Maintenance structure for a battery pack and battery pack

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of battery pack technology, and more particularly to a maintenance structure and battery pack for battery packs. The maintenance structure includes a fixed frame with an inspection window at its top; a lower housing installed at the bottom of the fixed frame, with the battery pack's cell assembly disposed between the lower housing and the fixed frame; a movable cover movably mounted to the inspection window via a quick-release locking mechanism; and a microswitch assembly mounted on the movable cover, electrically connected to the battery pack's battery management system. When the movable cover is opened, the battery pack's main relay is disconnected. This maintenance structure and battery pack solve the problems of inconvenience during maintenance and repair of existing battery packs, and the safety hazards associated with opening them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery pack technology, and in particular to a maintenance structure for a battery pack and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, power battery packs for new energy vehicles typically adopt an integrated encapsulation structure. The battery pack mainly consists of a lower housing, multiple battery modules installed within the lower housing, and an integrated upper cover plate secured with bolts and sealed with sealant along the upper edge of the lower housing. To ensure the safe operation of the vehicle under various complex conditions, this encapsulation structure must meet IP67 or even IP68 dust and water resistance requirements.

[0003] However, this traditional monolithic packaging structure suffers from inconvenient maintenance and repair in practical applications. Throughout the battery pack's lifecycle, whether it's random inspection during production, fault diagnosis during after-sales service, or post-retirement reuse testing, frequent opening of the top cover is required to perform voltage measurements, visual inspections, or individual module replacements. Because the top cover is a monolithic structure, operators must remove all surrounding bolts and damage the original sealant layer to completely open the cover. This process is not only cumbersome and time-consuming but also requires specialized equipment and a cleanroom environment, severely impacting after-sales maintenance efficiency and user experience. Furthermore, the reliability of secondary sealing after disassembly is difficult to guarantee with a monolithic packaging structure. Once the original sealing structure is damaged, it's difficult to ensure the uniformity and continuity of the sealant during reapplying, easily leading to inadequate sealing, water or dust ingress, and potentially causing insulation failure or even internal short circuits and other safety accidents.

[0004] Furthermore, the existing integrated encapsulation structure exposes the internal high-voltage busbars and connectors directly when the top cover is opened. If the power-off procedure is not strictly followed before operation or if there is a misoperation, there is a serious risk of electric shock, making it difficult to guarantee the safety of operators. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a maintenance structure and battery pack for a battery pack, so as to solve the problems of inconvenience in maintenance and repair of existing battery packs and the safety hazards when opening them.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a maintenance structure for a battery pack is provided, wherein the maintenance structure for the battery pack includes: a fixed frame having an inspection window at its top; a lower housing mounted at the bottom of the fixed frame, wherein the battery cell assembly of the battery pack is disposed between the lower housing and the fixed frame; a movable cover plate movably mounted to the inspection window via a quick-release locking mechanism; and a micro switch assembly mounted on the movable cover plate, the micro switch assembly being electrically connected to the battery management system of the battery pack, wherein when the movable cover plate is opened, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected.

[0007] Preferably, the top of the fixed frame is provided with a crossbeam and a longitudinal beam, the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam are arranged alternately to form a plurality of inspection windows, and the number of movable cover plates is plurality of, and the plurality of movable cover plates are respectively installed on the plurality of inspection windows.

[0008] Preferably, there are multiple micro-switch assemblies, and the multiple micro-switch assemblies are installed one-to-one on the multiple movable covers. When any of the movable covers is opened, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected.

[0009] Preferably, the size of the movable cover plate is larger than the size of the inspection window. A first sealing groove is provided circumferentially on the bottom surface of the movable cover plate, and a second sealing groove is provided on the top surface of the fixed frame. The first sealing groove and the second sealing groove are aligned. The cover plate sealing ring is embedded in the first sealing groove and the second sealing groove. When the movable cover plate is locked, the cover plate sealing ring surrounds the outer periphery of the inspection window.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom end of the fixing frame is provided with a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart along the circumference, the bottom end of the fixing frame is bolted to the lower housing, and a sealing groove is provided along the circumference at the bottom end of the fixing frame, and a sealing component is provided in the sealing groove.

