Exhaust structure, end cover assembly, battery monomer, battery and electric device

Abstract

The utility model relates to an exhaust structure, an end cover assembly, a battery monomer, a battery and an electric device, the exhaust structure is mounted on an end cover, and a communication port is communicated with an operation hole of the end cover. Due to the fact that the blocking piece can block the communication opening under the gravity of the blocking piece, when the battery is normally used, the communication opening is blocked, communication between the communication opening and the exhaust port is cut off, and the operation hole is in a sealed state. When the internal pressure of the battery is increased, the air pressure in the operation hole acts on the plugging piece through the communication port, overcomes the gravity of the plugging piece, drives the plugging piece to move in the direction away from the communication port, opens the communication port and enables the communication port to be communicated with the exhaust port, so that the air pressure can be exhausted outwards, the air pressure in the battery is reduced, and effective exhaust is realized. And when the internal pressure of the battery is reduced to a certain air pressure value, the plugging piece can plug the opening again under the gravity of the plugging piece, so that effective sealing is realized.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] As the mainstream power battery in new energy materials, lithium-ion batteries have the characteristics of high efficiency, environmental protection, and recyclability, and are an important force in promoting green development. During the cyclic charge and discharge process of the battery, such as during the aging process, gas is generated, resulting in an increase in its internal pressure. For this reason, an exhaust structure is provided on the battery to reduce the internal pressure. However, limited by the design of the traditional exhaust structure, its structure is prone to failure, resulting in the destruction of the battery's sealing performance, thereby reducing the reliability of the battery. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an exhaust structure, an end cap assembly, a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device, which have a stable structure while achieving effective exhaust, and improve the reliability of the battery.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present application provides an exhaust structure for assembling on an end cap. The exhaust structure includes: an exhaust body having a movable channel therein, and a communication port and an exhaust port communicating with the movable channel are provided on the exhaust body. The communication port is used to communicate with an operation hole of the end cap; a plugging member that can be movably received in the movable channel. The plugging member is configured to block the communication port under its own gravity, and move in a direction away from the communication port when acted upon by the air pressure in the operation hole, so that the communication port is communicated with the exhaust port through the movable channel.

[0005] The above exhaust structure is installed on the end cap, and the communication port is communicated with the operation hole of the end cap. Since the plugging member can block the communication port under its own gravity, during normal use of the battery, the communication port is blocked, cutting off the conduction between the communication port and the exhaust port, so that the operation hole is in a sealed state. When the internal pressure of the battery increases, the air pressure in the operation hole acts on the plugging member through the communication port, overcoming the gravity of the plugging member, driving the plugging member to move in a direction away from the communication port, opening the communication port, so that the communication port is communicated with the exhaust port, thereby enabling the air pressure to be discharged outward, reducing the internal air pressure of the battery, and achieving effective exhaust. When the internal pressure of the battery drops to a certain air pressure value, the plugging member will re-block the opening under its own gravity, achieving effective sealing. Designed in this way, the self-gravity of the plugging member is used to seal the battery, and its structure is stable and not prone to failure. In this way, while achieving effective exhaust, it is beneficial to improve the reliability of the battery.

[0006] In some embodiments, the exhaust structure further includes a sealing member, which is disposed on the inner wall of the active channel and is arranged in an annular manner along the circumference of the active channel. The sealing member is located between the communication port and the exhaust port, and the blocking member is located on the side of the sealing member facing away from the communication port and is in sealing contact with the sealing member. With such a design, the sealing member is introduced so that the blocking member contacts the sealing member under the action of its own gravity, thereby making the blocking at the communication port more reliable, which is conducive to improving the sealing effect of the working hole.

[0007] In some embodiments, the sealing member surrounds to form a circular first inner ring, the blocking member is constructed as a spherical or cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the blocking member is larger than the diameter of the first inner ring. In this design, the diameter of the first inner ring is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the blocking member, so that the first inner ring cannot pass through the blocking member, so that the blocking member seals against the outer periphery of the first inner ring, thereby blocking the communication port, which is beneficial to improving the sealing performance of the end cover assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the diameter of the plugging member is recorded as D1, and the diameter of the first inner ring is recorded as D2, wherein 1 mm ≤ D1-D2 ≤ 2 mm. With such a design, the difference between the diameter of the plugging member and the diameter of the first inner ring is controlled between 1 mm and 2 mm, which can reduce the risk of sealing failure caused by wear of the plugging member; and increase the exhaust volume of the exhaust structure, effectively reducing the internal air pressure of the battery.

[0009] In some embodiments, the exhaust structure further includes a limiter, which is arranged on the inner wall of the active channel and located on the side of the exhaust port along the axis of the exhaust body and facing away from the connecting port, and the limiter cooperates with the blocking member. With such a design, the limiter is introduced to limit the moving stroke of the blocking member in the active channel, which reduces the movement of the blocking member and the amount of movement wear while meeting the exhaust demand; it also facilitates the blocking member to move back to block the connecting port in time.

