Battery cell testing device

Abstract

A cell test device for testing one or more cells, the cell test device comprising a cell test housing, the housing comprising at least one internal vent. The cell testing device also includes an outer housing that accommodates the cell testing enclosure and includes at least one vent vent that vents to the outside of the outer housing. During testing, the cell test enclosure is located within the outer housing so as to define at least one explosive gas path from the at least one internal vent to the at least one exhaust vent. In some embodiments, the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to the ventilation axis of the exhaust vent. In some embodiments, the vents each include one or more perforated plates. In some embodiments, the cell test enclosure is a drawer-type enclosure that includes a cabinet and a drawer designed and configured to receive a battery cell for testing.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 537,010, filed on September 7, 2023, titled “Battery - Cell Testing Apparatuses Having Thermal - Runaway Safety Features”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present utility model generally relates to the field of testing battery cells. In particular, the present utility model relates to battery - cell testing apparatuses having thermal - runaway safety features. Background Art

[0004] Battery cells (such as individual pouch cells and multiple cells included in a battery module or battery pack) need to be tested during the design phase as well as during the manufacturing phase (such as for quality - control purposes). During testing, the battery cells may experience thermal runaway, such as burning or exploding due to an internal short circuit. Burning and explosions during testing are more common for some cell chemistries than for others. For example, battery cells having a plated - stripping type lithium - metal anode tend to form dendrites during charging, and the resulting dendrites can penetrate the separator and contact the cathode during a cycling test, resulting in an electrical short circuit. Depending on the type of electrolyte in the cell, the electrical short circuit may cause the cell to catch fire and / or explode. When testing battery cells that may catch fire and / or explode, safety during testing is always the most important consideration, and testing apparatuses are constantly improved to enhance their safety. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a battery cell testing device for testing one or more battery cells. The battery cell testing device includes: a battery cell testing housing including an internal space configured to accommodate one or more battery cells during testing, the battery cell testing housing including an internal vent having a ventilation axis, wherein during testing, the battery cell testing housing is sealed except for the internal vent that vents to a location outside the battery cell testing housing; and an outer housing that houses the battery cell testing housing and includes at least one exhaust vent, each exhaust vent venting to the outside of the outer housing along a corresponding exhaust axis, wherein during testing, the outer housing is sealed except for the at least one exhaust vent; wherein during testing, the battery cell testing housing is located within the outer housing: so as to define at least one explosion gas path from an explosion vent to the at least one exhaust vent; and such that: the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent; or the ventilation axis of the internal vent is parallel to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

[0006] In some embodiments, the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

[0007] In some embodiments, the battery cell testing housing has a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other, and the internal vent is located between the first end and the second end; the outer housing has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from each other, and has a first side and a second side extending between the third end and the fourth end and spaced apart from each other; and the at least one exhaust vent includes a first exhaust vent and a second exhaust vent respectively located on the first side and the second side.

[0008] In some embodiments, the internal vent includes a first perforated plate having a first opening configuration.

[0009] In some embodiments, the internal vent includes a second perforated plate overlapping the first perforated plate, the second perforated plate having a second opening configuration different from the first opening configuration.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first perforated plate and the second perforated plate are fixed to each other to provide a first multi-layer pressure relief panel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the at least one exhaust vent includes a third perforated plate having a third opening configuration.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one exhaust vent includes a fourth perforated plate overlapping the third perforated plate, the fourth perforated plate having a fourth opening configuration different from the third opening configuration.

[0013] In some embodiments, the third perforated plate and the fourth perforated plate are fixed to each other to provide a second multi-layer pressure relief panel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cell test enclosure is a drawer-type enclosure.

[0015] In some embodiments, the cell test enclosure includes a cabinet and a drawer movably engaged with the cabinet.

[0016] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive a battery module for testing.

[0017] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive a single battery cell for testing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the drawer is designed and configured to receive the single battery cell when the single battery cell is located within a pressure application fixture.

[0019] In some embodiments, the drawer is fixed in a closed state by a plurality of spring-type latches.

[0020] In some embodiments, the drawer includes a closure member, the closure member including a first explosion-proof window.

[0021] In some embodiments, the outer housing includes a second explosion-proof window, the second explosion-proof window being aligned with the first explosion-proof window when the cell test enclosure is operably located within the outer housing.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cell test enclosure includes an external first electrical connector for connecting the one or more cells to a test instrument.