[0011] Preferably, the micro switch assembly includes: a micro switch body, bonded to the bottom surface of the top plate of the fixed frame, the micro switch body being electrically connected to the battery management system; and an elastic contact connected to the micro switch body, the elastic contact extending to the bottom of the movable cover plate, the elastic contact contacting the movable cover plate, and the main relay of the battery pack being disconnected when the elastic contact is separated from the movable cover plate.

[0012] Preferably, the bottom of the movable cover is provided with a downwardly protruding trigger block, which contacts the elastic contact when the movable cover is locked.

[0013] Preferably, the quick-release locking mechanism is an eccentric wheel type lock, which is located in the middle of the movable cover plate. When the quick-release locking mechanism is in the first position, the movable cover plate is fixed to the fixed frame by the quick-release locking mechanism. When the quick-release locking mechanism is rotated to the second position, the movable cover plate can be separated from the fixed frame.

[0014] Preferably, the number of inspection windows is six, and the six inspection windows are arranged in an array on the top of the fixed frame.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a battery pack is provided, wherein the battery pack includes a maintenance structure for a battery pack as described above.

[0016] The battery pack maintenance structure of this invention features a maintenance window at the top of its fixed frame. A lower housing is installed at the bottom of the fixed frame, and the battery pack's cell assembly is positioned between the lower housing and the fixed frame. A movable cover is movably mounted to the maintenance window via a quick-release locking mechanism, allowing operators to perform maintenance simply by opening the cover without disassembling the entire pack. Maintenance time is reduced from several hours to several minutes, significantly improving after-sales maintenance efficiency and user experience. A microswitch assembly is installed on the movable cover and is electrically connected to the battery pack's battery management system. When the cover is open, the battery pack's main relay disconnects, thereby cutting off the high-voltage circuit containing the module. This physically ensures the system is in a safe state when operators contact internal components, eliminating the risk of electric shock. This effectively solves the problems of inconvenience during maintenance and the safety hazards associated with opening existing battery packs.

[0017] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a maintenance structure for a battery pack according to the present invention, and a cross-sectional view of the battery pack.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of the maintenance structure and battery pack for the battery pack according to the present invention.

[0021] Reference numerals: 1-Fixed frame; 10-Inspection window; 11-Crossbeam; 12-Longitudinal beam; 2-Lower housing; 3-Modible cover; 4-Battery cell assembly; 5-Cover sealing ring; 6-Sealing adhesive. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following detailed embodiments are provided to help the reader gain a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein will be apparent after understanding the disclosure of this application. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely illustrative and is not limited to the order set forth herein; changes that will be apparent after understanding the disclosure of this application are possible, except for operations that must occur in a specific order. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted.

[0023] The features described herein may be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein have been provided merely to illustrate some of the many feasible ways of implementing the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein that will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application.

[0024] Throughout the specification, when an element (such as a layer, region, or substrate) is described as being "on" another element, "connected to" another element, "bonded to" another element, "on" another element, or "covering" another element, it may be directly "on" another element, "connected to" another element, "bonded to" another element, "on" another element, or "covering" another element, or there may be one or more other elements in between. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on" another element, "directly connected to" another element, "directly bonded to" another element, "directly on" another element, or "directly covering" another element, there may be no other elements in between.

[0025] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any one of the relevant items listed and any combination of any two or more items.

[0026] Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe individual components, assemblies, regions, layers, or parts, these components, assemblies, regions, layers, or parts are not limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are used only to distinguish one component, assembly, region, layer, or part from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the examples described herein, the first component, assembly, region, layer, or part referred to as the second component, assembly, region, layer, or part may also be referred to as the second component, assembly, region, layer, or part.

