Battery pack and energy storage device

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a battery pack and an energy storage device. The battery pack comprises a shell and a plurality of battery cells, the shell comprises an upper cover and a lower box body, the upper cover comprises a top wall and a side wall, the upper cover covers the lower box body, and the upper cover and the lower box body jointly form a space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells; the upper cover further comprises a flanging, the flanging is located on the edge, away from the top wall, of the side wall of the upper cover, the flanging is located on the outer side of the side wall of the upper cover, and the flanging comprises the side wall and a bottom wall. The bottom wall of the turnup is located between the side wall of the turnup and the side wall of the upper cover, and a fixing hole is formed in the bottom wall of the turnup and used for fixing the lower box body and the upper cover; the orientation of an opening formed by the flanging and the side wall of the upper cover is opposite to that of an opening formed by the top wall of the upper cover and the side wall of the upper cover; a penetrating through hole is formed in the connecting position of the side wall of the turned edge and the bottom wall of the turned edge. Reasonable corresponding positions are selected at the bending positions to form holes, so that damage to the strength of the sealing edge of the upper cover can be reduced, and the problems of screw corrosion and the like caused by the fact that water cannot be effectively drained after the sealing edge is folded are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of energy storage, and in particular to a battery pack and an energy storage device. Background Art

[0002] The battery pack in the related art includes an upper cover, a lower box body and battery cells. Since the battery cells have a relatively large specific heat capacity, condensation is easily generated when the upper cover comes into contact with the outside air, especially at the connection position between the upper cover and the lower box body, where condensation is easily accumulated, causing the upper cover to be corroded by condensation. Utility Model Content

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a battery pack and an energy storage device. The battery pack in the embodiments can effectively solve the problem of condensation corrosion of the upper cover.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack, comprising a housing and a plurality of battery cells; the housing comprises an upper cover and a lower case, the upper cover comprising a top wall and side walls, the upper cover covering the lower case and forming a space for accommodating the plurality of battery cells together with the lower case; the upper cover further comprises a flange, the flange being located at an edge of the side wall of the upper cover facing away from the top wall, the flange being located outside the side wall of the upper cover, the flange comprising a side wall and a bottom wall; the bottom wall of the flange being located between the side wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, the bottom wall of the flange being provided with a fixing hole, the fixing hole being used to fix the lower case to the upper cover; the opening formed by the flange and the side wall of the upper cover facing in the opposite direction to the opening formed by the top wall and the side wall of the upper cover; a through hole penetrating the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange. The side wall of the flange can enhance the bending strength of the bottom wall of the flange, that is, when the bottom wall of the flange is subjected to pressure perpendicular to it, the flange has better bending resistance. Because the flange of this embodiment has excellent bending resistance, the fixing hole is provided on the bottom wall of the flange. When the fastener is fixed in the fixing hole, the bottom wall of the flange can withstand greater fastening pressure. Moreover, under the premise that the flange has high strength, the flange thickness can be effectively reduced by cooperating with the side wall and bottom wall of the flange, thereby achieving lightweight flange. In addition, because the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange is provided with a through hole, the U-shaped groove formed by the flange or formed by the flange and the side wall of the upper cover can be connected to the outside through the through hole, thereby substantially draining the accumulated water in the U-shaped groove, thereby preventing excessive condensation from accumulating in the U-shaped groove, and effectively reducing the corrosion of the bottom wall and side wall of the flange, as well as the fastener fixed in the fixing hole, thereby effectively ensuring that the strength of the upper cover and the fastener is not reduced due to condensation corrosion, thereby effectively improving the service life of the upper cover and the fastener.

[0005] Based on the first embodiment of the above-mentioned embodiment, the side wall of the flange is bent from the edge of the bottom wall of the flange toward the top wall of the upper cover, and the through hole penetrates the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange along the thickness direction of the flange. In this embodiment, because the through hole penetrates the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange along the thickness direction of the flange, and the side wall of the flange is bent from the edge of the bottom wall of the flange toward the top wall of the upper cover, the flange can be formed by bending a single sheet metal part, and the through hole can be opened in the sheet metal part before bending, which can effectively reduce the difficulty of opening the through hole.

[0006] In a second embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the through hole penetrates the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange. The through hole penetrates the side wall of the flange facing away from the battery module and the bottom wall of the flange. Because the through hole penetrates the side wall of the flange facing away from the battery module and the bottom wall of the flange, the through hole is located at a very low position, so that condensation accumulated in the flange can be effectively and quickly discharged through the through hole, thereby effectively reducing damage caused by condensation.

[0007] In a third embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the side walls of the upper cover include two short side walls that are opposite to each other in the length direction of the battery pack. The flanges located at the edges of the short side walls are short side flanges. In the width direction of the battery pack, the through hole is located in the middle portion of the short side flange. In this embodiment, since the short side flange is shorter, the number of through holes on the short side flange can be one to minimize the impact of the through hole on the strength of the flange. In addition, a through hole is provided in the middle portion of the short side flange. Under the pressure of the battery module, the middle portion of the short side flange is positioned lower than the two ends, thereby improving the drainage effect of water accumulated on the flange.

[0008] In a fourth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the side walls of the upper cover include two long side walls that are opposite each other in the width direction of the battery pack. The flanges located at the edges of the two long side walls are long side flanges. A plurality of through holes are provided at intervals along the length of the battery pack. In this embodiment, the length of the long side flange is generally greater than the length of the short side flange, and thus the length of the long side flange is also generally greater than the length of the short side flange. By providing a plurality of through holes at intervals on the long side flange, condensation accumulated in the long side flange can be promptly discharged through the through holes.

[0009] In a fifth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the through holes and the fixing holes are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange. In this embodiment, since the bottom wall of the flange is located at a position where the fixing holes are provided, the fasteners squeeze the bottom wall of the flange so that the position where the fixing holes are provided on the bottom wall of the flange is relatively lower, and condensation is more likely to flow to the position on the bottom wall of the flange corresponding to the fixing holes. Thus, the through holes and the fixing holes are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange, that is, the position of the through holes is set to be opposite to the fixing holes, which can improve the ability of the through holes to discharge condensation accumulated on the bottom wall of the flange. It can be understood that this solution can be applied in scenarios where the width of the bottom wall of the flange is large.

