End cover assembly, battery monomer, battery and electric device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an end cover assembly, a battery monomer, a battery and an electric device, the end cover assembly comprises a cover plate, a pressure release valve and a fixing structure, a part of the cover plate is recessed inwards to form a recessed part, a pressure release hole is formed in the recessed part, and the recessed part defines a cover plate groove; the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove and seals and covers the pressure relief hole. The fixing structure is arranged in the concave part and located on the peripheral side of the pressure relief hole, and at least part of the fixing structure is located in the cover plate groove and used for fixing the pressure relief valve. According to the end cover assembly disclosed by the utility model, the cover plate of the end cover assembly is relatively small in thickness and relatively low in cost, so that the overall thickness of the end cover assembly is relatively small, the cost is relatively low, the space occupied by the end cover assembly is reduced, and the energy density of the single battery is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of batteries, in particular to an end cover assembly, a battery monomer, a battery and an electrical device. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, a pressure relief valve is provided on the end cover assembly of the battery cell for safety protection, and the pressure relief valve is fixed on the cover plate of the end cover assembly. Usually, a groove is processed on the cover plate by removing material, and the groove is used to accommodate the pressure relief valve and the fixing structure for accommodating the pressure relief valve. In order to ensure the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate, the remaining thickness of the part where the groove is formed on the cover plate needs to be set larger, so as to meet the sealing strength requirements between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate, which makes the overall thickness of the cover plate larger, resulting in a higher cost of the cover plate, thereby making the cost of the end cover assembly higher; in addition, a thicker cover plate will also make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly larger and occupy a larger space, resulting in a lower energy density of the battery cell. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the above problems, the utility model provides an end cover assembly, a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device, so that the cover plate of the end cover assembly has a smaller thickness and a lower cost, thereby making the overall thickness of the end cover assembly smaller and the cost lower, and is also beneficial to reducing the space occupied by the end cover assembly and improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides an end cover assembly, comprising: a cover plate, a portion of the cover plate is recessed inward to form a recessed portion, a pressure relief hole is formed on the recessed portion, and the recessed portion defines a cover plate groove; a pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove and covers the pressure relief hole; a fixing structure is provided in the recessed portion and is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole, at least a portion of the fixing structure is located in the cover plate groove and is used to fix the pressure relief valve.

[0005] In the above technical solution, a recessed portion is formed by making part of the cover plate concave inward, the recessed portion defines a cover plate groove, and the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove and at least a part of the fixing structure used to fix the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove. The arrangement of the recessed portion makes it possible to form a cover plate groove for accommodating the pressure relief valve and a fixing structure for accommodating the pressure relief valve without removing material from the cover plate, so that the portion of the cover plate where the cover plate groove is formed can meet the sealing strength requirement between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate without increasing the overall thickness of the cover plate, thereby making the overall thickness of the cover plate smaller, which is beneficial to reducing the cost of the cover plate and the cost of the end cover assembly; in addition, the recessed portion of the cover plate makes full use of the space on the inner side of the cover plate where the end cover assembly is located, and the structure of the end cover assembly is compact, all of which will make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly smaller, thereby making the space occupied by the end cover assembly smaller. When the end cover assembly is used for a battery cell, such an arrangement is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0006] In some embodiments, a portion of the outer surface of the cover plate located on the outer peripheral side of the recessed portion is the outside of the cover plate, and the fixing structure does not protrude from the outside of the cover plate.

[0007] In the above technical solution, by making the fixing structure not protrude from the outside of the cover plate, the fixing structure will not occupy the outer space outside the cover plate, and interference between the fixing structure and structures, components, etc. located in the outer space outside the cover plate can be avoided, thereby avoiding the fixing structure protruding from the outside of the cover plate from affecting the coordination between the end cover assembly and other components.

[0008] In some embodiments, the depth of the cover plate groove ranges from 1.9 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0009] In the above technical solution, if the depth of the cover plate groove is less than 1.9mm, the depth of the cover plate groove may not be enough to accommodate the pressure relief valve; if the depth of the cover plate groove is greater than 2.5mm, the depth of the recessed portion of the cover plate is relatively large, and the cover plate undergoes a large degree of deformation in the process of being recessed inward to form the recessed portion, which may cause defects such as wrinkles and cracks on the cover plate, which may cause the cover plate to be scrapped or reduce the service life of the cover plate. By making the depth range of the cover plate groove 1.9mm to 2.5mm, within this range, the depth of the cover plate groove is suitable for accommodating the pressure relief valve, and the degree of deformation of the cover plate in the process of forming the cover plate groove is relatively appropriate, and it is not easy to have defects such as wrinkles and cracks, and the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate meets the use requirements.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cover plate has a thickness ranging from 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0011] In the above technical solution, if the thickness of the cover plate is less than 1.0 mm, the strength of the cover plate is low, which may lead to a weak bearing capacity of the end cover assembly. During operation, it may be deformed, cracked, etc. due to the high pressure, and the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate will be low; if the thickness of the cover plate is greater than 2.5 mm, the weight of the cover plate will be large and the cost will be high; by making the thickness range of the cover plate 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm, within this range, the thickness and weight of the cover plate are more suitable, and it has higher strength, so that the cover plate is not easy to deform and can ensure the sealing strength requirements, and the cost is low.

[0012] In some embodiments, the bottom wall surface of the cover plate groove is the groove bottom surface, the side wall surface of the cover plate groove is the groove side surface, the fixing structure is connected to the groove bottom surface, and the fixing structure is spaced apart from the groove side surface to form an avoidance groove.

[0013] In the above technical solution, the avoidance groove is formed by spacing the fixing structure from the side of the groove. During the process of fixing the pressure relief valve to the cover plate by the fixing structure, the avoidance groove can provide an operating space so that the fixing structure can fix the pressure relief valve to the cover plate.

[0014] In some embodiments, in a direction from the bottom surface of the groove to an open mouth of the cover plate groove, the groove side surface extends obliquely in a direction away from the fixing structure.

[0015] In the above technical solution, by making the groove side surface extend obliquely in the direction from the bottom surface of the groove to the open mouth of the cover plate groove in the direction away from the fixed structure, the space of the avoidance groove formed between the fixed structure and the groove side surface gradually increases in the direction from the bottom surface of the groove to the open mouth of the cover plate groove, which facilitates operation from the open mouth of the cover plate groove so that the fixed structure can fix the pressure relief valve to the cover plate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the fixing structure is integrally formed with the cover plate.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the fixing structure for fixing the pressure relief valve is integrally formed with the cover plate, and there is no need to fix the pressure relief valve to the cover plate by welding the fixing structure to the cover plate. This can avoid damage to the pressure relief valve caused by the heat generated during the welding process and avoid problems such as sealing failure caused by this, which is beneficial to improving the yield rate of the end cover assembly and reducing the cost of the end cover assembly.

