Exhaust device

Abstract

The utility model provides an exhaust device, the exhaust device comprises an extrusion mechanism and a negative pressure mechanism, the extrusion mechanism is used for extruding an electrode assembly of a battery monomer, the negative pressure mechanism is communicated with a through hole of a shell, and the negative pressure mechanism is configured to be capable of extracting gas in the shell. According to the exhaust device provided by the invention, the extrusion mechanism and the negative pressure mechanism are arranged for cooperative work, the extrusion mechanism is used for extruding the gas in the electrode assembly which is not easily extracted by the negative pressure mechanism out of the electrode assembly, and the negative pressure mechanism is used for extracting the gas in the shell which cannot be extruded out of the shell by the extrusion mechanism out of the shell; the extrusion mechanism and the negative pressure mechanism work cooperatively and supplement each other, so that gas in the battery monomers can be discharged more timely and fully, the possibility of lithium precipitation of the battery monomers is reduced, and the formation quality of an SEI film of the battery monomers can be improved in the formation process. Therefore, the reliability of the produced single battery is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of battery production, and in particular to an exhaust device. Background Art

[0002] Batteries are widely used in electronic devices, such as mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric boats, electric toy cars, electric toy boats, electric toy airplanes and power tools, etc.

[0003] In the development of battery cell technology, in addition to improving the performance of battery cells, the reliability of battery cells is also an issue that needs to be considered. Therefore, how to improve the reliability of battery cells is an issue of continuous improvement in battery cell technology. Utility Model Content

[0004] The embodiment of the present application provides an exhaust device, which is helpful for timely exhausting the gas generated inside the battery cell during the aging or formation process of the battery cell, and is helpful for improving the reliability of the produced battery cell.

[0005] According to the embodiment of the present application, the exhaust device is used to exhaust the gas inside the battery cell. The battery cell includes a shell and an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly is accommodated in the shell. The shell has a through hole. The exhaust device includes an extrusion mechanism and a negative pressure mechanism. The extrusion mechanism is used to squeeze the electrode assembly of the battery cell. The negative pressure mechanism is connected to the through hole. The negative pressure mechanism is configured to extract the gas in the shell.

[0006] The exhaust device provided in the embodiment of the present application is provided with an extrusion mechanism and a negative pressure mechanism to work together. The extrusion mechanism is used to squeeze the gas inside the electrode assembly that is not easily extracted by the negative pressure mechanism out of the electrode assembly, and the negative pressure mechanism is used to extract the gas in the shell that cannot be squeezed out of the shell by the extrusion mechanism. The extrusion mechanism and the negative pressure mechanism work together and complement each other to exhaust the gas inside the battery cell more timely and fully, reduce the possibility of lithium precipitation in the battery cell, and in the formation process, it is also beneficial to improve the formation quality of the SEI film of the battery cell. In this way, it is beneficial to improve the reliability of the battery cell formed by production.

[0007] In some embodiments, the squeezing mechanism includes at least two clamping assemblies disposed opposite to each other, with a receiving space between two adjacent clamping assemblies, and the clamping assemblies are used to clamp and squeeze the battery cell into the receiving space. In this way, it is easy to clamp the battery cell by the squeezing assembly, and then clamp the electrode assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly includes an elastic member and a support member, the elastic member is sealed and connected to the support member, the elastic member and the support member are enclosed to form a fluid storage cavity, the elastic member is arranged toward the accommodating space, and is used to abut against the housing, and the fluid storage cavity is used to store fluid to squeeze the battery cell through the elastic member. In the process of squeezing the battery cell, the elastic member can apply squeezing force to the battery cell, and the elastic member can redistribute the squeezing force on the battery cell through deformation, which is conducive to improving the uniformity of the squeezing force of the clamping assembly on the electrode assembly, and further improving the squeezing efficiency of the squeezing mechanism on the gas inside the electrode assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments, the support member includes a main body and a sealing frame, the peripheral side of the elastic member is sandwiched between the sealing frame and the main body, and the elastic member and the main body are enclosed to form a fluid storage cavity. This arrangement facilitates the sealing connection between the elastic member and the main body through the sealing frame, and the sealing of the fluid storage cavity is achieved through a simple structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, there is a receiving space between any two adjacent clamping assemblies, and elastic members are arranged on both sides of the receiving space toward the clamping assemblies, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of battery cells while improving the uniformity of the pressing force of the clamping assemblies on the electrode assemblies.

