End cover assembly, battery monomer, battery and electric device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an end cover assembly, a battery monomer, a battery and a power utilization device. The end cover assembly comprises: an end cover; the anti-explosion valve is arranged on the end cover; the insulating part is connected with one side face of the end cover, the insulating part is provided with an air groove, a first opening is formed in the side face, facing the end cover, of the insulating part, the first opening is communicated with the air groove, and the explosion-proof valve is communicated with the air groove through the first opening; and the sealing structure comprises a first sealing piece, and the first sealing piece surrounds the first opening and is in sealing connection with the insulating piece and the end cover. In the end cover assembly, the first sealing element is hermetically connected with the insulating element and the end cover around the first opening, and when the single battery is inversely mounted, electrolyte is blocked by the first sealing element and cannot enter the gas tank, so that the explosion-proof valve can be prevented from being soaked by the electrolyte entering the gas tank, and the risk of corrosion and liquid leakage is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to an end cover assembly, a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device. Background Art

[0002] With the development of CTC (Cell to Chassis) integrated chassis, the application of inverted square shell battery cells bonded to the vehicle body floor is gradually increasing. Inverted battery cell bonding to the floor can increase the floor strength on the one hand, and on the other hand, when the battery cell is inverted, the explosion-proof valve and pole of the battery cell face downward, which can reduce the risk of passenger compartment during high-voltage ignition and thermal runaway. However, the inverted assembly of battery cells has the following problems: the electrolyte will soak the explosion-proof valve for a long time, which is prone to corrosion and leakage risks. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the above problems, the present application provides an end cover assembly, a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device, which can prevent the explosion-proof valve from being soaked in electrolyte and avoid the risk of corrosion and leakage.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present application provides an end cap assembly, the end cap assembly comprising:

[0005] End caps;

[0006] An explosion-proof valve, wherein the explosion-proof valve is arranged on the end cover;

[0007] an insulating member, the insulating member being connected to a side surface of the end cover, the insulating member being provided with an air groove, the insulating member being formed with a first opening on a side surface of the end cover, the first opening being connected to the air groove, and the explosion-proof valve being connected to the air groove through the first opening;

[0008] The sealing structure includes a first sealing member surrounding the first opening and sealingly connecting the insulating member and the end cover.

[0009] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the first seal seals the connecting insulating member and the end cover around the first opening. When the battery cell is installed upside down, the electrolyte is blocked by the first seal and cannot enter the air tank, thereby preventing the explosion-proof valve from being soaked by the electrolyte entering the air tank, avoiding the risk of corrosion and leakage.

[0010] In some embodiments, the insulating member is provided with a first receiving groove surrounding the first opening, and the first sealing member is at least partially located in the first receiving groove.

[0011] The first sealing member is at least partially accommodated in the first accommodating groove, and the first accommodating groove can limit the first sealing member, thereby preventing the first sealing member from shifting when the end cover assembly is assembled and the battery cell is used, thereby preventing the sealing effect from being affected.

[0012] In some embodiments, a groove is provided on a side wall of the air slot facing the explosion-proof valve.

[0013] A groove is provided on the side wall of the gas groove facing the explosion-proof valve. At the groove, the thickness of the insulating part surrounding the gas groove is reduced. The purpose is to quickly melt or break through the insulating part when a large amount of gas is produced inside the battery cell before thermal runaway, so that the gas enters the gas groove and acts on the explosion-proof valve, causing the explosion-proof valve to open and prevent the battery cell from exploding. Therefore, when the battery cell is in thermal runaway, the side wall of the gas groove will not block the explosion-proof valve channel, so that the explosion-proof valve can open normally to release pressure and prevent the battery cell from exploding.

[0014] In some embodiments, the end cover is provided with a first through hole, the insulating member is provided with a second through hole, the end cover assembly includes a pole assembly and an adapter plate, the pole assembly is provided with the first through hole and the second through hole, the adapter plate is connected to the pole assembly at one end of the second through hole, the second through hole is formed with a second opening on the side of the insulating member facing the adapter plate, and the sealing structure includes a second sealing member, the second sealing member surrounds the second opening and seals the adapter plate and the insulating member.

[0015] By setting a second seal, the second seal surrounds the second opening and seals the adapter and the insulating member. When the battery cell is inverted or upright, the second seal can prevent the electrolyte from flowing to the pole assembly through the gap between the adapter and the insulating member, thereby avoiding electrolyte or electrochemical corrosion of the pole assembly and even the end cover, reducing the risk of battery cell leakage.

