Battery cell box, battery pack comprising same and aircraft

Abstract

The utility model relates to a battery cell box, a battery pack comprising the same and an aircraft. Specifically, the battery cell box comprises a box body and an upper cover, the box body is provided with battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, ventilation ducts are arranged on the two sides of the battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, the ventilation ducts penetrate through the two ends of the box body, and the upper cover is arranged on the box body. Openings are formed in the two sides, facing the ventilating ducts, of each battery cell mounting hole, so that the battery cell mounting holes are communicated with the ventilating ducts on the two sides of the battery cell mounting holes. In addition, the utility model also provides a battery pack and an aircraft comprising the battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of batteries, and in particular relates to a battery box, and a battery pack and an aircraft including the battery box. Background Art

[0002] The background description provided herein is intended to generally present the context of the disclosure.

[0003] With the continuous development of new energy technologies, electric energy is increasingly being used as a power source in fields such as transportation to gradually replace fossil energy. Among them, battery packs as power sources have an important impact on the performance of equipment. In the prior art, the preparation process of battery packs is usually to place ternary lithium batteries on a battery fixing bracket and connect them in series with nickel strips, with the positive electrodes connected to the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes connected to the negative electrodes, thereby forming a battery pack; then the battery protection board is connected to the battery pack, the positive electrode is connected to the positive electrode of the battery pack, and the negative electrode is connected to the negative electrode of the battery pack; finally, the battery protection board is connected to the battery pack using a connecting wire, and the connecting wire is soldered to the battery protection board with solder.

[0004] The battery pack prepared by the above method has a large volume and low structural strength due to the limitation of the battery fixing bracket, and is easy to be damaged. And because of the welding process, the battery pack maker has certain welding level requirements, which is difficult to adapt to large-scale manufacturing. In addition, because the welding process is used when the battery is installed, it is not easy to disassemble and repair the battery in the battery pack when it is damaged.

[0005] In terms of temperature control, the discharge capacity of ternary lithium batteries will drop significantly below 0°C, and when the temperature exceeds 40°C for a long time, the battery life and capacity will also decrease. Since ordinary battery packs do not have temperature control functions, their working efficiency is easily affected by the ambient temperature.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new battery pack device and a battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0007] This section introduces the concepts of the present application in a simplified form, which are further reflected in the detailed description below. This section is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present application, a battery cell box is provided, which includes a box body and an upper cover, wherein the box body is provided with battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, wherein ventilation ducts are provided on both sides of the battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, wherein the ventilation ducts run through both ends of the box body, and each battery cell mounting hole is provided with openings on both sides facing the ventilation duct so that the battery cell mounting hole is connected with the ventilation ducts on both sides thereof.

[0009] In some embodiments, a fan mounting bracket is disposed at one end of the box body, and a fan facing the ventilation duct can be disposed on the fan mounting bracket.

[0010] In some embodiments, a heating plate is disposed in the air duct.

[0011] In some embodiments, the box body is provided with a temperature sensor.

[0012] In some embodiments, the box body is provided with a controller, and the controller is electrically connected to the fan, the heating plate and the temperature sensor.

[0013] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the battery cell mounting hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is encased in an insulating resin.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heater plate is a ceramic heater plate or a mica heater plate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the width of the air passage gradually decreases as the position of the air passage gradually approaches the center of the fan.

[0017] In some embodiments, the box body and the upper cover are respectively provided with a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector.

[0018] In some embodiments, the box body is provided with a display screen, which can display voltage, power and temperature.

[0019] In some embodiments, the box body is provided with an alarm.

[0020] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the battery box is made of a hard material, and the inner part is made of a soft material.

[0021] In some embodiments, the fan mount is provided with ventilation openings.

[0022] In some embodiments, the case and the fan mount are manufactured as a single body by integral molding.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present application, a battery pack is provided, comprising the battery cell box as described above, and battery cells installed in the battery cell box.

[0024] According to yet another aspect of the present application, an aircraft is provided, comprising the battery pack as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Other or additional features, advantages and details are presented by way of example only in the following detailed description of the embodiments. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 A battery box according to the principles of the present application is schematically shown;

[0027] Figure 2 Schematically shows an exploded view of a battery pack according to the principles of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 Schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a ventilation duct according to the principles of the present application;

[0029] Figure 4 Schematically shows a side view of a box body according to the principles of the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 Schematically showing a partial view of a battery box according to the principles of the present application; and,

[0031] Figure 6 A metal spring and a temperature sensor according to the principles of the present application are schematically shown.

[0032] It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals identify similar or corresponding components or features. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and are merely schematic illustrations of exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The exemplary embodiments of the present application are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is only exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present application, application or use.