[0010] In some embodiments, the limiting member is arranged in an annular shape along the circumference of the active channel and encloses a second inner ring, and the inner wall of the second inner ring is used to abut against the blocking member. In this design, the limiting member is designed as an annular structure, so that the blocking member is at least partially located in the second inner ring during the limiting process, so that the blocking member can stably abut against the limiting member, reducing the probability of the blocking member shaking due to exhaust shock.

[0011] In some embodiments, the portion of the surface of the blocking member closest to the inner wall of the active channel is circumferentially defined to form a reference contour line, and the reference contour line is configured to be located on the side of the exhaust port facing away from the connecting port or at a position opposite to the exhaust port along the radial direction of the exhaust body when the blocking member abuts against the stopper. In this design, the reference contour line is introduced so that part or all of the exhaust port remains connected to the connecting port, achieving an effective exhaust effect.

[0012] In some embodiments, a through hole is provided at one end of the exhaust gas along its own axis and away from the communication port. The through hole communicates with the movable channel, and the exhaust port is provided on the side surface of the exhaust gas around its own axis. The limiting member is located between the exhaust port and the through hole. With such a design, a through hole is provided at one end of the exhaust gas away from the communication port, reducing the negative pressure influence of the plugging member in the movable channel and making its reciprocating movement smoother to achieve effective sealing and exhaust.

[0013] In some embodiments, the weight of the plugging member is denoted as G, where 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 5 g. With such a design, the weight of the plugging member is controlled between 0.1 g and 5 g, enabling the plugging member to block the communication port by its own gravity and also allowing it to be pushed open by air pressure to achieve effective exhaust.

[0014] In some embodiments, the condition that G further satisfies is: 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 1 g. With such a design, the weight of the plugging member is further controlled between 0.1 g and 1 g, making it easier for the plugging member to be pushed open by the increased air pressure and improving the reliability of exhaust.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present application provides an end cap assembly. The end cap assembly includes: an end cap having an operation hole penetrating along its own thickness direction; an exhaust structure as described in any one of the above, with the exhaust gas provided on the end cap and the communication port communicating with the operation hole.

[0016] In some embodiments, an electrode terminal protrudes from one side surface of the end cap. In the thickness direction of the end cap, the height by which the exhaust gas protrudes from the end cap is less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal protrudes from the end cap. With such a design, controlling the height by which the exhaust gas protrudes from the end cap to be less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal protrudes from the end cap ensures that when the battery introduces the exhaust structure, it does not additionally increase the occupancy of the space above the battery, which is beneficial to improving space utilization.

[0017] In a third aspect, the present application provides a battery cell, and the battery cell includes the above end cap assembly.

[0018] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a battery, and the battery includes the above battery cell.

[0019] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides an electrical device, and the electrical device includes the above battery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a vehicle structure according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0021] Figure 2 It is an exploded schematic diagram of a battery structure according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a battery cell structure according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0023] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the exhaust structure described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0024] Figure 5 Cross-sectional view of the vehicle structure when closed, described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0025] Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of the vehicle structure during exhaust, described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0026] Figure 7 Exploded schematic diagram of the vehicle structure described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0027] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the end cap assembly described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0028] 1000, vehicle; 100, battery; 200, controller; 300, motor; 110, battery cell; 120, box; 121, first part; 122, second part; 10, end cap assembly; 1, end cap; 11, operation hole; X, thickness direction; 2, exhaust structure; 21, exhaust gas; 211, movable channel; 212, communication port; 213, exhaust port; 214, axis; 215, through hole; 3, plugging member; 31, reference contour line; 4, seal; 41, first inner ring; 5, limiting member; 51, second inner ring; 6, electrode assembly; 7, electrode terminal; 8, housing; 81, opening. Detailed implementation manners

[0029] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present application more apparent and understandable, the following will describe the detailed implementation manners of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0030] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present application.

[0031] In addition, if the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and defined, if terms such as "installed", "connected", "joined", "fixed", etc. appear, these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and defined, if there is a description such as a first feature being "on" or "under" a second feature, the meaning may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature in terms of horizontal height. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature in terms of horizontal height.

[0034] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may also be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. If so, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "up", "down", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are only for the purpose of illustration and do not represent the only implementation.

[0035] At present, from the perspective of the development of the market situation, the application of power batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars, as well as in many fields such as military equipment and aerospace. With the continuous expansion of the application fields of power batteries, the market demand is also continuously increasing.

