Power battery pack and electric equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a power battery pack and electric equipment. The power battery pack comprises a box body, a plurality of battery monomers, a heat management part and an equipotential part, the plurality of single batteries are arranged in the box body along a first direction and a second direction, the heat management component extends along the first direction and is arranged in the box body, and at least part of the heat management component is connected between two adjacent single batteries in the second direction; a conductive part is arranged on the side, close to the box body, of the heat management component and is in equipotential connection with the heat management component, and the equipotential piece is connected between the conductive part and the box body so that equipotential connection between the heat management component and the box body can be achieved. According to the power battery pack disclosed by the utility model, the electric conduction part is arranged on the heat management part, so that equipotential connection between the heat management part and the box body is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of battery packs, in particular to a power battery pack and electrical equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the design of new energy vehicles, in addition to considerations such as driving costs and endurance, it is also necessary to focus on the vehicle's safety performance. Among them, the power battery pack is the energy source of new energy vehicles, and its safety performance design is an important part of new energy vehicles.

[0003] For power battery packs, the maximum voltage of their battery modules or the entire pack is generally more than 60V, which has exceeded the safe voltage range for the human body. However, the outer box of the power battery pack is generally an exposed metal structure. When insulation failure occurs in the battery module or the entire pack, the various metal structures in the battery pack will form an electric potential difference. When the human body contacts these metal parts, electric shock accidents are likely to occur, thus affecting human safety.

[0004] In order to achieve equipotential connection of power battery packs, in the prior art, a mounting structure for installing equipotential parts is usually provided on the battery pack box. However, the equipotential mounting structure is relatively complex and has high requirements for the processing of the box, resulting in great manufacturing difficulties and is not conducive to lightweight design and cost control of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a power battery pack to at least solve at least one problem in the prior art.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the utility model is implemented as follows:

[0007] The utility model provides a power battery pack, comprising a case, a plurality of battery cells, a thermal management component and an equipotential member; the case has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction that intersect each other; a plurality of the battery cells are arranged in an array in the case along the first direction and the second direction, the thermal management component extends along the first direction and is arranged in the case, and at least part of the thermal management component is connected between two adjacent battery cells in the second direction; a conductive part is provided on one side of the thermal management component close to the case, the conductive part is connected to the thermal management component at the same potential, and the equipotential member is connected between the conductive part and the case to achieve the same potential connection between the thermal management component and the case.

[0008] Optionally, the box body includes a bottom plate, a cover plate and a side plate arranged between the bottom plate and the cover plate, the bottom plate, the cover plate and the side plate together form a accommodating cavity, and the plurality of battery cells are arranged in the accommodating cavity; the conductive part is provided on the side of the thermal management component close to the bottom plate, and the equipotential member is connected between the conductive part and the bottom plate; and / or, the conductive part is provided on the side of the thermal management component close to the cover plate, and the equipotential member is connected between the conductive part and the cover plate.

[0009] Optionally, the heat management component has an end portion along the first direction, and along the first direction, the end portion protrudes from a surface of the battery cell located at an edge; and the conductive portion is provided on a side of the end portion close to the box body.

[0010] Optionally, a groove is provided on a side of the end portion close to the box body, and the conductive part is provided in the groove; the equipotential member is at least partially accommodated in the groove and connected between the conductive part and the box body.

[0011] Optionally, there are multiple thermal management components, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and at least one battery cell is arranged between two adjacent thermal management components; the groove penetrates the thermal management components along the second direction; the equipotential member extends along the second direction and is penetrated in the grooves of multiple thermal management components to connect multiple conductive parts.

[0012] Optionally, at least one inner wall of the groove forms the conductive portion.

[0013] Optionally, a protrusion is provided on one side of the thermal management component close to the side plate, and the protrusion protrudes and extends along the first direction toward a direction away from the thermal management component; at least a portion of the protrusion forms the conductive portion; the equipotential member is connected between the protrusion and the base plate, and / or the equipotential member is connected between the protrusion and the cover plate; the conductive portion is provided on the protrusion.

[0014] Optionally, the protrusion includes a connecting portion and a limiting portion, the limiting portion is connected to the thermal management component, and the connecting portion is connected to a side of the limiting portion away from the thermal management component; along the first direction, the equipotential member and the projection of the limiting portion on a plane perpendicular to the first direction at least partially overlap; along the third direction, the equipotential member and the projection of the connecting portion on a plane perpendicular to the third direction at least partially overlap; the connecting portion and / or the limiting portion form the conductive portion.

[0015] Optionally, the thermal management component includes a heat exchanger and a current collector; the heat exchanger is disposed between two adjacent battery cells; the current collector is disposed at at least one end of the heat exchanger along the first direction, and the current collector forms the end portion.

[0016] Optionally, the heat exchanger and the current collector are an integral structure, or the heat exchanger and the current collector are fixed by welding.

[0017] Optionally, along the first direction, the conductive parts are provided at two opposite ends of the heat management component.

[0018] Optionally, the equipotential member is an elastic structure, and the equipotential member abuts between the conductive part and the box body.

[0019] Optionally, the thermal management component includes a metal body and an insulating structure, wherein the insulating structure is coated on the surface of the metal body, and a window is opened in the insulating structure, and at least a portion of the metal body is exposed through the window to form the conductive portion.

