Battery cell holder, battery module, battery pack, and vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is a cell holder for a plurality of cells, comprising: a holder body; a plurality of cell receiving holes provided on the holder body, each of the cell receiving holes extending in the axial direction of the plurality of cells and for completely receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in groups axially in parallel in the plurality of cell receiving holes. The application also relates to a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle comprising the cell holder and the plurality of cells arranged therein.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of power batteries, and more particularly to cell holders for multiple cells, battery modules including cell holders and multiple cells disposed therein, battery packs and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, lithium-ion power batteries, which are their power source, have also entered a period of rapid development, and the installation and fixation of batteries is a very important part of this process.

[0003] Currently, the installation and fixing of automotive power battery modules are usually carried out using a foaming potting process. This involves mixing foaming materials (such as silicone, silicone foam, epoxy resin, epoxy resin foam, and polyurethane foam) and injecting them into the battery module to fill the space between the cells, thereby encapsulating the entire battery module. However, this process is highly complex, resulting in high production and quality costs, and it is also difficult to repair (once the potting has cured, the cells cannot be replaced individually).

[0004] Therefore, in order to further reduce process complexity, it is desirable to design a cell holder for multiple cells to realize the installation and fixation of cells without the need for foaming and potting processes, thereby further reducing costs and making the cells easy to replace or repair. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, some concepts that will be further described in the following detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] To address the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a cell holder for a plurality of cells is provided, the cell holder comprising: a holder body; and a plurality of cell receiving holes provided on the holder body, each cell receiving hole extending along the axial direction of the plurality of cells and for completely accommodating a corresponding one of the plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a group in axial parallel order in the plurality of cell receiving holes.

[0007] In the technical solution of this invention, the battery cells are fixed by designing a retainer with multiple battery cell receiving holes without the need for foaming and potting processes. This can further reduce costs and process complexity, and also allow for individual replacement or repair of the battery cells.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cooling sleeve is provided on the outside of each of the plurality of battery cells, the cooling sleeve completely surrounding the corresponding one of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the cooling sleeve is disposed together with the corresponding battery cell in a corresponding battery cell receiving hole.

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cooling sleeve includes a housing body; and a cooling channel built into the housing body, the cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet, wherein a cooling medium flows in from the inlet and flows out from the outlet via the cooling channel.

[0010] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cell retainer is made of plastic by injection molding, feeding, or cutting processes.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of cell receiving holes are arranged in a space-optimized manner.

[0012] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of cell receiving holes are arranged in a hexagonal diamond shape for cylindrical cells, the hexagonal diamond shape comprising six prismatic cell receiving holes and a centrally arranged cell receiving hole surrounded by the six cell receiving holes.

[0013] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cooling sleeve further includes: a 3D profile plastic layer, wherein the cooling channel is embedded in the 3D profile plastic layer and is combined with the housing body.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cell holder includes a plurality of sub-holders, wherein each sub-holder is used to accommodate a plurality of cells of a battery module.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of sub-cages are fixed together by a fixing device.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of connection points are provided on the cage body for fixing the cage body in the high-voltage system (HVS) of the vehicle.

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of connection points for peripheral devices of the vehicle's high-voltage system (HVS) are provided on the cage body.

[0018] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral device includes one or more of a cell contact system (CCS), a current measurement system, a voltage measurement system, a temperature measurement system, or a cooling system for electrically connecting and sampling the plurality of cells.

[0019] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, one end of the cell receiving hole (106) is closed or both ends are open.

[0020] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cell holder can be resized to accommodate different cell configurations and energy requirements.

[0021] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cell holder is made of flame-retardant plastic.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a battery module is provided, comprising: a cell holder as described in any of the preceding aspects; and a plurality of cells disposed in the cell holder.

[0023] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules as described in the foregoing aspects is provided.

[0024] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided comprising a battery pack as described in the foregoing aspects.

[0025] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention designs a retainer with multiple cell receiving holes to accommodate individual cells. This retainer can fix the battery module without using the existing foaming and potting process, thereby improving the problems of existing processes in terms of material selection, process complexity, maintenance difficulties, and cost.

[0026] These and other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To gain a more detailed understanding of the manner in which the features of this disclosure are described above, reference can be made to the various embodiments for a more specific description of the above-briefly summarized aspects, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of this disclosure and should not be considered as limiting its scope, as this description may allow for other equivalent and effective aspects.