[0016] In some embodiments, a second receiving groove surrounding the second opening is provided on a side of the insulating member facing the adapter plate, and the second sealing member is at least partially received in the second receiving groove.

[0017] The second sealing member is at least partially accommodated in the second accommodating groove, and the second accommodating groove can limit the position of the second sealing member, thereby preventing the second sealing member from shifting when the end cover assembly is assembled and the battery cell is used, thereby preventing the sealing effect from being affected.

[0018] In some embodiments, the sealing structure includes an annular third seal, which is arranged on the side of the insulating member along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly and surrounds the side of the insulating member along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly. The third seal is configured to seal and connect the insulating member with the inner side wall of the shell of the battery cell.

[0019] By setting a third seal, the third seal surrounds the side of the insulating part along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly, and the third seal seals and connects the insulating part with the inner wall of the shell. When the battery cell is inverted or upright, the third seal can prevent the electrolyte from flowing through the gap between the shell and the insulating part to the weld between the end cover and the shell, thereby avoiding electrolyte or electrochemical corrosion of the weld between the end cover and the shell, reducing the risk of battery cell leakage.

[0020] In some embodiments, the insulating member is provided with an annular third accommodating groove on the side surface along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly, and the third sealing member is at least partially accommodated in the third accommodating groove.

[0021] The third seal is at least partially accommodated in the third accommodating groove, and the third accommodating groove can limit the third seal, thereby preventing the third seal from shifting and affecting the sealing effect when the end cover assembly is assembled and the battery cell is used.

[0022] In some embodiments, a support block is protruding from the side of the insulating member away from the end cover, and the support block is configured to support the electrode assembly of the battery cell assembly when the battery cell is inverted, so that an accommodating space is formed between the electrode assembly and the insulating member.

[0023] By adding a support block between the electrode assembly and the top cover, the support block can be used as a force-bearing structure. In the battery cell, the support block and the inner side wall of the shell facing the support block can limit the electrode assembly. On the one hand, it can prevent the inverted battery cell from pulling the pole ear under the gravity of the battery cell assembly during vibration and impact, causing the pole ear to tear under force or insert it inverted into the electrode assembly, causing a short circuit in the electrode assembly, and causing a thermal runaway event of the battery cell. On the other hand, by adding a support block between the electrode assembly and the top cover, the battery cell can be prevented from shaking up and down in the battery cell shell under the action of gravity during vibration and impact. Because the negative electrode material of the electrode assembly has poor bonding strength with the current collector, it will decarbonize under a lot of shaking. Therefore, by adding a support block, the battery cell assembly can be prevented from shaking up and down, thereby preventing the amount and probability of decarbonization. If there is decarbonization, electrochemical corrosion will occur, increasing the risk of leakage.

[0024] In some embodiments, the support block includes a first support block and a second support block, the first support block is arranged on at least one side of the insulating member along a first direction, the second support block corresponds to the air groove along a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0025] Through the first support block and the second support block, the support points of the support blocks on the electrode assembly can be dispersed, which is beneficial to dispersing stress and avoiding excessive stress concentration that may easily cause damage to the electrode assembly.

[0026] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery cell, the battery cell comprising the end cover assembly of any of the above embodiments.

[0027] In a third aspect, the present application provides a battery, the battery comprising the battery cell of the above embodiment.

[0028] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides an electrical device, which includes the battery of the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0029] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. Moreover, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery cell in some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] Figure 5 Another exploded structural schematic diagram of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] Figure 6 It is another exploded structural schematic diagram of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] Figure 7 A top view of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a battery cell along line AA;

[0039] Fig. 9 for Figure 8 An enlarged schematic diagram of a battery cell B portion;

[0040] Fig.10 for Figure 8 An enlarged schematic diagram of a battery cell C portion;

[0041] Figures 11 to 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insulating member of some embodiments of the present application;

[0042] Fig.14 for Fig.13 Schematic diagram of the cross-section of the insulating part along line DD.

[0043] The reference numerals in the specific implementation manner are as follows:

[0044] Vehicles 1000;

[0045] Battery 100, controller 200, motor 300;

[0046] Box body 10, first part 11, second part 12;

[0047] Battery cell 20, end cover assembly 21, end cover 210, explosion-proof valve 211, insulating member 212, sealing structure 213, air groove 214, first opening 215, first sealing member 216, first accommodating groove 217, groove 218, annular groove 219, arc groove 220, first through hole 221, second through hole 222, pole assembly 223, adapter 224, second opening 225, second sealing member 226, fourth sealing member 227, pole 228, pole piece 229, third through hole 230, second accommodating groove 231, third sealing member 232, third accommodating groove 233, support block 234, first support block 235, second support block 236, accommodating space 237;

[0048] Shell 25, accommodating cavity 251, third opening 252;

[0049] Battery cell assembly 26 , tab 261 , electrode assembly 262 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application are described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, and are therefore only used as examples, and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0053] Reference to "embodiments" herein 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 herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there may 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 this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0055] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0056] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0057] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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 mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0058] At present, from the perspective of market development, the application of power batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Power 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.