[0018] In some embodiments, a limiting groove is defined between the fixing structure and the recessed portion, and an edge portion of the pressure relief valve is accommodated in the limiting groove.

[0019] In the above technical solution, a limiting groove is defined between the fixing structure and the recessed portion of the cover plate and the edge of the pressure relief valve is accommodated in the limiting groove. The limiting groove forms a limiting effect on the edge of the pressure relief valve, so that the pressure relief valve can be stably fixed on the cover plate.

[0020] In some embodiments, the fixing structure includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion, the first fixing portion is connected to the outer surface of the cover plate and protrudes from the outer surface of the cover plate, the second fixing portion is connected to an end of the first fixing portion away from the cover plate, the second fixing portion is located on a side of the first fixing portion close to the central axis of the pressure relief hole and is spaced apart from the cover plate, and the first fixing portion, the second fixing portion and the cover plate jointly define the limiting groove.

[0021] In the above technical solution, the fixing structure includes a first fixing part and a second fixing part, and the second fixing part is connected to an end of the first fixing part away from the cover plate and spaced apart from the cover plate, and the second fixing part is located on a side of the central axis of the first fixing part close to the pressure relief hole. Such an arrangement facilitates the first fixing part, the second fixing part and the cover plate to jointly define a limiting groove. The limiting groove has a simple structure and is easy to form. The second fixing part forms a limiting and fixing effect on the pressure relief valve located in the limiting groove, which can prevent the pressure relief valve from falling out of the limiting groove.

[0022] In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve includes a valve plate and a pressing plate, the valve plate covers the pressure relief hole, the pressing plate is arranged on a side of the valve plate away from the cover plate, the melting point of the pressing plate is lower than the melting point of the valve plate, and the second fixing portion is located on a side of the pressing plate away from the valve plate so as to fix the valve plate to the cover plate through the pressing plate.

[0023] In the above technical solution, the pressure relief valve includes a valve sheet for sealing the pressure relief hole and a pressing sheet arranged on the side of the valve sheet away from the cover plate, and the melting point of the pressing sheet is lower than the melting point of the valve sheet. When high temperature appears in the use environment of the end cover assembly and reaches the melting point of the pressing sheet, for example, when the battery cell including the end cover assembly suffers from thermal instability, the pressing sheet will melt before the valve sheet, and the fixing constraint force of the pressing sheet on the valve sheet will be greatly reduced, so that the valve sheet can be detached from the cover plate to release the cover on the pressure relief hole, so that the pressure can be quickly relieved through the pressure relief hole, thereby avoiding the large amount of energy accumulation inside the end cover assembly and causing a high-pressure explosion.

[0024] In some embodiments, the thickness of the pressing sheet is greater than the thickness of the valve sheet.

[0025] In the above technical solution, by making the thickness of the pressing sheet greater than the thickness of the valve sheet, the thickness of the valve sheet is smaller and thus the weight of the valve sheet is smaller. After the pressing sheet is melted, the valve sheet can easily detach from the cover plate to contact the cover of the pressure relief hole. For example, the valve sheet can be easily blown away from the pressure relief hole by the gas in the end cover assembly. In addition, by making the thickness of the pressing sheet larger, the limiting and fixing effect of the pressing sheet on the valve sheet can be ensured.

[0026] In some embodiments, the pressing plate is a plastic part, and the valve plate is a metal part.

[0027] In the above technical solution, the pressing sheet is made of a plastic part and the valve sheet is made of a metal part. The melting point of the plastic part is relatively low. When the valve sheet is exposed to high temperatures in the use environment of the end cover assembly, the plastic part is easily melted. Thus, the restraining force of the pressing sheet on the valve sheet formed as a metal part can be greatly reduced, and the valve sheet can easily detach from the cover plate to contact the cover of the pressure relief hole.

[0028] In some embodiments, a matching notch is formed on the edge of the pressure relief valve, and at least a portion of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the matching notch.

[0029] In the above technical solution, a matching notch is formed on the edge of the pressure relief valve, and at least a portion of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the matching notch. The matching notch is used to avoid the second fixing portion, thereby avoiding mutual interference between the pressure relief valve and the second fixing portion. In addition, at least a portion of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the matching notch, so that the second fixing portion fixes the pressure relief valve, which is beneficial for the pressure relief valve to be stably fixed to the cover plate.

[0030] In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve comprises a valve plate and a pressing plate, the valve plate covers the pressure relief hole, the pressing plate is arranged on a side of the valve plate away from the cover plate, and the second fixing portion is located on a side of the pressing plate away from the valve plate, so as to fix the valve plate on the cover plate through the pressing plate;

[0031] Among them, the edge portion of the valve plate is the first edge portion, the edge portion of the pressing plate is the second edge portion, the first edge portion and the second edge portion together constitute the edge portion of the pressure relief valve, and the second edge portion forms the matching notch.

[0032] In the above technical solution, the pressure relief valve includes a valve plate that covers the pressure relief hole and a pressing plate arranged on the side of the valve plate away from the cover plate, the second fixing portion is located on the side of the pressing plate away from the valve plate, and the second edge portion of the pressing plate is formed with a matching notch, so that the second fixing portion fixes the pressing plate at the second edge portion, and then the second edge portion of the pressing plate fixes the first edge portion of the valve plate, so that the valve plate and the pressing plate are stably fixed to the cover plate by the second fixing portion.

[0033] In some embodiments, the end cover assembly includes: an inner insulating plate, which is arranged on the inner side of the cover plate, and a portion of the inner insulating plate is recessed inward to form an avoidance groove, and at least a portion of the recessed portion is accommodated in the avoidance groove.

[0034] In the above technical solution, a portion of the inner insulating plate is recessed inward to form an avoidance groove, and at least a portion of the recessed portion is accommodated in the avoidance groove. The avoidance groove provides a placement space for at least a portion of the recessed portion. The recessed portion fully utilizes the space in the avoidance groove of the inner insulating plate, so that the overall structure of the end cover assembly is compact, which is also beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the end cover assembly. When the end cover assembly is used for a battery cell, it is also beneficial to improve the energy density of the battery cell.

[0035] In some embodiments, an exhaust groove is formed on the bottom wall of the avoidance groove, the exhaust groove is opposite to the pressure relief valve and is connected to the pressure relief hole, and a ventilation structure connected to the exhaust groove is formed on the inner insulating plate.

[0036] In the above technical solution, an exhaust groove and a ventilation structure are formed on the bottom wall of the avoidance groove of the inner insulating plate, and the exhaust groove is opposite to the pressure relief valve and connected to the pressure relief hole, and the ventilation structure is connected to the exhaust groove, so that after the pressure relief valve is separated from the pressure relief hole, the gas inside the end cover assembly can be smoothly discharged through the ventilation structure, the exhaust groove and the pressure relief hole in sequence to achieve the purpose of pressure relief, thereby avoiding a large amount of energy accumulation in the end cover assembly and even a high-pressure explosion.