[0020] The utility model also provides an electrical device, comprising any one of the power battery packs described above.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the power battery pack described in the utility model has the following advantages:

[0022] The power battery pack of the utility model realizes equipotential connection between the thermal management component and the box body by arranging a conductive part on the thermal management component, thereby improving the electrical safety of the battery pack, and no additional design and processing of the box body is required, which reduces the processing requirements and difficulty of the battery pack, is conducive to realizing the lightweight of the power battery pack, and reduces the manufacturing cost of the battery pack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings constituting a part of the present invention are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The illustrative embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a power battery pack in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of a power battery pack in an embodiment of the utility model, in which a groove is used to connect an equipotential member;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of another power battery pack in the embodiment of the utility model, in which a groove is used to connect an equipotential member;

[0027] Figure 4It is a partial enlarged view of a groove portion of a power battery pack in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a cross-sectional view of a power battery pack in an embodiment of the utility model, in which a protrusion is connected to an equipotential member;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a thermal management component provided with a protrusion in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a thermal management component in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 8 It is a partial cutaway schematic diagram of a thermal management component in an embodiment of the utility model.

[0032] Description of reference numerals:

[0033] 1-box, 11-bottom plate, 12-side plate, 13-cover plate, 2-battery cell, 3-thermal management component, 30-end, 301-conductive part, 31-groove, 32-protrusion, 321-connecting part, 322-limiting part, 33-heat exchange body, 330-flow channel, 34-current collector, 35-liquid cooling tube, 361-metal body, 362-insulating structure, 363-window, 37-positioning hole, 4-conductive part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments 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.

[0035] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present utility model are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the utility model can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here, and the objects distinguished by "first", "second", etc. are generally of one type, and the number of objects is not limited. For example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, "and / or" in the specification and claims represents at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship.

[0036] The term "parallel" in the present utility model includes not only the situation of absolute parallelism, but also the situation of approximately parallelism conventionally recognized in engineering, such as "parallel" refers to the state where the angle formed by a straight line, a straight line and a plane, or a plane and a plane is -1° to 1°; at the same time, "vertical" also includes not only the situation of absolute verticality, but also the situation of approximately verticality conventionally recognized in engineering, such as "vertical" refers to the state where the angle formed by a straight line, a straight line and a plane, or a plane and a plane is 89° to 91°. Equal distances or equal angles include not only the situation of absolute equality, but also the situation of approximately equality conventionally recognized in engineering, that is, there may be certain errors, such as the state where the tolerance range is -1% to 1%.

[0037] It should be understood that the reference to "some embodiments" throughout the specification means that specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiments are included in at least one embodiment of the utility model. Therefore, the "in some embodiments" appearing in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0038] A power battery pack provided by the present utility model is described in detail below by listing specific embodiments.

[0039] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The power battery pack provided by the utility model includes a case 1, a plurality of battery cells 2, a thermal management component 3 and an equipotential member 4; the case 1 has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction intersecting in pairs, and preferably, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other; a plurality of battery cells 2 are arranged in an array in the case 1 along the first direction and the second direction, the thermal management component 3 extends along the first direction and is arranged in the case 1, and at least part of the thermal management component 3 is connected between the battery cells 2 adjacent to each other in the second direction; a conductive part 301 is provided on one side of the thermal management component 3 close to the case 1, the conductive part 301 is connected to the thermal management component 3 at the same potential, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the case 1 to achieve the equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the case 1. Among them, the equipotential member 4 can be a conductive material, such as conductive foam, so that the conductive part 301 and the box body 1 can be electrically connected, and then the equipotential connection is achieved. Among them, the conductive foam can include foam and conductive cloth wrapped around the periphery of the foam. The foam is a flexible material and also has a certain elastic deformation ability, but the foam itself does not have conductivity. Therefore, a layer of conductive cloth is wrapped around the periphery of the foam. The conductive cloth uses fiber cloth as a base material, and after pre-treatment, it is electroplated with a metal coating to make it have metallic properties and become a conductive fiber cloth. It usually includes nickel-plated conductive cloth, gold-plated conductive cloth, carbon-plated conductive cloth, aluminum foil fiber composite cloth, etc. The specific choice of conductive cloth is not limited in this embodiment; in this way, the equipotential member 4 has a certain deformation ability, which can reduce shock and buffer, absorb assembly tolerances and improve connection reliability.

[0040] Specifically, the housing 1 can be a metal housing made of alloy steel, alloy aluminum, etc., or a composite housing made of metal and polypropylene, etc. The composite housing is lighter than the metal housing and is more conducive to the lightweight design of the power battery pack. The housing 1 has a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction that intersect each other. The first direction is as follows: Figures 1 to 6 The X direction is shown in the second direction. Figure 1 The Y direction is shown in the figure, and the third direction is shown in the figure. Figures 1 to 5 As shown in the Z direction in the figure, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect each other. When the box body 1 is a square structure, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction can be preferably set to be mutually perpendicular directions. A plurality of battery cells 2 are arranged in an array in the box body 1 along the first direction and the second direction. The plurality of battery cells 2 are the core components of the power battery pack, which can be charged by an external power supply device and store electricity, and can also supply power to an external power-consuming device, thereby realizing the charging and discharging function of the power battery pack. The thermal management component 3 extends along the first direction and is arranged in the box body 1. Specifically, the length direction of the thermal management component 3 extends along the first direction, and at least part of the thermal management component 3 is connected between the adjacent battery cells 2 in the second direction. The thermal management component 3 is a hard plate made of metal or alloy, etc., and a flow channel structure for circulating coolant is provided in the plate. The coolant circulates in the flow channel to cool the battery cell 2 during the charging and discharging process of the battery cell 2, so as to avoid the temperature of the battery cell 2 being too high, causing the risk of thermal runaway or explosion of the power battery pack, thereby ensuring the safety of the power battery pack.