[0036] During the cyclic charge and discharge process, such as during the aging process, the battery will generate gas inside, causing the internal air pressure to increase. If the air pressure accumulates for a long time, it will cause the battery structure to expand and deform. For this reason, an exhaust structure is usually set on the end cover of the battery to autonomously discharge the gas inside the battery and reduce the internal air pressure. In the traditional exhaust structure, a spring is used to push the sealing plate to close the injection hole of the end cover. If the internal air pressure of the battery increases to a certain pressure, it will overcome the elastic force of the spring to push the sealing plate and open the injection hole of the end cover to achieve autonomous exhaust.

[0037] However, this structure that uses elastic force for rebound sealing can easily lead to structural failure due to multiple compression and rebound, making it difficult for the sealing sheet to close the injection hole again, which in turn causes the inside and outside of the battery to always remain connected, destroying the battery's sealing and reducing the battery's reliability.

[0038] Based on this, in order to solve the problem that the sealing of the battery is destroyed due to the easy failure of the structure in the traditional exhaust structure, the present application provides an exhaust structure, in which the exhaust gas of the exhaust structure is installed on the end cover, and the connecting port is connected to the injection hole of the end cover. Since the plugging member can block the connecting port under its own gravity, when the battery is in normal use, the connecting port is blocked, and the connection between the connecting port and the exhaust port is cut off, so that the injection hole is in a sealed state. When the internal pressure of the battery increases, the air pressure in the injection hole acts on the plugging member through the connecting port, overcomes the gravity of the plugging member, drives the plugging member to move in a direction away from the connecting port, opens the connecting port, and connects the connecting port and the exhaust port, so that the air pressure can be discharged outward, reducing the air pressure inside the battery and achieving effective exhaust. When the internal pressure of the battery is reduced to a certain air pressure value, the plugging member will re-seal the opening under its own gravity to achieve effective sealing. With this design, the sealing of the battery is achieved by utilizing the sealing member's own weight, and the structure is stable and not prone to failure. This helps to improve the reliability of the battery while achieving effective exhaust.

[0039] The embodiment of the present application provides an electric device using a battery as a power source, and the electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. Among them, the electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc., and the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc.

[0040] It should be understood that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not limited to being applicable to the electrical devices described above, but for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments are all described using the electrical device being a vehicle 1000 as an example.

[0041] Please refer toFigure 1 , the vehicle 1000 can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is disposed inside the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be disposed at the bottom, the head or the tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used for power supply of the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 can be used as the operating power source of the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may further include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300. For example, it is used for the working power requirements during the start, navigation and driving of the vehicle 1000.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can not only be used as the operating power source of the vehicle 1000, but also be used as the driving power source of the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 2 , the battery 100 includes a box body 120 and battery cells 110. The battery cells 110 are accommodated in the box body 120. Among them, the box body 120 is used to provide an accommodation cavity for the battery cells 110, and the box body 120 can adopt various structures. In some embodiments, the box body 120 may include a first part 121 and a second part 122. The first part 121 and the second part 122 are covered with each other, and the first part 121 and the second part 122 jointly define an accommodation cavity for accommodating the battery cells 110. The second part 122 can be a hollow structure with an open end 81. The first part 121 can be a plate-like structure. The first part 121 covers the open side of the second part 122 so that the first part 121 and the second part 122 jointly define an accommodation cavity; the first part 121 and the second part 122 can also both be hollow structures with an open side 81, and the open side of the first part 121 covers the open side of the second part 122. Of course, the box body 120 formed by the first part 121 and the second part 122 can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0044] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 110. The multiple battery cells 110 can be connected in series, parallel, or in a combined series-parallel connection. A combined series-parallel connection means that there are both series and parallel connections among the multiple battery cells 110. The multiple battery cells 110 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a combined series-parallel connection and then the whole formed by the multiple battery cells 110 is accommodated in the box 120. Of course, the battery 100 can also be in the form of multiple battery cells 110 first connected in series, parallel, or in a combined series-parallel connection to form a battery 100 module, and then multiple battery 100 modules are connected in series, parallel, or in a combined series-parallel connection to form a whole and are accommodated in the box 120. The battery 100 can also include other structures. For example, the battery 100 can also include a busbar component for realizing the electrical connection among the multiple battery cells 110.

[0045] Among them, each battery cell 110 can be a secondary battery or a primary battery; it can also be a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 3 , the battery cell 110 refers to the smallest unit that makes up the battery 100. The battery cell 110 includes an electrode assembly 6, a housing 8, and an end cap assembly 10. The electrode assembly 6 is the component in the battery cell 110 where an electrochemical reaction occurs. One or more electrode assemblies 6 can be included in the battery cell 110. The electrode assembly 6 is mainly formed by winding or laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and usually a separator is provided between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The parts of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate with active materials constitute the main body of the electrode assembly 6, and the parts of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate without active materials respectively constitute the electrode tabs. The positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab can be located at one end of the main body together or at both ends of the main body respectively. During the charge and discharge process of the battery 100, the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material react with the electrolyte, and the electrode tabs are connected to the electrode terminals 7 to form a current loop.