[0011] In some embodiments, the support member has a fluid inlet and outlet, and the fluid inlet and outlet communicate with the fluid storage chamber and the outside of the fluid storage chamber. In this way, the size of the squeezing force of the clamping assembly on the battery cell can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of fluid in the fluid storage chamber, so that the clamping assembly has a suitable squeezing force on the electrode assembly of the battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the support member and the elastic member are enclosed toward one side of the accommodating space to form a negative pressure groove with one side open, and the support member also includes a negative pressure hole, which is spaced apart from the fluid storage cavity and communicates with the negative pressure groove. In this way, after the battery cell is exhausted, negative pressure can be applied to the negative pressure groove through the negative pressure hole to facilitate the recovery of the shape of the concave part of the shell, so that the shell forms a desired shape.

[0013] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly further includes a distance adjusting member, the distance adjusting member connects the clamping assemblies on both sides of at least part of the accommodating space, and the distance adjusting member is configured to be able to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies. By providing the distance adjusting member to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies, the exhaust device can be adapted to battery cells of different models and sizes, and by adjusting the distance of the clamping assemblies, the size of the squeezing force of the clamping assemblies on the battery cells can be adjusted.

[0014] In some embodiments, the distance adjusting member includes a screw rod, which is threadedly connected to the adjacent clamping assemblies on both sides of the accommodating space. The distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies on both sides of the accommodating space can be adjusted by rotating the screw rod, so that the spacing between the clamping assemblies can be adjusted more quickly and efficiently.

[0015] In some embodiments, the exhaust device further includes a buffer container, which is connected between the through hole and the negative pressure mechanism, and is used to store electrolyte. The buffer container can be used to temporarily store the electrolyte extracted by the negative pressure mechanism. After the exhaust work of the battery cell is completed, the electrolyte in the buffer container can flow back into the battery cell, which is beneficial to reduce the loss of electrolyte caused by the exhaust process of the battery cell.

[0016] In some embodiments, the negative pressure value P of the negative pressure mechanism satisfies: -90KPa≤P≤-40KPa. In this way, while the negative pressure mechanism can more timely and fully extract the gas inside the battery cell, it is also helpful to reduce the risk of the negative pressure mechanism extracting too much electrolyte inside the battery cell.

[0017] In some embodiments, the exhaust device further comprises an exhaust pipeline and a connecting interface, the exhaust pipeline is connected to the through hole and the negative pressure mechanism, the connecting interface is connected to the exhaust pipeline and the through hole, and the material of the connecting interface comprises rubber or silicone. This is beneficial to improve the sealing performance of the connection between the connecting interface and the through hole, and is beneficial to improve the reliability of the exhaust device for exhausting the battery monomer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without paying creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application during the exhaust process of a battery cell;

[0020] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of a battery cell;

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an extrusion mechanism in an exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a clamping assembly in an exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another clamping assembly in an exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an extrusion mechanism in an exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 7 is a front view of a clamping assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of a part of the structure of the exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Fig. 9 is a front view of a clamping assembly in an exhaust device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 Left view of .

[0029] In the drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0030] Marking Description:

[0031] 1. Exhaust device;

[0032] 10. Extrusion mechanism; 10a. Accommodation space; 11. Clamping assembly; 11a. Fluid storage chamber; 11b. Negative pressure groove; 111. Elastic member; 112. Support member; 112a. Fluid inlet and outlet; 112b. Negative pressure hole; 1121. Main body; 1122. Sealing frame; 113. Distance adjustment member; 1131. Screw;

[0033] 20. Negative pressure mechanism;

[0034] 30. Cache container;

[0035] 40. Exhaust pipe;

[0036] 50. Connectivity interface;

[0037] 2. Battery cell; 21. Casing; 21a. Through hole; 22. Electrode assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following detailed description and drawings of the embodiments of the present application are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0039] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.

[0040] Reference to "embodiments" in this application means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] The term "plurality" used in the present application refers to two or more (including two).

[0043] The battery cell mentioned in this application generally includes an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of the battery cell, active ions (such as lithium ions) are embedded and released back and forth between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The separator is arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, which can prevent the positive and negative electrodes from short-circuiting, and at the same time allow the active ions to pass through.