[0023] In some embodiments, the outer housing includes a door having an internal second electrical connector and an external second electrical connector for electrical connection to the test instrument, wherein when the door is closed, the internal second electrical connector is aligned with the external first electrical connector of the cell test enclosure.

[0024] In some embodiments, an electrical connector electrically connects the internal second electrical connector to the external first electrical connector of the cell test enclosure. Description of the Drawings

[0025] For purposes of illustration, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it is to be understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary cell testing apparatus fabricated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the exemplary cell testing apparatus including a vented cell testing enclosure located within a vented outer housing;

[0027] Figure 2A is fabricated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 simplified representative cross-section of an exemplary cell testing apparatus, showing the cell testing enclosure located within the outer housing;

[0028] Figure 2B is the same as Figure 2A simplified representative cross-section, but with an explosion occurring within the cell testing enclosure of the device under test;

[0029] Figure 3 is Figure 1 reduced exploded isometric view of the cell testing enclosure of the cell testing apparatus;

[0030] Figure 4 is an enlarged isometric view of an exemplary alternative drawer of the cell testing enclosure, the drawer being configured to hold a single pouch-type cell while the cell is clamped within a pressure application fixture;

[0031] Figure 5A is Figure 1 reduced isometric view of the outer housing of the cell testing apparatus, showing the door in a closed and secured state of the outer housing and showing a first lateral side of the outer housing having an exhaust vent;

[0032] Figure 5B is the same as Figure 5A different isometric view of the outer housing, but showing the door in an open and unsecured state and showing a second lateral side of the outer housing also having an exhaust vent;

[0033] Figure 6A is Figure 1 、 Figure 5A and Figure 5B reduced isometric partial view of a corner of the outer housing of, showing one of the exhaust vent panels partially engaged with a pair of vertically extending channels formed by corresponding respective L-shaped members secured to the outer housing;

[0034] Figure 6B is the same as Figure 6A partial view of the outer housing, but without one of the exhaust vent panels;

[0035] Figure 7A An isometric view of an exemplary perforated panel that is fabricated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure and can be used to form a vent panel of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 7B An isometric view of another exemplary perforated panel that is fabricated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure and can be used to form a vent panel of the present disclosure; and

[0037] Figure 8 is Figure 1 A partial isometric view of the front end of an outer housing of a cell test apparatus of , showing the door in a closed and secured state, where four latches are fully engaged. Detailed Description

[0038] The entire contents of the appended claims are incorporated into this detailed description section as if originally presented herein.

[0039] In some aspects, the present disclosure relates to battery cell test apparatuses (or hereinafter simply referred to as "cell test apparatuses"), each of which includes safety features for minimizing the impact on the environment surrounding the cell test apparatus in the event of a fire and / or explosion of one or more battery cells being tested. As mentioned in the background section above, each cell test apparatus can be configured to test a single cell (e.g., a lithium metal cell or other types of cells that may undergo electrical short circuits and / or other catastrophic failure mechanisms) or a group of cells (such as those present in a battery module or battery pack) and other alternatives.

[0040] At a high level and in some embodiments, the cell test apparatuses of the present disclosure include a vented cell test enclosure and a surrounding vented outer housing, where the vented cell test enclosure is located within the vented outer housing, and various vents are positioned to provide one or more tortuous paths from the vents of the vented cell test enclosure to the vents of the vented outer housing, in order to inhibit any flames emitted from inside the cell test enclosure from leaving the outer housing and entering the surrounding environment, and to dissipate the energy in the shock wave front of an explosion inside the cell test enclosure. Exemplary embodiments including these and other safety features are described in detail below and shown in the drawings.

[0041] Figure 1Shows an example cell testing apparatus 100 that includes a vented cell testing enclosure 104 located inside a vented housing 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the cell testing apparatus 100 includes a pair of handles 112 that are configured for one or more human users (not shown) to grasp them and use them to lift and / or move the cell testing apparatus. Each of the vented cell testing enclosure 104 and the vented outer housing 108 is described in detail below. However, before proceeding with these details, Figure 2A and Figure 2B shows the relationship between the cell testing enclosure 104 and the outer housing 108 that provides the above-described tortuous path inside the outer housing.