[0047] The housing 8 is a component for cooperating with the end cap 1 in the end cap assembly 10 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 110. Among them, the formed internal environment can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly 6, the electrolyte, and other components. The housing 8 and the end cap 1 can be independent components. An opening 81 can be provided on the housing 8, and the end cap 1 is covered at the opening 81 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 110. Without limitation, the end cap 1 and the housing 8 can also be integrated. Specifically, the end cap 1 and the housing 8 can first form a common connection surface before other components are put into the housing. When it is necessary to encapsulate the inside of the housing 8, the end cap 1 is then covered on the housing 8. The housing 8 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as rectangular parallelepiped, cylindrical, hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the housing 8 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 6. The material of the housing 8 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not make special restrictions on this.

[0048] The end cap assembly 10 includes an end cap 1. The end cap 1 refers to a component that covers the opening 81 of the housing 8 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 110 from the outside. Without limitation, the shape of the end cap 1 can be adapted to the shape of the housing 8 to cooperate with the housing 8. Optionally, the end cap 1 can be made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy). In this way, the end cap 1 is not easily deformed when being squeezed or collided, enabling the battery cell 110 to have higher structural strength and improved safety performance. Functional components such as electrode terminals 7 can be provided on the end cap 1. The electrode terminals 7 can be used to electrically connect with the electrode assembly 6 for outputting or inputting the electric energy of the battery cell 110. In some embodiments, a pressure relief mechanism for relieving the internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 110 reaches a threshold can also be provided on the end cap 1. In some embodiments, an insulating member can also be provided on the inner side of the end cap 1. The insulating member can be used to isolate the electrical connection components in the housing 8 from the end cap 1 to reduce the risk of short circuit. Exemplarily, the insulating member can be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0049] In some embodiments according to the present application, please refer to Figures 3 to 5 , the present application provides an exhaust structure 2 for being assembled on the end cap 1. The exhaust structure 2 includes: an exhaust body 21 and a plugging member 3. The exhaust body 21 has a movable channel 211 therein, and a communication port 212 and an exhaust port 213 communicating with the movable channel 211 are provided on the exhaust body 21. The communication port 212 is used to communicate with the working hole 11 of the end cap 1. The plugging member 3 can be movably received in the movable channel 211. The plugging member 3 is configured to block the communication port 212 under its own gravity and move in a direction away from the communication port 212 when acted upon by the air pressure in the working hole 11, so that the communication port 212 is conducted with the exhaust port 213 through the movable channel 211.

[0050] The exhaust gas 21 refers to a structure with a space inside for the plugging member 3 to move. When the exhaust gas 21 is installed on the end cap 1, the end of the exhaust gas 21 with the communication port 212 is fitted into the operation hole 11 of the end cap 1, thus achieving both the plugging of the operation hole 11 and the communication between the communication port 212 and the operation hole 11, facilitating the gas in the operation hole 11 to enter the communication port 212. The shape of the exhaust gas 21 can have various designs, such as: it can be but is not limited to spherical, cylindrical, cube-shaped, etc. In some examples, the exhaust gas 21 is constructed as cylindrical, with a communication port 212 provided at one end, and the other end can be in an open state or a closed state.

[0051] Among them, the operation hole 11 of the end cap 1 is not limited to a liquid injection hole, an explosion-proof hole, etc., and can also be a hole-shaped structure formed by the battery cell 110 punching an additional hole on the end cap 1 for corresponding operations.

[0052] The moving channel 211 refers to a space that allows the plugging member 3 to reciprocate. When the plugging member 3 moves in a direction away from the communication port 212, the communication port 212 can be opened to communicate with the exhaust port 213 through the moving channel 211; when the plugging member 3 moves in a direction towards the communication port 212, the communication port 212 can be plugged to cut off the communication between the communication port 212 and the exhaust port 213, so that the gas in the operation hole 11 cannot be discharged outward. To facilitate the movement of the plugging member 3, the moving channel 211 can be designed as a linearly extending channel. At the same time, when the exhaust gas 21 is installed on the end cap 1, the extending direction of the moving channel 211 can be perpendicular to the end cap 1 or can be designed to be inclined relative to the end cap 1. The shape of the moving channel 211 can also have various designs, as long as it can meet the requirement that the plugging member 3 reciprocates in it, such as: it can be but is not limited to cylindrical, cuboid-shaped, etc.