[0044] The battery cell also includes an electrolyte, which plays a role in conducting ions between the positive and negative electrodes. The present application has no specific restrictions on the type of electrolyte, which can be selected according to needs. The electrolyte can be liquid, gel or solid.

[0045] Optionally, the electrode assembly is a winding structure. The positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound into a winding structure. Alternatively, the electrode assembly is a laminated structure.

[0046] The battery cell also includes a shell, and a housing cavity for accommodating the electrode assembly is formed inside the shell. The shell can protect the electrode assembly from the outside to prevent external foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the electrode assembly. The shell can be a hard shell or a soft shell, and correspondingly, the battery cell can be a hard shell battery cell, or the battery cell is a soft pack battery cell.

[0047] During the production process, battery cells need to go through processes such as formation and aging. During the formation or aging process, gas will inevitably be generated in the battery cells. If the gas inside the battery cells is not discharged in time, bubbles will form between the pole pieces and hinder the transmission of lithium ions, causing black spots and lithium precipitation at the interface between the pole pieces inside the battery cells. In addition, during the battery cell formation process, if the gas inside the battery cells is not discharged in time, the quality of the formed SEI (Solid Electrolyte Interface) film will be adversely affected. If the gas inside the battery cells is not discharged in time, the outer shell will swell. Therefore, if the gas in the battery cells during the aging or formation process is not discharged in time, the reliability of the battery cells will be affected.

[0048] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides an exhaust device, which is provided with an extrusion mechanism and a negative pressure mechanism. The extrusion mechanism is used to squeeze the gas between the internal pole pieces of the battery cell to the outside of the electrode assembly, and the negative pressure mechanism is used to extract the gas inside the battery cell to the outside of the battery cell. In this way, the working action of the negative pressure mechanism and the extrusion mechanism is conducive to more timely and sufficient discharge of the gas inside the battery cell. In the battery cell formation process, it is conducive to improving the quality of the formed SEI film, and reducing the risk of defects such as bulging of the battery cell shell, which is conducive to improving the reliability of the battery cell formed in production.

[0049] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the exhaust device 1 provided according to the embodiment of the present application is used to exhaust the gas inside the battery cell 2. The battery cell 2 includes a shell 21 and an electrode assembly 22. The electrode assembly 22 is accommodated in the shell 21. The shell 21 has a through hole 21a. The exhaust device 1 includes a pressing mechanism 10 and a negative pressure mechanism 20. The pressing mechanism 10 is used to press the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 2. The negative pressure mechanism 20 is connected to the through hole 21a. The negative pressure mechanism 20 is configured to extract the gas in the shell 21.

[0050] The pressing mechanism 10 is used to press the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 2 , so the pressing mechanism 10 can clamp the battery cell 2 from the outside of the battery cell 2 and apply a pressing force to the electrode assembly 22 inside the battery cell 2 through the outer shell 21 .

[0051] The squeezing mechanism 10 may be any structure capable of exerting squeezing force on the battery cell 2 . Exemplarily, the squeezing mechanism 10 exerts relative forces on the battery cell 2 from two surfaces of the battery cell 2 with larger areas to squeeze the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 2 .

[0052] The squeezing force of the squeezing mechanism 10 on the battery cell 2 may be adjustable or non-adjustable. For example, the squeezing mechanism 10 may include a torsion spring and a clamping member, the clamping member is connected to the torsion spring, and the elastic force of the torsion spring is used to maintain the squeezing force on the battery cell 2 through the clamping member. Alternatively, the squeezing mechanism 10 may include two opposite clamping members, the two clamping members are respectively located on both sides of the battery cell 2, and the clamping members are applied with opposite forces by external force to achieve the squeezing of the battery cell 2 and then the electrode assembly 22 by the clamping members. In this case, the squeezing force of the squeezing mechanism 10 on the electrode assembly 22 can be adjusted by adjusting the magnitude of the force of the external force on the clamping member.

[0053] The extrusion mechanism 10 may only accommodate one battery cell 2 and extrude one battery cell 2, or the extrusion mechanism 10 may accommodate multiple electrode assemblies 22 and extrude multiple electrode assemblies 22 at the same time. The specific configuration may be based on actual needs.

[0054] Similarly, the negative pressure mechanism 20 can be connected to the through holes 21 a of multiple battery cells 2 at the same time, or the negative pressure mechanism 20 can be connected to the through holes 21 a of multiple battery cells 2 at the same time through different pipelines to extract gas from multiple battery cells 2 at the same time.