[0027] For ease of description, spatial relation terms such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower” are used herein to describe the relationship between one element and another, as shown in the accompanying drawings. Such spatial relation terms are intended to include not only the orientation depicted in the drawings but also different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, an element described as being “above” or “upper” relative to another element will subsequently be “below” or “lower” relative to that other element. Therefore, the term “above” includes both “above” and “below” orientations depending on the spatial orientation of the device. The device may also be positioned in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relation terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0028] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various examples only and is not intended to limit the examples. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” enumerate the stated features, quantities, operations, components, elements, and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, quantities, operations, components, elements, and / or combinations thereof.

[0029] Variations in the shapes shown in the accompanying drawings may occur due to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, the examples described herein are not limited to the specific shapes shown in the accompanying drawings, but include changes in shape that may occur during manufacturing.

[0030] The features of the examples described herein can be combined in various ways that will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application. Furthermore, although the examples described herein have a wide variety of constructions, other constructions are possible, as will be apparent upon understanding the disclosure of this application.

[0031] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a maintenance structure for a battery pack is provided, the maintenance structure for a battery pack including a fixed frame 1, a lower housing 2, a movable cover 3, and a micro switch assembly.

[0032] In the following description, reference will be made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The specific structure of the aforementioned components and their connection relationships are described in detail in the maintenance structure for the battery pack.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a maintenance window 10 can be provided at the top of the fixed frame 1. The lower housing 2 is installed at the bottom of the fixed frame 1, and the battery pack cell assembly 4 is located between the lower housing 2 and the fixed frame 1. The movable cover 3 can be movably installed on the maintenance window 10 through a quick-release locking mechanism, thereby allowing operators to perform maintenance simply by opening the movable cover 3 without disassembling the entire pack. Maintenance time is reduced from several hours to several minutes, significantly improving after-sales maintenance efficiency and user experience. A micro switch assembly is installed on the movable cover 3 and is electrically connected to the battery management system (BMS) of the battery pack. When the movable cover 3 is open, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected, thereby cutting off the high-voltage circuit where the module is located. This physically ensures that the system is in a safe state when operators touch the internal components, eliminating the risk of electric shock.

[0034] Preferred, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fixed frame 1 can be a cuboid frame, and the fixed frame 1 can be made of extruded aluminum alloy. The top of the fixed frame 1 is provided with several crossbeams 11 and longitudinal beams 12. The crossbeams 11 and longitudinal beams 12 are arranged alternately to form multiple inspection windows 10, thus allowing the inspection windows 10 to be spaced out. The multiple inspection windows 10 can each correspond to multiple inspection areas of the battery pack, facilitating inspection of the battery pack's interior by operators. Correspondingly, there are multiple movable covers 3, each installed at one of the multiple inspection windows 10. When performing inspections, operators only need to open the movable cover 3 corresponding to the inspection area.

[0035] Furthermore, preferably, such as Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, a crossbeam 11 and two longitudinal beams 12 can be provided on the top of the fixed frame 1. The crossbeam 11 is located at the center of the width direction of the top of the fixed frame 1, and the two longitudinal beams 12 are spaced apart along the length direction of the top of the fixed frame 1. This arrangement creates six inspection windows 10 on the top of the fixed frame 1, separated by the crossbeam 11 and longitudinal beams 12. The six inspection windows 10 are arranged in an array on the top of the fixed frame 1, allowing operators to select the movable cover 3 that needs to be opened as required. This enables rapid, targeted maintenance at the module level without disassembling the entire package, solving the problems of cumbersome operation and long processing times. However, this is not the only preferred arrangement; the six inspection windows 10 are merely one preferred configuration in this embodiment, and other numbers of inspection windows 10 can be used as needed.

[0036] Further optimized, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the number of micro-switch assemblies can be multiple. The number of micro-switch assemblies is equal to the number of movable covers 3, and the multiple micro-switch assemblies can be installed one-to-one on the multiple movable covers 3. When any movable cover 3 is opened, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected, thereby cutting off the high-voltage circuit where the module is located and preventing electric shock to the operator.