[0037] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides a battery cell, comprising: a shell having an opening; an electrode assembly disposed in the shell; and an end cover assembly according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the utility model, covering the opening.

[0038] In the above technical solution, the battery cell is provided with the above-mentioned end cover assembly, and a recessed portion is formed on the cover plate of the end cover assembly. The provision of the recessed portion makes it possible to form a cover plate groove for accommodating the pressure relief valve and a fixing structure for accommodating the pressure relief valve without removing material from the cover plate, so that the overall thickness of the cover plate is relatively small, which is beneficial to reducing the cost of the cover plate and the cost of the end cover assembly, thereby helping to reduce the production cost of the battery cell; in addition, the recessed portion of the cover plate makes full use of the space of the end cover assembly located on the inner side of the cover plate, and the structure of the end cover assembly is compact, all of which will make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly relatively small, thereby making the space occupied by the end cover assembly in the battery cell relatively small, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0039] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery, comprising: a battery cell according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention.

[0040] In the above technical solution, by providing the above battery monomer, it is helpful to reduce the production cost of the battery.

[0041] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides an electrical device, comprising: a battery according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the utility model.

[0042] In the above technical solution, by providing the above battery, it is helpful to reduce the production cost of the electrical device.

[0043] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the following description, or will be learned through the practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0045] Figure 1 is an exploded schematic diagram of an end cap assembly according to some embodiments of the utility model;

[0046] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an end cap assembly in FIG.

[0047] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the tablet in FIG.

[0048] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a battery according to some embodiments of the present utility model;

[0049] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of an electrical device according to some embodiments of the utility model.

[0050] Reference numerals:

[0051] 100, end cover assembly;

[0052] 1. Cover plate; 11. Concave portion; 111. Pressure relief hole; 12. Cover plate groove; 121. Groove bottom surface; 122. Groove side surface; 13. Cover plate outer surface; 14. Avoidance groove;

[0053] 2. pressure relief valve; 21. edge portion; 22. valve plate; 221. first edge portion; 23. pressing plate; 231. second edge portion; 2311. matching notch;

[0054] 3. Fixing structure; 31. First fixing part; 32. Second fixing part;

[0055] 4. Limiting groove;

[0056] 5. Inner insulation board; 50. Avoidance groove; 51. Exhaust groove; 52. Ventilation structure;

[0057] 61. Positive pole; 62. Negative pole;

[0058] 7. Sealing ring;

[0059] 200. Battery;

[0060] 1000. Electrical equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiment of the utility model clearer, the technical solution in the embodiment of the utility model will be clearly described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiment is a part of the embodiment of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiment of the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0062] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the present invention have the same meanings as those generally understood by technicians in the technical field of the present invention; the terms used in the specification of the present invention in the application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention or the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order or a primary and secondary relationship.

[0063] The reference to "embodiment" in the present invention means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The appearance of the phrase in various places 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.

[0064] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", "connection", and "attachment" 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 a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0065] The term "and / or" in the present invention is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in the present invention generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0066] In the embodiments of the present invention, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, width and other dimensions of the integrated device are only exemplary and should not constitute any limitation on the present invention.

[0067] The term “plurality” used in the present invention refers to two or more (including two).

[0068] In the present invention, a battery refers to a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery mentioned in the present invention may include a battery module or a battery pack. Some batteries may include a box for encapsulating one or more battery cells or multiple battery modules, and the box may prevent liquid or other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0069] In the present invention, the battery cell may include a lithium-ion secondary battery, a lithium-ion primary battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery or a magnesium-ion battery, etc., and the embodiments of the present invention do not limit this. The battery cell may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular or other shapes, etc., and the embodiments of the present invention do not limit this. Battery cells are generally divided into three types according to the packaging method: cylindrical battery cells, square battery cells and soft-pack battery cells, and the embodiments of the present invention do not limit this.

[0070] At present, judging from the development of the market situation, the application of batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars, as well as military equipment and aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application field of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0071] In the related art, a pressure relief valve is provided on the end cover assembly of the battery cell for safety protection, and the pressure relief valve is fixed on the cover plate of the end cover assembly. Usually, a groove is processed on the cover plate by removing material, and the groove is used to accommodate the pressure relief valve and the fixing structure for accommodating the pressure relief valve. In order to ensure the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate, the remaining thickness of the part where the groove is formed on the cover plate needs to be set larger, so as to meet the sealing strength requirements between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate, which makes the overall thickness of the cover plate larger, making the cost of the cover plate higher, and thus making the cost of the end cover assembly higher; in addition, a thicker cover plate will also make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly larger and occupy a larger space, resulting in a lower energy density of the battery cell.

[0072] Based on this, the applicant proposed an end cover assembly, including: a cover plate, a pressure relief valve and a fixing structure, wherein a portion of the cover plate is recessed inward to form a recessed portion, a pressure relief hole is formed on the recessed portion, and the recessed portion defines a cover plate groove; the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove and covers the pressure relief hole; the fixing structure is arranged in the recessed portion and is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole, and at least a portion of the fixing structure is located in the cover plate groove and is used to fix the pressure relief valve.

[0073] In the above technical solution, a recessed portion is formed by making part of the cover plate concave inward, the recessed portion defines a cover plate groove, and the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove and at least a part of the fixing structure used to fix the pressure relief valve is located in the cover plate groove. The arrangement of the recessed portion makes it possible to form a cover plate groove for accommodating the pressure relief valve and a fixing structure for accommodating the pressure relief valve without removing material from the cover plate. In this way, the portion of the cover plate where the cover plate groove is formed can meet the sealing strength requirement between the pressure relief valve and the cover plate without increasing the overall thickness of the cover plate, thereby making the overall thickness of the cover plate smaller, which is beneficial to reducing the cost of the cover plate and the cost of the end cover assembly.

[0074] In addition, the recessed portion of the cover plate makes full use of the space on the inner side of the end cover assembly, and the structure of the end cover assembly is compact, which will make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly smaller, thereby making the space occupied by the end cover assembly smaller. When the end cover assembly is used for a battery cell, such a setting is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0075] In addition, at least a portion of the fixing structure is located in the cover plate groove, and the pressure relief valve is fixed to the cover plate groove of the cover plate through the fixing structure. This can reduce the height space occupied by the pressure relief valve and the fixing structure outside the cover plate groove, and can reduce or avoid interference between the pressure relief valve and the fixing structure and materials outside the cover plate groove. For example, when the end cover assembly is used for a battery cell and a plurality of battery cells are arranged and assembled to form a module, interference between the pressure relief valve and the fixing structure and materials at the module interface can be avoided.

[0076] The battery disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be used in electrical devices that use the battery as a power source or various energy storage systems that use the battery as an energy storage element. The electrical device can be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, and the like. Among them, the electric toy can include a fixed or mobile electric toy, for example, a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, and the like, and the spacecraft can include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, and the like.