[0053] In the moving channel 211, the plugging member 3 can rely on its own gravity to move towards the side of the communication port 212 and plug the communication port 212, so that the gas in the communication port 212 cannot flow into the exhaust port 213 through the moving channel 211 and then be discharged outward. The plugging member 3 can have a clearance fit in the moving channel 211, or the size of the plugging member 3 can exactly match the cross-sectional size of the moving channel 211. During the exhaust process, when the plugging member 3 has a clearance fit in the moving channel 211, the gas only needs to push open the plugging member 3 to achieve the communication between the communication port 212 and the exhaust port 213; when the plugging member 3 just matches the size of the moving channel 211, after the gas pushes open the plugging member 3, it also needs to push the plugging member 3 to the exhaust port 213 so that the gas can be discharged outward through the exhaust port 213.

[0054] When plugging the communication port 212, there are various implementation methods, such as: the size of the communication port 212 can be designed to be smaller than the size of the plugging member 3; or, above the communication port 212, a ring-shaped structure is formed by the inner wall protrusion of the movable channel 211, etc.

[0055] In addition, to reduce the corrosion of the plugging member 3 by the electrolyte, a corrosion-resistant material can be selected as the material of the plugging member 3, such as: it can be ceramics, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc. Of course, the plugging member 3 can also be designed as a composite structure, such as: a metal structure inside and a corrosion-resistant coating outside.

[0056] With such a design, the self-gravity of the plugging member 3 is used to seal the battery 100, and its structure is stable and not prone to failure. In this way, while achieving effective exhaust, it is beneficial to improve the reliability of the battery 100.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 5 , the exhaust structure 2 further includes a sealing member 4. The sealing member 4 is provided on the inner wall of the movable channel 211 and is arranged in a circumferential ring along the movable channel 211. The sealing member 4 is located between the communication port 212 and the exhaust port 213. The plugging member 3 is located on the side of the sealing member 4 facing away from the communication port 212 and is in sealing contact with the sealing member 4.

[0058] The sealing member 4 is a ring-shaped structure, which can realize sealing cooperation with the plugging member 3 and also make the inside of the sealing member 4 communicate with the communication port 212. When the plugging member 3 moves in a direction away from the communication port 212, the gas in the communication port 212 can enter the movable channel 211 through the inside of the sealing member 4; and then enter the exhaust port 213 from the movable channel 211. To achieve sealing cooperation with the plugging member 3, the sealing member 4 can be a sealing rubber ring.

[0059] There are various fixing methods of the sealing member 4 on the inner wall of the movable channel 211, such as: the sealing member 4 can be embedded on the inner wall of the movable channel 211; or, it can be bonded to the inner wall of the movable channel 211; or, the sealing member 4 can be injection-molded on the inner wall of the movable channel 211 by in-mold injection.

[0060] With such a design, the introduction of the sealing member 4 enables the plugging member 3 to abut against the sealing member 4 under its own gravity, so that the plugging at the communication port 212 is more reliable, which is beneficial to improving the sealing effect of the operation hole 11.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 5 , the sealing member 4 surrounds to form a circular first inner ring 41, the plugging member 3 is configured as a spherical or cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the plugging member 3 is greater than the diameter of the first inner ring 41.

[0062] The first inner ring 41 means that the seal 4 is of an annular structure, and the space formed by the annular shape of the seal 4 itself is the first inner ring 41. The diameter of the first inner ring 41 is smaller than the diameter of the plugging member 3. When the plugging member 3 moves towards the side of the communication port 212, it will abut against the seal 4 and plug the first inner ring 41, thereby achieving the plugging of the communication port 212 and cutting off the connection between the communication port 212 and the exhaust port 213. The plugging member 3 can be of a spherical structure or a cylindrical structure. When the plugging member 3 is of a cylindrical structure, the diameter of the plugging member 3 can be understood as the diameter of the bottom surface of the cylindrical structure.

[0063] With such a design, the diameter of the first inner ring 41 is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the plugging member 3, so that the first inner ring 41 cannot pass through the plugging member 3, and the plugging member 3 is sealingly abutted against the outer periphery of the first inner ring 41, realizing the plugging of the communication port 212, which is beneficial to improving the sealing performance of the end cover assembly 10.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 6 , the diameter of the plugging member 3 is denoted as D1, and the diameter of the first inner ring 41 is denoted as D2, where 1 mm ≤ D1 - D2 ≤ 2 mm.

[0065] After the plugging member 3 is used for a long time, more or less wear will occur. If the difference between the diameter of the plugging member 3 and the diameter of the first inner ring 41 is too small, when the worn plugging member 3 abuts against the outside of the first inner ring 41, gaps are likely to appear. If the difference between the diameter of the plugging member 3 and the diameter of the first inner ring 41 is too large, the exhaust volume of the exhaust structure 2.

[0066] Therefore, the difference between the diameter of the plugging member 3 and the diameter of the first inner ring 41 can be in the range of 1 mm to 2 mm, for example: it can be but not limited to 1 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.8 mm, 2 mm, etc. In some examples, the diameter D1 of the plugging member 3 can be 5 mm, and the diameter D2 of the first inner ring 41 is 4 mm.