[0028] Figure 1 An example top view of a cell holder arranged in a honeycomb / diamond pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 An example top view of a cooling sleeve for a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 An example side view of an integrated cooling sleeve for a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing an arrangement of a cell holder comprising a plurality of sub-holders according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided.

[0032] Figure 5 An example vehicle including the battery pack disclosed herein is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following detailed description is sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art to understand the technical content of one or more embodiments of this specification and to implement them accordingly. Furthermore, based on the specification, claims, and drawings disclosed herein, those skilled in the art can easily understand the objects and advantages associated with one or more embodiments of this specification. Throughout this specification, the term "vehicle" refers to any type of automobile, including but not limited to cars, vans, trucks, buses, etc. For simplicity, the invention is described in relation to "automobile." The terms "A or B" as used in this specification mean "A and B" and "A or B," and do not imply that A and B are exclusive unless otherwise stated.

[0034] As mentioned above, vehicle power battery modules are currently typically installed and secured using a foaming encapsulation process, where the entire battery module is encapsulated in foam material. However, this process is highly complex, requiring precise control of proportions, flow rates, and mixing capabilities. Furthermore, high-quality encapsulation materials are expensive, potentially increasing the overall manufacturing cost of the battery module. Additionally, once the encapsulation has cured, individual cells cannot be replaced. If a cell malfunctions, the entire battery pack must be replaced, making cell repair difficult.

[0035] To address this issue, embodiments of this specification envision a cell holder capable of accommodating multiple cells, comprising multiple cell receiving holes, wherein the multiple cells can be arranged in groups in parallel axial directions within the multiple cell receiving holes. This allows for cell fixation without the need for a foaming and potting process, thereby further reducing costs and making the cells easier to replace and repair.

[0036] As the core component of a power battery, the battery cell is the basic unit for storing energy in a battery system, determining core performance characteristics such as energy density, power performance, safety, and lifespan. Structurally, battery cells are mainly divided into three types: cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch cells. The following explanation uses a cylindrical battery cell as an example; however, it should be understood that the cage design of this invention is not limited to cylindrical battery cells.

[0037] For example, see Figure 1 The image shows an example top view of a cell holder 100 for securing a plurality of cylindrical cells 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] like Figure 1As shown, the battery cell holder may include a holder body 104 and a plurality of (e.g., cylindrical) battery cell receiving holes 106 (the shape of which depends on the shape of the battery cell) disposed on the holder body 104. Each of the battery cell receiving holes 106 extends along the axial direction of the plurality of battery cells 102 (i.e., the z-axis direction of the vehicle coordinate system) and is used to fully accommodate a corresponding one of the plurality of battery cells 102, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged in groups in parallel axial direction in the plurality of battery cell receiving holes 106.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 As further shown in the figure (which shows an example top view of a cooling sleeve 200 for a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure), a cooling sleeve 200 is disposed on the outside of each of the plurality of battery cells 102, the cooling sleeve completely surrounding the respective one of the plurality of battery cells 102, wherein the cooling sleeve 200 may be disposed together with the respective battery cell 102 in a respective battery cell receiving hole 106.

[0040] Therefore, by setting a cooling sleeve outside the battery cell, directly sleeved on the battery cell and placed together with the battery cell in the battery cell receiving hole, cooling of the battery cell and uniform thermal management can be achieved.

[0041] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the design of the cooling sleeve and the cooling channels integrated therein is as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0042] exist Figure 3 As can be seen, the cooling sleeve 200 may include a housing body 202; and a cooling channel 204 built into the housing body 202, the cooling channel having an inlet 206 and an outlet 208, wherein the cooling medium flows in from the inlet 206 and flows out from the outlet 208 via the cooling channel 204.

[0043] Of course, it is understood that the aforementioned cooling channels can be configured in any manner known to those skilled in the art (e.g., transverse, longitudinal, or a combination of transverse and longitudinal), and the aforementioned liquid inlet and outlet can be respectively located at both ends of the housing body or both located at the same end of the housing body. Additionally, the cooling channels can also be configured to surround all or part of the housing body.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling sleeve 200 may further include a 3D profile plastic layer 210, and the cooling channel 204 may be embedded in the 3D profile plastic layer 210 and bonded to the housing body. Thus, an electrical isolation layer can be integrated into the cooling sleeve, thereby enabling it to perform both electrical isolation and cooling functions.

