Housing and battery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a case and a battery. The case of the battery is configured to accommodate an electrode assembly, and includes a plurality of recesses provided spaced apart in one direction on at least one surface. With the recesses on the surface of the case, the surface area of the case is increased, and heat dissipation performance can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a casing and a battery. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-119832 (JP 2020-119832 A) discloses an energy storage module comprising a battery housing housing multiple battery cells stacked in one direction. In the energy storage module of JP 2020-119832 A, cooling fins protrude outward from the outer surface of the battery housing to ensure heat dissipation performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Because the cooling fins protrude from the energy storage module (battery) described in JP 2020-119832 A, they may be damaged by external impacts. Since this structure does not improve the heat dissipation of the individual battery cells themselves, there is room for improvement in heat dissipation performance.

[0004] In view of the above facts, the purpose of this invention is to provide a casing and battery that can improve impact resistance and heat dissipation performance.

[0005] The housing according to claim 1 is configured to accommodate an electrode assembly and includes a plurality of recesses spaced apart in one direction on at least one surface.

[0006] The housing according to claim 1 is configured to accommodate an electrode assembly. Recesses are provided on at least one surface of the housing. A plurality of recesses are formed spaced apart in one direction. Therefore, the surface area of ​​the housing is increased by the recesses, and heat dissipation performance can be improved. That is, the recesses can serve as cooling fins. Compared to a structure where fins protrude outwards from the housing, damage to the housing can be suppressed when an external load is applied.

[0007] In claim 1, the outer casing according to claim 2 further includes a can and a lid. The lid is thicker than the can. A recess is provided in the lid.

[0008] In the casing according to claim 2, the can is sealed by a lid, and the lid is thicker than the can. Because the recess is formed in the relatively thick lid, high heat dissipation performance can be maintained even with the increased thickness of the lid.

[0009] The battery of claim 3 comprises: a housing as described in claim 1 or 2; and an electrode assembly housed within the housing. The electrode assembly is an electrode stack, which is a stack of multiple unit electrode assemblies. Recesses extend in the stacking direction of the unit electrode assemblies.

[0010] In the battery according to claim 3, the recess extends in the stacking direction of the cell electrode assembly. Therefore, even when the battery expands in the stacking direction, breakage of the casing can be suppressed.

[0011] In claim 3, the battery according to claim 4 further includes a heat conductor, which is disposed inside the housing at a position where the heat conductor faces the surface provided with the recess.

[0012] In the battery according to claim 4, heat is effectively transferred from the thermal conductor to the recessed surface of the casing. Therefore, heat dissipation can be further promoted.

[0013] In claim 3, the battery according to claim 5 further includes a cooler disposed outside the housing at a position facing the surface of the housing where the cooler is provided with a recess.

[0014] In the battery according to claim 5, the cooler is configured to face the surface where the recess is provided. Therefore, cooling performance can be improved.

[0015] As described above, the casing and battery according to the present invention can improve impact resistance and heat dissipation performance. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of a battery according to one embodiment; Figure 2 This is an enlarged plan view of the main part of the battery according to an embodiment; and Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 Enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part taken from line 3-3. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The battery according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of a battery (also referred to as a "cell battery") 10 according to an embodiment. The battery 10 of this embodiment, for example, constitutes a battery to be installed in a vehicle. For ease of description below, the side indicated by arrow UP will be referred to as the "upper side" in the vertical direction of battery 10. The side indicated by arrow FR will be referred to as the "front side" in the longitudinal direction of battery 10. The side indicated by arrow OUT will be referred to as the "outer side" in the width direction of battery 10. The directions indicated by arrows UP, FR, and OUT do not need to coincide with the vertical, longitudinal, and width directions of the vehicle including battery 10.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, the battery 10 includes a housing 12. The housing 12 includes a canister 14, a terminal cover 16, and a top cover 20 serving as a lid. Figure 2 As shown, the electrode assembly 30 is housed inside the housing 12.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, the can body 14 is formed by bending a plate-shaped metal member and includes a lower wall 14A located at the lower end of the battery 10 and extending in both the front-rear and width directions. Front and rear walls 14B extend upward from the front and rear ends of the lower wall 14A.