[0077] Reference below Figure 1-Figure 3 An end cap assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0078] refer to Figure 1 In the first aspect, an embodiment of the utility model provides an end cover assembly 100, comprising: a cover plate 1, a pressure relief valve 2 and a fixing structure 3, wherein a portion of the cover plate 1 is recessed inward to form a recessed portion 11, a pressure relief hole 111 is formed on the recessed portion 11, and the recessed portion 11 defines a cover plate groove 12, the pressure relief valve 2 is located in the cover plate groove 12 and covers the pressure relief hole 111, the fixing structure 3 is arranged in the recessed portion 11 and is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole 111, and at least a portion of the fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12 and is used to fix the pressure relief valve 2.

[0079] Among them, at least part of the fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12 , which may include the following situations: for example, part of the fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12 ; for example, the entire fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12 .

[0080] Optionally, the cover plate 1 of the end cover assembly 100 is a metal piece, and the fixing structure 3 of the end cover assembly 100 is a metal structure.

[0081] For example, the thickness of the portion of the cover plate 1 where the cover plate groove 12 is formed is substantially the same as the thickness of the remaining portions of the cover plate 1 , and the overall thickness of the cover plate 1 is small and relatively uniform, so that the overall strength of the cover plate 1 is relatively uniform.

[0082] For example, when the end cap assembly 100 is used for a battery cell, the outer side of the cover plate 1 refers to the side of the cover plate 1 facing the outside of the battery cell, and the inner side of the cover plate 1 refers to the side of the cover plate 1 facing the inside of the battery cell. During the operation of the battery cell, a large amount of gas is generated inside the end cap assembly 100 of the battery cell, causing energy accumulation. At this time, the pressure relief valve 2 can open the pressure relief hole 111, so that the gas in the battery cell can be discharged through the pressure relief hole 111, thereby achieving the purpose of pressure relief.

[0083] For example, a method of manufacturing the end cap assembly 100 may include the following steps:

[0084] First, a cover plate 1 blank is provided, and the cover plate 1 blank is processed, for example, a portion of the cover plate 1 blank is punched inwardly to form the cover plate 1 blank having a recessed portion 11;

[0085] Next, the cover plate 1 with the recessed portion 11 is processed to form a cover plate 1 with a pressure relief hole 111 and a fixing structure 3 blank connected to the cover plate 1. The fixing structure 3 blank is located in the cover plate groove 12 defined by the recessed portion 11, and the fixing structure 3 blank is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole 111 and defines a mounting groove with the cover plate 1.

[0086] Next, install the pressure relief valve 2 into the installation groove;

[0087] Finally, the fixing structure 3 blank is bent toward the central axis close to the pressure relief hole 111 to form the fixing structure 3 , and part of the fixing structure 3 is pressed against the side of the pressure relief valve 2 away from the cover plate 1 to fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1 .

[0088] In the above technical solution, a portion of the cover plate 1 is recessed inward to form a recessed portion 11, the recessed portion 11 defines a cover plate groove 12, and the pressure relief valve 2 is located in the cover plate groove 12, and at least a portion of the fixing structure 3 for fixing the pressure relief valve 2 is located in the cover plate groove 12. The arrangement of the recessed portion 11 makes it possible to form the cover plate groove 12 for accommodating the pressure relief valve 2 and the fixing structure 3 for fixing the pressure relief valve 2 without removing material from the cover plate 1, so that the portion of the cover plate 1 with the cover plate groove 12 formed thereon can be made thicker without increasing the overall thickness of the cover plate 1. The position can meet the sealing strength requirement between the pressure relief valve 2 and the cover plate 1, so that the overall thickness of the cover plate 1 is small, which is beneficial to reducing the cost of the cover plate 1 and the cost of the end cover assembly 100; in addition, the recessed portion 11 of the cover plate 1 makes full use of the space where the end cover assembly 100 is located on the inner side of the cover plate 1, and the structure of the end cover assembly 100 is compact. These will make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly 100 small, thereby making the space occupied by the end cover assembly 100 smaller. When the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell, such a setting is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0089] In addition, at least a portion of the fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12, and the pressure relief valve 2 is fixed to the cover plate groove 12 of the cover plate 1 through the fixing structure 3. This can reduce the height space occupied by the pressure relief valve 2 and the fixing structure 3 outside the cover plate groove 12, and can reduce or avoid interference between the pressure relief valve 2 and the fixing structure 3 and materials outside the cover plate groove 12. For example, when the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell and a plurality of battery cells are arranged and assembled to form a module, interference between the pressure relief valve 2 and the fixing structure 3 and materials at the module interface can be avoided.

[0090] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2In some embodiments, the outer surface of the cover plate 1 located on the outer peripheral side of the recessed portion 11 is the cover plate outer surface 13 , and the fixing structure 3 does not protrude from the cover plate outer surface 13 .

[0091] In the above technical solution, by making the fixing structure 3 not protrude from the outside 13 of the cover plate, the fixing structure 3 will not occupy the space outside the cover plate 13, and interference between the fixing structure 3 and structures and components in the space outside the cover plate 13 can be avoided, thereby avoiding the fixing structure 3 protruding from the outside 13 of the cover plate and affecting the coordination between the end cover assembly 100 and other components.

[0092] In some embodiments, the depth of the cover plate groove 12 is D, and the depth D ranges from 1.9 mm to 2.5 mm. The depth of the cover plate groove 12 can be the depth of any position of the cover plate groove 12. Optionally, the depth D of the cover plate groove 12 can be 1.9 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.4 mm, 2.5 mm, etc.

[0093] In the above technical solution, if the depth of the cover plate groove 12 is less than 1.9 mm, the depth of the cover plate groove 12 may not be enough to accommodate the pressure relief valve 2; if the depth of the cover plate groove 12 is greater than 2.5 mm, the depth of the recessed portion 11 of the cover plate 1 is relatively large, and the cover plate 1 undergoes a large degree of deformation in the process of being recessed inward to form the recessed portion 11, which may cause defects such as wrinkles and cracks on the cover plate 1, which may cause the cover plate 1 to be scrapped or reduce the service life of the cover plate 1. By making the depth range of the cover plate groove 12 be 1.9 mm to 2.5 mm, within this range, the depth of the cover plate groove 12 is suitable for accommodating the pressure relief valve 2, and the degree of deformation of the cover plate 1 in the process of forming the cover plate groove 12 is relatively appropriate, and it is not easy to have defects such as wrinkles and cracks, and the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve 2 and the cover plate 1 meets the use requirements.

[0094] In some embodiments, the thickness of the cover plate 1 is H, and the range of the thickness H is 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm. The thickness of the cover plate 1 may be the thickness at any position of the cover plate 1. Optionally, the thickness H of the cover plate 1 may be 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.5 mm, etc.