[0059] The inventor of this application has noticed that with the development of CTC integrated chassis, the application of inverted bonding of square shell battery cells to the vehicle body floor has gradually increased. Inverted bonding of battery cells to the floor can increase the floor strength on the one hand, and on the other hand, the explosion-proof valve and pole of the battery cell facing downward can reduce the risk of passenger compartment during high-voltage ignition and thermal runaway. However, inverted assembly of battery cells also has the following problems: long-term immersion of the explosion-proof valve in the electrolyte is prone to corrosion and leakage risks.

[0060] Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problem that the explosion-proof valve is soaked in electrolyte when the battery cell is inverted, the inventor of the present application has designed an end cap assembly after in-depth research. The end cap assembly includes an end cap, an explosion-proof valve, an insulating member and a sealing structure. The explosion-proof valve is arranged on the end cap. The insulating member is connected to one side of the end cap, and the insulating member is provided with an air groove. The insulating member is formed with a first opening on one side of the end cap, and the first opening is connected to the air groove. The explosion-proof valve is connected to the air groove through the first opening. The sealing structure includes a first sealing member, which surrounds the first opening and seals the insulating member and the end cap.

[0061] In such an end cap assembly, the first seal seals and connects the insulating member and the end cap around the first opening. When the battery cell is installed upside down, the electrolyte is blocked by the first seal and cannot enter the air tank, thereby preventing the explosion-proof valve from being soaked by the electrolyte entering the air tank, avoiding the risk of corrosion and leakage.

[0062] The end cap assembly disclosed in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to a battery cell, a battery cell can be applied to a battery, and a battery can be applied to an electrical device as a power source or various energy storage systems using a 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, an electric airplane toy, and the like, and the spacecraft can include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spacecraft, and the like.

[0063] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle 1000 provided for some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000, for example, the battery 100 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300, and the controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can not only serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also serve as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 An exploded view of a battery 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a housing 10 and a battery cell 20, wherein the battery cell 20 is contained in the housing 10. The housing 10 is used to provide a storage space for the battery cell 20, and the housing 10 may adopt a variety of structures. In some embodiments, the housing 10 may include a first portion 11 and a second portion 12, wherein the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 cover each other, and the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 jointly define a storage space for accommodating the battery cell 20.

[0067] The second part 12 may be a hollow structure with one end open, and the first part 11 may be a plate-like structure, and the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12, so that the first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define a storage space; the first part 11 and the second part 12 may also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12. Of course, the box body 10 formed by the first part 11 and the second part 12 may be in various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0068] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 20, and the multiple battery cells 20 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection. A mixed connection means that the multiple battery cells 20 are both connected in series and in parallel. The multiple battery cells 20 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the whole formed by the multiple battery cells 20 is accommodated in the box 10. Of course, the battery 100 may also be a battery module formed by connecting multiple battery cells 20 in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the multiple battery modules are connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection to form a whole, and accommodated in the box 10. The battery 100 may also include other structures. For example, the battery 100 may also include a busbar component for realizing electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0069] Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery or a primary battery, or a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or in other shapes.

[0070] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 3 to 14 The present application provides an end cover assembly 21 , which includes an end cover 210 , an explosion-proof valve 211 , an insulating member 212 and a sealing structure 213 . The explosion-proof valve 211 is disposed on the end cover 210 .

[0071] The insulating member 212 is connected to one side of the end cover 210, and is provided with an air groove 214. A first opening 215 is formed on one side of the insulating member 212 facing the end cover 210, and the first opening 215 is connected to the air groove 214. The explosion-proof valve 211 is connected to the air groove 214 through the first opening 215. The sealing structure 213 includes a first sealing member 216, which surrounds the first opening 215 and seals and connects the insulating member 212 and the end cover 210.

[0072] The present application does not specifically limit the shape and material of the end cap 210. Optionally, the end cap 210 may be a plain aluminum sheet, and the end cap 210 may be in a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. The rectangular parallelepiped end cap 210 may fit the housing 25 of the square battery cell 20.