[0055] The through hole 21a of the battery cell 2 can be an injection port for injecting electrolyte into the battery cell 2. After the injection is completed, the injection port is used as the through hole 21a to discharge the gas inside the battery cell 2 through the through hole 21a. Of course, after the injection is completed, the injection port can be blocked and a through hole 21a connecting the inside and outside of the shell 21 can be specially set at a suitable position.

[0056] By squeezing the electrode assembly 22 using the squeezing mechanism 10 , the gas inside the electrode assembly 22 can be squeezed out of the electrode assembly 22 , making it easier for the negative pressure mechanism 20 to be drawn out of the outer shell 21 .

[0057] The negative pressure mechanism 20 may include components such as a negative pressure pump. The negative pressure mechanism 20 is connected to the interior of the housing 21 through the through hole 21 a. The gas inside the battery cell 2 is discharged to the outside of the housing 21 through the through hole 21 a under the negative pressure of the negative pressure mechanism 20 .

[0058] It is understandable that the squeezing mechanism 10 can squeeze the gas inside the electrode assembly 22 that is not easily extracted by the negative pressure mechanism 20 out of the electrode assembly 22, so that the gas squeezed out of the electrode assembly 22 can be extracted by the negative pressure mechanism 20. The negative pressure mechanism 20 can extract the gas inside the shell 21 that cannot be squeezed out of the shell 21 by the squeezing mechanism 10. Therefore, the squeezing mechanism 10 and the negative pressure mechanism 20 work together to discharge the gas inside the battery cell 2 more timely and fully.

[0059] Therefore, the exhaust device 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application is provided with an extrusion mechanism 10 and a negative pressure mechanism 20 to work together. The extrusion mechanism 10 squeezes the gas inside the electrode assembly 22 that is not easily extracted by the negative pressure mechanism 20 out of the electrode assembly 22, and the negative pressure mechanism 20 extracts the gas inside the housing 21 that cannot be squeezed out of the housing 21 by the extrusion mechanism 10. The extrusion mechanism 10 and the negative pressure mechanism 20 work together and complement each other to exhaust the gas inside the battery cell 2 more timely and fully, reduce the possibility of lithium precipitation in the battery cell 2, and in the formation process, it is also beneficial to improve the formation quality of the SEI film of the battery cell 2. In this way, it is beneficial to improve the reliability of the battery cell 2 formed by production.

[0060] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the squeezing mechanism 10 includes at least two clamping assemblies 11 disposed opposite to each other, and an accommodating space 10a is defined between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11. The clamping assemblies 11 are used to clamp and squeeze the battery cell 2 into the accommodating space 10a.

[0061] Optionally, the extrusion mechanism 10 may include two or more clamping assemblies 11, and the multiple clamping assemblies 11 may be arranged at intervals in the same direction, and a receiving space 10a for receiving the battery cell 2 may be formed between any two adjacent clamping assemblies 11, and both sides of a clamping assembly 11 squeeze the battery cell 2. Alternatively, multiple clamping assemblies 11 cooperate in pairs to form a receiving space 10a, and a clamping assembly 11 squeezes only one battery cell 2. The specific structural type of the extrusion mechanism 10 can be selected according to actual needs.

[0062] The clamping assembly 11 can press against the battery cell 2 through a plane to provide a squeezing force on the battery cell 2, or the squeezing mechanism 10 can press against the battery cell 2 through a structure such as an elastic airbag to provide a squeezing force on the battery cell 2 through the elastic airbag.

[0063] By applying opposing forces to the clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of the accommodating space 10 a , the clamping assemblies 11 can clamp the battery cells 2 .

[0064] Therefore, the squeezing mechanism 10 includes at least two clamping assemblies 11 , and the clamping assemblies 11 are used to clamp and squeeze the battery cell 2 , so as to facilitate the clamping of the battery cell 2 by the squeezing assemblies, and further clamp the electrode assembly 22 .

[0065] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 11 includes an elastic member 111 and a support member 112, the elastic member 111 is sealingly connected to the support member 112, the elastic member 111 and the support member 112 are enclosed to form a fluid storage cavity 11a, the elastic member 111 is arranged toward the accommodating space 10a, and is used to abut against the outer shell 21, and the fluid storage cavity 11a is used to store fluid to squeeze the battery cell 2 through the elastic member 111.