[0067] With such a design, controlling the difference between the diameter of the plugging member 3 and the diameter of the first inner ring 41 within the range of 1 mm to 2 mm can not only reduce the risk of seal failure easily caused by wear of the plugging member 3; but also increase the exhaust volume of the exhaust structure 2 and effectively reduce the internal air pressure of the battery 100.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 6 , the exhaust structure 2 further includes a limiting member 5. The limiting member 5 is arranged on the inner wall of the moving channel 211 and is located on the side of the exhaust port 213 along the axis 214 of the exhaust gas 21 and facing away from the communication port 212. The limiting member 5 is in limiting cooperation with the plugging member 3.

[0069] The stopper 5 is a structure that can limit the movement of the blocking member 3 in the direction away from the communication port 212. When the air pressure inside the battery 100 increases, the air pressure can overcome the gravity of the blocking member 3 and drive the blocking member 3 to move in the direction away from the communication port 212. When the blocking member 3 moves to a certain distance, it will abut against the stopper 5 and stop moving. The stopper 5 can be an annular structure or a block-shaped protruding structure in the movable channel 211; of course, it can also be a plate-shaped structure, etc.

[0070] There are also various ways to fix the limiter 5 in the movable channel 211. For example, the limiter 5 can be embedded in the inner wall of the movable channel 211; or, it can be bonded to the inner wall of the movable channel 211; or, the limiter 5 can be injection-molded on the inner wall of the movable channel 211 by in-mold injection molding.

[0071] The position of the limiting member 5 in the active channel 211 can be designed differently according to the size of the blocking member 3. For example, if the size of the blocking member 3 matches the size in the active channel 211, the position of the limiting member 5 should meet the following conditions: when the blocking member 3 abuts against the limiting member 5, part or all of the exhaust port 213 can be opened; if the blocking member 3 and the active channel 211 are clearance-matched, the position of the limiting member 5 in the active channel 211 can be in various positions, as long as the blocking member 3 can open the connecting port 212.

[0072] In addition, when the end of the exhaust gas 21 away from the communication port 212 is also designed to be in an open state, the stopper 5 can be used to limit the movement of the blocking member 3 so that it will not fly out from the end of the exhaust gas 21 away from the communication port 212 .

[0073] With such a design, a limiter 5 is introduced to limit the movement of the blocking member 3 in the movable channel 211, thereby reducing the movement of the blocking member 3 and the amount of movement wear while meeting the exhaust demand; it also facilitates the blocking member 3 to move back to the blocked connecting port 212 in time.

[0074] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 6 The limiting member 5 is arranged in a ring shape along the circumference of the movable channel 211 and encloses a second inner ring 51 . The inner wall of the second inner ring 51 is used to abut against the blocking member 3 .

[0075] The stopper 5 is arranged in an annular shape. During the stopper process, at least a part of the blocking member 3 is located in the second inner ring 51, so that the blocking member 3 can be stably abutted against the stopper 5, reducing the probability of the blocking member 3 shaking due to the exhaust impact. In addition, in order to reduce the impact force when the blocking member 3 and the stopper 5 just come into contact, the stopper 5 can be made of a material with a certain elasticity, for example: the stopper 5 can be but not limited to a rubber ring.

[0076] With such a design, the limiting member 5 is designed as an annular structure, so that during the limiting process of the plugging member 3, at least a part of the plugging member 3 is located in the second inner ring 51, so that the plugging member 3 stably abuts against the limiting member 5, reducing the probability of the plugging member 3 shaking due to the exhaust impact.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , a part of the surface of the plugging member 3 closest to the inner wall of the active channel 211 is circumferentially defined to form a reference contour line 31, and the reference contour line 31 is configured to be located on the side of the exhaust port 213 facing away from the communication port 212 or at a position radially opposite to the exhaust port 213 along the exhaust gas 21 when the plugging member 3 abuts against the limiting member 5.

[0078] The reference contour line 31 refers to a partial structure that is circumferentially located on the surface of the plugging member 3 and is closest to the active channel 211. For example: when the plugging member 3 is a spherical structure, the plugging member 3 is intercepted by a plane perpendicular to the axis 214 of the exhaust gas 21, and the contour corresponding to the largest cross-sectional area obtained is the reference contour line 31; when the plugging member 3 is a cylindrical structure, the reference contour line 31 is any circular contour line on the cylindrical surface of the plugging member 3, etc.

[0079] When the plugging member 3 plugs the communication port 212, the reference contour line 31 may be located on the side of the exhaust port 213 facing the communication port 212. As the internal air pressure of the battery 100 increases, the plugging member 3 will move in a direction away from the communication port 212 under the action of the air pressure. At this time, the reference contour line 31 also moves accordingly. When the reference contour line 31 moves to the position where the exhaust port 213 is located, the communication port 212 can be communicated with a part of the exhaust port 213 through the active channel 211; when the reference contour line 31 completely moves and exceeds the exhaust port 213, the exhaust port 213 is completely opened, so that it is completely in a conductive state with the communication port 212.