[0073] Optionally, the explosion-proof valve 211 can be arranged in the middle of the end cover 210, so that the explosion-proof valve 211 can be far away from the adjacent battery cells 20. When the explosion-proof valve 211 is opened, the adverse effect of the spray valve substance on the adjacent battery cells 20 can be avoided or reduced. When the internal air pressure of the battery cell 20 is greater than the design value, the explosion-proof valve 211 can be opened, thereby allowing the battery cell 20 to release pressure and prevent the battery cell 20 from exploding.

[0074] The present application does not specifically limit the shape and material of the insulating member 212. Optionally, the insulating member 212 is adapted to the shape of the end cap 210 to form a more regular end cap assembly 21. Optionally, the material of the insulating member 212 can be plastic or a composite material. Optionally, the material of the insulating member 212 can melt quickly at a temperature above 120°C.

[0075] The insulating member 212 can separate the end cover 210 from the battery cell assembly 26 of the battery cell 20 to prevent the battery cell assembly 26 from contacting the end cover 210 and causing a short circuit.

[0076] The present application does not specifically limit the shape and material of the first sealing member 216. Optionally, the first sealing member 216 may be a sealant or a sealing ring. The first sealing member 216 may be annular, for example, the first sealing member 216 may be in a circular ring shape or a square ring shape. The cross section of the first sealing member 216 may be circular or square or other shapes.

[0077] The gas groove 214 may be a U-shaped groove or a groove of other shapes, or may be adjusted according to the shape of the explosion-proof valve 211. The side walls of the gas groove 214 may be closed side walls, and when the battery cell 20 is inverted or upright, the electrolyte will not enter the gas groove 214 through the side walls of the gas groove 214. The explosion-proof valve 211 is connected to the gas groove 214 through the first opening 215. When a large amount of gas is produced inside the battery cell 20 before thermal runaway, the side walls of the gas groove 214 may be quickly melted or broken by the gas, thereby allowing the gas to enter the gas groove 214 and act on the explosion-proof valve 211. When the air pressure reaches the design value, the explosion-proof valve 211 opens, thereby preventing the battery cell 20 from exploding. The provision of the gas groove 214 can reduce the weight of the insulating member 212 on the one hand, and reduce the structural strength of the insulating member 212 on the other hand.

[0078] The end cap 210 is fitted and connected with the insulating member 212, so that the end cap 210 and the insulating member 212 tightly clamp the first sealing member 216. The first sealing member 216 surrounds the first opening 215 and seals and connects the end cap 210 and the insulating member 212. When the battery cell 20 is inverted or upright, the electrolyte is blocked by the first sealing member 216 and cannot enter the air groove 214 through the gap between the end cap 210 and the insulating member 212, thereby preventing the explosion-proof valve 211 from being soaked by the electrolyte when the battery cell 20 is in normal use, avoiding or reducing the risk of corrosion and leakage, which is conducive to extending the service life of the battery cell 20 and improving the safety of the battery cell 20.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Figure 4 and Fig. 9 The insulating member 212 defines a first receiving groove 217 surrounding the first opening 215 , and the first sealing member 216 is at least partially located in the first receiving groove 217 .

[0080] The first accommodating groove 217 may be annular and arranged around the first opening 215. The present application does not specifically limit the annular shape of the first accommodating groove 217. Optionally, the first accommodating groove 217 may be annular. The cross-section of the first accommodating groove 217 may be semicircular, square or other shapes, which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0081] Optionally, the first sealing member 216 is adapted to the shape of the first receiving groove 217 , so that the first sealing member 216 can be more stably received in the first receiving groove 217 .

[0082] The first seal 216 is at least partially accommodated in the first accommodating groove 217, and the first accommodating groove 217 can limit the first seal 216, thereby preventing the first seal 216 from shifting and affecting the sealing effect when the end cover assembly 21 is assembled and the battery cell 20 is used.

[0083] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, a groove 218 is provided on the side wall of the air groove 214 facing the explosion-proof valve 211 .

[0084] exist Fig.14 In the embodiment, the side wall of the gas groove 214 facing the explosion-proof valve 211 is the bottom wall of the gas groove 214. The present application does not specifically limit the shape of the groove 218. Fig.13 In the embodiment, the groove 218 includes an annular groove 219 and two arc grooves 220. The annular groove 219 is provided at the portion of the bottom wall connected to the circumferential side wall of the gas groove 214. The two arc grooves 220 are symmetrically arranged about the central axis L of the end cover 210 along the first direction. The two arc grooves 220 are connected to the annular groove 219 and are located in the area surrounded by the annular groove 219. Fig.13 In the embodiment, the first direction is the left-right direction. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the first direction can also be other directions, which are not specifically limited here.