[0010] In a sixth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the through holes and the fixing holes are spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange and arranged front to back in the length direction of the bottom wall of the flange. In this embodiment, because the through holes and the fixing holes are spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange and arranged front to back in the extension direction of the bottom wall of the flange, even if the through holes penetrate a portion of the edge of the bottom wall of the flange, the strength of the bottom wall of the flange at the location where the fixing holes are provided is not affected, and the strength requirements for fasteners securing the upper cover and the lower case can be met.

[0011] In the seventh embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the minimum distance between the through hole and the fixing hole must be greater than the distance from the fixing hole to the edge where the bottom wall of the flange is connected to the outer wall. Within this range, it can be ensured that even if the through hole penetrates part of the edge of the bottom wall of the flange, it will not affect the strength of the position where the fixing hole is provided on the bottom wall of the flange, and can also meet the strength requirements when the fasteners are used to fix the upper cover and the lower box body.

[0012] In an eighth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the upper cover further comprises an outer edge located at an edge of the side wall of the upper cover facing away from the top wall, the outer edge being bent outward from the edge of the side wall of the upper cover facing away from the top wall toward the outside of the housing; a bottom wall of the flange is stacked on the outer edge, and a fixing hole is used to secure the lower housing to the outer edge of the upper cover and the flange of the upper cover. In this embodiment, because the bottom wall of the flange is stacked on the outer edge, the flange effectively increases the bending strength of the outer edge when the fastener is secured. This effectively reduces the amount of deformation caused by the fasteners at the locations of the outer edge where the fasteners are located, effectively preventing excessive compression of the sealing gasket at the locations of the outer edge where the fasteners are located, thereby preventing sealing failure of the sealing gasket due to excessive compression. It also effectively reduces the amount of upward tilting of the outer edge at locations along its length where fasteners are not located, thereby effectively preventing sealing failure of the sealing gasket due to insufficient compression of the sealing gasket at locations along its length where fasteners are not located. The provision of a profiled structural member on the outer edge effectively addresses the problem of sealing failure of the sealing gasket. It can be understood that the flange and the outer edge in this embodiment are used to fix with the lower box body at the same time.

[0013] In a ninth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the side wall of the flange includes an inner side wall and an outer side wall, the bottom wall of the flange is located between the outer side wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, the inner side wall of the flange is located between the bottom wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, and a through hole is provided at the connection between the outer side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange. In this embodiment, the bending strength of the bottom wall of the flange can be effectively improved by setting the outer side wall and the inner side wall, so that the bending strength of the flange can be effectively improved without increasing the thickness of the flange, that is, the bending strength of the flange can be effectively improved without increasing the weight of the flange, so that the flange can meet the strength requirements while achieving a lightweight design. On the premise that the flange is lightweight, the overall lightweight requirement of the upper cover can also be effectively improved.

[0014] In a tenth embodiment based on any of the above embodiments, the flange is bent outward from the edge of the side wall of the upper cover away from the top wall. In this embodiment, since the top wall, side wall and flange can be formed by bending a single sheet metal part, the difficulty of manufacturing the upper cover can be effectively reduced.

[0015] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack, which includes a shell and a battery module housed in the shell; the shell includes an upper cover and a lower box body, the upper cover is formed with a U-shaped groove at a position for fixing to the lower box body, the bottom wall of the U-shaped groove is provided with a fixing hole for fixing to the lower box body, and a through hole is provided at the connection between the side wall of the U-shaped groove facing away from the battery module and the bottom wall of the U-shaped groove.

[0016] In this embodiment, since a through hole is provided at the connection between the side wall of the U-shaped groove facing away from the battery module and the bottom wall of the U-shaped groove, the inner cavity of the U-shaped groove is connected to the outside of the U-shaped groove through the through hole. Therefore, even if condensation is generated in the U-shaped groove, it can be discharged in time through the through hole. Moreover, since the through hole is located at the connection between the side wall of the U-shaped groove facing away from the battery module and the bottom wall of the U-shaped groove, the accumulated water in the U-shaped groove can be basically discharged, thereby avoiding excessive condensation in the U-shaped groove, thereby effectively reducing the corrosion of the bottom wall and side walls of the U-shaped groove and the fasteners fixed in the fixing holes by condensation, thereby effectively ensuring that the strength of the upper cover and the fasteners will not be reduced due to condensation corrosion, thereby effectively improving the service life of the upper cover and the fasteners.

[0017] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an energy storage device, which includes a cabinet and one or more battery packs as described in any one of the embodiments of the first aspect above, and the one or more battery packs are arranged in the cabinet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery pack;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the housing in the embodiment;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partially exploded schematic diagram of the upper cover in the embodiment;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A top view of the upper cover of the battery pack in the embodiment;

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the middle BB;

[0026] Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of another upper cover provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Description of reference numerals:

[0028] Z, height direction of the battery pack; Y, width direction of the battery pack; X, length direction of the battery pack;

[0029] 1. Battery pack; 7. Housing; 8. Battery module;

[0030] 10. Upper cover; 101. U-shaped groove; 102. Through hole; 103. Fixing hole; 11. Top wall; 12. Side wall; 12a. Long side wall; 12b. Short side wall; 13. Outer edge; 13a. Long side outer edge; 13b. Short side outer edge; 14. Flanged edge; 14a. Long side flange; 14b. Short side flange; 141. Outer wall; 142. Inner wall; 143. Bottom wall; 144. Side wall;

[0031] 20. Lower box;

[0032] 30. Sealing gasket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following first explains some of the terms involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0034] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. in the description and claims of the embodiments of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequential order. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can, for example, be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0035] In this specification, the terms "perpendicular" and "parallel" are explained.

[0036] Vertical: The vertical defined in this application is not limited to an absolute vertical intersection relationship (angle of 90 degrees). It allows for non-absolute vertical intersection relationships caused by factors such as assembly tolerance, design tolerance, and structural flatness. It allows for errors in a small angle range. For example, the assembly error range of 80 to 100 degrees can be understood as a vertical relationship.

