battery device, power supply device, and energy storage device with high energy density.

Claims

1. A battery cell, wherein, The battery cell includes: The housing has an internal cavity, and the housing includes a first wall with a mounting hole. An electrode assembly is located within the receiving cavity. The electrode assembly includes an electrode body and a tab connected to the electrode body. The thickness direction of the electrode body is a first direction. Electrode terminals, passing through the mounting holes; and An electrical connector includes a tab connection portion, an electrode terminal connection portion, and an intermediate connection portion. The tab connection portion connects to the tab, the electrode terminal connection portion connects to the electrode terminal, and the intermediate connection portion connects the tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion. The tab connection portion and the electrode terminal connection portion are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connection portion along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The electrode connection portion has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, and at least a portion of the electrode is received in the receiving space.

2. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The electrode connection portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other along a third direction, the first surface facing the first wall and the second surface facing away from the first wall; The electrode lug includes a welded portion and a bent portion. The welded portion is connected to the bent portion. The welded portion is welded to the second surface of the electrode lug connection portion. The bent portion protrudes relative to the welded portion along the third direction toward the side where the first wall is located. The bent portion is accommodated in the accommodating space. The third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

3. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein, Along the third direction, the difference between the first dimension and the second dimension is greater than or equal to 0 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm, wherein the first dimension is the distance between the top surface of the bent portion and the first wall, and the second dimension is the distance between the first surface of the tab connection portion and the first wall.

4. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, At least a portion of the tab connection portion is recessed along the first direction to form a groove portion, the groove portion defining at least a portion of the receiving space.

5. The battery cell according to claim 4, wherein, The battery cell also includes an insulating component located on the side of the first wall facing the electrode assembly; Along the first direction, the width of the bent portion is less than the distance between the bottom wall of the groove portion and the outer edge of the insulating member.

6. The battery cell according to claim 5, wherein, Along the first direction, the distance between the bottom wall of the groove portion and the outer edge of the insulating member is greater than or equal to the third dimension; The third dimension is the sum of the distance between the housing and the insulating member along the first direction and half the width of the tab connection portion along the first direction.

7. The battery cell according to claim 6, wherein, The distance between the bottom wall of the groove and the outer edge of the insulating component is less than or equal to the fourth dimension. The fourth dimension is half the thickness of the battery cell along the first direction minus the third dimension.

8. The battery cell according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein, Along the first direction, the width of the groove is less than or equal to half the width of the electrical connector.

9. The battery cell according to claim 8, wherein, Along the first direction, the width of the groove is greater than or equal to the fifth dimension; The fifth dimension is the distance between the bottom of the groove and the housing along the first direction minus the distance between the electrical connector and the housing along the first direction.

10. The battery cell according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein, Along the second direction, the length of the groove is less than or equal to the length of the electrical connector, and greater than or equal to... The length of the electrode plus the error dimension.

11. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The electrode terminal connection portion and the electrode tab connection portion extend along the second direction, the intermediate connection portion extends along the third direction, and the electrode tab connection portion is closer to the first wall in the third direction than the electrode terminal connection portion; The third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

12. The battery cell according to any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein, The number of the grooves is two, and the two grooves are located on opposite sides of the electrode connection portion along the first direction; The two grooves may have the same or different shapes and sizes.

13. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The electrode connection portion is flat; and / or The electrode terminal connection portion is flat.

14. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The electrode terminals include a positive terminal and a negative terminal; The electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector; The electrode tab includes a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab. The positive electrode tab is located on the same side as the positive terminal, and / or the negative electrode tab is located on the same side as the negative terminal. The positive electrode tab is connected to the positive terminal through the first electrical connector, and the negative electrode tab is connected to the negative terminal through the second electrical connector.

15. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The electrode terminals include a positive terminal and a negative terminal; The electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector; The electrode tab includes a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab. The positive electrode tab is located on a different side from the positive terminal, and / or the negative electrode tab is located on a different side from the negative terminal. The positive electrode tab is connected to the positive terminal through the first electrical connector, and the negative electrode tab is connected to the negative terminal through the second electrical connector.

16. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The number of electrode assemblies is multiple, and the multiple electrode assemblies are arranged side by side along the first direction. The electrodes of the multiple electrode assemblies with the same polarity are connected by the same electrical connector.

17. An electrical connector for a battery cell, wherein the thickness direction of the battery cell is a first direction, wherein... The electrical connector includes: A tab connection part is used to connect to the tab of the battery cell; An electrode terminal connection portion for connecting to the electrode terminals of the battery cell; and An intermediate connecting portion connects the tab connecting portion and the electrode terminal connecting portion. The tab connecting portion and the electrode terminal connecting portion are located on opposite sides of the intermediate connecting portion along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The electrode connection portion has a receiving space on at least one side along the first direction, the receiving space being used to receive at least a portion of the electrode.

18. A battery device, wherein, The battery device includes: Box; and At least one battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the battery cell being housed within the casing.

19. An electrical appliance, wherein, The electrical device includes a battery cell as described in any one of claims 1 to 16 or a battery device as described in claim 18 for providing electrical energy.

20. An energy storage device, wherein, The energy storage device includes a battery cell as described in any one of claims 1 to 16 or a battery device as described in claim 18 for providing electrical energy.

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