[0095] In the above technical solution, if the thickness of the cover plate 1 is less than 1.0 mm, the strength of the cover plate 1 is low, which may lead to a weak bearing capacity of the end cover assembly 100. During operation, it may be deformed, cracked, etc. due to the high pressure, and the sealing strength between the pressure relief valve 2 and the cover plate 1 will be low; if the thickness of the cover plate 1 is greater than 2.5 mm, the weight of the cover plate 1 will be large and the cost will be high; by making the thickness range of the cover plate 1 be 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm, within this range, the thickness and weight of the cover plate 1 are more suitable, and it has higher strength, so that the cover plate 1 is not easy to deform and can ensure the sealing strength requirements, and the cost is low.

[0096] In some embodiments, the bottom wall surface of the cover plate groove 12 is the groove bottom surface 121, the side wall surface of the cover plate groove 12 is the groove side surface 122, the fixing structure 3 is connected to the groove bottom surface 121, and the fixing structure 3 is spaced apart from the groove side surface 122 to form an avoidance groove 14.

[0097] For example, a method of manufacturing the end cap assembly 100 may include the following steps:

[0098] First, a cover plate 1 blank is provided, and the cover plate 1 blank is processed, for example, a portion of the cover plate 1 blank is punched inwardly to form the cover plate 1 blank having a recessed portion 11;

[0099] Next, the cover plate 1 with the recessed portion 11 is processed to form the cover plate 1 with the pressure relief hole 111 and the fixing structure 3 connected to the cover plate 1. The fixing structure 3 is located in the cover plate groove 12 defined by the recessed portion 11. An avoidance groove 14 is defined between the groove side 122 of the cover plate groove 12 and the fixing structure 3. The fixing structure 3 is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole 111 and defines an installation groove with the cover plate 1.

[0100] Next, the pressure relief valve 2 is installed in the installation groove, and the pressure relief valve 2 covers the pressure relief hole 111;

[0101] Finally, relevant operations are performed on the fixed structure 3 blank in the avoidance groove 14 so that the fixed structure 3 blank is deformed to form the fixed structure 3. For example, the fixed structure 3 blank is bent toward the central axis close to the pressure relief hole 111 in the avoidance groove 14 to form the fixed structure 3. Part of the fixed structure 3 is pressed against the side of the pressure relief valve 2 away from the cover plate 1 to fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1.

[0102] In the above technical solution, the avoidance groove 14 is formed by separating the fixing structure 3 from the groove side 122. In the process of fixing the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1 through the fixing structure 3, the avoidance groove 14 can provide an operating space so that the fixing structure 3 can fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1.

[0103] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the spacing X between the fixing structure 3 and the groove side 122 is 2 mm to 8 mm. Optionally, the spacing X between the fixing structure 3 and the groove side 122 can be 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, etc.

[0104] In the above technical scheme, if the spacing between the fixed structure 3 and the groove side 122 is less than 2 mm, the space of the avoidance groove 14 between the fixed structure 3 and the groove side 122 is small, and the groove side 122 of the cover plate 1 may hinder the related operations of the fixed structure 3 fixing the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1; if the spacing between the fixed structure 3 and the groove side 122 is greater than 8 mm, the space occupied by the cover plate groove 12 is large, which may make the structural strength of the cover plate 1 lower; by making the spacing range between the fixed structure 3 and the groove side 122 be 2 mm to 8 mm, within this range, the spacing between the fixed structure 3 and the groove is appropriate, so that the space size of the avoidance groove 14 between the fixed structure 3 and the groove is appropriate, which can avoid the groove side 122 hindering the related operations of the fixed structure 3 fixing the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1, and also make the space size of the cover plate groove 12 appropriate, the cover plate 1 has a higher structural strength, and the pressure relief valve 2 and the cover plate 1 have a higher sealing strength.

[0105] In some embodiments, in a direction from the groove bottom surface 121 to the open mouth of the cover plate groove 12 , the groove side surface 122 extends obliquely in a direction away from the fixing structure 3 .

[0106] In the above technical solution, by making the groove side surface 122 extend obliquely in the direction from the groove bottom surface 121 to the open mouth of the cover plate groove 12 in the direction away from the fixed structure 3, the avoidance groove 14 formed between the fixed structure 3 and the groove side surface 122 gradually increases in the direction from the groove bottom surface 121 to the open mouth of the cover plate groove 12, so that it is convenient to operate from the open mouth of the cover plate groove 12 so that the fixed structure 3 can fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1.

[0107] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, at least a portion of the groove side surface 122 is formed as an arc surface. The at least a portion of the groove side surface 122 is formed as an arc surface, which may include the following situations: for example, a portion of the groove side surface 122 is formed as an arc surface; for example, the groove side surface 122 is formed as an arc surface as a whole.

[0108] In the above technical solution, by forming at least a portion of the groove side surface 122 into an arc-shaped surface, it is beneficial to improve the structural strength of the cover plate 1 and reduce the stress concentration on the cover plate 1.

[0109] refer to Figure 2In some embodiments, the radius of the arcuate surface of the groove side surface 122 ranges from 0.2 mm to 8 mm. Optionally, the radius of the groove side surface 122 can be 0.2 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, etc.

[0110] In the above technical solution, if the radius of the groove side 122 is less than 0.2 mm, the size of the groove side 122 is small, the processing difficulty is large, and it is not easy to form; by making the radius range of the groove side 122 0.2 mm to 8 mm, the size of the groove side 122 is more suitable and easy to process and form.

[0111] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 In some embodiments, the fixing structure 3 and the cover plate 1 are integrally formed.

[0112] In the above technical solution, the fixing structure 3 for fixing the pressure relief valve 2 is integrally formed with the cover plate 1, and there is no need to fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1 by welding the fixing structure 3 to the cover plate 1. This can avoid damage to the pressure relief valve 2 caused by the heat generated during the welding process and avoid problems such as sealing failure caused by this, which is beneficial to improving the yield rate of the end cover assembly 100 and reducing the cost of the end cover assembly 100.

[0113] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, a limiting groove 4 is defined between the fixing structure 3 and the recessed portion 11 , and an edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2 is accommodated in the limiting groove 4 .

[0114] In the above technical solution, by defining a limiting groove 4 between the fixing structure 3 and the recessed portion 11 of the cover plate 1 and accommodating the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2 in the limiting groove 4, the limiting groove 4 forms a limiting effect on the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2, so that the pressure relief valve 2 can be stably fixed on the cover plate 1.

[0115] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the fixing structure 3 includes a first fixing portion 31 and a second fixing portion 32, the first fixing portion 31 is connected to the outer surface of the cover plate 1 and protrudes from the outer surface of the cover plate 1, the second fixing portion 32 is connected to an end of the first fixing portion 31 away from the cover plate 1, the second fixing portion 32 is located on a side of the first fixing portion 31 close to the central axis of the pressure relief hole 111 and is spaced apart from the cover plate 1, and the first fixing portion 31, the second fixing portion 32 and the cover plate 1 jointly define a limiting groove 4.