[0037] Parallel: The parallel defined in this application is not limited to absolute parallelism. This definition of parallelism can be understood as basic parallelism, allowing for situations where the absolute parallelism is not caused by factors such as assembly tolerance, design tolerance, and the influence of structural flatness. These situations will lead to the sliding fitting part and the first door panel not being absolutely parallel, but this application also defines this situation as parallel.

[0038] To facilitate understanding of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of the present application, the following first introduces its application scenarios. An energy storage device is a system that can store electrical energy in a certain medium and release the stored energy to generate electricity when needed. It can be used as a load balancing device and backup power source in scenarios such as industrial and commercial parks, domestic living environments, large ground power stations, or photovoltaic storage systems. The application of the energy storage device is briefly explained using the photovoltaic storage system scenario as an example. A photovoltaic storage system typically includes photovoltaic modules, energy storage converters, energy storage devices, and grid-connected inverters. The photovoltaic modules can convert light energy into direct current (DC) and output it to the grid-connected inverter. The grid-connected inverter can convert DC energy into alternating current (AC) and transmit this AC energy to the grid, thereby connecting the photovoltaic storage system to the grid. The energy storage device can store a portion of the energy output by the photovoltaic inverter when the energy generated by the photovoltaic modules exceeds the grid's demand for electricity. When the energy output by the photovoltaic modules cannot meet the grid's demand for electricity, the stored energy can be output to the grid, providing a more stable DC source for the grid. The energy storage converter can convert the grid voltage into the supply voltage of the energy storage device, or convert the voltage stored in the energy storage device into the grid voltage and output it to the grid.

[0039] In addition, according to the different power consumption requirements of the application scenarios of energy storage devices, energy storage devices can also be divided into cabinet-level energy storage devices and container-level energy storage devices.

[0040] For example, in some embodiments, the energy storage device includes a cabinet and a battery cluster disposed in the cabinet.

[0041] The battery cluster includes a plurality of stacked battery packs.

[0042] The energy storage device may further include a cluster control box and a power converter, and the cluster control box and the power converter are arranged in the cabinet.

[0043] In some embodiments, the power converter includes a PCS (power conversion system) converter, and the cluster control box is connected between the PCS converter and the battery cluster. This design allows the PCS converter to convert the battery cluster's DC power into AC power to power external loads. Furthermore, if the current between the battery cluster and the PCS converter becomes excessive, the cluster control box can promptly disconnect the PCS converter from the battery cluster to prevent accidents such as fire in the battery cluster or external loads.

[0044] In some embodiments, when the voltage output by the battery cluster is lower than the rated voltage, to ensure the stability of the output voltage of the energy storage device, the power converter further includes a DC / DC (direct current / direct current) converter. The DCDC converter is connected between the PCS converter and the cluster control box, which is connected between the DCDC converter and the battery cluster. The DCDC converter steps up or down the voltage output by the battery cluster, thereby ensuring that the voltage delivered to the PCS converter remains stable, thereby ensuring the stability of the output voltage of the energy storage device. Furthermore, if the current between the battery cluster and the PCS converter is excessive, the cluster control box can promptly disconnect the current between the PCS converter and the battery cluster to prevent accidents such as fire in the battery cluster or external loads.

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a battery pack 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery pack 1. Figure 1 The battery pack 1 in the embodiment can be applied not only to the energy storage device mentioned above, but also to the automotive field or other fields requiring the use of the battery pack 1.

[0046] As the volume of the battery pack 1 becomes larger and the energy density becomes higher, the requirements for the strength of the shell 7 that accommodates the battery module 8 are getting higher and higher. At the same time, the overall lightweight and low cost of the battery pack 1 are also the goals to be pursued. In this application, the overall lightweight and low cost of the battery pack 1 are mainly achieved by achieving the lightweight and low cost of the shell 7 on the premise of meeting the strength of the shell 7.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery pack 1 includes a shell 7 and a battery module 8 accommodated in the battery pack 1. The battery module 8 includes a plurality of arranged battery cells.

[0048] The housing 7 includes an upper cover 10 and a lower case 20. The upper cover 10 covers the lower case 20 and, together with the lower case 20, forms a space for accommodating multiple battery cells. Specifically, the battery module 8 is first mounted to the lower case 20 and then secured to the lower case 20 via the upper cover 10, thereby encapsulating the battery module 8.

[0049] Since the main function of the upper cover 10 is to seal the battery module 8 without supporting the battery module 8, the strength requirements at most locations of the upper cover 10 are lower than those at the lower case 20. This allows the upper cover 10 to be lightweight and the material cost to be reduced by reducing its thickness. For example, the upper cover 10 can be formed by bending sheet metal, which can effectively reduce the manufacturing cost of the upper cover 10 compared to die-casting or welding. It is understandable that in order to ensure the stability of the connection between the upper cover 10 and the lower case 20, the strength requirements at the locations where the upper cover 10 is fixed to the lower case 20 are higher than those at most locations of the upper cover 10.

[0050] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the housing 7 in the embodiment; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partially exploded schematic diagram of the upper cover 10 in the embodiment.

[0051] In order to achieve lightweighting of the upper cover 10, the position where the upper cover 10 is fixed to the lower box body 20 is bent in this embodiment to improve the strength of the position where the upper cover 10 is fixed to the lower box body 20. However, this method easily forms a U-shaped groove 101, which makes it easy for water to accumulate, such as condensation. This embodiment can effectively solve the problem of water accumulation in the U-shaped groove 101 while achieving lightweighting of the upper cover 10 and meeting strength requirements. It can be understood that the U-shaped groove 101 refers to a U-shaped cross-section along its length, that is, when the battery pack is normally placed, the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101 is roughly parallel to the horizontal plane, and the two opposite side walls 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 protrude upward from the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101.

[0052] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, a U-shaped groove 101 is provided at the location where the upper cover 10 is secured to the lower case 20, and a fixing hole 103 is provided on the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101 for securing the upper cover 10 to the lower case 20. The location where the upper cover 10 is secured to the lower case 20 refers to the edge of the upper cover 10, that is, the outer edge of the upper cover 10. The fixing hole 103 is provided on the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101 to facilitate fasteners passing through the fixing hole 103 to securely connect the upper cover 10 to the lower case 20.