[0042] Figure 2A Shows a cross-section of the cell testing apparatus 100 that shows the cell testing enclosure 104 located inside the outer housing 108, where the flame 200 represents the combustion of the device under test (DUT), which, as described above, can be a single cell or a group of cells (e.g., a battery module, a battery pack, etc.). Relative to Figure 2A the orientation of the cell testing apparatus 100 in, the cell testing enclosure 104 includes an internal vent 204 in / on the upper wall 208 of the cell testing enclosure, and the flame 200 and combustion products 212 are shown to leave the cell testing enclosure through the internal vent. Also as Figure 2A shown, the outer housing 108 includes a pair of exhaust vents 216 in / on the side wall 220 of the outer housing. As can be readily understood, any flame 200 leaving the internal vent 204 of the cell testing enclosure 104 must wind through the space between the cell testing enclosure and the outer housing 108 before reaching the exhaust vents 216, which greatly reduces the likelihood of any flame reaching the outside of the outer housing.

[0043] Figure 2B Shows the same cross-section as Figure 2A but an explosion 224 of the DUT has occurred inside the cell testing enclosure 104. As seen in Figure 2B and as indicated by the arrows, the explosion has caused a shock wave front (i.e., high-pressure gas) 228 to propagate through the space between the cell testing enclosure 104 and the outer housing 108 before reaching the exhaust vents 216 and being vented to the outside of the outer housing. As the shock wave front 228 propagates through this space, the relative positions of the internal vent 204 and the exhaust vents 216 cause the air flow to impinge on the upper wall 232 of the outer housing 108, deflecting left and right from it, and then leaving the outer housing through the exhaust vents 216 on the side wall 220 of the outer housing. As can be seen from Figure 2BIt is readily conceivable that the positions of the internal vent 204 and the exhaust vent 216, in combination with the positioning of the cell test housing 104 within the outer housing 108 and optionally with specially designed vents (see, for example Figure 7A and Figure 7B ), are such that the energy from the shock wave front 228 is dissipated so that when the gases from the explosion 224 leave the exhaust vent in the outer housing to the surrounding environment, the gases have such little energy (e.g., velocity) that it is unlikely to damage any devices (e.g., other cell test devices, instruments, structures, etc.) that may be located near the cell test apparatus 100.

[0044] In Figure 2A and Figure 2B 's example, it can be seen that the ventilation axis 236 of the internal vent 204 of the cell test housing 104 is perpendicular to the two exhaust axes 240 of the exhaust vent 216 in the outer housing 108. As used herein and in the appended claims, the "ventilation axis" and "exhaust axis" of the internal vent 204 and the exhaust vent 216, respectively, are axes perpendicular to the plane of the ventilation opening or vent panel, as the case may be. This relationship between the relevant ventilation axis and exhaust axis forces the explosion gases to change direction within the outer housing, thus helping to reduce the amount of energy in the explosion gases. Note that the orientation of the cell test apparatus 100 does not need to be as shown in Figure 2A and Figure 2B , where the orientation of the cell test apparatus 100 implies that the directions into and out of the page containing these figures are horizontal. For example, the direction can be vertical or at any oblique angle. Additionally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that each cross-section in Figure 2A and Figure 2B can be rotated from the shown orientation to any angle between 0° and 360°.

[0045] Although each of the internal vent 204 and the exhaust vent 216 is depicted as a relatively large opening in the respective structure, as described above and illustrated below, each of these vents will typically include a plurality of smaller openings that further inhibit the combustion flame 200 from reaching the environment surrounding the cell test device 100 and / or further dissipate the energy in the shock wave front 228. It should also be noted that the number of vents provided may be different from the vents shown, and the location of the vents may also be different. For example, and using the general configuration of the cell test housing 104 and the outer housing 108 shown in the figures, the internal vent 204 of the cell test housing 104 may remain in its position, while the outer housing 108 may include a single exhaust vent in its rear wall (not shown). In this example, the vent axis and the exhaust axis are perpendicular to each other. As another example, the cell test housing 104 may have an internal vent on its rear wall (not shown), and the outer housing may include one or more exhaust vents on any one or more of its side walls, top wall, and bottom wall (not shown). Here, the vent axis of the internal vent will also be perpendicular to the vent axis of each of the exhaust vents provided. In such an embodiment, each exhaust vent 216 provided to the outer housing 108 may be positioned only towards the opposite end of the outer housing relative to the position of the internal exhaust vent 204 of the cell test housing 104. This will maximize the distance that the flame 200 or the shock wave front 228 must travel internally within the outer housing 108 from the internal vent 204 to the exhaust vent 216. In yet another example, the cell test housing 104 may include internal vents (not shown) on each of its lateral sides, and the outer housing 108 may include at least one exhaust vent on one or both of its top wall and bottom wall (not shown). In this case, the vent axis of the internal vent and the exhaust axis are perpendicular to the vent axis of each exhaust vent provided on the outer housing 108.