[0034] The present application will now be further described. In the following paragraphs, different aspects of the present application are defined in more detail. Unless clearly indicated to the contrary, each aspect so defined may be combined with any other aspect(s). In particular, any feature indicated as being preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other feature(s) indicated as being preferred or advantageous.

[0035] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the present application provides a battery cell box, which can form a battery pack by simply loading the battery cells therein when in use, so there is no need for cumbersome welding processes, and it can also have the function of regulating temperature.

[0036] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 2 and attached Figure 3, shows a battery box 100 according to the principles of the present application, including a box body 110 and an upper cover 120, the box body 110 and the upper cover 120 can be connected by means such as bolts or buckles, as can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. Preferably, the battery box 100 is generally a rectangular parallelepiped outline, and the box body 110 and the upper cover 120 are also generally rectangular parallelepiped outlines, so as to facilitate installation, storage and use. The box body 110 is provided with a plurality of battery cell mounting holes 111 arranged in a row to install / accommodate battery cells 112, wherein the battery cell mounting holes 111 can be arranged in a row or in multiple rows. Figure 2 Four rows of mounting holes are schematically shown in FIG. 1 . Ventilation ducts 113 are arranged on both sides of each row of cell mounting holes 111. It is easy for a person skilled in the art to understand that two adjacent rows of cell mounting holes 111 may share a common ventilation duct 113 or may not share a common ventilation duct 113. Preferably, a common ventilation duct 113 is adopted, such as Figure 2 As shown. The ventilation duct 113 runs through both ends of the box body 110, so that air can flow through the ventilation duct 113 at both ends of the box body 110. Since the multiple battery cell mounting holes 111 according to the principle of the present application are arranged in at least one row, the number of ventilation ducts 113 is at least two. Openings 114 are provided on both sides of each battery cell mounting hole 111 facing the ventilation duct 113, so that the battery cell mounting hole 111 can be connected to the ventilation duct 113 on both sides thereof, which enables the air flowing through the ventilation duct 113 during the operation of the battery pack to take away the heat emitted by the battery pack, thereby reducing the temperature of the battery pack.

[0037] Advantageously, a fan mounting frame 130 is provided at one end of the box body 110, and the fan mounting frame 130 may be provided with a fan 131, and the fan 131 is directly opposite to the ventilation duct 113. The fan 131 may be substantially located in the center of the box body 110 at one end of the box body 110, however, the fan 131 may also be located at the edge of the box body 110, i.e., one side, at one end of the box body 110. When the fan 131 is running, the air can flow quickly in the ventilation duct, thereby effectively taking away the heat generated during the operation of the battery cell 112, thereby reducing the temperature of the battery pack. The fan mounting frame 130 may also be provided with a vent 132, so that the air flowing out of the ventilation duct 113 can flow out from the vent 132.

[0038] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the air velocity at the edge of the fan 131 is lower than the air velocity at the center. Therefore, in order to make the air flow rate through each ventilation duct the same or substantially the same when the fan 131 is running, so as to ensure that the temperature of each row of battery cells can be reduced by the same or substantially the same amount, thereby avoiding uneven heat dissipation, the ventilation duct 113 can be designed so that: the width of the ventilation duct closest to the center of the fan 131 is the smallest, and the width of the ventilation duct closest to the edge of the fan 131 is the largest. In the case where the fan mounting bracket 130 is located at one end of the box body 110 and is substantially in the middle of the box body 110, when the number of ventilation ducts 113 is at least three, the width of the ventilation duct 113 gradually increases as its position gradually approaches the edge of the box body 110. In other words, the closer the ventilation duct 113 is to the center of the box body, the smaller its width is, and the farther the ventilation duct 113 is from the center of the box body, the larger its width is. Refer to the attached Figure 2 and 4 , schematically showing the situation of five ventilation channels 113a-e and ventilation channel 113c facing the center of the fan, wherein ventilation channels 113a and ventilation channels 113e are closest to the edge of the box body 110, ventilation channel 113c is farthest from the edge of the box body 110, ventilation channels 113b and ventilation channels 113d are respectively between ventilation channels 113c and 113a and between ventilation channels 113c and 113a, wherein the width Lc<Lb<La, Lc<Ld<Le. More advantageously, the five ventilation channels 113a-e can be symmetrically arranged, that is, ventilation channels 113b and 113d, and ventilation channels 113a and 113e are symmetrical about the central ventilation channel 113c, and at this time, the width of each of the five ventilation channels can satisfy Lc<Lb=Ld<La=Le. It is easy for a person skilled in the art to understand that, since the air velocity at the edge of the fan 131 is lower than that at the center thereof, and the ventilation duct near the edge of the box body 110 is near the edge of the fan 131, and the ventilation duct far from the edge of the box body 110 is near the center of the fan 131, the width of the ventilation duct near the edge of the box body 110 is greater than the width of the ventilation duct far from the edge of the box body 110, so that when the fan 131 is running, the air flow through each ventilation duct is the same or substantially the same, thereby ensuring that the temperature of each or each row of battery cells can be reduced by the same or substantially the same amplitude, avoiding the phenomenon of uneven heat dissipation. It is easy for a person skilled in the art to understand that when the number of ventilation ducts 113 is two, it is preferred that the two ventilation ducts are symmetrically arranged about the fan, so that the width of the ventilation ducts can be set to be the same.