[0053] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4In order to drain the accumulated water in the U-shaped groove 101, in some embodiments, a through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 facing away from the battery module 8 and the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101. Among them, the two side walls 144 of the U-shaped groove 101, one side wall 144 is close to the battery module 8, and the other side wall 144 is away from the battery module 8, that is, one side wall 144 is close to the inner cavity of the shell 7, and the other side wall 144 is away from the inner cavity of the shell 7. The side wall 144 away from the battery module 8 is also the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 facing away from the battery module 8, that is, the side wall 144 on the outside of the two side walls 144 of the U-shaped groove 101. In this embodiment, since a through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 away from the battery module 8 and the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101, the inner cavity of the U-shaped groove 101 is connected with the outside of the U-shaped groove 101 through the through hole 102, so that even if condensation is generated in the U-shaped groove 101, it can be discharged in time through the through hole 102. Moreover, since the through hole 102 is located at the connection between the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 away from the battery module 8 and the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101, 01, so that the accumulated water in the U-shaped groove 101 can be basically discharged, thereby avoiding excessive condensation in the U-shaped groove 101, thereby effectively reducing the corrosion of the bottom wall 143 and side walls 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 and the fasteners fixed in the fixing hole 103 by condensation, thereby effectively ensuring that the strength of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners will not be reduced due to condensation corrosion, thereby effectively improving the service life of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners.

[0054] It should be noted that the through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the side wall 144 facing away from the battery module 8 and the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101 in the U-shaped groove 101, which includes at least three situations. For example, in situation one, the through hole 102 penetrates both the bottom wall 143 and the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101. In situation two, the through hole 102 penetrates the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101 but does not penetrate the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101, but the through hole 102 is infinitely close to the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101. In situation three, the through hole 102 penetrates the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 but does not penetrate the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101, but the through hole 102 is infinitely close to the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101. It can be understood that the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 in these three situations refers to the side wall 144 of the U-shaped groove 101 away from the battery module 8. In these three situations, the condensation accumulated in the U-shaped groove 101 can be effectively and quickly discharged through the through hole 102, thereby effectively reducing the damage caused by the condensation.

[0055] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4In some embodiments, the upper cover 10 includes a top wall 11 and a side wall 12 and a flange 14 located at the edge of the side wall 12. The flange 14 itself or the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 can form the aforementioned U-shaped groove 101.

[0056] For example, in some embodiments, the upper cover 10 includes a top wall 11 and multiple side walls 12 formed by bending multiple edges of the top wall 11. That is, the top wall 11 and the side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 can be formed by bending a sheet metal part, which not only reduces the manufacturing cost, but also reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the upper cover 10. Compared with the welding method, it can also effectively improve the consistency of the overall strength of the upper cover 10.

[0057] The multiple side walls 12 are formed by bending from the multiple sides of the top wall 11 toward the lower box body 20. It is understood that the multiple sides of the top wall 11 do not necessarily refer to all sides of the top wall 11. For example, when the top wall 11 is a rectangular plate, the multiple sides of the top wall 11 may refer to two, three, or four sides of the top wall 11.

[0058] The multiple side walls 12, formed by bending from the multiple edges of the top wall 11 toward the lower case 20, are substantially perpendicular to the top wall 11, thereby effectively increasing the load-bearing capacity of the upper cover 10 in the height direction Z of the battery pack 1. It is understood that in other application scenarios, such as when the space for installing the battery pack 1 in certain vehicles or energy storage devices is smaller at the top and larger at the bottom, the angle between the multiple side walls 12 and the top wall 11 can be adjusted to greater than 90 degrees.

[0059] In some embodiments, two adjacent side walls 12 among the multiple side walls 12 can be fixed together by welding, thereby effectively ensuring the sealing performance of the upper cover 10. By welding the multiple side walls 12 together, the overall strength of the upper cover 10 can also be improved.

[0060] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the flange 14 is located at the edge of the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 away from the top wall 11, and the flange 14 is located on the outside of the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10, that is, the flange 14 is located outside the inner cavity of the shell 7. The flange 14 is connected to the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10, and the flange 14 is used to be fixed to the lower box body 20 to fix the upper cover 10 and the lower box body 20 together.

[0061] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4In order to achieve the lightweight of the upper cover 10, the flange 14 of the upper cover 10 also needs to be lightweight. In some embodiments, the flange 14 includes a side wall 144 and a bottom wall 143; the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is located between the side wall 144 of the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10. The side wall 144 of the flange 14 can enhance the bending strength of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, that is, when the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is subjected to a pressure perpendicular to it, the flange 14 has better anti-bending ability.

[0062] The bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is provided with a fixing hole 103, which is used to secure the lower case 20 to the upper cover 10. Because the flange 14 has excellent bending resistance, the fixing hole 103 is located on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. When the fastener is secured in the fixing hole 103, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 can withstand greater tightening pressure. Furthermore, while the flange 14 has high strength, the coordination between the side walls 144 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 can effectively reduce the thickness of the flange 14, thereby achieving lightweighting of the flange 14.

[0063] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the side walls 144 of the flange 14 are bent from the widthwise edges of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 , meaning that the flange 14 is formed by bending the same sheet metal. Bending the sheet metal to form the flange 14 not only facilitates manufacturing but also effectively improves the overall bending strength of the flange 14 .

[0064] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the opening formed by the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 faces in the opposite direction to the opening formed by the top wall 11 of the upper cover 10 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10. That is, the opening formed by the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 faces the top wall 11 of the upper cover 10, while the opening formed by the top wall 11 of the upper cover 10 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 faces the lower case 20. In other words, the opening of the U-shaped groove 101 faces the top wall 11 of the upper cover 10, and the U-shaped groove 101 in this embodiment can be formed by the flange 14 or by both the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10.

[0065] Since the opening formed by the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 faces the top wall 11 of the upper cover 10, water may accumulate on the inside of the flange 14. In order to avoid water accumulation, in some embodiments, a through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14, so that the U-shaped groove 101 formed by the flange 14 or formed by the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 can be connected to the outside through the through hole 102, and then the accumulated water in the U-shaped groove 101 can be basically discharged, thereby avoiding excessive condensation in the U-shaped groove 101, thereby effectively reducing the corrosion of the bottom wall 143 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14 and the fasteners fixed in the fixing hole 103 by condensation, thereby effectively ensuring that the strength of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners will not be reduced due to condensation corrosion, thereby effectively improving the service life of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners.