[0046] Each of the foregoing examples has a ventilation axis for each internal vent that is perpendicular to the exhaust axis of each exhaust vent. However, in some embodiments, this need not be the case. Instead, in some embodiments, the ventilation axes and exhaust axes of the internal vents and exhaust vents may be parallel to each other, respectively (not shown). In such a case, each internal vent is laterally offset from each proximal exhaust vent that is located on the same side (e.g., left side, right side, upper side, lower side) of the corresponding cell test housing and the outer housing, such that there cannot be a direct linear flow from any internal vent to any exhaust vent. For example, the cell test housing 104 may have internal vents located on each lateral side, near its front end (not shown), while the outer housing 108 may have exhaust vents located on each lateral side, but near its rear end (not shown). In such a configuration, any shock wave front leaving the internal vent will first strike the side wall of the outer housing 108, deflect towards the opposite end of the outer housing, and then change direction again to leave the outer housing through the exhaust vent. Many other arrangements of the internal vents and exhaust vents are possible.

[0047] Figure 3 is Figure 1 Exploded view of the cell test housing 104 of the cell test device 100. In this example, the cell test housing 104 is a drawer-type housing that has a drawer 300 that slidably engages a corresponding cabinet 304. In the example shown, the drawer 300 is configured to hold the battery module 308 during testing. The drawer 300 includes a base 312 and a closure 316 that seals the cell test housing 104 when the drawer is fully engaged with the cabinet 304. In this example, the closure 316 includes a transparent window 320 made of a suitable explosion-proof material (such as explosion-proof glass or quartz, etc.) to allow a user (not shown) to see the interior of the cell test housing 104 when the drawer 300 is closed. The window 320 may be engaged with the closure 316 in any suitable manner, such as sliding into a channel and / or mechanically fastening to the closure. The closure 316 in the example also includes electrical connectors 324 and a handle 328. The electrical connectors 324 are used to electrically connect the battery module to a cycler (not shown) and / or other test instruments, and the user can easily grasp the handle 328 to open and close the drawer 300. When the drawer 300 is in the cabinet 304 and closed, a set of latches 332 (here four spring-type latches, two on each side) firmly fixes the drawer in the cabinet. In this example, the spring-type latches 332 provide a measure of energy dissipation to reduce the likelihood of the drawer 300 being blown out of the cabinet 304 by a violent explosion inside the cell test housing 104.

[0048] In this example, the cabinet 304 includes a pair of side walls 336 extending between a pair of ends 340, one end having an opening 344 for receiving the drawer 300 and the other end (not shown) having an end wall. The cabinet 304 may have a bottom wall 348. Alternatively, when the cabinet 304 is fixed to the bottom wall of the external housing using a pair of brackets located at the lower edges of the side walls of the cell test housing (not shown), the bottom wall of the external housing 108 ( Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 8 ) may serve as the bottom wall of the cell test housing 104. In the example shown, the upper side of the cabinet 304 has four internal vent panels 352, each of which may or may not be a double-layer vent panel as shown in Figure 7A and Figure 7B . In the example, the upper ends of the side walls may be tied together with a tie member 356, which may be located at a position where there is no vent opening in the four internal vent panels 352. In Figure 3 , such a tie member 356 may be present at three such positions shown therein.

[0049] In some embodiments, each internal vent panel 352 slidably engages a laterally extending channel, which may correspond to and / or provide a tie member (not shown). In other embodiments, the four internal vent panels 352 may slidably engage a longitudinally extending side wall channel, which is formed herein by L-shaped clamping portions 360 located near the upper ends of the side walls 336 and the (rear) end wall (not shown). In such embodiments, the four internal vent panels 352 will be installed in sequence, with the rightmost internal vent panel being installed first from the drawer end of the cabinet 304 and slid all the way to the right, and the leftmost internal vent panel being installed last. In such embodiments, when the drawer 300 is closed, the upper end of the closure 316 may be configured to extend upward so as to hold the four internal vent panels 352 in the side wall channels. In the embodiment shown, in addition to the tie member 356 and / or the clamping portion 360, the entire upper side of the cabinet 304 includes internal vents. In other embodiments, the cabinet 304 may include a smaller range of internal vents, such as about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60% or about 75% of the total area of the upper side of the cabinet, with the remaining portion being closed by solid walls and / or one or more tie members 356 and / or other structures.