[0066] The elastic member 111 may be an elastic airbag, the elastic member 111 is connected to the support member 112, and encloses the support member 112 to form a fluid storage chamber 11a, and the elastic member 111 is arranged toward the accommodation space 10a. Optionally, in the case where only one side of the clamping assembly 11 has an accommodation space 10a, the elastic member 111 may be arranged toward the accommodation space 10a on one side, and in the case where both sides of the clamping assembly 11 have an accommodation space 10a, the elastic member 111 may be arranged toward the accommodation space 10a on both sides of the clamping assembly 11. In other words, the elastic member 111 may be arranged on one side of the support member 112, such as Figure 4 as shown; or Figure 5 As shown, the elastic member 111 may be disposed on both sides of the support member 112 to compress the battery cell 2 on both sides of the clamping assembly 11 .

[0067] The elastic member 111 and the support member 112 are combined to form a fluid containing cavity. When the clamping assembly 11 is in the process of squeezing the battery cell 2, the pressure of the fluid in the fluid storage cavity 11a acts on the battery cell 2 through the elastic member 111, so as to provide a more uniform squeezing force on the battery cell 2. In addition, when the elastic member 111 is squeezing the battery cell 2, the risk of the clamping assembly 11 damaging the outer shell 21 of the battery cell 2 is reduced.

[0068] Optionally, the squeezing force of the elastic member 111 on the battery cell 2 can be adjusted by adjusting the pressure of the fluid in the fluid storage chamber 11a, so as to squeeze out the gas in the electrode assembly 22 without causing significant damage to the battery cell 2.

[0069] The fluid stored in the fluid storage chamber 11a may be liquid or gas, and may be set according to actual needs.

[0070] Therefore, the clamping assembly 11 is provided to include an elastic member 111 and a support member 112, and the elastic member 111 and the support member 112 are provided to enclose a fluid storage cavity 11a, and the elastic member 111 is arranged toward the accommodating space 10a. Then, in the process of squeezing the battery cell 2, the squeezing force can be applied to the battery cell 2 by the elastic member 111, and the elastic member 111 can redistribute the squeezing force on the battery cell 2 by deformation, which is beneficial to improve the uniformity of the squeezing force of the clamping assembly 11 on the electrode assembly 22, and further improve the extrusion efficiency of the squeezing mechanism 10 on the internal gas of the electrode assembly 22.

[0071] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, and in some embodiments, the support member 112 includes a main body 1121 and a sealing frame 1122, the peripheral side of the elastic member 111 is clamped between the sealing frame 1122 and the main body 1121, and the elastic member 111 and the main body 1121 enclose a fluid storage chamber 11a.

[0072] The peripheral side of the elastic member 111 is clamped between the sealing frame 1122 and the main body 1121, and the two sides of the peripheral side of the elastic member 111 can be bonded to the sealing frame 1122 and the main body 1121 respectively to achieve the purpose of sealing connection between the elastic member 111 and the main body 1121 and forming the fluid storage chamber 11a.

[0073] Therefore, the support member 112 is provided to include a main body 1121 and a sealing frame 1122, and the peripheral side of the elastic member 111 is clamped between the sealing frame 1122 and the main body 1121, so as to facilitate the sealed connection between the elastic member 111 and the main body 1121 through the sealing frame 1122, and to achieve the sealing of the fluid containing cavity through a simple structure.

[0074] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, there is an accommodation space 10 a between any two adjacent clamping assemblies 11 , and elastic members 111 are provided on both sides of the accommodation space 10 a facing the clamping assemblies 11 .

[0075] In this way, elastic parts 111 are provided on both sides of the clamping assembly 11 facing the accommodating space 10a. One clamping assembly 11 can participate in the clamping of two battery cells 2, and both are abutted against the battery cells 2 through the elastic parts 111, which is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the battery cells 2 while improving the uniformity of the squeezing force of the clamping assembly 11 on the electrode assembly 22.

[0076] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the support member 112 has a fluid inlet and outlet 112a, and the fluid inlet and outlet 112a communicates with the fluid storage chamber 11a and the outside of the fluid storage chamber 11a.

[0077] In this way, the fluid can be filled into the fluid storage chamber 11a through the fluid inlet and outlet 112a, or the fluid in the fluid storage chamber 11a can flow out through the fluid inlet and outlet 112a, so as to increase or decrease the pressure in the fluid storage chamber 11a. In other words, the amount of fluid in the fluid storage chamber 11a can be adjusted through the fluid inlet and outlet 112a, thereby adjusting the size of the squeezing force of the clamping assembly 11 on the battery cell 2, so that the clamping assembly 11 has a suitable squeezing force on the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 2.