[0116] The outer surface of the cover plate 1 includes the outer surface 13 of the cover plate located on the outer peripheral side of the recessed portion 11 and the groove bottom surface 121 of the cover plate groove 12. Optionally, the second fixing portion 32 is connected to the groove bottom surface 121 of the cover plate groove 12 and protrudes from the groove bottom surface 121 of the cover plate 1.

[0117] In the above technical solution, the fixing structure 3 includes a first fixing portion 31 and a second fixing portion 32, and the second fixing portion 32 is connected to an end of the first fixing portion 31 away from the cover plate 1 and spaced apart from the cover plate 1, and the second fixing portion 32 is located on a side of the first fixing portion 31 close to the central axis of the pressure relief hole 111. This arrangement facilitates the first fixing portion 31, the second fixing portion 32 and the cover plate 1 to jointly define a limiting groove 4. The limiting groove 4 has a simple structure and is easy to form. The second fixing portion 32 forms a limiting and fixing effect on the pressure relief valve 2 located in the limiting groove 4, which can prevent the pressure relief valve 2 from falling out of the limiting groove 4.

[0118] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 In some embodiments, at least one of the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 is in a ring shape extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2 .

[0119] Among them, at least one of the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 is in the shape of a ring extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2, including the following situations: for example, the first fixing portion 31 is in the shape of a ring extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2; for another example, the second fixing portion 32 is in the shape of a ring extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2; for another example, both the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 are in the shape of a ring extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2.

[0120] Optionally, the shape of the outer contour of the pressure relief valve 2 may be circular, polygonal, etc. When the shape of the outer contour of the pressure relief valve 2 is circular, the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 may be in a circular ring shape; when the shape of the outer contour of the pressure relief valve 2 is polygonal, the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 may be in a polygonal ring shape.

[0121] In the above technical solution, by making at least one of the first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 in a ring shape extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2, the fixing structure 3 forms a limiting and fixing effect on the pressure relief valve 2 in the circumferential direction, so that the pressure relief valve 2 is stably fixed to the cover plate 1 along the circumferential direction.

[0122] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve 2 includes a valve plate 22 and a pressing plate 23. The valve plate 22 covers the pressure relief hole 111. The pressing plate 23 is arranged on the side of the valve plate 22 away from the cover plate 1. The melting point of the pressing plate 23 is lower than the melting point of the valve plate 22. The second fixing portion 32 is located on the side of the pressing plate 23 away from the valve plate 22, so as to fix the valve plate 22 on the cover plate 1 through the pressing plate 23.

[0123] For example, the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell. When the battery cell reaches a high temperature, the temperature of the battery cell reaches the melting point of the pressing sheet 23. The pressing sheet 23 on the side of the valve sheet 22 away from the cover plate 1 will melt after reaching the melting point. The restraining force of the pressing sheet 23 on the valve sheet 22 is greatly reduced, and the gas inside the battery cell can bounce the valve sheet 22, thereby realizing the function of early exhaust.

[0124] In the above technical solution, the pressure relief valve 2 includes a valve sheet 22 for sealing the pressure relief hole 111 and a pressing sheet 23 provided on the side of the valve sheet 22 away from the cover plate 1, and the melting point of the pressing sheet 23 is lower than the melting point of the valve sheet 22. When high temperature occurs in the use environment of the end cover assembly 100 and the melting point of the pressing sheet 23 is reached, for example, when the battery cell including the end cover assembly 100 is thermally instable, the pressing sheet 23 will melt before the valve sheet 22, and the fixing constraint force of the pressing sheet 23 on the valve sheet 22 will be greatly reduced, so that the valve sheet 22 can be detached from the cover plate 1 to release the sealing of the pressure relief hole 111, so that the pressure can be quickly relieved through the pressure relief hole 111, thereby avoiding the formation of a large amount of energy accumulation inside the end cover assembly 100 and causing a high-pressure explosion.

[0125] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 In some embodiments, the thickness of the pressing sheet 23 is greater than the thickness of the valve sheet 22 .

[0126] In the above technical solution, by making the thickness of the pressing sheet 23 greater than the thickness of the valve sheet 22, the thickness of the valve sheet 22 is smaller, so that the weight of the valve sheet 22 is smaller. After the pressing sheet 23 is melted, the valve sheet 22 can easily detach from the cover plate 1 to contact the cover of the pressure relief hole 111. For example, the valve sheet 22 can be easily blown away from the pressure relief hole 111 by the gas in the end cover assembly 100; and, by making the thickness of the pressing sheet 23 larger, the limiting and fixing effect of the pressing sheet 23 on the valve sheet 22 can be ensured.

[0127] In some embodiments, the pressing sheet 23 is a plastic part, and the valve sheet 22 is a metal part. Optionally, the pressing sheet 23 can be made of PP (polypropylene) material.

[0128] In the above technical solution, by making the pressing sheet 23 a plastic part and the valve sheet 22 a metal part, the melting point of the plastic part is relatively low. When the valve sheet 22 is exposed to high temperature in the use environment of the end cover assembly 100, the plastic part is easily melted, so that the restraining force of the pressing sheet 23 on the valve sheet 22 formed as a metal part can be greatly reduced, and the valve sheet 22 can easily detach from the cover plate 1 to contact the cover of the pressure relief hole 111.

[0129] refer to Figure 1-Figure 3 In some embodiments, a matching notch 2311 is formed on the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2 , and at least a portion of the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311 .

[0130] Among them, at least part of the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311 , including the following situations: for example, part of the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311 ; for example, the second fixing portion 32 is fully accommodated in the matching notch 2311 .

[0131] In the above technical solution, a matching notch 2311 is formed on the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2, and at least a portion of the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311. The matching notch 2311 is used to avoid the second fixing portion 32, thereby avoiding mutual interference between the pressure relief valve 2 and the second fixing portion 32. In addition, at least a portion of the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311, so that the second fixing portion 32 fixes the pressure relief valve 2, which is beneficial for the pressure relief valve 2 to be stably fixed to the cover plate 1.

[0132] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve 2 includes a valve plate 22 and a pressing plate 23. The valve plate 22 covers the pressure relief hole 111. The pressing plate 23 is disposed on a side of the valve plate 22 away from the cover plate 1. The second fixing portion 32 is located on a side of the pressing plate 23 away from the valve plate 22, so as to fix the valve plate 22 on the cover plate 1 through the pressing plate 23. Among them, the edge portion 21 of the valve plate 22 is a first edge portion 221, and the edge portion 21 of the pressing plate 23 is a second edge portion 231. The first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 231 together constitute the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2, and the second edge portion 231 is formed with a matching notch 2311.

[0133] In the above technical solution, the pressure relief valve 2 includes a valve plate 22 that covers the pressure relief hole 111 and a pressing plate 23 arranged on the side of the valve plate 22 away from the cover plate 1, the second fixing portion 32 is located on the side of the pressing plate 23 away from the valve plate 22, and the second edge portion 231 of the pressing plate 23 is formed with a matching notch 2311, so that the second fixing portion 32 fixes the pressing plate 23 at the second edge portion 231, and then the second edge portion 231 of the pressing plate 23 fixes the first edge portion 221 of the valve plate 22, so that the valve plate 22 and the pressing plate 23 are stably fixed on the cover plate 1 by the second fixing portion 32.