[0080] With such a design, the reference contour line 31 is introduced, so that part or all of the exhaust port 213 is kept in communication with the communication port 212, realizing an effective exhaust effect.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 5 , a through hole 215 is provided at one end of the exhaust gas 21 along the direction of its own axis 214 and away from the communication port 212. The through hole 215 is communicated with the active channel 211, and the exhaust port 213 is provided on the side surface of the exhaust gas 21 around its own axis 214. The limiting member 5 is located between the exhaust port 213 and the through hole 215.

[0082] A through hole 215 is provided at one end of the exhaust gas passage 21 away from the communication port 212, indicating that both ends of the exhaust gas passage 21 are in an open state. In this way, when the plugging member 3 moves in the moving passage 211, it will not be affected by negative pressure and can move more smoothly; it is also convenient for the plugging member 3 to freely fall and block the communication port 212 after the air pressure in the battery 100 decreases. At the same time, the limiting member 5 is located between the exhaust port 213 and the through hole 215 in the direction of the axis 214 of the exhaust gas passage 21. While achieving smooth movement, the plugging member 3 can be effectively limited, reducing the risk of the plugging member 3 flying out due to high air pressure.

[0083] The number of exhaust ports 213 on the side surface of the exhaust gas passage 21 can be one or more. When the number of exhaust ports 213 on the exhaust gas passage 21 is multiple, all the exhaust ports 213 can be distributed at intervals around the axis 214 of the exhaust gas passage 21.

[0084] With such a design, a through hole 215 is provided at one end of the exhaust gas passage 21 away from the communication port 212, reducing the negative pressure influence on the plugging member 3 in the moving passage 211, making its reciprocating movement smoother, so as to achieve effective sealing and exhaust.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the weight of the plugging member 3 is denoted as G, where 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 5 g.

[0086] The weight of the plugging member 3 can take values between 0.1 g (gram) and 5 g, for example: it can be but not limited to 0.1 g, 0.2 g, 0.3 g, 0.4 g, 0.5 g, 0.6 g, 0.7 g, 0.8 g, 0.9 g, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, 5 g, etc.

[0087] With such a design, the weight of the plugging member 3 is controlled between 0.1 g and 5 g, so that the plugging member 3 can block the communication port 212 by its own gravity and can also be pushed open by air pressure to achieve effective exhaust.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the condition that G further satisfies is: 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 1 g.

[0089] The weight of the plugging member 3 can take values between 0.1 g and 1 g, for example: it can be but not limited to 0.1 g, 0.2 g, 0.3 g, 0.4 g, 0.5 g, 0.6 g, 0.7 g, 0.8 g, 0.9 g, 1 g, etc.

[0090] With such a design, the weight of the plugging member 3 is further controlled between 0.1 g and 1 g, so that the plugging member 3 is more easily pushed open by the increased air pressure, improving the reliability of exhaust.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 8, this application provides an end - cap assembly 10, and the end - cap assembly 10 includes: an end - cap 1, which is provided with an operation hole 11 penetrating along its own thickness direction X; an exhaust structure 2 as in any of the above, and an exhaust body 21 is arranged on the end - cap 1, and the communication port 212 is communicated with the operation hole 11.

[0092] In some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to Figure 8 , on one side surface of the end - cap 1, an electrode terminal 7 protrudes. In the thickness direction X of the end - cap 1, the height by which the exhaust body 21 protrudes from the end - cap 1 is less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal 7 protrudes from the end - cap 1.

[0093] The electrode terminal 7 refers to a component that realizes the electrical connection between an external device and the battery 100. For example, one end of the electrode terminal 7 is connected to the tab inside the battery 100, and the other end is connected to the external device. It can be known that generally, the electrode terminal 7 can be divided into positive and negative electrodes. The positive electrode terminal 7 is connected to the positive tab inside the battery 100, and the negative electrode terminal 7 is connected to the negative tab inside the battery 100.

[0094] The height by which the exhaust body 21 protrudes from the end - cap 1 is less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal 7 protrudes from the end - cap 1, indicating that when the exhaust body 21 is installed on the end - cap 1, it does not additionally occupy the space above the end - cap 1.

[0095] With such a design, by controlling the height by which the exhaust body 21 protrudes from the end - cap 1 to be less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal 7 protrudes from the end - cap 1, when the exhaust structure 2 is introduced into the battery 100, it does not additionally increase the occupation of the space above the battery 100, which is beneficial to improving the space utilization rate.

[0096] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figures 1 to 8 , this application provides a battery cell 110, and the battery cell 110 includes the above - mentioned end - cap assembly 10. Among them, the battery cell 110 can be a square battery 100 or a cylindrical battery 100.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, this application provides a battery 100, and the battery 100 includes the above - mentioned battery cell 110.