[0039] Refer to the attached Figure 2 and attached Figure 4A heating sheet 115 may be provided in the ventilation duct 113 so as to heat the battery pack when the ambient temperature decreases, thereby avoiding affecting the discharge efficiency and service life of the battery pack due to the low temperature. The heating sheet 115 may be bonded to the bottom of the ventilation duct 113 by an adhesive, and its width is smaller than the width of the ventilation duct, so that air can flow in the ventilation duct when the heating sheet 115 is provided in the ventilation duct. The ventilation duct 113 is provided with an opening 119 at the top of the box body 110 so as to install or remove the heating sheet 115 through the opening 119. The heating sheet 115 may be any form of heating sheet, preferably a ceramic heating sheet or a mica heating sheet.

[0040] Return to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 The box body 110 may be provided with a controller 140, and the controller 140 is electrically connected to the fan 131 and the heating plate 115, so as to control the operation of the fan 131 and the heating plate 115 to cool or heat the battery pack.

[0041] Refer to the attached Figure 5 The box body 110 is provided with a first electrical connector 116, and the upper cover 120 is provided with a second electrical connector 121. The first electrical connector 116 and the second electrical connector 121 can be connected to connect the circuit. The upper cover 120 is provided with a spring (not shown) corresponding to each battery cell installation hole 111 so as to be connected to the positive electrode of each battery cell 112. Figure 6 A metal spring 117 is provided at the bottom of the battery cell installation hole 111 so as to be connected to the negative electrode of each battery cell 112, and the metal spring 117 is electrically connected to a device provided in the box body 110, such as a controller 140. Each spring leaf is electrically connected to the second electrical connector 121, and the first electrical connector 116 is connected to a device provided in the box body 110, such as a controller 140. When the first electrical connector 116 is connected to the second electrical connector 121, the positive electrode of the battery cell 112 can be electrically connected to, for example, the controller 140, so that both the positive and negative electrodes of the battery cell 112 are connected to the electrical device to form a current loop. The first electrical connector 116 and the second electrical connector 121 can be a plug and a socket, respectively, and preferably can be a pogopin female connector and a pogopin male connector, respectively.

[0042] Refer to the attached Figure 6The box body 110 may also be provided with a temperature sensor 118. The temperature sensor 118 may be provided at the bottom of the battery cell mounting hole 111. Its height is consistent with the height of the compressed metal spring 117. When the battery cell 112 is loaded into the battery cell mounting hole 111, the battery cell 112 compresses the metal spring 117 and contacts the temperature sensor 118, so that the temperature sensor 118 can detect the temperature of the battery cell in real time. The temperature sensor 118 is wrapped in insulating resin to prevent the circuit from short-circuiting due to its direct contact with the battery cell 112. The temperature sensor 118 may also be provided at other locations, for example, at the top of the battery cell mounting hole 111, or in the ventilation duct 113. The temperature sensor 118 is electrically connected to the controller 140, so that the temperature of the battery cell 112 can be transmitted to the controller 140 in real time. The controller 140 can control the operation of the heating plate 115 or the fan 131 according to the battery cell temperature transmitted from the temperature sensor 118 to maintain the temperature of the battery cell 112 within a temperature threshold range suitable for the operation of the battery cell 112, such as 0°C to 40°C. When the temperature sensor 118 detects that the temperature of the battery cell 112 is lower than the threshold range, such as below 0°C, the controller 140 starts the heating plate 115 to heat the battery cell so that the temperature can be maintained within the threshold range. When the temperature sensor 118 detects that the temperature of the battery cell 112 is higher than the threshold range, such as above 40°C, the controller 140 starts the fan 131 to dissipate heat for the battery cell so that its temperature can be maintained within the threshold range.

[0043] Refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 The box body 110 may also be provided with a display screen 141, which can display information of the battery pack or battery cell, such as voltage, remaining power, battery cell temperature, abnormal conditions, etc. The display screen 141 may be provided integrally with the controller 140 or separately. The box body 110 may also be provided with an alarm (not shown). When the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of individual or part of the battery cells 112 is abnormal, the alarm will sound, the display screen 141 will display abnormal information, and the controller 140 will cut off the connection circuit between the abnormal battery cell and the battery pack to ensure the safety of the battery pack.