[0066] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A top view of the upper cover 10 of the battery pack 1 in the embodiment; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of the cross section at AA in the middle; Figure 7 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the partial cross-section at the middle BB.

[0067] It is understandable that, referring to Figure 3-Figure 7 The connection method between the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 can be various. For example, in some embodiments, the upper cover 10 further includes an outer edge 13 located at the edge of the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 away from the top wall 11, and the outer edge 13 is bent from the edge of the side wall of the upper cover 10 away from the top wall 11 toward the outside of the shell 7. The bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is stacked on the outer edge 13, and the fixing hole 103 is used to fix the lower box body 20 to the outer edge 13 of the upper cover 10 and the flange 14 of the upper cover 10. In this embodiment, the flange 14 is fixed to the outer edge 13, and the outer edge 13 is formed by bending from the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10. This method allows the flange 14 to be manufactured independently, and then the flange 14 and the outer edge are fixed to the lower box body 20 together with the outer edge through fasteners.

[0068] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7In some embodiments, there are multiple outer edges 13. The multiple outer edges 13 and the flanges 14 cooperate to fix the upper cover 10 to the lower case 20. The multiple outer edges 13 are formed by bending outward from the side of the multiple side walls 12 away from the top wall 11. It should be noted that the "outward" in the "multiple outer edges 13 bending outward from the side of the multiple side walls 12 away from the top wall 11" refers to bending in a direction away from the top wall 11, that is, the outer edges 13 and the top wall 11 are bent in opposite directions compared to the side walls 12, that is, the bent outer edges 13 and the top wall 11 are located on opposite sides of the side walls 12. Of course, the outward bending can also be bending toward the outside of the battery pack 1, that is, bending toward the side away from the accommodating cavity formed by the shell 7. By bending the outer edges 13 outward, the fixation between the outer edges 13 and the lower case 20 is facilitated. For example, when fasteners are used for fixation, the assembly of the fasteners is facilitated.

[0069] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the outer edges 13 may be bent at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 so that the outer edges 13 are parallel to the top wall 11. This facilitates the fixing of the outer edges 13 to the main body.

[0070] It should be noted that the plurality of outer edges 13 are formed by bending outward from the side of the side walls 12 of the plurality of upper covers 10 away from the top wall 11. This means that the side of each side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 away from the top wall 11 is bent outward to form an outer edge 13. In other words, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the plurality of outer edges 13 and the plurality of side walls 12 of the upper covers 10.

[0071] Reference Figure 2 In order to ensure the sealing between the multiple outer edges 13 and the lower box body 20 when they are fixed, a sealing gasket 30 is further provided between the lower box body 20 and the multiple outer edges 13. The outer edges 13 are pressed on the sealing gasket 30 to ensure the sealing ability between the multiple outer edges 13 and the lower box body 20.

[0072] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 5 For example, in some embodiments, the outer edges 13 and the lower case 20 can be fixed by fasteners. For example, the multiple outer edges 13 are also provided with fixing holes 103. The fixing holes 103 on the outer edges 13 correspond to the positions of the fixing holes 103 on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. The fasteners are screws that pass through the fixing holes 103 and fix the lower case 20. During the fixing process, the multiple outer edges 13 will squeeze the sealing gaskets 30 located between the multiple outer edges 13 and the lower case 20, thereby ensuring the sealing performance between the multiple outer edges 13 and the lower case 20 while achieving the fixing of the multiple outer edges 13 and the lower case 20.

[0073] Reference Figure 1-Figure 7In this embodiment, since the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is stacked on the outer edge 13, the fixing hole 103 passes through the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the outer edge 13. Therefore, when the fastener is fixed, the flange 14 can effectively improve the bending strength of the outer edge 13. This can effectively reduce the deformation caused by the fastener at the location of the outer edge 13 where the fastener is provided, and can effectively prevent the location of the outer edge 13 where the fastener is provided from squeezing the sealing gasket 30, thereby preventing the sealing gasket 30 from failing to seal due to the squeezing. It can also effectively reduce the amount of upward warping of the outer edge 13 at the location where the fastener is not provided along its length, thereby effectively preventing the location of the outer edge 13 where the fastener is not provided from squeezing the sealing gasket 30 in place, thereby preventing the sealing gasket 30 from failing to seal due to the squeezing. Therefore, by providing a profiled structural member on the outer edge 13, the problem of sealing failure of the sealing gasket 30 is effectively solved. It is understood that the flange 14 and the outer edge 13 in this embodiment are simultaneously used to secure the upper cover 10 to the lower case 20. In this embodiment, the location where the upper cover 10 is secured to the lower case 20 is also where the flange 14 and the outer edge 13 are located. Furthermore, since the location where the upper cover 10 is secured to the lower case 20 effectively improves bending strength through the cooperation of the flange 14 and the outer edge 13, and the flange 14 can be manufactured independently of the outer edge 13, the thickness of the top wall 11, side walls 12, and outer edge 13 of the upper cover 10 can be appropriately reduced while still meeting the strength requirements of the fasteners, thereby achieving a lightweight design for the upper cover 10.

[0074] Reference Figure 3-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the flange 14 includes two opposite side walls 144, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is equivalent to the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101, and the side walls 144 of the flange 14 are also equivalent to the side walls 144 of the U-shaped groove 101, that is, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the two side walls 144 constitute the U-shaped groove 101 mentioned above.

[0075] For the sake of convenience of description, the two side walls 144 of the flange 14 are respectively an inner wall 142 and an outer wall 141, wherein the side wall 144 of the flange 14 away from the battery module 8 is the outer wall 141, and the side wall 144 of the flange 14 close to the battery module 8 is the inner wall 142. In other words, the side wall 144 of the flange 14 away from the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 is the outer wall 141, and the side wall 144 of the flange 14 close to the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 is the inner wall 142.

[0076] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is located between the outer wall 141 of the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 , and the inner wall 142 of the flange 14 is located between the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 .