[0078] It is understandable that when the squeezing mechanism 10 squeezes the battery cell 2, a certain force is applied to the shell 21, and the negative pressure mechanism 20 extracts gas from the shell 21 to form a certain negative pressure inside the shell 21, which will cause the shell 21 to sag inward.

[0079] like Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, in some embodiments, the support member 112 and the elastic member 111 enclose one side of the accommodating space 10a to form a negative pressure groove 11b with an open side, and the support member 112 also includes a negative pressure hole 112b, which is spaced apart from the fluid storage chamber 11a and connected to the negative pressure groove 11b.

[0080] The support member 112 and the elastic member 111 are enclosed toward one side of the accommodating space 10a to form a negative pressure groove 11b with an opening on one side. Optionally, in an embodiment where the support member 112 includes a main body 1121 and a sealing frame 1122, the elastic member 111 can form a negative pressure groove 11b with an opening together with the main body 1121. When the clamping assembly 11 clamps the battery cell 2, the battery cell 2 covers the opening of the negative pressure groove 11b, so that the support member 112, the elastic member 111 and the battery cell 2 form a closed cavity.

[0081] After the exhaust of the battery cell 2 is completed, the through hole 21a can be connected to the atmospheric pressure, and negative pressure can be provided to the negative pressure groove 11b through the negative pressure hole 112b, so that the side of the shell 21 covering the opening of the negative pressure groove 11b can recover its deformation under the pressure difference between the inside of the shell 21 and the negative pressure groove 11b, that is, the shell 21 is under the pressure difference between the inside and outside, and the inwardly concave part can be restored. Optionally, a negative pressure of more than -90KPa can be applied to the negative pressure groove 11b.

[0082] The negative pressure hole 112 b is spaced apart from the fluid storage chamber 11 a , so the existence of the negative pressure hole 112 b will not affect the normal operation of the fluid storage chamber 11 a in squeezing the battery cell 2 .

[0083] It is understandable that the depth of the negative pressure groove 11b can be adjusted to adjust the flatness of the outer shell 21 after the deformation is restored. In the embodiment where the support member 112 includes a main body 1121 and a sealing frame 1122, the sealing frame 1122 is fitted with the outer shell 21, and the thickness of the sealing frame 1122 reflects the depth of the negative pressure groove 11b. The flatness of the outer shell 21 after the deformation is restored can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness e of the sealing frame 1122. Exemplarily, the thickness e of the sealing frame 1122 can be set in the range of 0.5mm to 2mm, at which time, the outer shell 21 formed has good flatness. In some embodiments, the thickness e of the sealing frame 1122 can be set to be less than 0.5mm, and the outer shell 21 formed is still concave toward the inside of the battery cell 2. In other embodiments, the thickness e of the sealing frame 1122 can be set to be greater than 2mm, so that the outer shell 21 formed is set to bulge outward. Therefore, by setting a specific value of the thickness e of the sealing frame 1122 , the surface of the outer shell 21 formed during production can have a convex, concave or flat shape, which facilitates the construction of a specific shape of the outer shell 21 .

[0084] Therefore, the support member 112 and the elastic member 111 are arranged to enclose a negative pressure groove 11b with one side open toward the accommodating space 10a, and the support member 112 is arranged to include a negative pressure hole 112b. After the battery cell 2 is exhausted, negative pressure can be applied to the negative pressure groove 11b through the negative pressure hole 112b to facilitate the recovery of the shape of the recessed part of the outer shell 21 so that the outer shell 21 can form a desired shape.

[0085] like Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 11 further includes a distance adjusting member 113 , which connects the clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of at least part of the accommodating space 10a , and the distance adjusting member 113 is configured to be able to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11 .

[0086] The distance adjusting member 113 may be a guide member, which cooperates with the clamping assembly 11, and the clamping assembly 11 may move along the guide member to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11. Of course, the distance adjusting member 113 may also be other structural forms, as long as the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11 can be adjusted.

[0087] By setting the distance adjustment member 113 to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11, the exhaust device 1 can be adapted to battery cells 2 of different models and sizes. By adjusting the distance between the clamping assemblies 11, the squeezing force of the clamping assemblies 11 on the battery cells 2 can be adjusted.