[0134] Optionally, the outer surface of the second fixing portion 32 may be flush with the outer surface of the pressing sheet 23 , or the outer surface of the second fixing portion 32 may be higher than the outer surface of the pressing sheet 23 , or the outer surface of the second fixing portion 32 may be lower than the outer surface of the pressing sheet 23 .

[0135] In some embodiments, the end cover assembly 100 further includes a plurality of sealing rings 7 , wherein one sealing ring 7 is disposed between the pressure relief hole 111 and the valve plate 22 of the pressure relief valve 2 , and the pressing plate 23 compresses the sealing ring 7 to achieve the function of sealing the pressure relief hole 111 .

[0136] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2In some embodiments, the end cover assembly 100 further includes an inner insulating plate 5, which is disposed on the inner side of the cover plate 1, and a portion of the inner insulating plate 5 is recessed inward to form an avoidance groove 50, and at least a portion of the recessed portion 11 is accommodated in the avoidance groove 50.

[0137] Among them, at least part of the recessed portion 11 is accommodated in the avoidance groove 50 , including the following situations: for example, part of the recessed portion 11 is accommodated in the avoidance groove 50 ; for another example, the entire recessed portion 11 is located in the avoidance groove 50 .

[0138] The main function of the inner insulating plate 5 is to provide electrical isolation to prevent direct conduction of current or voltage. When the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell, the provision of the inner insulating plate 5 is beneficial to the safe operation of the battery cell and avoids the occurrence of short circuits or other electrical faults.

[0139] In the above technical solution, a portion of the inner insulating plate 5 is recessed inward to form an avoidance groove 50, and at least a portion of the recessed portion 11 is accommodated in the avoidance groove 50. The avoidance groove 50 provides a placement space for at least a portion of the recessed portion 11. The recessed portion 11 fully utilizes the space in the avoidance groove 50 of the inner insulating plate 5, so that the overall structure of the end cover assembly 100 is compact, which is beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the end cover assembly 100. When the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell, it is also beneficial to improve the energy density of the battery cell.

[0140] refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 In some embodiments, an exhaust groove 51 is formed on the bottom wall of the avoidance groove 50 , the exhaust groove 51 is opposite to the pressure relief valve 2 and is connected to the pressure relief hole 111 , and a ventilation structure 52 connected to the exhaust groove 51 is formed on the inner insulating plate 5 .

[0141] In the above technical solution, an exhaust groove 51 and a ventilation structure 52 are formed on the bottom wall of the avoidance groove 50 of the inner insulating plate 5, and the exhaust groove 51 is opposite to the pressure relief valve 2 and connected to the pressure relief hole 111, and the ventilation structure 52 is connected to the exhaust groove 51, so that after the pressure relief valve 2 is separated from the pressure relief hole 111, the gas inside the end cover assembly 100 can be smoothly discharged through the ventilation structure 52, the exhaust groove 51 and the pressure relief hole 111 in sequence to achieve the purpose of pressure relief, thereby avoiding a large amount of energy accumulation in the end cover assembly 100 and even a high-pressure explosion.

[0142] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery cell, comprising: a shell having an opening; an electrode assembly disposed in the shell; and an end cap assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, which covers the opening.

[0143] In the above technical solution, the battery cell is provided with the above-mentioned end cover assembly 100, and a recessed portion 11 is formed on the cover plate 1 of the end cover assembly 100. The provision of the recessed portion 11 makes it possible to form a cover plate groove 12 for accommodating the pressure relief valve 2 and a fixing structure 3 for fixing the pressure relief valve 2 without removing material from the cover plate 1, so that the overall thickness of the cover plate 1 is relatively small, which is beneficial to reducing the cost of the cover plate 1 and the cost of the end cover assembly 100, thereby helping to reduce the production cost of the battery cell; in addition, the recessed portion 11 of the cover plate 1 makes full use of the space where the end cover assembly 100 is located on the inner side of the cover plate 1, and the structure of the end cover assembly 100 is compact, all of which will make the overall thickness of the end cover assembly 100 relatively small, thereby making the space occupied by the end cover assembly 100 in the battery cell relatively small, which is beneficial to improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0144] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery 200 , comprising: a battery cell according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention.

[0145] In the above technical solution, by providing the above battery monomer, it is helpful to reduce the production cost of the battery 200.

[0146] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present utility model provides an electrical device 1000 , comprising: a battery 200 according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present utility model.

[0147] In the above technical solution, by providing the above battery 200 , it is helpful to reduce the production cost of the power-consuming device 1000 .

[0148] Next, we will refer to Figure 1-Figure 3 An end cap assembly 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention is described.

[0149] refer to Figure 1-Figure 3 In this embodiment, the end cap assembly 100 includes a cover plate 1, a pressure relief valve 2, a fixing structure 3, a positive pole 61, a negative pole 62 and an inner insulating plate 5, wherein the inner insulating plate 5 is disposed on the inner side of the cover plate 1, and a portion of the cover plate 1 is recessed inward to form a recessed portion 11, and the recessed portion 11 defines a cover plate groove 12. The thickness of the cover plate 1 is H, and the range of the thickness H is 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0150] A pressure relief hole 111 is formed on the recessed portion 11, and the pressure relief valve 2 is located in the cover plate groove 12, and the pressure relief valve 2 is used to cover the pressure relief hole 111. The fixing structure 3 is arranged in the cover plate groove 12 of the cover plate 1, and the fixing structure 3 is integrally formed with the cover plate 1, and the fixing structure 3 is located on the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole 111, and the fixing structure 3 is used to fix the pressure relief valve 2 to the cover plate 1. The outer surface of the cover plate 1 located on the outer peripheral side of the cover plate groove 12 is the cover plate outer surface 13, and the fixing structure 3 does not protrude from the cover plate outer surface 13.

[0151] The positive electrode column 61 and the negative electrode column 62 also protrude from the outer surface of the cover plate 1 , and the pressure relief hole 111 , the pressure relief valve 2 and the fixing structure 3 are located between the positive electrode column 61 and the negative electrode column 62 .

[0152] The bottom wall surface of the cover plate groove 12 is the groove bottom surface 121, the side wall surface of the cover plate groove 12 is the groove side surface 122, the fixing structure 3 is connected to the groove bottom surface 121, the fixing structure 3 is spaced apart from the groove side surface 122 to form an avoidance groove 14, the depth D of the cover plate groove 12 ranges from 1.9 mm to 2.5 mm, and the spacing X between the fixing structure 3 and the groove side surface 122 ranges from 2 mm to 8 mm. In the direction from the groove bottom surface 121 to the open mouth of the cover plate groove 12, the groove side surface 122 extends obliquely in a direction away from the fixing structure 3.