[0077] Reference Figure 2 as well as Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the outer wall 141 is formed by bending from the side of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 away from the side wall of the upper cover 10, and the inner wall 142 is formed by bending from the side of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 close to the side wall of the upper cover 10. The outer wall 141 and the inner wall 142 are both located in the same direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. That is, the outer wall 141 and the inner wall 142 are formed by bending upward from the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 along the height direction Z of the battery pack 1. The bending angle of the outer wall 141 and the inner wall 142 relative to the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 can be approximately 90 degrees, so that the outer wall 141 and the inner wall 142 are approximately parallel to the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10. Since the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is connected to the inner side wall 142 and the outer side wall 141 on both sides in the width direction, and the inner side wall 142 and the outer side wall 141 have a certain angle with the outer edge 13, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 can be reinforced by the inner side wall 142 and the outer side wall 141 on both sides in the width direction, thereby effectively improving the bending resistance of the flange 14 in its length direction, thereby effectively solving the problem of sealing failure of the sealing gasket 30 when the outer edge 13 and the flange 14 are squeezed by the fastener. Moreover, the bending strength of the flange 14 can be effectively improved without increasing the thickness of the flange 14, that is, the bending strength of the flange 14 can be effectively improved without increasing the weight of the flange 14, thereby achieving a lightweight design while meeting the strength requirements of the flange 14. Under the premise of achieving lightweight design of the flange 14, the overall lightweight design requirements of the upper cover 10 can also be effectively improved.

[0078] It should be noted that, since the upper cover 10 has a plurality of outer edges 13 , a flange 14 may be provided on each outer edge 13 , or a flange 14 may be provided on each of several outer edges 13 .

[0079] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, a through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the bottom wall 143 and the outer wall 141 of the flange 14. In this embodiment, since the U-shaped groove 101 is formed by the bottom wall 143, the outer wall 141, and the inner wall 142 of the flange 14, the through hole 102 penetrates the connection between the outer wall 141 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, and thus water in the U-shaped groove 101 can be effectively drained through the through hole 102 in a timely manner, thereby preventing excessive condensation from being retained in the U-shaped groove 101 and causing corrosion of the upper cover 10 or fasteners.

[0080] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7In some embodiments, the through hole 102 penetrates the flange 14 along the thickness direction of the flange 14, that is, penetrates the connection between the outer wall 141 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 along the thickness direction of the flange 14. It can be understood that since the outer wall 141 is bent from the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 to form the flange 14, the flange 14 is formed by bending a sheet metal part, and thus the thickness direction of the flange 14 refers to the direction perpendicular to the sheet metal part forming the outer wall 141 and the outer edge 13. Since the sheet metal part is not a flat structure after being bent, the direction perpendicular to different positions of the sheet metal part may be different, that is, the thickness direction of the flange 14 may also be different for different positions of the flange 14. For example, for the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, the thickness direction at this time is approximately vertical, while for the outer wall 141 of the flange 14, the thickness direction at this time is approximately horizontal.

[0081] It is understandable that the connection between the bottom wall 143 and the outer side wall 141 of the plurality of flanges 14 is provided with a through hole 102 .

[0082] Reference Figure 2 as well as Figure 5-Figure 7 In the embodiment of the present application, the cost of the upper cover 10 is reduced and the upper cover 10 is made lighter by reducing the thickness of the sheet metal forming the upper cover 10. By providing a flange 14 on the outer edge 13, the bending resistance of the outer edge 13 in its longitudinal direction can be effectively improved, thereby effectively preventing the outer edge 13 from undergoing significant deformation. This effectively solves the problem of sealing failure caused by excessive squeezing of some parts of the sealing gasket 30, as well as the problem of sealing failure caused by insufficient squeezing force or degree of squeezing of some parts of the sealing gasket 30. In addition, a through hole 102 is provided at the connection between the outer wall 141 of the flange 14 and the bottom wall. Condensation in the U-shaped groove 101 is promptly discharged through the through hole 102, thereby effectively reducing the corrosion of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners by condensation, thereby ensuring the service life of the upper cover 10 and the fasteners, and ensuring the fixing strength of the fasteners between the upper cover 10 and the lower box body 20.

[0083] In order to facilitate the formation of the through hole 102, refer to Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the through hole 102 can be first opened at a preset position on the sheet metal part that has not been bent to form the flange 14, and the preset position on the sheet metal part is the position corresponding to the connection between the outer wall 141 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 after bending. Compared with opening the through hole 102 after bending, the difficulty of opening the through hole 102 can be effectively reduced.

[0084] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7In some embodiments, the side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 connected to the two long sides of the top wall 11 are defined as long side walls 12a. That is, the two side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 that are opposite to each other in the width direction Y of the battery pack 1 are defined as long side walls 12a. The outer edge 13 formed by bending from the side of the long side wall 12a away from the top wall 11 is defined as a long side outer edge 13a. Each of the two long side walls 12a is connected to a long side outer edge 13a. The side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 connected to the two short sides of the top wall 11 are defined as short side walls 12b. That is, the two side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 that are opposite to each other in the length direction X of the battery pack 1 are defined as short side walls 12b. The outer edge 13 formed by bending from the side of the short side wall 12b away from the top wall 11 is defined as a short side outer edge 13b.

[0085] The multiple outer edges 13 are generally long, strip-like structures, meaning their length is typically much greater than their width and thickness. The lengths of the two long outer edges 13a coincide with the length direction X of the battery pack 1, while the lengths of the two short outer edges 13b coincide with the width direction Y of the battery pack 1. It will be appreciated that the lengths of the long outer edges 13a are substantially consistent with the lengths of the long side walls 12a, and the lengths of the short outer edges 13b are substantially consistent with the lengths of the short side walls 12b. This allows the outer edges 13 to effectively compress the sealing gasket 30 at all locations, ensuring a tight seal between the outer edges 13 and the lower case 20.

[0086] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the length of the flange 14 connected to the outer edge 13 is substantially the same as the length of the corresponding outer edge 13, thereby ensuring that the outer edge 13 can be effectively strengthened at all positions along its length.