[0088] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the distance adjusting member 113 includes a screw rod 1131 , and the screw rod 1131 is threadedly connected to the clamping assemblies 11 adjacent to the two sides of the accommodating space 10 a .

[0089] The screw rod 1131 is threadedly connected to the clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of the accommodating space 10a. The distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of the accommodating space 10a can be adjusted by rotating the screw rod 1131, so that the spacing between the clamping assemblies 11 can be adjusted more quickly and efficiently.

[0090] like Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the exhaust device 1 further includes a buffer container 30, which is connected between the through hole 21a and the negative pressure mechanism 20, and the buffer container 30 is used to store electrolyte.

[0091] It is understandable that the negative pressure mechanism 20 may extract a small portion of the electrolyte inside the battery cell 2 while extracting the gas inside the battery cell 2 .

[0092] By providing a buffer container 30, after the electrolyte flows out of the battery cell 2 through the through hole 21a, the electrolyte can be stored in the buffer container 30 due to the action of gravity and the adsorption effect of the buffer container 30 on the electrolyte. After the battery cell 2 is exhausted, the electrolyte in the buffer container 30 can flow back to the interior of the battery cell 2 through the through hole 21a due to the action of gravity.

[0093] Therefore, a buffer container 30 is provided, and the buffer container 30 can be used to temporarily store the electrolyte extracted by the negative pressure mechanism 20. After the exhaust work of the battery cell 2 is completed, the electrolyte in the buffer container 30 can flow back into the battery cell 2, which is beneficial to reduce the loss of electrolyte caused by the exhaust process of the battery cell 2.

[0094] In some embodiments, the negative pressure value P of the negative pressure mechanism 20 satisfies: -90 KPa ≤ P ≤ -40 KPa.

[0095] Optionally, the negative pressure value P of the negative pressure mechanism 20 can be -90 KPa, -85 KPa, -80 KPa, -75 KPa, -70 KPa, -65 KPa, -60 KPa, -55 KPa, -50 KPa, -45 KPa or -40 KPa, etc.

[0096] Thus, setting the upper limit of P to -40 KPa helps to reduce the risk that the negative pressure mechanism 20 cannot extract the gas inside the battery cell 2, while setting the lower limit of P to -90 KPa reduces the risk that the negative pressure mechanism 20 extracts too much electrolyte inside the battery cell 2.

[0097] Therefore, after long-term analysis and practice, the inventors found that setting -90KPa≤P≤-40KPa can not only enable the negative pressure mechanism 20 to extract the gas inside the battery cell 2 more timely and fully, but also help reduce the risk of the negative pressure mechanism 20 extracting excessive electrolyte inside the battery cell 2.

[0098] As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the exhaust device 1 also includes an exhaust pipeline 40 and a connecting interface 50, the exhaust pipeline 40 connects the through hole 21a and the negative pressure mechanism 20, the connecting interface 50 connects the exhaust pipeline 40 and the through hole 21a, and the material of the connecting interface 50 includes rubber or silicone.

[0099] The through hole 21a of the battery cell 2 and the exhaust pipe 40 are connected via the connecting interface 50, and the material of the connecting port includes silicone or rubber, which is beneficial to improving the sealing performance of the connection between the connecting interface 50 and the through hole 21a, and is beneficial to improving the reliability of the exhaust device 1 for exhausting the battery cell 2.