[0037] Preferred, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the movable cover plate 3 can be a square plate made of aluminum alloy, and the size of the movable cover plate 3 is larger than the size of the inspection window 10. A first sealing groove is provided circumferentially on the bottom surface of the movable cover plate 3, and a second sealing groove is provided on the top surface of the fixed frame 1. The second sealing groove is located on the outer periphery of the inspection window 10. The first sealing groove and the second sealing groove are aligned, and the cover plate sealing ring 5 is embedded in the first sealing groove and the second sealing groove. The cover plate sealing ring 5 can be an EPDM foam rubber sealing ring. This arrangement ensures that when the movable cover plate 3 is locked, the cover plate sealing ring 5 surrounds the outer periphery of the inspection window 10, thereby achieving a seal on the inspection window 10.

[0038] Further optimized, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the length and width of the fixing frame 1 match the dimensions of the lower housing 2. Multiple mounting holes are spaced circumferentially at the bottom of the fixing frame 1, allowing it to be bolted to the lower housing 2. Additionally, a circumferentially extending sealing groove is provided at the bottom of the fixing frame 1, containing a sealing element 6. Specifically, the sealing element 6 can be a liquid sealant (e.g., polyurethane structural adhesive), foam strip, or rubber gasket, to achieve a permanent seal between the fixing frame 1 and the lower housing 2. This configuration provides a double-sealing structure for the battery pack maintenance structure (i.e., cover sealing ring 5 and sealing element 6), with a permanent sealing layer between the fixing frame 1 and the lower housing 2, ensuring the basic seal is not compromised. Each movable cover 3 has an independent compressible sealing ring (i.e., cover sealing ring 5) between it and the fixing frame 1. When a single cover is opened, the other covers and the permanent sealing layer remain effectively sealed, completely eliminating the potential for secondary seal failure in traditional structures.

[0039] Preferably, in this embodiment, the microswitch assembly may include a microswitch body and a resilient contact. The microswitch body may be adhered to the bottom surface of the top plate of the fixed frame 1, and may be electrically connected to the battery management system via a signal line for signal transmission. The resilient contact is connected to the microswitch body and is used to detect the movement state of the movable cover 3. The resilient contact extends to the bottom of the movable cover 3 and is in contact with it. When the resilient contact separates from the movable cover 3, the microswitch body sends a signal to the battery management system, which then controls the main relay of the battery pack to disconnect, thereby cutting off high voltage and physically ensuring that the system is in a safe state when an operator touches internal components, eliminating the risk of electric shock. However, the microswitch assembly may also be a photoelectric switch, a Hall sensor, or a magnetic switch.

[0040] Furthermore, preferably, in this embodiment, the bottom of the movable cover 3 may be provided with a downwardly protruding trigger block. When the movable cover 3 is locked, the bottom surface of the trigger block contacts the elastic contact. When the movable cover 3 is opened, the trigger block disengages from the elastic contact, and the microswitch body sends a cover-open signal to the battery management system. Upon receiving the signal, the battery management system immediately cuts off the main relay, ensuring the battery pack enters a safe state, and indicates that the cover can be opened via an indicator light on the dashboard. After maintenance is completed, the operator relocks the movable cover 3, the trigger block re-presses the elastic contact, the microswitch body sends a cover-close signal to the battery management system, and upon receiving the signal, the battery management system allows the restoration of high-voltage power supply, and the vehicle resumes normal operation.

[0041] Preferably, in this embodiment, the quick-release locking mechanism can be an eccentric wheel lock. Specifically, the quick-release locking mechanism can be located in the middle of the movable cover plate 3. The quick-release locking mechanism can include a handle located above the movable cover plate 3 and a baffle located below the movable cover plate 3. When the operator turns the handle, the baffle below the movable cover plate 3 rotates eccentrically to open or lock the movable cover plate 3. When the quick-release locking mechanism is in the first position, the movable cover plate 3 is fixed to the fixed frame 1 by the quick-release locking mechanism. When the quick-release locking mechanism rotates to the second position, the movable cover plate 3 can be separated from the fixed frame 1. Preferably, the quick-release locking mechanism can rotate 90° from the first position to the second position. Not limited to this, the quick-release locking mechanism is only a preferred case in the embodiment. As long as the locking and quick release between the movable cover plate 3 and the fixed frame 1 can be achieved, the quick-release locking mechanism can also be set to other cases, such as: the quick-release locking mechanism is a press-open structure or a bolt connection structure.