[0044] The electrical devices of the battery box according to the principle of the present application, such as fans, heaters, controllers, display screens, etc., can be powered by the battery cells. It is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that since the power consumption of these electrical devices is relatively small, they will not have a significant impact on the discharge capacity of the battery cells.

[0045] Advantageously, the outer surface of the battery box 100 according to the principle of the present application, i.e., the outer surface of the box body 110 and the outer surface of the upper cover 120, is made of hard materials, such as ASA materials, PETG materials, ABS-GF materials, etc., so that the battery pack has sufficient strength and is not easily damaged. The interior of the battery box 100, including the interior of the box body 110 and the interior of the upper cover 120, is made of soft materials, such as TPU materials, PE materials, EVA materials, styrene-butadiene rubber, etc., so that the interior of the battery box 100 has good impact resistance, preventing the battery 112 from being damaged in the case of bumps or collisions.

[0046] According to the battery box of the present application, the box body 110 and the upper cover 120 can be manufactured by an integrated molding technology, for example but not limited to 3D printing. Advantageously, the fan mounting bracket 130 can be manufactured into a single body with the box body 110 by the above-mentioned integrated molding technology, thereby improving the strength of the product, simplifying the production process, and improving production efficiency.

[0047] The present application also provides a battery pack, which includes a battery box according to the principle of the present application, and a battery cell installed in the battery box. Ternary lithium batteries of models such as 18650 and 21700 can be used as battery cells.

[0048] The present application also provides an aircraft, which includes a battery box or a battery pack according to the principles of the present application. The aircraft can be a manned aircraft or an unmanned aircraft. The battery box and battery pack according to the principles of the present application can also be applied to electric vehicles, electronic products, medical equipment, emergency equipment and other fields.

[0049] The battery box according to the principle of the present application can be assembled into a battery pack by simply loading the battery cells therein, without the need for cumbersome welding processes, and is easy to disassemble and repair. The operation is simple, and the problem of complicated processes in the prior art is solved, so that it can be applied to large-scale production. In addition, the battery box according to the principle of the present application and the battery pack including the battery box have a temperature regulation function, which can prevent the battery pack from being affected by high or low temperature in terms of discharge capacity and normal operation of the battery pack.

[0050] Although at least one exemplary embodiment is described in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that there are a large number of variations. It should also be understood that an exemplary embodiment or multiple exemplary embodiments described herein are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the present application in any way. On the contrary, the foregoing detailed description will provide convenient guidance for those skilled in the art to implement an exemplary embodiment or multiple exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes, modifications or changes, etc. can be made to the functions and arrangements of elements without departing from the scope of the present application as set forth in the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery box, characterized in that: The battery cell box includes a box body and an upper cover, wherein the box body is provided with battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, wherein ventilation ducts are provided on both sides of the battery cell mounting holes arranged in rows, and the ventilation ducts run through both ends of the box body, and each battery cell mounting hole is provided with openings on both sides facing the ventilation duct so that the battery cell mounting hole is connected to the ventilation ducts on both sides thereof.

2. The battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fan mounting frame is arranged at one end of the box body, and a fan facing the ventilation duct can be arranged on the fan mounting frame.

3. The battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that: A heating plate is arranged in the ventilation duct.

4. The battery box according to claim 3, characterized in that: The box body is provided with a temperature sensor.

5. The battery box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The box body is provided with a controller, and the controller is electrically connected with the fan, the heating plate and the temperature sensor.

6. The battery box according to claim 5, characterized in that: The temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the battery cell installation hole.

7. The battery box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The temperature sensor is wrapped in insulating resin.

8. The battery box according to claim 7, characterized in that: The heating plate is a ceramic heating plate or a mica heating plate.

9. The battery box according to claim 8, characterized in that: The width of the ventilation passage gradually decreases as the position of the ventilation passage gradually approaches the center of the fan.

10. The battery box according to claim 9, characterized in that: The box body and the upper cover are respectively provided with a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector.

11. The battery box according to claim 10, characterized in that: The box body is provided with a display screen, and the display screen can display voltage, power and temperature.

12. The battery box according to claim 11, characterized in that: The box body is provided with an alarm.

13. The battery box according to claim 12, characterized in that: The outer surface of the battery box is made of hard material, and the inside is made of soft material.

14. The battery box according to claim 13, characterized in that: The fan mounting frame is provided with a vent.

15. The battery box according to claim 14, characterized in that: The box body and the fan mounting bracket are manufactured as a single body by integral molding.

16. A battery pack, characterized in that: The invention comprises a battery cell box as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, and a battery cell installed in the battery cell box.

17. An aircraft, characterized in that: The aircraft comprises the battery pack of claim 16.

Images