[0153] The fixing structure 3 includes a first fixing portion 31 and a second fixing portion 32. The first fixing portion 31 is connected to the groove bottom surface 121 of the cover plate groove 12 and protrudes from the groove bottom surface 121 of the cover plate groove 12. The second fixing portion 32 is connected to an end of the first fixing portion 31 away from the cover plate 1. The second fixing portion 32 is located on a side of the first fixing portion 31 close to the central axis of the pressure relief hole 111 and is spaced apart from the cover plate 1. The first fixing portion 31 and the second fixing portion 32 are in a circular ring shape extending along the circumference of the pressure relief valve 2. The first fixing portion 31, the second fixing portion 32 and the cover plate 1 jointly define a limiting groove 4.

[0154] The pressure relief valve 2 includes a valve plate 22 and a pressing plate 23. The valve plate 22 covers the pressure relief hole 111. The pressing plate 23 is arranged on the side of the valve plate 22 away from the cover plate 1. The thickness of the pressing plate 23 is greater than the thickness of the valve plate 22. The pressing plate 23 is a PP plastic part, and the valve plate 22 is a metal part. The melting point of the pressing plate 23 is lower than the melting point of the valve plate 22.

[0155] The second fixing portion 32 is located on a side of the pressing sheet 23 away from the valve sheet 22, so as to fix the valve sheet 22 on the cover plate 1 through the pressing sheet 23. The edge portion 21 of the valve sheet 22 is the first edge portion 221, and the edge portion 21 of the pressing sheet 23 is the second edge portion 231. The first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 231 together constitute the edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2, and the second edge portion 231 is formed with a matching notch 2311. The edge portion 21 of the pressure relief valve 2 is accommodated in the limiting groove 4, and the second fixing portion 32 is accommodated in the matching notch 2311.

[0156] Part of the inner insulating plate 5 is recessed inward to form an escape groove 50, and part of the recessed portion 11 is accommodated in the escape groove 50. An exhaust groove 51 is formed on the bottom wall of the escape groove 50, the exhaust groove 51 is opposite to the pressure relief valve 2 and communicated with the pressure relief hole 111, and a ventilation structure 52 is formed on the inner insulating plate 5 and communicated with the exhaust groove 51.

[0157] For example, the end cover assembly 100 is used for a battery cell. When the battery cell reaches a high temperature, a large amount of gas is generated and accumulated on the inner side of the end cover assembly 100 of the battery cell, and the temperature of the battery cell reaches the melting point of the pressing sheet 23. The pressing sheet 23 on the side of the valve sheet 22 away from the cover plate 1 will melt after reaching the melting point. The restraining force of the valve sheet 22 by the pressing sheet 23 is greatly reduced. The gas inside the battery cell can bounce the valve sheet 22 to release the sealing of the pressure relief valve 2 on the pressure relief hole 111, so that the gas in the battery cell can be discharged successively through the ventilation structure 52, the exhaust groove 51 and the pressure relief hole 111, thereby realizing the function of early exhaust to achieve the purpose of depressurizing the battery cell.

[0158] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the utility model. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0159] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An end cap assembly, characterized in that: include: A cover plate, a portion of the cover plate is recessed inward to form a recessed portion, a pressure relief hole is formed on the recessed portion, and the recessed portion defines a cover plate groove; A pressure relief valve, located in the groove of the cover plate and covering the pressure relief hole; A fixing structure is arranged in the recessed portion and is located at the outer peripheral side of the pressure relief hole. At least a part of the fixing structure is located in the groove of the cover plate and is used to fix the pressure relief valve.

2. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The portion of the outer surface of the cover plate located on the outer peripheral side of the recessed portion is the outer surface of the cover plate, and the fixing structure does not protrude from the outer surface of the cover plate.

3. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth of the groove of the cover plate ranges from 1.9 mm to 2.5 mm; and / or the thickness of the cover plate ranges from 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm.

4. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom wall surface of the cover plate groove is the groove bottom surface, the side wall surface of the cover plate groove is the groove side surface, the fixing structure is connected to the groove bottom surface, and the fixing structure is spaced apart from the groove side surface to form an avoidance groove.

5. The end cap assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: In a direction from the groove bottom surface to the open mouth of the cover plate groove, the groove side surface extends obliquely in a direction away from the fixing structure.

6. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing structure and the cover plate are integrally formed.

7. The end cap assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: A limiting groove is defined between the fixing structure and the recessed portion, and an edge portion of the pressure relief valve is accommodated in the limiting groove.

8. The end cap assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixing structure includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion, the first fixing portion is connected to the outer surface of the cover plate and protrudes from the outer surface of the cover plate, the second fixing portion is connected to an end of the first fixing portion away from the cover plate, the second fixing portion is located on a side of the first fixing portion close to the central axis of the pressure relief hole and is spaced apart from the cover plate, and the first fixing portion, the second fixing portion and the cover plate jointly define the limiting groove.

9. The end cap assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pressure relief valve includes a valve plate and a pressing plate, the valve plate covers the pressure relief hole, the pressing plate is arranged on a side of the valve plate away from the cover plate, the melting point of the pressing plate is lower than the melting point of the valve plate, and the second fixing portion is located on a side of the pressing plate away from the valve plate, so as to fix the valve plate to the cover plate through the pressing plate.

10. The end cap assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that: The thickness of the pressing sheet is greater than the thickness of the valve sheet; and / or the pressing sheet is a plastic part, and the valve sheet is a metal part.

11. The end cap assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: A matching notch is formed at the edge of the pressure relief valve, and at least a portion of the second fixing portion is accommodated in the matching notch.

12. The end cap assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that The pressure relief valve comprises a valve plate and a pressing plate, the valve plate covers the pressure relief hole, the pressing plate is arranged on a side of the valve plate away from the cover plate, and the second fixing portion is located on a side of the pressing plate away from the valve plate, so as to fix the valve plate on the cover plate through the pressing plate; Among them, the edge portion of the valve plate is the first edge portion, the edge portion of the pressing plate is the second edge portion, the first edge portion and the second edge portion together constitute the edge portion of the pressure relief valve, and the second edge portion forms the matching notch.

13. The end cap assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: An inner insulating plate is arranged on the inner side of the cover plate, a portion of the inner insulating plate is recessed inward to form an escape groove, and at least a portion of the recessed portion is accommodated in the escape groove.

14. The end cap assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that: An exhaust groove is formed on the bottom wall of the avoidance groove, the exhaust groove is opposite to the pressure relief valve and communicated with the pressure relief hole, and a ventilation structure communicated with the exhaust groove is formed on the inner insulating plate.

15. A battery cell, characterized in that: include: a housing having an opening; An electrode assembly is disposed in the housing; The end cover assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the cover is disposed on the opening.

16. A battery, characterized in that: include: The battery cell according to claim 15.

17. An electrical device, characterized in that: include: A battery according to claim 16.

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