[0050] In some embodiments, the drawer 300 slidably engages a guide rail 364 in the corresponding cabinet 304. The drawer 300 may be inserted into the cabinet 304 along an insertion axis IA.

[0051] Figure 4Shows an alternative drawer 400 configured to hold a single pouch-type cell 404 while the cell is clamped within a pressing fixture 408. Figure 4 The drawer 400 of Figure 3 is generally similar to the drawer 300 of Figure 3 in terms of its cabinet engagement features and construction. The drawer 400 has rails 412 that can slidably engage a cabinet (not shown). Also similar to Figure 4 the drawer 300 of Figure 4 the drawer 400 includes a closure 416 and a base 420. The closure 416 of the drawer 400 further includes an explosion-proof window 424 adapted to test the cell under test 404, a handle 428, and electrical connectors 432. In this example, Figure 4 the base 420 of the drawer 400 of Figure 8 includes electrical contacts 436 for making electrical contact with the tabs 440 of the cell 404. Figure 8 Also shown is an electrical connector 444 that provides the necessary electrical connection between the electrical connectors 432 on the closure 416 of the drawer 400 and the electrical connectors on the door of the outer housing 108 (see

[0052] Figure 5A and Figure 5B are different views of the outer housing 108, where Figure 5A shows the door 500 of the outer housing 108 in a closed and fixed state and the first lateral side 504 of the outer housing having an exhaust vent 508, and Figure 5B shows the door 500 in an open and unfixed state and the second lateral side 512 of the outer housing also having an exhaust vent 508. In this example, the outer housing 108 includes a solid bottom wall 516, a solid rear wall (not shown), and a solid top wall 520. The front end 524 of the outer housing 108 includes a structural door frame 528 that supports the door 500 and a latch mechanism 532 and provides rigidity to the outer housing. Each of the lateral sides 504, 512 of the outer housing 108 includes a vertical support 536 that ties the top wall 520 and the bottom wall 516 together and provides rigidity to the outer housing. In this example, these vertical supports 536 are located between adjacent exhaust vent panels 508 in the four exhaust vent panels 508 on each of the lateral sides 504, 512 of the outer housing 108. In some embodiments, each exhaust vent panel 508 can be Figure 7Aand Figure 7B The double - layer vent panel depicted in

[0053] In some embodiments, each exhaust vent panel 508 may be slidably engaged with a vertically extending channel, which may correspond to and / or provide the vertical support member 536. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical support member 536 is an L - shaped member. Specifically, Figure 6A An exhaust vent panel 508 is shown partially engaged with a pair of vertically extending channels formed by corresponding L - shaped members 536 fixed to the outer housing 108. A third L - shaped member 536 is located at the bottom of the opening that receives the exhaust vent panel 508 to capture the lower edge 540 of the exhaust vent panel. Figure 6B An opening in the lateral side 504 of the outer housing 108 without the exhaust vent panel 508 installed is shown.

[0054] In other embodiments, four exhaust vent panels on each lateral side of the outer housing may be slidably engaged with longitudinally extending channels formed by L - shaped clamping portions located near the upper and lower ends of the corresponding sidewalls and near the front end of the outer housing near the doorframe. In such embodiments, the four exhaust vent panels must be installed in sequence, for example, and relative to Figure 5B , where the right - most vent panel is first installed from the rear end of the outer housing and slid all the way to the right, and the left - most exhaust vent panel is installed last. In the illustrated embodiment, each entire lateral side 504, 512 of the outer housing 108 includes exhaust vent panels in addition to the vertical support members 536. In other embodiments, each lateral side 504, 512 may include a smaller range of exhaust vents, such as about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, or about 75% of the total area of that lateral side, and the remainder is closed by a solid wall and / or one or more vertical support members and / or other structures. In some embodiments, the percentages of exhaust vents on the two lateral sides may be equal to each other or different from each other.