[0041] In some embodiments, the conductive part 301 and the thermal management component 3 are integrally formed, and it can be understood that the conductive part 301 is a part of the thermal management component 3, or in other words, a part of the thermal management component 3 forms the conductive part 301. This arrangement can reduce the number of parts and components and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 5As shown, a conductive portion 301 is provided on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the housing 1. To prevent the thermal management component 3 from electrically contacting the battery cell 2 and causing a short circuit, it is necessary to coat the surface of the thermal management component 3 with an insulating structure or coat the surface of the battery cell 2 with an insulating structure, or, alternatively, to arrange an insulating pad between the thermal management component 3 and the battery cell 2, so as to achieve insulation between the thermal management component 3 and the battery cell 2. In some embodiments, the thermal management component 3 includes a metal body 361 and an insulating structure 362, the metal body 361 is coated with the insulating structure 362, a window 363 is provided on the side of the insulating structure 362 close to the housing 1, a part of the metal body 361 is exposed to the outside through the window 363 to form a conductive portion 301, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the part of the thermal management component 3 exposed through the window 363 and the housing 1, so as to achieve equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the housing 1. In other embodiments, the surface of the battery cell 2 is covered with an insulating layer or an insulating pad is provided between the thermal management component 3 and the battery cell 2. In this case, the surface of the thermal management component 3 may not be covered with the insulating structure 362, which is equivalent to the shell of the thermal management component 3 being completely exposed. In this case, the conductive part 301 can be located on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the box body 1, and the equipotential part 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the box body 1 to achieve equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1.

[0043] It should be noted that during the operation of the power battery pack, if the maximum voltage of the entire battery module exceeds 60V, it has exceeded the range of human safety voltage. In this case, the battery pack needs to be connected to the same potential. The same potential connection can prevent electric shock to the human body, protect human safety, prevent static electricity hazards, and ensure the normal operation of the electrical system in the battery pack. In the case of the same potential connection, the exposed metal parts on the battery pack have reached the same potential. When the human body touches these metal parts, no current will be generated, thereby avoiding electric shock accidents and protecting the safety of personnel.

[0044] In the prior art, it is usually necessary to provide a structure for installing an equipotential member on the battery pack case to achieve an equipotential connection between the thermal management component and the case. This structure is relatively complex and has high processing requirements for the case, resulting in high processing difficulty, which is not conducive to the lightweight design of the power battery pack and is not conducive to controlling the manufacturing cost of the battery pack. The power battery pack of the utility model realizes an equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the case 1 by providing a conductive portion 301 on the thermal management component 3. It does not require additional design and processing of the case 1, which reduces the processing requirements and difficulty of the battery pack, and is conducive to achieving a lightweight design of the power battery pack and controlling the manufacturing cost of the battery pack.

[0045] Optionally, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5The box body 1 includes a bottom plate 11, a cover plate 13 and a side plate 12 arranged between the bottom plate 11 and the cover plate 13; a conductive part 301 is arranged on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the bottom plate 11, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the bottom plate 11; and / or, a conductive part 301 is arranged on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the cover plate 13, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the cover plate 13.

[0046] Specifically, if Figure 5 As shown, the box body 1 includes a bottom plate 11, a cover plate 13 and a side plate 12. The side plate 12 is arranged around the bottom plate 11 and is fixedly connected to the bottom plate 11 and the cover plate 13 to enclose and form a accommodating cavity. A plurality of battery cells 2, a thermal management component 3 and an equipotential member 4 are all arranged in the accommodating cavity. The fixed connection between the side plate 12 and the bottom plate 11 and the cover plate 13 can be achieved by laser welding, bolts, fastener assembly connection, etc. The specific connection method is not limited in this embodiment. The side plate 12 and the bottom plate 11 jointly define a accommodating cavity of the box body 1, and the battery cell 2, the liquid cooling plate 3 and the equipotential member 4 are all arranged in the accommodating cavity. The cover plate 13 is arranged relative to the bottom plate 11 and is fixedly connected to the side plate 12 by fasteners such as bolts, screws, and rivets. The cover plate 13 can seal the accommodating cavity, thereby protecting the battery cell 2, the liquid cooling plate 3 and the equipotential member 4 in the accommodating cavity, and preventing external impurities such as water vapor and dust from entering the accommodating cavity, causing corrosion of various components or causing a short circuit of the battery cell 2, etc.

[0047] In some embodiments, the conductive part 301 is arranged on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the bottom plate 11, and the equipotential part 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the bottom plate 11 to compress the equipotential part 4, improve the connection reliability of the equipotential part 4, and avoid the failure of the equipotential connection caused by the equipotential part 4 falling off. This embodiment is more suitable for the scenario where the battery cell 2 is placed forward in the box body 1. At this time, the battery cell 2 can be connected to the bottom plate 11 to increase the mode of the battery pack. An explosion-proof valve is provided on the side of the battery cell 2 close to the cover plate 13, and there is a gap between the battery cell 2 and the cover plate 13 to form an exhaust space, etc.