[0098] In some embodiments of the present application, this application provides an electrical device, and the electrical device includes the above - mentioned battery 100.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides an exhaust structure 2, including a plugging member 3 and an exhaust body 21 with a hollow cylindrical middle part added to the end cover 1. One end of the exhaust body 21 has a communication port 212, and its side has an exhaust port 213. The plugging member 3 can move up and down within the exhaust body 21. During aging, the battery 100 generates gas, increasing the internal pressure, causing the plugging member 3 to move upward. When the plugging member 3 exceeds the exhaust port 213 on the side, the gas is discharged, the internal pressure chamber of the battery 100 decreases, and the plugging member 3 descends to achieve sealing. Among them, the plugging member 3 can be a sphere.

[0100] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity of description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, it should be considered as the scope recorded in this specification.

[0101] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation manners of the present application. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An exhaust structure for being assembled on an end cover (1), characterized in that, The exhaust structure includes: An exhaust gas body (21) having an active channel (211) therein, and a communication port (212) and an exhaust port (213) communicating with the active channel (211) are provided on the exhaust gas body (21), and the communication port (212) is used to communicate with an operation hole (11) of the end cap (1); A plugging member (3) that can be movably received in the active channel (211), and the plugging member (3) is configured to plug the communication port (212) under its own gravity, and will move in a direction away from the communication port (212) when acted on by the air pressure in the operation hole (11), so that the communication port (212) is communicated with the exhaust port (213) through the active channel (211).

2. The exhaust structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust structure further includes a sealing member (4), the sealing member (4) is provided on the inner wall of the active channel (211) and is annularly arranged along the circumferential direction of the active channel (211), the sealing member (4) is located between the communication port (212) and the exhaust port (213), and the plugging member (3) is located on the side of the sealing member (4) facing away from the communication port (212) and is in sealing contact with the sealing member (4).

3. The exhaust structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealing member (4) surrounds and forms a circular first inner ring (41), the plugging member (3) is configured into a spherical or cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the plugging member (3) is greater than the diameter of the first inner ring (41).

4. The exhaust structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The diameter of the plugging member (3) is denoted as D1, and the diameter of the first inner ring (41) is denoted as D2, where 1 mm ≤ D1 - D2 ≤ 2 mm.

5. The exhaust structure according to claim 1, wherein The exhaust structure further includes a limiting member (5), the limiting member (5) is provided on the inner wall of the active channel (211) and is located on the side of the exhaust port (213) along the axis (214) of the exhaust gas body (21) and facing away from the communication port (212), and the limiting member (5) is in limiting cooperation with the plugging member (3).

6. The exhaust structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The limiting member (5) is annularly arranged along the circumferential direction of the active channel (211) and encloses to form a second inner ring (51), and the inner wall of the second inner ring (51) is used to abut against the plugging member (3).

7. The exhaust structure according to claim 5, characterized in that The circumferential part of the surface of the plugging member (3) closest to the inner wall of the active channel (211) defines a reference contour line (31), and the reference contour line (31) is configured to be located on the side of the exhaust port (213) facing away from the communication port (212) or at a position radially opposite to the exhaust port (213) along the exhaust gas body (21) when the plugging member (3) abuts against the limiting member (5).

8. The exhaust structure according to claim 5, wherein One end of the exhaust gas body (21) along its own axis (214) and away from the communication port (212) is provided with a through hole (215), the through hole (215) is communicated with the active channel (211), the exhaust port (213) is provided on the side surface of the exhaust gas body (21) around its own axis (214), and the limiting member (5) is located between the exhaust port (213) and the through hole (215).

9. The exhaust structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The weight of the plugging member (3) is denoted as G, where 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 5 g.

10. The exhaust structure according to claim 9, characterized in that, The condition that G also satisfies is: 0.1 g ≤ G ≤ 1 g.

11. A end cap assembly, characterized in that, The end cover assembly includes: An end cover (1) is provided with an operation hole (11) penetrating along its own thickness direction (X); For the exhaust structure according to any one of claims 1-10, the exhaust gas body (21) is arranged on the end cover (1), and the communication port (212) is communicated with the operation hole (11).

12. The end cap assembly according to claim 11, wherein, One side surface of the end cover (1) is convexly provided with an electrode terminal (7). In the thickness direction (X) of the end cover (1), the height by which the exhaust gas body (21) protrudes from the end cover (1) is less than or equal to the height by which the electrode terminal (7) protrudes from the end cover (1).

13. A battery cell, characterized in that, The battery cell includes the end cover assembly according to claim 11 or 12.

14. A battery, characterized in that, The battery includes the battery cell according to claim 13.

15. An electrical device, characterized in that, The electrical device includes the battery according to claim 14.

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