[0055] Figure 7A and Figure 7B Respectively show a first perforated plate 700 and a second perforated plate 704, which, when overlapping each other, provide a vent panel of the present disclosure, such as either the internal vent panel 352 or the exhaust vent panel 508. The first perforated plate 700 has openings 708 (only three are marked to avoid clutter), and the second perforated plate 704 has openings 712 (only three are marked to avoid clutter). In this example, Figure 7A the first perforated plate 700 of Figure 7BThe second perforated plate 704 has more but smaller openings. In some embodiments, the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 may be fastened to each other to provide an integral vent panel, while in some embodiments, the first perforated plate and the second perforated plate may remain separated from each other even when deployed in the cell testing device of the present disclosure (such as the cell testing device 100 of this figure). When fastened together, the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 may be fixed to each other using any one or more fastening methods (such as but not limited to mechanical fastening, welding, adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, brazing, mechanical interlocking, etc.). In some embodiments, the first perforated plate 700 having a larger number of small openings 708 may be positioned so as to face the interior of the component (i.e., the cell testing housing 104 or the outer housing 108) with which it engages, wherein the second perforated plate 704 having a smaller number of large openings 712 is located downstream of the first perforated plate 700 with respect to the flow direction of the explosive gas.

[0056] In some embodiments, the two layers of the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 buffer and / or absorb any flame 200 and / or impact force. The openings 708 (e.g., holes and / or slots) in the first perforated plate 700 and the openings 712 in the second perforated plate 704 may be staggered with respect to each other such that when the flame 200 and / or pressure wave passes through the first plate, the second plate can absorb the remaining flame and / or pressure wave that has passed through the first plate. If the sizes of the openings 708, 712 are too large, the absorption capacity may be too small. On the other hand, if the sizes of the openings 708, 712 are too small, the pressure may not be released quickly enough, and this may cause other damages. In some embodiments, a single perforated plate may be used. In some embodiments, three or more perforated plates that overlap each other may be used. It should be noted that the first perforated plate 700 and the second perforated plate 704 may also or alternatively be referred to as "pressure release plates" due to their functions, and similarly, the vent panel may be referred to as a "pressure release panel".

[0057] Figure 8 Shows the door 500 in a closed and fixed state at the front end 524 of the outer housing 108, where the four latches 532 are fully engaged. In this example, the door 500 is hingedly connected to the door frame 528 at one of its lateral sides 512 via a pair of hinges 800. One of the four latches 532 is located between the pair of hinges 800. In this example, this latch 532 is provided to oppose the hinges 800 relative to the cell testing housing 104 ( Figure 8supplements the ability of the blast shock force caused by an explosion within (not shown). The latch 532 is of a spring type, which provides a measure of energy dissipation to reduce the likelihood of the door 500 being flipped off from the outer housing 108 in the event of a violent explosion occurring inside the cell test housing 104. In this example, the door 500 also includes an external electrical connector 804 for connecting the cell test device 100 to a cycler and / or other test instruments (not shown). Figure 8 The door 500 is also shown as including a transparent window 808 made of a suitable explosion-proof material (such as explosion-proof glass or quartz, etc.) to allow the user to see the inside of the outer housing 108 when the door 500 is closed. The window 808 can be engaged with the door 500 in any suitable manner, such as sliding into a channel and / or being mechanically fastened to the door.

[0058] Return reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 、 Figure 5A and Figure 5B , in the example shown, the cell test device 100 includes a plurality (here three) of displacement gauges 116 to measure the height change of the internal measurement object. Each displacement gauge 116 in this embodiment includes a head 120 located outside the outer housing 108 and a shaft 124 that extends from the head 120 into the interior of the cell test housing 104 so as to contact the test sample or the pressure application fixture 408 when the cell test housing is present within the outer housing and the test sample / pressure application fixture is present within the cell test housing. The shaft 124 of each displacement gauge 116 extends through a corresponding first hole (not shown) in the outer housing and a second hole 368 in three tie members 356 on the upper wall of the cell test housing 104 (see Figure 3 ). In this example, the displacement gauges 116 are installed after the cell test housing 104 has been properly installed within the outer housing 108 such that the second holes 368 of the cell test housing are properly aligned with the first holes of the outer housing. The function of the displacement gauges 116 is to monitor the expansion (e.g., increased size) of the test sample. When the test sample is a lithium metal cell or battery pack that is being charged or discharged, the thickness of the cell or battery pack changes. The displacement gauges 116 measure and monitor the increased size. In some embodiments, the displacement gauges 116 or other displacement sensors can be connected to a computer (not shown), and the results are displayed on a computer screen. In some embodiments, the external type displacement gauges 116 shown can be replaced by displacement sensors that are entirely located inside the cell test housing.