[0085] A groove 218 is provided on the side wall of the gas groove 214 facing the explosion-proof valve 211. At the groove 218, the thickness of the insulating member 212 surrounding the gas groove 214 is reduced. The purpose is to quickly melt or break through the insulating member 212 when a large amount of gas is produced inside the battery cell 20 before thermal runaway, so that the gas enters the gas groove 214 and acts on the explosion-proof valve 211, so that the explosion-proof valve 211 opens and prevents the battery cell 20 from exploding. Therefore, when the battery cell 20 is in thermal runaway, the side wall of the gas groove 214 will not block the passage of the explosion-proof valve 211, so that the explosion-proof valve 211 can open normally to release pressure and prevent the battery cell 20 from exploding.

[0086] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Figures 4 to 6The end cover 210 is provided with a first through hole 221, the insulating member 212 is provided with a second through hole 222, the end cover assembly 21 includes a pole assembly 223 and an adapter plate 224, the pole assembly 223 is provided with the first through hole 221 and the second through hole 222, the adapter plate 224 connects the pole assembly 223 at one end of the second through hole 222, the second through hole 222 is formed with a second opening 225 on the side of the insulating member 212 facing the adapter plate 224, the sealing structure 213 includes a second sealing member 226, the second sealing member 226 surrounds the second opening 225 and seals and connects the adapter plate 224 and the insulating member 212.

[0087] The present application does not specifically limit the shapes and sizes of the first through hole 221 and the second through hole 222. Optionally, the first through hole 221 and the second through hole 222 are both cylindrical holes, and the sizes of the first through hole 221 and the second through hole 222 are substantially the same.

[0088] The end cap assembly 21 may be an integrated end cap assembly 21. In one embodiment, the end cap assembly 21 includes two pole assemblies 223 and two adapters 224, and the cell assembly 26 includes two pole ears 261, one is a positive pole ear 261, and the other is a negative pole ear 261. The two pole assemblies 223 may be a positive pole assembly 223 and a negative pole assembly 223, the end cap 210 is provided with two first through holes 221, the insulating member 212 is provided with two second through holes 222, and each pole assembly 223 is penetrated with a corresponding first through hole 221 and a second through hole 222. In one embodiment, the end cap assembly 21 may include a pole assembly 223 and an adapter 224.

[0089] The insulating member 212 is clamped between the adapter 224 and the end cover 210. Each pole assembly 223 can be connected to a corresponding adapter 224, and one adapter 224 can be connected to one pole ear 261, thereby achieving connection between the pole assembly 223 and the pole ear 261 of the cell assembly 26.

[0090] Optionally, the end cap assembly 21 further includes two fourth seals 227, the pole assembly 223 includes a pole 228 and a pole piece 229, the pole piece 229 is connected to one end of the pole 228, and the pole piece 229 protrudes from the pole 228 along the radial direction of the pole 228. The fourth seal 227 is provided with a third through hole 230, and the pole 228 is penetrated by the third through hole 230, the first through hole 221 and the second through hole 222 and connected to the adapter 224. The fourth seal 227 can seal and connect the pole piece 229 and the end cap 210, and seal and connect the pole 228 and the end cap 210 to prevent leakage of the electrolyte. Optionally, the pole 228 can be connected to the adapter 224 by welding (such as laser welding).

[0091] The present application does not specifically limit the shapes and materials of the second seal 226 and the fourth seal 227. Optionally, the second seal 226 may be a sealant or a sealing ring, and the fourth seal 227 may be a sealing ring or a sealant. The second seal 226 may be annular, for example, the second seal 226 may be in a circular ring shape or a square ring shape. The cross section of the second seal 226 may be circular or square. The fourth seal 227 may be annular, for example, the fourth seal 227 may be in a circular ring shape or a square ring shape. The cross section of the fourth seal 227 may be circular or square.

[0092] By setting a second seal 226, the second seal 226 surrounds the second opening 225 and seals the adapter 224 and the insulating member 212. When the battery cell 20 is inverted or upright, the second seal 226 can prevent the electrolyte from flowing to the pole assembly 223 through the gap between the adapter 224 and the insulating member 212, thereby avoiding electrolyte or electrochemical corrosion of the pole assembly 223 and even the end cover 210, reducing the risk of leakage of the battery cell 20.