[0087] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7In some embodiments, the flange 14 is provided with a through hole 102 in the middle portion in the length direction thereof. This is because after the battery pack 1 is placed on the lower case 20, the middle portion of the lower case 20 is more easily deformed by the weight of the battery pack 1 along the length direction X of the battery pack 1 than at the two ends. Similarly, along the width direction Y of the battery pack 1, the middle portion of the lower case 20 is also more easily deformed by the weight of the battery pack 1 than at the two ends. As a result, the middle portion of the outer edge 13 connected to the lower case 20 is usually pulled downward and deformed by the lower case 20, resulting in the deformation of each The middle portion of the outer edge 13 is lower than the two ends, so that the condensation accumulated on the outer edge 13 is more likely to flow to the middle portion of the outer edge 13, and the flange 14 provided on the outer edge 13 is provided with a through hole 102 in the middle portion of its length direction, that is, in the length direction of the flange 14, a through hole 102 is provided in the middle portion of the connection between the outer wall 141 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. The middle position of the flange 14 is relatively lower, and the through hole 102 is provided in the middle position of the flange 14, which can improve the drainage effect of the U-shaped groove 101. It can be understood that the middle portion of the flange 14 in its length direction does not refer to the midpoint of the flange 14 in its length direction, but refers to any position of the flange 14 in the middle section in its length direction. For example, the flange 14 is divided into three sections in its length direction, and the middle section is the middle portion of the flange 14.

[0088] Reference Figure 3-Figure 7 In some embodiments, because the long side outer edge 13a is relatively long, the flange 14 connected to the long side outer edge 13a is the long side flange 14a. The number of through holes 102 on the long side flange 14a can be multiple, for example, two, three, four, or more. The multiple through holes 102 are spaced apart along the length of the long side outer edge 13a to improve the ability of the through holes 102 to drain condensation accumulated on the long side outer edge 13a. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of through holes 102 on the long side flange 14a connected to the long side outer edge 13a can also be only one.

[0089] Reference Figure 3 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, since the short side outer edge 13b is shorter, the flange connected to the short side outer edge 13b is the short side flange 14b, and the number of through holes 102 on the short side flange 14b can be one, so as to minimize the impact of the through hole 102 on the strength of the flange 14. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of through holes 102 on the short side flange 14b connected to the short side outer edge 13b can also be multiple.

[0090] Reference Figure 3 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments, the length of the long-side outer edge 13a is typically greater than the length of the short-side outer edge 13b, and thus the length of the long-side flange 14a connected to the long-side outer edge 13a is also typically greater than the length of the short-side flange 14b connected to the short-side outer edge 13b. To minimize corrosion damage caused by condensation accumulation, that is, to minimize the possibility of condensation accumulation within the U-shaped groove 101, in some embodiments, the number of through-holes 102 defined in the long-side flange 14a connected to the long-side outer edge 13a is typically greater than the number of through-holes 102 defined in the short-side flange 14b connected to the short-side outer edge 13b. This ensures that condensation accumulated within the U-shaped groove 101 formed by the long-side flange 14a on the long-side outer edge 13a can be promptly discharged through the through-holes 102.

[0091] In some embodiments, the through holes 102 and the fixing holes 103 are spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, that is, the through holes 102 and the fixing holes 103 are directly opposite and spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. Because the fixing holes 103 are located at the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, the fasteners squeeze the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, causing the fixing holes 103 to be located relatively lower on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. This allows condensation to more easily flow to the location on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 corresponding to the fixing holes 103. Therefore, arranging the through holes 102 and the fixing holes 103 in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, that is, positioning the through holes 102 directly opposite the fixing holes 103, can improve the ability of the through holes 102 to drain condensation accumulated on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. It is understandable that this solution can be applied in a scenario where the width of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is relatively large.

[0092] If the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the width of the flange 14 are to be further reduced, in order to ensure the bending strength of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 where the fixing hole 103 is provided, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 cannot be penetrated by the through hole 102, so it is necessary to ensure the position accuracy of the through hole 102 when it is opened, for example, only allowing the through hole 102 to penetrate the outer wall 141 but not the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14.

[0093] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7In order to avoid the reduction in strength of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the position where the fixing hole 103 is provided on the flange 14, in another embodiment, the through hole 102 and the fixing hole 103 are spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, and are arranged front to back in the extension direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, that is, the through hole 102 and the fixing hole 103 are spaced apart and staggered in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, that is, the through hole 102 and the fixing hole 103 are not arranged directly opposite each other in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, or in the length direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, the fixing hole 103 and the through hole 102 are spaced apart. In this embodiment, since the through hole 102 and the fixing hole 103 are staggered in the width direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, even if the through hole 102 penetrates part of the edge of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, it will not affect the strength of the position where the fixing hole 103 is provided on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, and can meet the strength requirements when the fasteners are used to fix the upper cover 10 and the lower box body 20.

[0094] Reference Figure 5-Figure 7 In some embodiments, the minimum distance between the through hole 102 and the fixing hole 103 is greater than the distance from the fixing hole 103 to the edge where the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is connected to the outer wall 141. Within this range, it can be ensured that even if the through hole 102 penetrates part of the edge of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, it will not affect the strength of the position where the fixing hole 103 is provided on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, and can also meet the strength requirements when the fasteners are used to fix the upper cover 10 and the lower box body 20.

[0095] Furthermore, because the outer edge 13 and the flange 14 are separately provided, and the flange 14 is independently provided on the outer edge 13, the flange 14 can enhance the bending strength of the outer edge 13, thereby ensuring that the bending strength of the entire outer edge 13 is sufficient to prevent uneven compression of the sealing gasket 30 and cause seal failure. Furthermore, because the flange 14 is independent, while ensuring the overall bending strength of the outer edge 13, the thickness of the top wall 11 and the plurality of side walls 12 of the upper cover 10 can be reduced, thereby effectively reducing costs and making the entire upper cover 10 lightweight.

[0096] Reference Figure 2 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 Since the outer edge 13 is in direct contact with the sealing gasket 30, the width accuracy of the outer edge 13 is required to be higher. Therefore, the flange 14 is independently set on the outer edge 13, which can improve the precision design of the width of the outer edge 13 and make it easier to meet safety requirements.

[0097] In some embodiments, the inner sidewall 142 and the sidewall 12 of the upper cover 10 are fitted together, thereby allowing the inner sidewall 142 and the sidewall 12 of the upper cover 10 to rely on each other and reinforce each other. It is understood that the inner sidewall 142 and the sidewall 12 of the upper cover 10 can also be fitted and sealed with adhesive to prevent condensation from seeping in.