[0021] The front and rear walls 14B on the front side extend in the vertical and width directions and cover the electrode assembly 30 housed inside the battery 10 (see...). Figure 2 The front and rear walls 14B on the rear side extend in the vertical and width directions and cover the rear side of the electrode assembly 30.

[0022] The front flange 14C extends rearward from the upper end of the front and rear walls 14B on the front side and covers the front end of the top cover 20 from above. The rear flange 14D extends forward from the upper end of the rear and rear walls 14B on the rear side and covers the rear end of the top cover 20 from above.

[0023] Terminal covers 16 are provided on both sides of the battery 10 in the width direction, and are provided with terminals 18 that are electrically connected to the electrode assembly 30. Terminal covers 16 may be provided only on one side of the battery 10 in the width direction. In this way, the can body 14 and the terminal covers 16 form a box-shaped outer cover.

[0024] The tank body 14 has an opening at the top, and this opening is closed by a top cover 20. The top cover 20 is, for example, a plate-like member extending in the width direction, with its thickness direction corresponding to the vertical direction, and the top cover 20 is thicker than the tank body 14. The upper surface of the top cover 20 has a recess 20A.

[0025] Figure 2 This is an enlarged plan view of the main part of the battery according to an embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of recesses 20A are formed on the upper surface of the top cover 20 at intervals along the width direction (one direction).

[0026] The electrode assembly 30 housed within the housing 12 of this embodiment is a stack of multiple unit electrode assemblies 30A. The electrode assembly 30 of this embodiment is, for example, an electrode assembly for an all-solid-state battery. Each unit electrode assembly 30A is a laminate of an anode current collector, an anode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a cathode active material layer, a cathode current collector, a cathode active material layer, a solid electrolyte layer, an anode active material layer, and an anode current collector. The unit electrode assembly 30A can be a known unit electrode assembly, such as a unit electrode assembly for a lithium-ion battery or a unit electrode assembly for a sodium-ion battery.

[0027] The unit electrode assemblies 30A are stacked in the front-back direction. The recess 20A formed in the top cover 20 extends in the front-back direction, which is the stacking direction of the unit electrode assemblies 30A. Specifically, the recess 20A has a shape that is recessed downward relative to the upper surface of the top cover 20, and has a substantially elliptical shape, the longitudinal direction of which corresponds to the front-back direction in the plan view.

[0028] In this embodiment, for example, the recesses 20A are formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction, and the distance between adjacent recesses 20A is less than the width of each recess 20A. Therefore, a portion of the top cover 20 between adjacent recesses 20A protrudes upward from the bottom of the recess 20A to serve as a heat dissipation fin.

[0029] The length of the recess 20A in the front-rear direction is substantially constant and is approximately half the length of the battery 10 in the front-rear direction. The recess 20A formed at its farthest end in the width direction is offset inward from the end of the top cover 20 in the width direction. Therefore, the end of the top cover 20 in the width direction is continuously connected to the end face of the battery 10 in the width direction.

[0030] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part taken from line 3-3. (See figure.) Figure 3 As shown, the depth of the recess 20A is approximately half the thickness of the top cover 20. In this embodiment, the depth of the recess 20A is, for example, greater than the thickness of the can body 14. From the viewpoint of effective heat dissipation, the depth of the recess 20A is preferably 30% or more of the thickness of the can body 14. From the viewpoint of increasing the surface area of ​​the top cover 20 and maintaining the strength of the top cover 20, the depth of the recess 20A is preferably set to 30% or more and 70% or less of the thickness of the top cover 20.

[0031] A heat conductor 32 is disposed below the top cover 20. The heat conductor 32 is disposed inside the housing 12, for example, as a resin sheet with high thermal conductivity. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the heat conductor can be made of materials other than resin. In this embodiment, for example, the heat conductor 32 is in contact with both the top cover 20 and the electrode assembly 30, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0032] Cooler 34 is disposed outside the housing 12 at a position facing the top cover 20. Cooler 34 is a substantially flat plate-shaped member made of metal with high thermal conductivity and may have coolant channels inside.