[0093] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Fig.10 A second receiving groove 231 surrounding the second opening 225 is formed on the side of the insulating member 212 facing the adapter plate 224 , and the second sealing member 226 is at least partially received in the second receiving groove 231 .

[0094] The second accommodating groove 231 may be annular and arranged around the second opening 225. The present application does not specifically limit the annular shape of the second accommodating groove 231. Optionally, the second accommodating groove 231 may be annular. The cross-section of the second accommodating groove 231 may be semicircular, square or other shapes, which is not specifically limited in the present application.

[0095] Optionally, the second sealing member 226 is matched with the shape of the second receiving groove 231 , so that the second sealing member 226 can be more stably received in the second receiving groove 231 .

[0096] The second seal 226 is at least partially accommodated in the second accommodating groove 231, and the second accommodating groove 231 can limit the second seal 226, thereby preventing the second seal 226 from shifting and affecting the sealing effect when the end cover assembly 21 is assembled and the battery cell 20 is used.

[0097] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the sealing structure 213 includes an annular third seal 232, which is arranged on the side of the insulating member 212 along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly 21, and surrounds the side of the insulating member 212 along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly 21, and the third seal 232 is configured to seal and connect the insulating member 212 and the inner side wall of the shell 25 of the battery cell 20.

[0098] Please combine Figure 4 and Figure 8 The battery cell 20 includes a shell 25 and a cell assembly 26. The cell assembly 26 includes a tab 261. The shell 25 is provided with a housing 251. The cell assembly 26 is located in the housing 251. A third opening 252 communicating with the housing 251 is formed on one side of the shell 25 along the second direction. Figure 4 , the second direction is the up-down direction.

[0099] The two tabs 261 of the cell assembly 26 are welded to the two adapters 224 respectively, the cell assembly 26, the insulating member 212 and the adapter 224 can be loaded into the accommodating cavity 251, the end cap 210 is arranged at the third opening 252, the shell 25 and the end cap 210 are sutured by laser welding to form the battery cell 20, the third sealing member 232 is clamped between the insulating member 212 and the inner side wall of the shell 25, and seals and connects the insulating member 212 and the inner side wall of the shell 25. The inner side wall of the shell 25 can be the side wall of the shell 25 facing the accommodating cavity 251.

[0100] By setting a third seal 232, the third seal 232 surrounds the side of the insulating member 212 along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly 21, and the third seal 232 seals and connects the insulating member 212 and the inner wall of the shell 25. When the battery cell 20 is inverted or upright, the third seal 232 can prevent the electrolyte from flowing through the gap between the shell 25 and the insulating member 212 to the weld between the end cover 210 and the shell 25, thereby avoiding electrolyte or electrochemical corrosion of the weld between the end cover 210 and the shell 25, reducing the risk of leakage of the battery cell 20.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Figure 4 and Fig.10 A third annular accommodating groove 233 is provided on the side surface of the insulating member 212 along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly 21 , and the third sealing member 232 is at least partially accommodated in the third accommodating groove 233 .

[0102] The third accommodating groove 233 may be annular and surround the side surface of the insulating member 212 along the circumferential direction of the end cap assembly 21. The cross section of the third accommodating groove 233 may be semicircular, square, rectangular or other shapes, which are not specifically limited in the present application.

[0103] Optionally, the third sealing member 232 is matched with the shape of the third containing groove 233 , so that the third sealing member 232 can be more stably contained in the third containing groove 233 .

[0104] The third seal 232 is at least partially accommodated in the third accommodating groove 233, and the third accommodating groove 233 can limit the third seal 232, thereby preventing the third seal 232 from shifting and affecting the sealing effect when the end cover assembly 21 is assembled and the battery cell 20 is used.

[0105] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Figures 11 to 14 A support block 234 is protruding from the side of the insulating member 212 away from the end cover 210 . The support block 234 is configured to support the electrode assembly 262 of the battery cell assembly 26 when the battery cell 20 is inverted, so that an accommodating space 237 is formed between the electrode assembly 262 and the insulating member 212 .

[0106] The battery cell assembly 26 includes an electrode assembly 262 and a pole ear 261 . The pole ear 261 is connected to a side surface of the electrode assembly 262 along the second direction. The pole ear 261 is connected to the adapter plate 224 , thereby connecting the adapter plate 224 to the electrode assembly 262 .