[0098] In some embodiments, the flange 14 and the outer edge 13 can be fixed together by riveting. Of course, the flange 14 and the outer edge 13 can also be fixed together by other fasteners passing through the flange 14, the outer edge 13 and the lower box body 20, or the flange 14 and the outer edge 13 can be fixed together by welding.

[0099] To facilitate the timely discharge of condensation from the through-hole 102, in some embodiments, the width of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is smaller than the width of the outer edge 13. In the width direction of the outer edge 13, the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is located between the two edges of the outer edge 13 in the width direction of the outer edge 13. In this embodiment, because the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is located between the two edges of the outer edge 13 in the width direction, and no insulating material such as sealant is provided between the edge of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the outer edge 13, and the through-hole 102 is located between the bottom wall 143 and the outer wall 141 of the flange 14, condensation can flow directly from the through-hole 102 of the flange 14 to the outer edge 13 and out, thereby improving the efficiency of condensation discharge from the through-hole 102.

[0100] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another upper cover 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Compared with the structure of the upper cover 10 in the previous text, Figure 8 The upper cover 10 in the embodiment is not provided with an outer edge 13 (see Figure 3 ).

[0101] Reference Figure 8 The upper cover 10 includes a top wall 11, a plurality of side walls 12 and a plurality of flanges 14. The flanges 14 extend from the edge of the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 away from the top wall 11 to the shell 7 (see Figure 2 ) External bend.

[0102] Specifically, the flange 14 includes a bottom wall 143 and a side wall 144 (see Figure 3), the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is formed by bending outward from the side of the side wall 12 away from the top wall 11 and is parallel to the top wall 11. The flange is used to be fixed to the lower box body 20, that is, the flange is provided with a fixing hole 103 for fixing to the lower box body 20. The side wall 144 of the flange 14 is bent from the side of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 away from the side wall 12 toward the top wall 11. The side wall 144 of the flange 14, the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 jointly form a U-shaped groove 101, that is, the side wall 12 of the upper cover 10 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14 are connected to the side walls 144 of the flange 14 on both sides in the width direction. The bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 is the bottom wall 143 of the U-shaped groove 101, and the side wall 144 of the flange 14 is the side of the U-shaped groove 101 away from the battery module 8 (refer to Figure 2 ), and the through hole 102 passes through the connection between the side wall 144 of the flange 14 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. In this embodiment, since the top wall 11, the multiple side walls 12, and the multiple flanges can be formed by bending a single sheet metal part, the processing difficulty of the upper cover 10 can be effectively reduced.

[0103] It is understandable that Figure 8 In the embodiment, the through hole 102 (refer to Figure 4 ) is located at the connection between the side wall 144 of the flange 14 and the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, and also includes three situations. Situation 1 is that the through hole 102 penetrates both the bottom wall 143 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14. Situation 2 is that the through hole 102 only penetrates the side wall 144 of the flange 14 but does not penetrate the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, but the through hole 102 is infinitely close to the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14. Situation 3 is that the through hole 102 only penetrates the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 but does not penetrate the side wall 144 of the flange 14, but the through hole 102 is infinitely close to the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14.

[0104] In addition, the positions of the through holes 102 in this embodiment can also refer to the previous embodiments. For example, in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14, the through hole 102 can be opened at the middle position of the connection between the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14. Similarly, multiple through holes 102 can also be opened at the connection between the bottom wall 143 of each flange 14 and the side wall 144 of the flange 14.

[0105] In addition, the positional relationship of the through hole 102 in this embodiment relative to the fixing hole 103 provided on the bottom wall 143 of the flange 14 can also refer to the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0106] The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack, characterized in that: The battery pack includes a shell and a plurality of battery cells; The housing includes an upper cover and a lower box body, the upper cover includes a top wall and side walls, the upper cover is covered on the lower box body, and together with the lower box body forms a space for accommodating the multiple battery cells; The upper cover further comprises a flange, the flange being located at an edge of the side wall of the upper cover facing away from the top wall, the flange being located on the outside of the side wall of the upper cover, the flange comprising a side wall and a bottom wall; the bottom wall of the flange being located between the side wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, the bottom wall of the flange being provided with a fixing hole, the fixing hole being used to fix the lower box body and the upper cover; the direction of the opening formed by the flange and the side wall of the upper cover is opposite to the direction of the opening formed by the top wall of the upper cover and the side wall of the upper cover; A through hole is provided at the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The side wall of the flange is bent from the edge of the bottom wall of the flange toward the top wall of the upper cover, and the through hole passes through the connection between the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange along the thickness direction of the flange.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The through hole passes through the side wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange.

4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The side wall of the upper cover includes two short side walls opposite to each other in the length direction of the battery pack, and the flanges located on the edges of the short side walls are short side flanges. In the width direction of the battery pack, the through hole is located in the middle part of the short side flanges.

5. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The side wall of the upper cover includes two long side walls opposite to each other in the width direction of the battery pack, and the flanges located at the edges of the two long side walls are long side flanges. In the length direction of the battery pack, a plurality of through holes are spaced apart on the long side flanges.

6. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The through holes and the fixing holes are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange.

7. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The through holes and the fixing holes are spaced apart in the width direction of the bottom wall of the flange, and are arranged front to back in the length direction of the bottom wall of the flange.

8. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The upper cover further includes an outer edge located at an edge of the side wall of the upper cover away from the top wall, and the outer edge is bent from the edge of the side wall of the upper cover away from the top wall toward the outside of the shell; The bottom wall of the flange is stacked on the outer edge, and the fixing hole is used to fix the lower box body to the outer edge of the upper cover and the flange of the upper cover.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that: The side wall of the flange includes an inner wall and an outer wall, the bottom wall of the flange is located between the outer wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, the inner wall of the flange is located between the bottom wall of the flange and the side wall of the upper cover, and the through hole is provided at the connection between the outer wall of the flange and the bottom wall of the flange.

10. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The flange is bent outward from the edge of the side wall of the upper cover away from the top wall.

11. An energy storage device, characterized in that: The energy storage device includes a cabinet and one or more battery packs according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the one or more battery packs are arranged in the cabinet.

Images