[0033] Function

[0034] Next, the function of the battery 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the battery 10 according to this embodiment includes a can 14 (outer shell 12) capable of accommodating the electrode assembly 30. Recesses 20A are provided on at least one surface of the can 14. A plurality of recesses 20A are formed spaced apart in one direction. Therefore, the surface area of ​​the can 14 is increased by the recesses 20A, and the heat dissipation performance can be improved. That is, the recesses 20A can be used as cooling fins.

[0036] Compared to a structure where fins protrude outward from the canister 14, damage to the outer casing 12 can be suppressed when an external load is applied. Therefore, the battery 10 of this embodiment can improve impact resistance and heat dissipation performance.

[0037] In this embodiment, the opening of the can body 14 is closed by the top cover 20, and the top cover 20 is thicker than the can body 14. Since the recess 20A is formed in the relatively thick top cover 20, high heat dissipation performance can be maintained even when the thickness of the top cover 20 increases.

[0038] In this embodiment, the recess 20A extends in the stacking direction of the unit electrode assembly 30A. Therefore, even when the battery 10 expands in the stacking direction, breakage of the casing 12 can be suppressed.

[0039] In this embodiment, heat is effectively transferred from the heat conductor 32 to the top cover 20 of the housing 12, which has a recess 20A. Therefore, heat dissipation can be further promoted. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cooler 34 is configured to face the top cover 20 with the recess 20A. Therefore, cooling performance can be improved.

[0040] Although the battery 10 according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the recess 20A is formed only in the top cover 20, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The recess can be formed in the can body 14. In this case, the surface of the can body 14 is uneven, and heat dissipation performance can be improved. Impact resistance can be improved compared to the case where fins or the like protrude from the can body 14.

[0041] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the recesses 20A are formed with a constant spacing and have substantially the same shape, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the spacing of the recesses can be changed depending on the required heat dissipation performance. The shape of the recesses can also be changed.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the extending direction of the recess 20A is consistent with the stacking direction of the unit electrode assembly 30A, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, some or all of the recesses can be provided in a direction intersecting the stacking direction of the unit electrode assembly.

[0043] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 3 The diagram shows a heat conductor 32 and a cooler 34, but the invention is not limited thereto. The heat conductor 32 and the cooler 34 may be omitted. The heat conductor 32 and the cooler 34 may be positioned in a location where they do not face the top cover 20.

[0044] The following notes are disclosed in relation to the above embodiments.

[0045] Postscript 1

[0046] A housing, comprising: A canister, the canister being configured to house an electrode assembly; and A plurality of recesses are provided on at least one surface of the can body at intervals along one direction.

[0047] Appendix 2

[0048] According to the outer casing described in Appendix 1, wherein: The tank has an opening that is closed by a lid; The lid is thicker than the can body; and The recess is provided in the cover.

[0049] Appendix 3

[0050] A battery comprising: The outer casing as described in Appendix 1 or 2; and Electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly is housed within the housing, wherein: The electrode assembly is an electrode stack, which is a stack of multiple unit electrode assemblies; and The recess extends in the stacking direction of the unit electrode assembly.

[0051] Appendix 4

[0052] According to Appendix 3, the battery also includes a heat conductor disposed inside the housing at a position where the heat conductor faces the surface where the recess is provided.

[0053] Appendix 5

[0054] The battery according to Appendix 3 or 4 also includes a cooler disposed outside the housing at a position where the cooler faces the surface where the recess is provided.

Claims

1. A housing configured to accommodate an electrode assembly, the housing including a plurality of recesses spaced apart in one direction on at least one surface.

2. The outer casing according to claim 1, further comprising a can body and a lid, wherein: The lid is thicker than the can body; and The recess is provided in the cover.

3. A battery, comprising: The housing according to claim 1 or 2; as well as Electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly is housed within the housing, wherein: The electrode assembly is an electrode stack, which is a stack of multiple unit electrode assemblies; and The recess extends in the stacking direction of the unit electrode assembly.

4. The battery according to claim 3 further includes a heat conductor, wherein the heat conductor is disposed inside the housing at a position facing the surface where the recess is provided.

5. The battery according to claim 3 further includes a cooler, the cooler being disposed outside the housing at a position facing the surface of the cooler where the recess is provided.

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