[0107] In the battery cell 20, the support block 234 extends toward the electrode assembly 262 and protrudes from the insulating member 212. When the battery cell 20 is inverted, the support block 234 can support the electrode assembly 262, so that an accommodation space 237 is formed between the electrode assembly 262 and the insulating member 212, and the tab 261 and the adapter 224 can be located in the accommodation space 237.

[0108] Optionally, the insulating member 212 and the support block 234 are connected as an integral structure. The insulating member 212 and the support block 234 can be integrally manufactured by an injection molding process. Optionally, the insulating member 212 and the support block 234 can also be fixed together by bonding or the like. The protruding height of the support block 234 can be determined according to actual needs, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0109] By adding a support block 234 between the electrode assembly 262 and the top cover, the support block 234 can be used as a force-bearing structure. In the battery cell 20, the support block 234 and the inner wall of the shell 25 toward the support block 234 can limit the electrode assembly 262. On the one hand, it can prevent the inverted battery cell 20 from pulling the pole ear 261 under the action of gravity of the cell assembly 26 during vibration and impact, causing the pole ear 261 to be torn under force or inserted inverted into the electrode assembly 262, causing a short circuit in the electrode assembly 262, and causing a thermal runaway event of the battery cell 20. On the other hand, by adding a support block 234 between the electrode assembly 262 and the top cover, the battery cell 20 can be prevented from shaking up and down in the battery cell 20 housing 25 under the action of gravity during vibration and impact. Because the negative electrode material of the electrode assembly 262 has poor bonding strength with the current collector, it will decarbonize under a large amount of shaking. Therefore, by adding a support block 234, the battery cell assembly 26 can be prevented from shaking up and down, thereby preventing the amount and probability of decarbonization. If there is decarbonization, electrochemical corrosion will occur, increasing the risk of leakage.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please combine Figures 11 to 14 The support block 234 includes a first support block 235 and a second support block 236. The first support block 235 is arranged on at least one side of the insulating member 212 along the first direction, and the second support block 236 corresponds to the air groove 214 along the second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0111] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment, the first direction is the left-right direction, and the second direction is the up-down direction. The present application does not specifically limit the number of the first support blocks 235 and the second support blocks 236. Figures 11 to 14 In the embodiment, the support block 234 includes two first support blocks 235 and one second support block 236. The two first support blocks 235 are respectively arranged on the left side and the right side of the insulating member 212 to support the left and right sides of the electrode assembly 262 facing the insulating member 212 respectively.

[0112] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment, the battery cell 20 includes two battery cell assemblies 26, the left first support block 235 supports the two left portions of the two electrode assemblies 262 facing the side of the insulating member 212 (such as the arc-shaped portion on the left side of the electrode assemblies 262), and the right first support block 235 supports the two right portions of the two electrode assemblies 262 facing the side of the insulating member 212 (such as the arc-shaped portion on the right side of the electrode assemblies 262). Figure 8 In the figure, since the cross section is located at the middle connection between the two battery cell assemblies 26, the supporting relationship of the first supporting block 235 to the electrode assembly 262 cannot be shown in the cross-sectional view.

[0113] Along the first direction, the second support block 236 is located between the two first support blocks 235, and the second support block 236 can be used as an intermediate support block 234. Along the second direction, the second support block 236 corresponds to the gas groove 214. In one embodiment, the side wall of the gas groove 214 facing the insulating member 212 is provided with a groove 218, and the function of the groove 218 can reduce the material thickness of the contact part between the second support block 236 and the electrode assembly 262, so that when a large amount of gas is produced inside the battery cell 20 before thermal runaway, the side wall of the gas groove 214 can be quickly melted or broken through, so that the gas acts on the explosion-proof valve 211, so that the explosion-proof valve 211 opens, thereby preventing the battery cell 20 from exploding.

[0114] The first support block 235 and the second support block 236 can disperse the support points of the support block 234 on the electrode assembly 262 , which is beneficial for dispersing stress and avoiding excessive stress concentration that may easily cause damage to the electrode assembly 262 .

[0115] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery cell 20, and the battery cell 20 includes the end cover assembly 21 of any of the above embodiments.

[0116] When assembling the end cover assembly 21, the two second seals 226 are respectively installed in the two second receiving grooves 231, and the first seal 216 is installed in the first receiving groove 217. The two adapters 224 are respectively welded to the two poles 228 by laser welding, and then the end cover 210 and the insulating member 212 are fitted and installed on the two adapters 224, and then the two fourth seals 227 and the two pole pieces 229 are installed on the end cover 210 and the two pole pieces 229 are respectively welded to the two poles 228 by laser welding, and then the third seal 232 is installed in the third receiving groove 233 to form an integrated end cover assembly 21.