[0045] Back Figure 1It shows a spatially optimized arrangement of the cell receiving holes in the cell holder.

[0046] Specifically, in Figure 1 In the process, multiple cell receiving holes 106 are arranged in a hexagonal diamond shape (or honeycomb shape) for cylindrical cells, specifically including six prismatic cell receiving holes and a centrally arranged cell receiving hole surrounded by the six cell receiving holes.

[0047] Of course, it is understood that the cell receiving holes can be set / arranged in any other manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0048] In one embodiment, the cell retainer may be made of plastic by injection molding, feeding, or cutting processes.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the cell holder may be made of flame-retardant plastic for fire resistance.

[0050] In a further embodiment, the cage body 104 may also be provided with a plurality of connection points for fixing the cage body 104 to the high-voltage system (HVS) of the vehicle.

[0051] In addition, multiple connection points for the vehicle's HVS peripheral equipment can be provided on the cage body 104 as needed.

[0052] The aforementioned peripheral equipment may include, but is not limited to, one or more of a cell contact system (CCS), current measurement system, voltage measurement system, temperature measurement system, or cooling system used for electrical connection and sampling of multiple cells.

[0053] In some cases, the cell housing hole can be closed at one end or open at both ends.

[0054] In a further preferred embodiment, the cell holder can also be adjusted in size as needed to accommodate different cell configurations and energy requirements.

[0055] Therefore, by designing a retainer with multiple cell receiving holes to fix the cells without using a foaming potting process, costs can be further reduced, and the cells can be easily replaced or repaired.

[0056] Preferably, the aforementioned cage may have multiple sub-cages for more flexible arrangement of the cells, as shown below. Figure 4 This is shown in further detail below.

[0057] like Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a schematic arrangement of a cell holder 100 comprising a plurality of sub-holders 302 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] exist Figure 4 In this module, the cell holder 100 may include a plurality of sub-holders 302, wherein each sub-holder may be used to accommodate a plurality of cells of a battery module 400.

[0059] Of course, multiple sub-cages can also be used to accommodate multiple cells of a battery module, which can be flexibly configured as needed.

[0060] In one embodiment, multiple sub-cages 302 can be secured together by a fixing device.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, the sub-cage may also be provided with multiple connection points for securing the sub-cage to the vehicle's HVS.

[0062] Additionally, the sub-cage may be provided with multiple connection points for peripheral devices of the vehicle's HVS, wherein the peripheral devices may include one or more of, for example, a cell contact system (CCS), a current measurement system, a voltage measurement system, a temperature measurement system, or a cooling system for electrically connecting and sampling the cells.

[0063] In some cases, the multiple cell receiving holes in the sub-cage can also be arranged in a space-optimized manner, for example, as shown in... Figure 1 The arrangement shown is hexagonal diamond or honeycomb, but of course any other spatially optimized arrangement known to those skilled in the art can also be used.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment, the sub-cage can be resized to accommodate different cell configurations and energy requirements.

[0065] In another preferred embodiment, the sub-cage may be made of flame-retardant plastic.

[0066] In some cases, several individual battery cells (i.e., battery cells) can be assembled together to form a battery module. A battery module contains two or more battery cells, the specific number depending on the application of the battery module and the parameters of the individual battery module.

[0067] Furthermore, two or more of the aforementioned battery modules can be assembled into a battery pack. The number of battery modules in the battery pack depends on the application of the battery pack and the parameters of the individual battery modules. The battery pack may include a battery box and multiple battery modules disposed within the battery box. The battery box includes an upper box and a lower box, with the upper box covering and fitting snugly onto the lower box to form a closed space for accommodating the battery modules. Two or more battery modules can be arranged in the battery box as desired.

[0068] In the above Figure 4In the example structure, multiple cells of the battery module 400 are housed in a single sub-retainer, i.e., each sub-retainer is used to secure one battery module. The multiple battery modules 400 are thus assembled into a battery pack 500, wherein the individual sub-retainers can be secured together, for example, with fasteners.