[0048] In other embodiments, the conductive part 301 is arranged on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the cover plate 13, the equipotential part 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the cover plate 13, the thermal management component 3 carries the equipotential part 4, and the equipotential part 4 is pressed between the thermal management component 3 and the cover plate 13 to improve the connection reliability of the equipotential part 4 and avoid the failure of the equipotential connection caused by the equipotential part 4 falling off. This embodiment is more suitable for the scenario where the battery cell 2 in the box body 1 is inverted. At this time, the battery cell 2 can be connected to the cover plate 13 to improve the mode of the battery pack. An explosion-proof valve is provided on the side of the battery cell 2 close to the bottom plate 11, and there is a gap between the battery cell 2 and the bottom plate 11 to form an exhaust space, etc.

[0049] In some other embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the base plate 11 and the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the cover plate 13 are both provided with a conductive part 301. At this time, there are two schemes for the equipotential member 4; 1) The side of the thermal management component 3 close to the base plate 11 and the side close to the cover plate 13 are both provided with an equipotential member 4, and a double equipotential connection design. Such a setting can, on the one hand, ensure the reliability of the equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1, and avoid the failure of the equipotential connection between a certain thermal management component 3 and the box body 1 due to factors such as processing errors, battery pack shaking, and battery cell expansion, thereby ensuring the safety of the power battery pack; on the other hand, it can realize the fool-proof design of the thermal management component 3 along the third direction, which greatly facilitates the installation of the thermal management component 3 in the box body 1, so that the installer does not need to distinguish the direction of the thermal management component 3, and does not need to spend too much attention to complete the installation of the thermal management component 3 in the box body 1 correctly. 2) The equipotential member 4 is provided on one side of the thermal management component close to the base plate 11 or the cover plate 13. At this time, the equipotential member is provided on only one side of the thermal management component 3. At this time, the processing cost is lower, the efficiency is higher, and a fool-proof design can be achieved.

[0050] Optionally, along the first direction, conductive portions 301 are provided at opposite ends of the heat management component 3 .

[0051] Specifically, along the first direction, the conductive part 301 is at opposite ends of the thermal management component 3, thereby realizing a fool-proof design of the thermal management component 3 along the first direction, further facilitating the installation of the thermal management component 3 in the box body 1, so that the installer does not need to distinguish the direction of the thermal management component 3 and does not need to spend too much attention to correctly complete the installation of the thermal management component 3 in the box body 1, further reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the battery pack.

[0052] In some embodiments, a conductive portion 301 is provided on one side of the thermal management component 3 close to the base plate 11 and on one side close to the cover plate 13, and at both opposite ends along the first direction. Specifically, four conductive portions 301 can be provided on the thermal management component 3, and the conductive portions 301 are circumferentially distributed on the thermal management component 3, so as to further realize the fool-proof design of the thermal management component 3. At this time, the equipotential member 4 can be connected to one of the conductive portions 301 to realize the equipotential connection, so as to take into account both the fool-proof design and the reduction of manufacturing costs.

[0053] Optionally, refer to Figure 1There are multiple thermal management components 3 that are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and at least one battery cell 2 is arranged between two adjacent thermal management components 3; the thermal management component 3 has an end 30 along the first direction, and along the first direction, the end 30 protrudes from the surface of the battery cell 2 located at the edge; a conductive part 301 is provided on the side of the end 30 close to the box body 1, and the equipotential member 4 extends along the second direction and connects the conductive parts 301 of multiple thermal management components 3.

[0054] Specifically, multiple battery cells 2 are arranged along a first direction and a second direction. In the first direction, there will be battery cells 2 located at both end edges. The thermal management component 3 has two end portions 30 opposite to each other along the first direction, and along the first direction, one end portion 30 may protrude from the surface of the battery cell 2 located at the edge, or both end portions 30 may protrude from the surface of the battery cell 2 located at the edge. The conductive part 301 on the thermal management component 3 is arranged at its end 30, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the end 30 and the box body 1 to achieve the equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1, and the equipotential member 4 extends along the second direction to connect the adjacent conductive parts 301. Preferably, the equipotential member 4 extends along the second direction and connects all the conductive parts 301 of the thermal management component 3. Such a configuration can reduce the number of equipotential members 4 to reduce the difficulty of assembly, and when the equipotential member 4 is connected between the end 30 and the box body 1, the equipotential member 4 will not affect the installation or operation of the battery cell 2. The battery cell 2 can be bonded to the box body 1 to improve the mode of the battery pack, so that the structural design of the battery pack is more reasonable and the assembly is more convenient, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0055] Optionally, refer to Figures 2 to 4 A groove 31 is provided on a side of the thermal management component 3 close to the box body 1, and the conductive part 301 is provided in the groove 31. More specifically, a groove 31 is provided on a side of the end 30 close to the box body 1; the equipotential member 4 is at least partially accommodated in the groove 31 and connected between the conductive part 301 and the box body 1.

[0056] Specifically, a groove 31 is provided on one side of the heat management component 3 close to the box body 1, and the conductive portion 301 is provided in the groove 31. The size of the groove 31 can be slightly smaller than the size of the equipotential member 4, so that at least part of the equipotential member 4 can be accommodated in the groove 31. The structure is as follows: Figure 4As shown, at this time, the connection between the equipotential member 4 and the conductive part 301 and the housing 1 is more reliable. The size of the groove 31 can also be equal to or slightly larger than the size of the equipotential member 4, so that the equipotential member 4 can be completely accommodated in the groove 31. The equipotential member 4 is accommodated in the groove 31 and connected between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1. The groove 31 limits the equipotential member 4, which helps to improve the stability of the connection between the equipotential member 4 and the thermal management component 3 and the housing 1, thereby ensuring the reliability of the equipotential connection and ensuring the safety of the power battery pack. In addition, the groove 31 is directly opened on the thermal management component 3, which is relatively simple to manufacture and does not require additional components, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the battery pack.