[0117] The positive and negative tabs 261 of the cell assembly 26 can be welded to the other side of the two adapter plates 224 respectively, and then the cell assembly 26 is installed in the accommodating cavity 251 of the shell 25, and the shell 25 and the end cover 210 are sewn together by laser welding to form a battery cell 20.

[0118] The first sealing member 216 is installed in the first containing groove 217 . After the insulating member 212 is tightly attached to the end cover 210 , the first sealing member 216 plays a sealing role to prevent the electrolyte from flowing into the explosion-proof valve 211 .

[0119] The third sealing member 232 is installed in the third accommodating groove 233. After the insulating member 212 and the shell 25 are installed, the third sealing member 232 seals the gap between the insulating member 212 and the shell 25 to prevent the electrolyte from flowing through the edge of the insulating member 212 into the end cover 210 and the weld between the end cover 210 and the shell 25.

[0120] The second seals 226 are respectively installed in the second accommodating grooves 231 . After the adapter plate 224 is in close contact with the insulating member 212 , the second seals 226 seal the gap between the adapter plate 224 and the insulating member 212 to prevent the electrolyte from flowing into the pole 228 and the end cover 210 through the second through hole 222 .

[0121] In summary, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0122] The battery cell 20 in the present application can be installed upright in the battery box for use, or it can be installed in the battery box for use upside down. When the battery cell 20 is installed in the battery box upside down, the following problems can be solved: 1) It can solve the problem of the tab 261 being pulled or the tab 261 being short-circuited when the battery cell 20 is inverted; 2) It can reduce the amount of decarbonization and the probability of decarbonization of the negative electrode material. 3) Avoid electrolyte or electrochemical corrosion of the explosion-proof valve 211, the sealing part of the pole 228, and the weld between the end cover 210 and the shell 25, reducing the risk of leakage of the battery cell 20.

[0123] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery, which includes the battery cell 20 of any of the above embodiments.

[0124] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides an electrical device, which includes the battery of the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0125] The power-consuming device may be any of the aforementioned devices or systems using batteries.

[0126] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An end cap assembly, characterized in that: include: End caps; An explosion-proof valve, wherein the explosion-proof valve is arranged on the end cover; an insulating member, the insulating member being connected to a side surface of the end cover, the insulating member being provided with an air groove, the insulating member being formed with a first opening on a side surface of the end cover, the first opening being connected to the air groove, and the explosion-proof valve being connected to the air groove through the first opening; The sealing structure includes a first sealing member surrounding the first opening and sealingly connecting the insulating member and the end cover.

2. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insulating member is provided with a first accommodating groove surrounding the first opening, and the first sealing member is at least partially located in the first accommodating groove.

3. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A groove is provided on the side wall of the air tank facing the explosion-proof valve.

4. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end cover is provided with a first through hole, the insulating member is provided with a second through hole, the end cover assembly includes a pole assembly and an adapter plate, the pole assembly is provided with the first through hole and the second through hole, the adapter plate is connected to one end of the pole assembly at the second through hole, the second through hole is formed with a second opening on the side of the insulating member facing the adapter plate, the sealing structure includes a second sealing member, the second sealing member surrounds the second opening and seals and connects the adapter plate and the insulating member.

5. The end cap assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: A second accommodating groove surrounding the second opening is provided on the side of the insulating member facing the adapter plate, and the second sealing member is at least partially accommodated in the second accommodating groove.

6. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing structure includes an annular third sealing member, which is arranged on the side surface of the insulating member along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly and surrounds the side surface of the insulating member along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly. The third sealing member is configured to seal and connect the insulating member with the inner side wall of the shell of the battery cell.

7. The end cap assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The insulating member is provided with an annular third accommodating groove on the side surface along the circumferential direction of the end cover assembly, and the third sealing member is at least partially accommodated in the third accommodating groove.

8. The end cap assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A support block is protruded from the side of the insulating member away from the end cover, and the support block is configured to support the electrode assembly of the battery cell assembly when the battery cell is inverted, so that an accommodating space is formed between the electrode assembly and the insulating member.

9. The end cap assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The support block includes a first support block and a second support block, the first support block is arranged on at least one side of the insulating member along a first direction, the second support block corresponds to the air groove along a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

10. A battery cell, characterized in that: The invention comprises the end cover assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A battery, characterized in that: The battery cell comprises the battery cell according to claim 10.

12. An electrical device, characterized in that: The battery according to claim 11 is used to provide electrical energy.

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