[0069] Figure 5 An example vehicle 500 including a battery pack according to this application is shown. The vehicle may include, but is not limited to, pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, etc. Currently, passenger vehicle power batteries are mostly single-pack systems (i.e., battery packs), which use assembly technology to integrate individual battery cells into a battery pack, mainly involving structure, thermal management, electrical connection design, and BMS technology. Assembly technology may include, for example, MTP, CTP, CTC, CTB, or MTP. For example, MTP technology refers to first integrating cells into modules, and then integrating modules into a pack. The core of MTP assembly technology lies in module design; a module generally consists of a frame (end plate, side plate, base plate), cells, high and low voltage electrical connection components, CCS components, insulation and buffer components. CTP technology refers to the technology of directly integrating cells into a pack.

[0070] By utilizing the aforementioned cell holder technology with multiple cell receiving holes, instead of the existing foaming and potting process, multiple cells can be arranged axially parallel in groups within multiple cell receiving holes. This simplifies cell assembly and fixation, further reducing process complexity and cost, and allows for individual cell replacement in case of damage. Furthermore, by integrating a cooling device (e.g., a cooling sleeve), it can also provide both cooling and electrical isolation functions, achieving uniform thermal management for individual battery cells. Additionally, the cell holder can include multiple sub-holders as needed, and their size can be adjusted to accommodate different cell configurations and energy requirements.

[0071] The foregoing description includes examples of various aspects of the claimed subject matter. It is certainly impossible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods for the purpose of depicting the claimed subject matter, but those skilled in the art will recognize that many further combinations and arrangements of the claimed subject matter are possible. Thus, the disclosed subject matter is intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cell holder (100) for a plurality of battery cells (102), the cell holder (100) comprising: Cage body (104); and A plurality of cell receiving holes (106) are provided on the cage body, each of the cell receiving holes (106) extending along the axial direction of the plurality of cells (102) and used to completely accommodate a corresponding one of the plurality of cells (102). The plurality of battery cells (102) are arranged in a group and axially parallel in the plurality of battery cell receiving holes (106).

2. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A cooling sleeve (200) is provided on the outside of each of the plurality of battery cells (102), the cooling sleeve (200) completely surrounding the corresponding one of the plurality of battery cells (102), wherein the cooling sleeve (200) is disposed together with the corresponding battery cell (102) in the corresponding battery cell receiving hole (106).

3. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling sleeve (200) includes a housing body (202) and a cooling channel (204) built into the housing body (202), the cooling channel (204) having an inlet (206) and an outlet (208), wherein the cooling medium flows in from the inlet (206) and flows out from the outlet (208) via the cooling channel (204).

4. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell retainer (100) is made of plastic by injection molding, feeding, or cutting processes.

5. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of cell receiving holes (106) are arranged in a space-optimized manner.

6. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The plurality of cell receiving holes (106) are arranged in a hexagonal diamond shape for cylindrical cells, the hexagonal diamond shape comprising six prismatic cell receiving holes and a centrally arranged cell receiving hole surrounded by the six cell receiving holes.

7. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling sleeve further includes a 3D profile plastic layer (210), the cooling channel being embedded in the 3D profile plastic layer (210) and combined with the housing body (202).

8. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell holder (100) includes a plurality of sub-holders (302), wherein each sub-holder (302) is used to accommodate a plurality of cells (102) of a battery module.

9. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The plurality of sub-cages (302) are fixed together by a fixing device.

10. The cell holder (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The cage body (104) is provided with multiple connection points for fixing the cage body (104) in the high-voltage system (HVS) of the vehicle.

11. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1 or 8, characterized in that, Multiple connection points for peripheral equipment of the vehicle's high-voltage system (HVS) are provided on the cage body (104).

12. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The peripheral equipment includes one or more of a cell contact system (CCS), a current measurement system, a voltage measurement system, a temperature measurement system, or a cooling system for electrically connecting and sampling the plurality of cells.

13. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell receiving hole (106) is closed at one end or has openings at both ends.

14. The cell holder (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell holder can be resized to accommodate different cell configurations and energy requirements.

15. The cell holder (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The cell holder is made of flame-retardant plastic.

16. A battery module (400), comprising: Cell holder (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 15; as well as Multiple cells (102) are disposed in the cell holder.

17. A battery pack (500) comprising a plurality of battery modules (400) as described in claim 16.

18. A vehicle (600) comprising the battery pack (500) as claimed in claim 17.

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