[0057] Optionally, in some embodiments, referring to Figure 1 There are multiple thermal management components 3, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and at least one battery cell 2 is arranged between two adjacent thermal management components 3; the groove 31 penetrates the thermal management components along the second direction; the equipotential member 4 extends along the second direction and is penetrated in the grooves 31 of the multiple thermal management components 3 to connect the multiple thermal management components 3.

[0058] Specifically, if the number of rows of battery cells 2 arranged along the second direction is large, multiple thermal management components 3 need to be set to ensure that the thermal management components 3 can effectively cool down multiple battery cells 2. Multiple thermal management components 3 are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and one or more battery cells 2 are arranged between two adjacent thermal management components 3. The number of battery cells 2 arranged between two adjacent thermal management components 3 can be the same or different. Of course, if the number of battery cells 2 arranged between two adjacent thermal management components 3 is the same, it is more helpful to achieve balanced heat dissipation of multiple battery cells 2. The equipotential member 4 extends along the second direction to form a long strip structure. The long strip equipotential member 4 is inserted into the groove 31 of the thermal management component 3, so as to achieve the connection of the conductive parts 301 on the adjacent thermal management components 3. More preferably, the long strip equipotential member 4 connects all thermal management components 3, so that the box 1 and all thermal management components 3 are at the same potential, further improving safety, and can greatly reduce the number of equipotential members 4, thereby simplifying the assembly process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0059] Optionally, refer to Figure 4 , at least one inner wall of the groove 31 forms a conductive portion 301 .

[0060] Specifically, the conductive part 301 is disposed in the groove 31, specifically, at least one inner wall of the groove 31 forms the conductive part 301, and the size of the conductive part 301 should not be too small to ensure that the conductive part 301 can be effectively connected to the equipotential member 4. Preferably, all side walls of the groove 31 together form the conductive part 301 to increase the contact area between the conductive part 301 and the equipotential member 4, thereby increasing the connection reliability between the two to avoid failure of the equipotential connection.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the conductive portion 301 is arranged on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the bottom plate groove 31 close to the bottom plate 11 of the box body 1, the side of the groove 31 close to the bottom plate 11 and the side close to the side plate 12 are both open structures, which is more conducive to the assembly of the equipotential member 4.

[0062] Optionally, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 A protrusion 32 is provided on the side of the thermal management component 3 close to the side plate 12, and the protrusion 32 protrudes and extends along the first direction toward a direction away from the thermal management component 3; the equipotential member 4 is connected between the protrusion 32 and the bottom plate 11, and / or, the equipotential member 4 is connected between the protrusion 32 and the cover plate 13; the conductive part 301 is provided on the protrusion 32.

[0063] Specifically, a protrusion 32 is provided on one side of the thermal management component 3 close to the side plate 12, and the protrusion 32 protrudes and extends along the first direction toward a direction away from the thermal management component 3. The conductive part 301 is provided on the protrusion 32. The conductive part 301 may be formed by part of the protrusion 32 or by the entire protrusion 32. Along the first direction, the length of the protrusion 32 may be slightly shorter than the length of the equipotential member 4, so that at least part of the protrusion 32 is connected to the equipotential member 4. The length of the protrusion 32 may also be equal to or slightly longer than the length of the equipotential member 4, so that any part of the protrusion 32 can be connected to the equipotential member 4. By setting the protrusion 32, the connection area between the equipotential member 4 and the thermal management component 3 can be increased as much as possible, and the connection area between the conductive part 301 and the equipotential member 4 can also be increased, thereby improving the connection reliability of the equipotential member 4. If the battery cell 2 is placed forward in the box body 1, the equipotential member 4 is connected between the protrusion 32 and the bottom plate 11. If the battery cell 2 is inverted in the box body 1, the equipotential member 4 is connected between the protrusion 32 and the cover plate 13 to achieve the connection between the equipotential member 4 and the conductive part 301 and the box body 1. Of course, if the thermal management component 3 is designed to be foolproof, there are at least two equipotential members 4, which are respectively connected between the protrusion 32 and the bottom plate 11 and between the protrusion 32 and the cover plate 13. In this embodiment, the protrusion 32 and the thermal management component 3 can be an integral structure or a split structure formed by assembly connection. The specific connection form is not limited in this embodiment. The protrusion 32 can be a component made of metal or alloy material and has good conductivity.

[0064] Optionally, refer to Figure 6 The protrusion 32 includes a connecting portion 321 and a limiting portion 322, the limiting portion 322 is connected to the thermal management component 3, and the connecting portion 321 is connected to the side of the limiting portion 322 away from the thermal management component 3; along the third direction, the equipotential member 4 and the projection of the connecting portion 321 on the plane perpendicular to the third direction at least partially overlap; along the first direction, the equipotential member 4 and the projection of the limiting portion 322 on the plane perpendicular to the first direction at least partially overlap.