[0100] like Figures 1 to 10As shown, in some embodiments, the exhaust device 1 includes an extrusion mechanism 10, a negative pressure mechanism 20, a buffer container 30, an exhaust pipeline 40 and a communication interface 50. The extrusion mechanism 10 is used to squeeze the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 2, and the negative pressure mechanism 20 is connected to the through hole 21a of the shell 21. The negative pressure mechanism 20 is configured to be able to extract the gas in the shell 21. The extrusion mechanism 10 includes at least two clamping assemblies 11 arranged opposite to each other, and there is a receiving space 10a between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11. The clamping assembly 11 is used to clamp and squeeze the battery cell 2 in the receiving space 10a. The clamping assembly 11 includes an elastic member 111, a support member 112 and a distance adjustment member 113. The elastic member 111 is sealed and connected to the support member 112, and is enclosed with the support member 112 to form a fluid storage chamber 11a. The elastic member 111 is arranged toward the receiving space 10a and is used to abut against the shell 21. The fluid storage chamber 11a is used to store fluid to squeeze the battery cell 2 through the elastic member 111. The support member 112 includes a main body 1121 and a sealing frame 1122. The circumferential side of the elastic member 111 is clamped between the sealing frame 1122 and the main body 1121. The elastic member 111 and the main body 1121 enclose a fluid storage chamber 11a. There is a receiving space 10a between any two adjacent clamping components 11. The elastic member 111 is provided on both sides of the receiving space 10a facing the support member 112. The support member 112 has a fluid inlet and outlet 112a, and the fluid inlet and outlet 112a communicates with the fluid storage chamber 11a and the outside of the fluid storage chamber 11a. The support member 112 and the elastic member 111 enclose one side of the receiving space 10a to form a negative pressure groove 11b with an opening on one side. The support member 112 also includes a negative pressure hole 112b, which is spaced apart from the fluid storage chamber 11a and is connected to the negative pressure groove 11b. The distance adjusting member 113 connects the clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of at least part of the accommodating space 10a, and the distance adjusting member 113 is configured to be able to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies 11. The distance adjusting member 113 includes a screw 1131, and the screw 1131 is threadedly connected to the adjacent clamping assemblies 11 on both sides of the accommodating space 10a. The buffer container 30 is connected between the through hole 21a and the negative pressure mechanism 20, and the buffer container 30 is used to store electrolyte. The negative pressure value P of the negative pressure mechanism 20 satisfies: -90KPa≤P≤-40KPa. The exhaust pipe 40 connects the through hole 21a and the negative pressure mechanism 20, and the connecting interface 50 connects the exhaust pipe 40 and the through hole 21a, and the material of the connecting interface 50 includes rubber or silicone.

[0101] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and parts thereof may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An exhaust device for exhausting gas inside a battery cell, wherein the battery cell comprises a housing and an electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly is accommodated in the housing, and the housing has a through hole, wherein: The exhaust device comprises: An extrusion mechanism, used for extruding the electrode assembly of the battery cell; A negative pressure mechanism is communicated with the through hole, and the negative pressure mechanism is configured to extract gas from the shell.

2. The exhaust device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The squeezing mechanism comprises at least two clamping assemblies arranged opposite to each other, and a receiving space is provided between two adjacent clamping assemblies. The clamping assemblies are used to clamp and squeeze the battery monomer into the receiving space.

3. The exhaust device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping assembly includes an elastic member and a support member, the elastic member is sealingly connected to the support member, the elastic member and the support member are combined to form a fluid storage cavity, the elastic member is arranged toward the accommodating space and is used to abut against the shell, and the fluid storage cavity is used to store fluid to squeeze the battery cell through the elastic member.

4. The exhaust device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support member includes a main body and a sealing frame. The peripheral side of the elastic member is sandwiched between the sealing frame and the main body. The elastic member and the main body are enclosed to form the fluid storage cavity.

5. The exhaust device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The accommodating space is provided between any two adjacent clamping assemblies, and the elastic members are provided on both sides of the accommodating space facing the clamping assemblies.

6. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The support member has a fluid inlet and outlet, and the fluid inlet and outlet communicate with the fluid storage chamber and the outside of the fluid storage chamber.

7. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that: The support member and the elastic member are arranged toward one side of the accommodating space to form a negative pressure groove with one side open. The support member also includes a negative pressure hole, which is spaced apart from the fluid storage cavity and communicated with the negative pressure groove.

8. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The clamping assembly further includes a distance adjusting member, which connects at least a portion of the clamping assemblies on both sides of the accommodating space, and the distance adjusting member is configured to be able to adjust the distance between two adjacent clamping assemblies.

9. The exhaust device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The distance adjusting member comprises a screw rod, and the screw rod is threadedly connected to the clamping assemblies adjacent to two sides of the accommodating space.

10. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The exhaust device further includes a buffer container, which is connected between the through hole and the negative pressure mechanism and is used to store electrolyte.

11. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The negative pressure value P of the negative pressure mechanism satisfies: -90KPa≤P≤-40KPa.

12. The exhaust device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The exhaust device further comprises an exhaust pipeline and a connecting interface, wherein the exhaust pipeline is connected with the through hole and the negative pressure mechanism, and the connecting interface is connected with the exhaust pipeline and the through hole, and the material of the connecting interface comprises rubber or silicone.

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