[0059] Various modifications and additions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The features of each of the various embodiments described above can be appropriately combined with the features of other described embodiments so as to provide various combinations of features in associated new embodiments. Further, while the foregoing describes multiple separate embodiments, what is described herein merely illustrates the application of the principles of the present utility model. Additionally, while the specific methods herein may be illustrated and / or described as being performed in a particular order, within the skill of the art, the ordering is highly variable to achieve aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this description is meant to be taken only as an example and not to limit the scope of the present utility model in any other way.

[0060] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and shown in the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, omissions, and additions can be made to what is specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A cell testing device for testing one or more cells, characterized in that, The cell testing device includes: a cell testing housing including an internal space configured to receive the one or more cells during testing, the cell testing housing including an internal vent having a ventilation axis, wherein, during testing, the cell testing housing is sealed except for the internal vent that vents to a location outside the cell testing housing; and an outer housing that houses the cell testing housing and includes at least one exhaust vent, each exhaust vent venting to the outside of the outer housing along a corresponding exhaust axis, wherein, during testing, the outer housing is sealed except for the at least one exhaust vent; wherein, during testing, the cell testing housing is located within the outer housing: so as to define at least one explosion gas path from an explosion vent to the at least one exhaust vent; and such that: the ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent; or the ventilation axis of the internal vent is parallel to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

2. The cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein, The ventilation axis of the internal vent is perpendicular to each exhaust axis of the at least one exhaust vent.

3. The cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein: the cell testing housing has a first end and a second end spaced apart from each other, and the internal vent is located between the first end and the second end; the outer housing has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from each other, and has a first side and a second side extending between the third end and the fourth end and spaced apart from each other; and the at least one exhaust vent includes a first exhaust vent and a second exhaust vent respectively located on the first side and the second side.

4. The cell testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal vent includes a first perforated plate having a first opening configuration.

5. The cell testing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The internal vent includes a second perforated plate overlapping the first perforated plate, the second perforated plate having a second opening configuration different from the first opening configuration.

6. The cell testing device according to claim 5, wherein, The first perforated plate and the second perforated plate are fixed to each other to provide a first multi-layer pressure relief panel.

7. The cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one exhaust vent includes a third perforated plate having a third opening configuration.

8. The cell testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The at least one exhaust vent includes a fourth perforated plate overlapping the third perforated plate, the fourth perforated plate having a fourth opening configuration different from the third opening configuration.

9. The cell testing device according to claim 8, wherein The third perforated plate and the fourth perforated plate are fixed to each other to provide a second multi-layer pressure relief panel.

10. The cell testing device according to claim 1, wherein The cell testing housing is a drawer-type housing.

11. The battery cell testing device according to claim 10, wherein, The cell testing housing includes a cabinet and a drawer movably engaged with the cabinet.

12. The cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein, The drawer is designed and configured to receive a battery module for testing.

13. The cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein, The drawer is designed and configured to receive a single battery cell for testing.

14. The cell testing device according to claim 13, wherein, The drawer is designed and configured to receive the single battery cell when the single battery cell is located within a pressure application fixture.

15. The cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein The drawer is fixed in a closed state by a plurality of spring-type latches.

16. The cell testing device according to claim 11, wherein, The drawer includes a closure including a first explosion-proof window.

17. The cell testing device according to claim 16, wherein, The external housing includes a second explosion-proof window, and when the battery cell test housing is operably located within the external housing, the second explosion-proof window is aligned with the first explosion-proof window.

18. The cell testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery cell test housing includes an external first electrical connector for connecting the one or more battery cells to a test instrument.

19. The battery cell testing device according to claim 18, wherein, The external housing includes a door having an internal second electrical connector and an external second electrical connector for electrical connection to the test instrument, wherein when the door is closed, the internal second electrical connector is aligned with the external first electrical connector of the battery cell test housing.

20. The cell testing device according to claim 19, wherein, An electrical connector electrically connects the internal second electrical connector to the external first electrical connector of the battery cell test housing.

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