[0065] Specifically, the side of the protrusion 32 close to the bottom plate 11 or the cover plate 13 is an uneven surface, and a groove (such as the groove 31 mentioned above) may be provided on the protrusion 32, so that the protrusion 32 forms a connecting portion 321 and a limiting portion 322. Along the first direction, the limiting portion 322 is located on the side close to the thermal management component, and the connecting portion 321 is located on the side close to the side plate 12. The limiting portion 322 is fixedly connected to the thermal management component 3, and the connecting portion 321 is freely extended. Among them, the conductive portion 301 is arranged on the connecting portion 321, and the conductive portion 301 may be arranged on the limiting portion 322, or may not be arranged on the limiting portion 322, and can be freely arranged according to actual needs. Along the third direction, the projections of the equipotential member 4 and the connection part 321 on the plane perpendicular to the third direction at least partially overlap, that is, at least part of the upper surface or lower surface of the equipotential member 4 is connected to the connection part 321, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the connection part 321 and the bottom plate 11 or the cover plate 13 to achieve equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1. Along the first direction, the projections of the equipotential member 4 and the limiting part 322 on the plane perpendicular to the first direction at least partially overlap, that is, at least part of the side surface of the equipotential member 4 is connected to the limiting part 322, and the limiting part 322 limits the equipotential member 4 along the first direction to prevent the equipotential member 4 from deviating and causing the equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1 to fail.

[0066] Optionally, refer to Figures 1 to 6 The thermal management component 3 includes a heat exchanger 33 and a current collector 34 ; the current collector 34 is disposed at at least one end of the heat exchanger 33 along the first direction, and the current collector 34 forms an end portion 30 .

[0067] Specifically, the thermal management component 3 includes a heat exchanger 33 and a current collector 34. A flow channel 330 is provided in the heat exchanger 33 for circulating the cooling liquid. At least part of the thermal management component 3 is connected between the battery cells 2 adjacent in the second direction. The heat exchanger 33 is connected between the battery cells 2 adjacent in the second direction. The heat exchanger 33 is provided with a current collector 34 at one or both ends along the first direction. The current collector 34 forms the end 30 of the thermal management component 3. The current collector 34 has a manifold for accommodating and circulating the cooling liquid. The manifold is connected to the flow channel 330 in the heat exchanger 33 and is used to transport the cooling liquid to the flow channel 330. Two adjacent current collectors 34 along the second direction are connected. Specifically, two adjacent thermal management components 3 are connected through the current collector 34. At the same time, the current collector 34 is also connected to the liquid cooling pipe 35. The liquid cooling pipe 35 extends to connect to the external cooling liquid supply device, so that the circulation of the cooling liquid in the thermal management component 3 can be realized through the liquid cooling pipe 35, the current collector 34 and the heat exchanger 33.

[0068] In some embodiments, the groove 31 is opened in the current collector 34, and along the first direction, the projection of the groove 31 and the current collecting cavity on the plane perpendicular to the first direction at least partially overlaps. By opening the groove 31 on the current collector 34 and arranging the conductive part 301 in the groove 31, the space of the current collector 34 can be fully utilized, and there is no need to set up additional components to form the conductive part 301. It can also avoid that the setting of the conductive part 301 interferes with the installation of the thermal management component 3, thereby improving the installation convenience and volume utilization. It should be noted that the projection of the groove 31 can be understood as a figure surrounded by the projection of the side wall of the groove 31, and the projection of the current collecting cavity can also be understood as a figure surrounded by the projection of the cavity wall of the current collecting cavity.

[0069] In some embodiments, along the first direction, the maximum size of the equipotential member 4 is greater than the maximum size of the groove 31, the minimum distance between the groove wall of the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is L1 mm, and the maximum distance between the groove wall of the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is L2 mm, satisfying: 0.2≤L1 / L2≤0.8. When the value of L1 / L2 is within the above range, the distance ratio between the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is appropriate, and the setting of the groove 31 will not affect the space of the manifold too much, thereby avoiding the setting of the groove 31 to have too much influence on the flow resistance of the thermal management component 3 near the conductive part 301, resulting in uneven cooling effect of the battery pack. In addition, the distance ratio between the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 affects the size of the groove 31 itself in the first direction. When the value of L1 / L2 is within the above range, the groove 31 can better accommodate the equipotential member 4, improve the connection reliability between the equipotential member 4 and the conductive part 301, thereby avoiding the connection failure between the equipotential member 4 and the conductive part 301 during use, resulting in equipotential failure, affecting the safety performance of the battery pack. Among them, the maximum distance between the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is measured by taking the side of the groove 31 away from the heat exchanger 33 at the position where the groove wall contacts the equipotential member 4 as the first measuring side, and taking the side of the heat exchanger close to the groove 31 as the second measuring side. The distance between the first measuring side and the second measuring side is measured multiple times with a vernier caliper and the average value is taken to obtain L2.

[0070] In some embodiments, the battery pack satisfies: 3≤L1≤18, or 10≤L2≤25. Such an arrangement can ensure that the size of the groove 301 meets the requirement of reliable connection with the equipotential member 4 .

[0071] In some embodiments, the battery pack simultaneously satisfies: 3≤L1≤18, 10≤L2≤25, so as to better balance the connection reliability between the equipotential member 4 and the conductive part 301, and the cooling balance of the battery pack.

[0072] In some embodiments, the current collector 34 is provided with a positioning hole 37, which passes through the current collector 34 along the second direction, and the positioning hole 37 is spaced apart from the current collecting cavity; along the third direction, on a plane perpendicular to the third direction, the projection of the positioning hole 37 falls into the groove 31. The positioning hole 37 can be used for positioning the fixture during the installation or manufacturing process of the thermal management component 3, and the through hole is located above the groove 31, which can make full use of this part of the space and avoid the setting of the through hole affecting the space of the current collecting cavity. It should be understood that the projection of the positioning hole 37 can be understood as a figure surrounded by the projection of the hole wall.