[0042] In addition, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a battery pack is provided, the battery pack including the maintenance structure for the battery pack as described above.

[0043] During use, the operator can loosen the quick-release locking mechanism of the movable cover 3 corresponding to the maintenance position. When the movable cover 3 is opened, the trigger block disengages from the elastic contact, and the microswitch body sends a cover-open signal to the battery management system. Upon receiving the signal, the battery management system immediately cuts off the main relay to ensure the battery pack enters a safe state and indicates that the cover can be opened via the instrument panel indicator light. After removing the movable cover 3, the operator can perform voltage measurements and visual inspections of the internal modules through the exposed maintenance window 10. After maintenance is completed, the operator relocks the movable cover 3, the trigger block re-presses the elastic contact, and the microswitch body sends a cover-close signal to the battery management system. Upon receiving the signal, the battery management system allows the restoration of high-voltage power supply, and the vehicle resumes normal operation.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of this application, used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. The scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features, within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application. Such modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A maintenance structure for a battery pack, provided in a battery pack, characterized by, The maintenance structure for the battery pack includes: A fixed frame, the top of which has an inspection window; The lower housing is installed at the bottom of the fixed frame, and the battery pack cell assembly is disposed between the lower housing and the fixed frame; The movable cover plate is movably installed on the inspection window via a quick-release locking mechanism; and A micro switch assembly is installed on the movable cover plate. The micro switch assembly is electrically connected to the battery management system of the battery pack. When the movable cover plate is opened, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected.

2. The structure for maintenance of a battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by, The top of the fixed frame is provided with a crossbeam and a longitudinal beam, which are arranged in an alternating manner to form multiple inspection windows. There are multiple movable cover plates, which are respectively installed on multiple inspection windows.

3. The structure for maintenance of a battery pack according to claim 2, characterized by The number of micro switch assemblies is multiple, and the multiple micro switch assemblies are installed one-to-one on the multiple movable covers. When any of the movable covers is opened, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected.

4. The structure for maintenance of the battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by, The movable cover plate is larger than the inspection window. A first sealing groove is provided on the bottom surface of the movable cover plate along the circumference, and a second sealing groove is provided on the top surface of the fixed frame. The first sealing groove and the second sealing groove are aligned. The cover plate sealing ring is embedded in the first sealing groove and the second sealing groove. When the movable cover plate is locked, the cover plate sealing ring surrounds the outer periphery of the inspection window.

5. The structure for maintenance of the battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by, The bottom end of the fixed frame is provided with a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart along the circumference. The bottom end of the fixed frame is bolted to the lower housing. A sealing groove is provided along the circumference at the bottom end of the fixed frame, and a sealing component is provided in the sealing groove.

6. The structure for maintenance of the battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by The micro switch assembly includes: The microswitch body is adhered to the bottom surface of the top plate of the fixed frame, and the microswitch body is electrically connected to the battery management system; and A resilient contact is connected to the micro switch body and extends to the bottom of the movable cover. The resilient contact is in contact with the movable cover, and when the resilient contact is separated from the movable cover, the main relay of the battery pack is disconnected.

7. The structure for maintenance of a battery pack according to claim 6, wherein The bottom of the movable cover is provided with a downward protruding trigger block, which contacts the elastic contact when the movable cover is locked.

8. The structure for repair of a battery pack according to claim 1, characterized by, The quick-release locking mechanism is an eccentric wheel type lock. The quick-release locking mechanism is located in the middle of the movable cover plate. When the quick-release locking mechanism is in the first position, the movable cover plate is fixed to the fixed frame by the quick-release locking mechanism. When the quick-release locking mechanism is rotated to the second position, the movable cover plate can be separated from the fixed frame.

9. The maintenance structure for a battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of inspection windows is six, and the six inspection windows are arranged in an array on the top of the fixed frame.

10. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a maintenance structure for the battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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