[0073] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 33 and the current collector 34 can be integrated into an integral structure, that is, the thermal management component 3 is an integrated piece, and the heat exchanger 33 and the current collector 34 are directly formed through one-time processing. In other embodiments, the heat exchanger 33 and the current collector 34 are separate structures and are fixed together by laser welding. The thermal management component 3 obtained by the above connection method has high stability and reliability, good sealing, and is not easy to cause leakage of coolant in the thermal management component 3.

[0074] Optionally, refer to Figure 4 The equipotential member 4 is an elastic structure, and the equipotential member 4 is in contact between the conductive part 301 and the box body 1 .

[0075] Specifically, the equipotential member 4 is designed as an elastic structure, and the equipotential member 4 is in contact between the conductive portion 301 of the thermal management component 3 and the box body 1. Before the equipotential member 4 is installed, the thickness of the equipotential member 4 (such as Figure 4 The distance h shown in FIG. 1 is slightly larger than the gap between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1. During the installation of the equipotential member 4, the equipotential member 4 is compressed by the extrusion force, and its thickness is reduced until the equipotential member 4 is installed between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1. The thickness of the equipotential member 4 is the same as the gap between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1. Under the action of the elastic deformation of the equipotential member 4, the equipotential member 4 is reliably fixed between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1, thereby ensuring the reliability of the equipotential connection between the thermal management component 3 and the housing 1.

[0076] In some embodiments, the dimension of the conductive part 301 along the first direction is the maximum dimension of the conductive part 301. In this way, the connection between the conductive part 301 and the equipotential member 4 can be ensured to be more reliable, the reliability of the equipotential connection can be improved, and thus the safety of the battery pack can be improved.

[0077] This embodiment also provides an electrical device, including the above-mentioned power battery pack, and its advantages are the same as the above-mentioned power battery pack.

[0078] Test Example 1-13:

[0079] A battery pack is provided, comprising a case 1, a plurality of battery cells 2, a thermal management component 3 and an equipotential member 4; the case 1 has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction intersecting in pairs, preferably, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other; the plurality of battery cells 2 are arranged in an array in the case 1 along the first direction and the second direction, the thermal management component 3 extends along the first direction and is arranged in the case 1, and at least part of the thermal management component 3 is connected between the battery cells 2 adjacent in the second direction.

[0080] A groove 31 is provided on one side of the heat management component 3 close to the housing 1, a conductive part 301 is provided in the groove 31, the conductive part 301 is connected to the heat management component 3 at the same potential, and the equipotential member 4 is connected between the conductive part 301 and the housing 1 to achieve the equipotential connection between the heat management component 3 and the housing 1;

[0081] The thermal management component 3 includes a heat exchanger 33 and a current collector 34; the heat exchanger 33 is arranged between two adjacent battery cells 2; the current collector 34 is arranged at both ends of the heat exchanger 33 along the first direction, the heat exchanger 3 is provided with a flow channel 330, the current collector 34 is provided with a current collecting cavity connected to the flow channel 330, and the groove 31 is provided in one of the current collectors 34; along the first direction and on a plane perpendicular to the first direction, the projection of the groove 31 and the projection of the current collecting cavity at least partially overlap. The minimum distance between the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is L1 mm, and the maximum distance between the groove 31 and the heat exchanger 33 is L2 mm, satisfying: 0.2≤L1 / L2≤0.8.

[0082] Test method:

[0083] 1) Global maximum temperature difference:

[0084] At least n / 10 (n is the number of battery cells) temperature sensors are evenly distributed in the battery pack. The temperature sensors monitor the temperature of each battery cell 2 in real time, and then the battery pack is charged at room temperature:

[0085] Ambient temperature 25°C, battery pack initial temperature 25°C, battery pack charging from 10%-80% SOC, cooling water target temperature 20°C, maximum cooling power 12.5KW, water inlet flow 20L / min;

[0086] The temperature data of each sensor during the entire test process is recorded, and the maximum temperature difference occurring at the same time is the global maximum temperature difference.

[0087] 2) Equipotential test:

[0088] The battery pack is subjected to a vibration test in accordance with the vibration test requirements in Clause 8.2.1 of GB 38031-2020. After the vibration test, the battery pack is subjected to an equipotential test and judged in accordance with the potential equalization requirements in Clause 5.1.4.3 of GB 18384-2020. Those that meet the requirements are deemed qualified.

[0089] By using the above test method, test cases 1-13 are tested and the following data is obtained:

[0090]

[0091] From the above data, it can be seen that when 0.2≤L1 / L2≤0.8, after the battery pack is subjected to a vibration test, the battery pack still achieves a good cooling effect and effective equipotential connection. That is, within the above range, the equipotential connection in the battery pack has better reliability and a better cooling effect, so that the battery pack maintains effective equipotential connection and cooling during use, thereby improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0092] Finally, it should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or terminal device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or terminal device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or terminal device including the elements.

[0093] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power battery pack, characterized in that: It comprises a box body (1), a plurality of battery cells (2), a thermal management component (3) and an equipotential member (4); The box (1) has a first direction (X), a second direction (Y) and a third direction (Z) which intersect each other; A plurality of battery cells (2) are arranged in the housing (1) along the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y); the thermal management component (3) extends along the first direction (X) and is arranged in the housing (1); and at least a portion of the thermal management component (3) is connected between two adjacent battery cells (2) in the second direction (Y); The heat management component (3) is provided with a conductive part (301) on a side close to the housing (1); the conductive part (301) and the heat management component (3) are connected at an equipotential level; the equipotential member (4) is connected between the conductive part (301) and the housing (1) to achieve an equipotential connection between the heat management component (3) and the housing (1).

2. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box body (1) comprises a bottom plate (11), a cover plate (13) and a side plate (12) arranged between the bottom plate (11) and the cover plate (13); the bottom plate (11), the cover plate (13) and the side plate (12) together form a receiving cavity; a plurality of battery cells (2) are arranged in the receiving cavity; The conductive part (301) is arranged on a side of the thermal management component (3) close to the base plate (11), and the equipotential member (4) is connected between the conductive part (301) and the base plate (11); and / or the conductive part (301) is arranged on a side of the thermal management component (3) close to the cover plate (13), and the equipotential member (4) is connected between the conductive part (301) and the cover plate (13).

3. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management components (3) are provided in plurality and are arranged at intervals along the second direction (Y), and at least one battery cell (2) is arranged between two adjacent thermal management components (3); the thermal management components (3) have an end portion (30) along the first direction (X), and along the first direction (X), the end portion (30) protrudes from the surface of the battery cell (2) located at the edge; The conductive portion (301) is provided on one side of the end portion (30) close to the box body (1), and the equipotential member (4) extends along the second direction (Y) and connects the conductive portions (301) of the plurality of thermal management components (3).

4. The power battery pack according to claim 3, characterized in that: A groove (31) is provided on a side of the end portion (30) close to the box body (1), and the conductive portion (301) is arranged in the groove (31); The equipotential member (4) is at least partially accommodated in the groove (31) and is connected between the conductive portion (301) and the box body (1).

5. The power battery pack according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heat management component (3) comprises a heat exchanger (33) and a current collector (34); the heat exchanger (33) is arranged between two adjacent battery cells (2); The heat exchanger (33) is provided with the current collector (34) at at least one end along the first direction (X), the current collector (34) forms the end (30), the heat exchanger (33) is provided with a flow channel (330), the current collector (34) is provided with a current collecting cavity connected to the flow channel (330), two adjacent current collectors (34) along the second direction (Y) are connected, and the groove (31) is provided on the current collector (34); along the first direction (X), the projection of the groove (31) and the current collecting cavity on a plane perpendicular to the first direction (X) at least partially overlap.

6. The power battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that: Along the first direction (X), the maximum size of the equipotential member (4) is greater than the maximum size of the groove (31), the minimum distance between the groove wall of the groove (31) and the heat exchange body (33) is L1 mm, and the maximum distance between the groove wall of the groove (31) and the heat exchange body (33) is L2 mm, satisfying: 0.2≤L1 / L2≤0.

8.

7. The power battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that: The battery pack satisfies: 3≤L1≤18, and / or, 10≤L2≤25.

8. The power battery pack according to claim 4, characterized in that: The groove (31) penetrates the thermal management component (3) along the second direction (Y); The equipotential member (4) extends along the second direction (Y) and is inserted into the grooves (31) of the plurality of thermal management components (3) to connect the plurality of thermal management components (3).

9. The power battery pack according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one inner wall of the groove (31) forms the conductive portion (301).

10. The power battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: A protrusion (32) is provided on one side of the heat management component (3) close to the side plate (12), and the protrusion (32) protrudes and extends along the first direction (X) in a direction away from the heat management component (3); at least a portion of the protrusion (32) forms the conductive portion (301); The equipotential member (4) is connected between the protrusion (32) and the bottom plate (11), and / or the equipotential member (4) is connected between the protrusion (32) and the cover plate (13).

11. The power battery pack according to claim 10, characterized in that: The protrusion (32) comprises a connecting portion (321) and a limiting portion (322), the limiting portion (322) being connected to the thermal management component (3), and the connecting portion (321) being connected to a side of the limiting portion (322) away from the thermal management component (3); Along the first direction (X), the projections of the equipotential member (4) and the limiting portion (322) on a plane perpendicular to the first direction (X) at least partially overlap; along the third direction (Z), the projections of the equipotential member (4) and the connecting portion (321) on a plane perpendicular to the third direction (Z) at least partially overlap; the connecting portion (321) and / or the limiting portion (322) form the conductive portion (301).

12. The power battery pack according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Along the first direction (X), the conductive parts (301) are provided at opposite ends of the heat management component (3).

13. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The equipotential member (4) is an elastic structure, and the equipotential member (4) is in contact between the conductive portion (301) and the box body (1).

14. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management component (3) comprises a metal body (361) and an insulating structure (362), wherein the insulating structure (362) is coated on the surface of the metal body (361), and the insulating structure (362) is provided with a window (363), and at least a portion of the metal body (361) is exposed through the window (363) to form the conductive portion (301).

15. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductive portion (301) and the heat management component (3) are an integrally formed structure.

16. The power battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dimension of the conductive portion (301) along the first direction (X) is the maximum dimension of the conductive portion (301).

17. The power battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that: The current collector (34) is provided with a positioning hole (37), the positioning hole (37) penetrates the current collector (34) along the second direction (Y), and the positioning hole (37) is spaced apart from the current collecting cavity; along the third direction (Z) on a plane perpendicular to the third direction (Z), the projection of the positioning hole (37) falls into the groove (31).

18. An electrical equipment, characterized in that: A power battery pack comprising any one of claims 1-17.

Images